Patent ID: 6130664
Filing Date: 2000-10-10
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
An input device for inputting two-dimensional information to an information processor, comprising:a case having a bottom, said bottom being selected from one of a group consisting of a quadric bottom surface, a bottom surface having the shape of a cubic curve, and a bottom with a protuberance formed thereon;sensors housed within said case and adapted to detect directions and amounts of rotations of a body of the input device centered on two axes orthogonal to each other;a signal processing section adapted to convert output from said sensors into control signals associated with said information processor; andselecting switches adapted to input various selection signals;wherein one of said two axes orthogonal to each other is a vertical axis extending in a vertical direction and the other is a horizontal axis extending in a transverse direction of the device body;sensor output in rotation around said vertical axis is converted into information in a horizontal direction of a display of said information processor, and sensor output in rotation around said horizontal axis is converted into information in a vertical direction of said display; anda support member abuts the bottom of the case during operation and provides a surface for rotation of the input device, rotation occurs around one of a group consisting of the quadric bottom surface, the cubic curved bottom surface, and the protuberance, and the amounts of rotation are converted into information for the display.