Abstract:
A computer mouse is presented with added capabilities and circuitry to access features, such as touch screen features, of newer computer operating systems.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/923,721, filed on 5 Jan. 2014, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention pertains to computer mice with adaptations for use with new operating systems while remaining compatible with older operating systems. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The advent of the personal computer industry brought with it the need for pointing devices, such as mice, which have been improved over the years to provide advanced functionality and features. For example, variations have included the number of push buttons provided to the users and software designers, or the inclusion of a scroll wheel to allow control of the computer screen. 
         [0004]    With the introduction of new computer operating systems, such as Windows 8, comes the need for improved mice to access new operating system features. This need is, in part, due to the integration of features designed for touch screen users. For example, the new Windows “Charm” feature and the new application toggle cannot be accessed by a now-standard mouse. The inability to access these two core features of the new software via a mouse requires the user to repeatedly abandon the mouse to use the keyboard, or to reach over to touch the screen. In many cases, a user working at a desk will not be within easy reach of the screen, and would have to interrupt the flow of work to move to reach it. 
         [0005]    Additionally, it is desirable to provide additional mouse-based controls to efficiently work with the new or improved features of newer software. One such example is providing a mouse with the ability to itself control the size of objects on the screen, that is, to provide a zoom control from the mouse. Another desirable feature is providing a selectively functioning second position sensor on the mouse which, when turned on, will allow the user to simulate two-finger gestures on a touch screen, for example, sliding, swiping, or rotating an image. 
         [0006]    Further, due to the increased capabilities of voice recognition software, it is desirable to provide a mouse with a selectively usable microphone, so that the microphone is always at hand but in operation only when needed. 
         [0007]    Finally, due to differences between the two major personal computer types (PC and MAC), it is desirable to provide a mouse that may be toggled between PC and MAC mode, where the features provided by the mouse change as appropriate to the operating system in use. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The invention is a computer mouse with an additional button (functionality control button), preferably mounted on the side of the mouse, and convenient to the location where the user&#39;s fingers would normally rest. This button may be used to toggle on or off one or more added functions of the mouse, depending on the user&#39;s preference. Depending on the particular embodiment of the mouse and the application, the functionality control button may be a press-and-hold for “on” button, or may be a switch-on-switch-off toggle button. 
         [0009]    In one embodiment of the invention, with the functionality control button turned on, the user may use the scroll wheel to zoom in or out, for example, changing the screen size of text, photos, or icons. 
         [0010]    In a further embodiment, the mouse may be equipped with two functionality control buttons, for example, one on either side of the mouse, which may provide either the same or different functions, depending on the desired overall functionality of the mouse. Further, the functionality control button (or each functionality control button, if there is more than one) may provide different functionality depending on the type of operating system the mouse is being used with. 
         [0011]    In another embodiment of the invention, the mouse is provided with two additional switch buttons, mounted on the mouse circuit board. The mouse scroll wheel may be tilted slightly to one side or the other to engage one of the buttons. These buttons may be used to access the Windows 8 Charm feature and the Application Toggle, respectively, or, with a MAC system, special features applicable to the Apple operating system, such as page forward and backward. This embodiment also provides a customized integrated circuit (IC) that provides for the additional switch connections, and, by providing the necessary signal control, avoids the need to provide a microcontroller within the mouse itself. Alternatively, a microcontroller with customized firmware may be used. 
         [0012]    Those of skill in the art will recognize that certain features of this embodiment of the invention are flexible. For example, the choice of which switch activates which Windows feature may vary by the country in which the mouse is expected to be used. Additionally, the addition of this added functionality to a mouse does not preclude it from being backward-compatible with older operating systems. 
         [0013]    A further embodiment of the invention provides a PC/MAC selector switch on the printed circuit (PC) board hosting the controller IC, or integrated with a microcontroller. Such a switch provides a toggle, and the IC may be designed so that the output of the mouse upon activation of added features (such as bottom switches) will differ depending on whether the mouse is being used with a PC system or a MAC system. 
         [0014]    In another embodiment of the invention, the mouse is provided with a second sensor, such as an optical or laser sensor, offset from the primary position sensor of the mouse. With the second sensor activated by the functionality control button, the user may simulate two-finger controls on a touch screen. For example, the user may simulate linear two-finger motions to control horizontal or vertical scrolling of the screen (or of an object thereon), or may rotate the mouse to rotate an image on the screen. Additionally, the rate of either linear or rotational motion may be translated logarithmically to represent acceleration to the computer operating system. For example, a steady speed might be used to communicate a “slide” operation to Windows 8, and an accelerated speed might be used to communicate a “swipe” to Windows 8. Some features, such as sliding or swiping, may also be accomplished using only one position sensor. 
         [0015]    The positioning of the two sensors is preferably correlated in essentially the same relative position as the tips of a person&#39;s index and middle fingers, so that the user&#39;s hand motion with the mouse can naturally follow the motions the user would make on a touch screen. 
         [0016]    Another embodiment of the invention provides a microphone to provide the user with a convenient input when using applications that offer voice recognition, or other applications providing for audio input. In this embodiment, the microphone may be selectively activated, either via the functionality control button, or by providing a gyro switch so that the microphone may be turned on or off by changing the position of the mouse. This microphone is preferably set into the mouse body sufficiently deep to reduce ambient noise, reducing the need to provide a high-quality microphone for this input. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1A  is a side view of an embodiment of a computer mouse of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 1B  is a bottom view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1A . 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a bottom view of an alternative embodiment of the mouse of  FIG. 1A . 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the mouse of  FIG. 1A . 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a schematic representation of a printed circuit board and its connections to mouse components for use with the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is an example flow diagram reflecting possible functional flows by utilizing an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 1A , mouse  10  is shown with left mouse button  12 , right mouse button  14 , and scroll wheel  16 . A middle mouse button (not shown) is preferably provide underneath scroll wheel  16 , so that depressing scroll wheel  16  activates the middle mouse button when the mouse is attached to a PC, but may provide different functionality on a MAC. Functionality control button  18  is placed on the side  11  of mouse  10  in a position where the user&#39;s fingers will normally rest with easy access to functionality control button  18 . The mouse may be provided with a second functionality control button (not shown), placed on the other side of the mouse, or a single functionality control button may be placed on either side of the mouse to accommodate left-handed or right-handed users. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 1B , a bottom view of one embodiment of mouse  10  of  FIG. 1A  is shown. Present on the bottom of the mouse is optical or laser sensor  23 . 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the bottom view of an alternative embodiment of the mouse  10  of  FIG. 1A  is shown. In addition to primary optical or laser sensor  24 , a secondary optical or laser sensor  26  is provided. When the functionality control button is activated, secondary optical or laser sensor  26  is activated as well, and with two points of reference the mouse may be used to simulate functions that the user could access with a two finger motion on a touch screen. For example, the user may use the mouse to effect left to right or up to down scrolling, or rotate an image on the screen. Some features, such as sliding or swiping, may also be accomplished using only one position sensor. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , another alternative embodiment of mouse  10  is shown. In this embodiment, mouse  10  is provided with microphone  28  to provide the user with a handy and easily accessible microphone. Microphone  28  may be activated by engaging functionality control button  18 , or by other means. For example, mouse  10  could be provided with a gyro switch (not shown) and configured so that microphone  28  would be activated when the mouse is held in a vertical position (relative to its normal horizontal position). Such configuration choices will be recognized by those skilled in the art as a matter of engineering choice only. 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , printed circuit board  30  is shown schematically together with its connections to the various elements discussed above. Printed circuit board  30  comprises integrated circuit  32  and mode switch  34 . Mode switch  34  may be used to set integrated circuit  32  into two or more modes, for example, allowing the user to select between PC or MAC functions. Printed circuit board  30  also comprises first connection  40  and second connection  42  to left switch  36  and right switch  38 . Left switch  36  and right switch  38  may be selectively activated by tilting scroll wheel  48  to the right or the left to activate the functionality assigned to that switch. 
         [0028]    Printed circuit board  30  may also comprise third connection  58  linking it to functionality control button  60 , fourth connection  50  linking it to secondary optical or laser sensor  52 , and fifth connection  54  linking it to microphone  56 . 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , one possible description of the logic flow to support the functionality of a mouse of the present invention is shown. In the case of  FIG. 5 , the logic shown supports a Windows mouse and accesses Windows 8 features. 
         [0030]    Those of skill in the art that the individual components shown may be used in one or more combinations without departing from the spirit of the invention. It will be further understood that integrated circuit  32  must have a connection (not shown) to a computer (also not shown), but those of skill in the art will recognize that the means for making such a connection, whether wired or wireless, are well known and well understood.