Patent ID: 6825831
Filing Date: 2004-11-30
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A position indicating device, comprising:a housing having a sealed compartment and an opened compartment; a trackball disposed in said opened compartment; plurality of drive tube assemblies disposed in said opened compartment for supporting a periphery of said trackball, wherein said plurality of drive tubes includes an X-axis drive tube and a Y-axis drive tube, said X-axis drive tube and said Y-axis drive tube each having a sealed magnet assembly affixed thereto such that a north-to-south pole magnetic field angle rotates as said X-axis drive tube and said Y-axis drive tube rotates; an X-axis angle sensor, an X-axis signal conditioner, a Y-axis magnetic angle sensor, and a Y-axis signal conditioner disposed in said sealed compartment for sensing and measuring said north-to-south pole magnetic field angle; and a processor disposed within said sealed compartment, said processor coupled to said sensors and signal conditioners for determining a change in consecutive magnetic field angles and for translating said change into an indication of linear motion of said position indicating device.