Patent ID: 6081258
Filing Date: 2000-06-27
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A twin mouse digitizer comprising, in combination:a housing with a generally rectangular configuration having a top face, a bottom face, a rear face, a front face and a pair of side faces defining an interior space, the top face having a rear planar extent and a front beveled extent, an edge between the rear face and the top face between arcuate along a length thereof, the bottom face having a pair of identical circular apertures formed therein with centers which define a line that remains perpendicular with the side faces, the interior space defining a pair of tracing ball cavities;a plurality of push buttons situated on the front beveled extent of the housing and having a rectangular top face, each button pivotally mounted adjacent an interconnection of the front and rear extents of the top face and further remaining generally in coplanar relationship with the rear extent of the top face;a pair of tracing balls each rotatably situated within a corresponding one of the cavities of the housing and protruding through the associated circular aperture of the housing, the tracing balls including a first tracing ball and a second tracing ball;a first tracing ball movement detector including a first roller rotatably coupled within the interior space of the housing about an axis which remains perpendicular with the front and rear face of the housing, the first roller being in constant abutment with the first tracing ball for rotating during X-plane movement of the first tracing ball and generating an X-signal indicative of the same, the first tracing ball movement detector further including a second roller rotatably coupled within the interior space of the housing about an axis which remains perpendicular with the side faces of the housing, the second roller being in constant abutment with the first tracing ball for rotating during Y-plane movement of the first tracing ball and generating a Y-signal indicative of the same; anda second tracing ball movement detector including only one roller rotatably coupled within the interior space of the housing about an axis which remains perpendicular with the side faces of the housing, the roller of the second tracing ball movement detector being in constant abutment with the second tracing ball for rotating during Y-plane movement of the second tracing ball and generating a Y-signal indicative of the same;whereby the angular orientation of the housing may be ascertained from the signals of the first and second tracing ball movement detectors; anda pointer plate centrally coupled to the front face of the housing and proximate the bottom face of the housing, the pointer plate having a primary crosshair and a secondary crosshair for facilitating the selection of desired points, the primary crosshair being aligned with the first tracing ball, the secondary crosshair being aligned the second tracing ball such that a distance between the primary cross hair and the first tracing ball is equivalent to a distance between the secondary crosshair and the second tracing ball.