Abstract:
A computer mouse device for tracking user input and providing tactile feedback. A housing includes a lower portion designed to move over a flat surface, and a casing portion engaged by a palm of a user&#39;s hand. A sensor is provided within the housing for tracking the motion of the housing with repect to the flat surface, where motion data from the sensor is transmitted to a host computer for updating the status of a cursor on a graphical display displaying one or more graphical details. The mouse device receives over signal lines a sensory feedback signal from the host computer when the displayed cursor interacts with a graphical detail in response to the motion data. An actuator is included within and coupled to the housing and generates motion of the casing in a direction substantially orthogonal to the flat surface, delivering a tactile sensation to the user&#39;s palm in response to the sensory feedback signal received over the signal lines.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a tracking device and a method for a sensory feedback from a cursor status for a cursor with graphical details being scanned or passed in connection with a program or comprising it. More specifically the invention provides a signal to be generated for a sensory feedback generating a movement of the tracking device. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The user interface in form of a window (Window) as a facility to access special program functions in a data program is found in almost every modern interface. The program basing on the use of windows comprises also function keys in e.g. key rows, screen and display delimiters and icons, so-called graphic symbols. 
     To achieve access to the functions contained in the symbols a cursor is controlled by means of a tracking device (computer mouse, trackball, pointer, etc.) over a display unit showing the symbols, the function of the symbol being produced by e.g. pressing a key with one or several touches. 
     A problem with the control of the cursor to effect the symbols arises when it is difficult to fix the cursor to the symbol in a distinct way to let the touches have the desired effect. 
     It is easier to hit e.g. keys situated at the edge of a display than one in its centre. To hit a key at the edge the computer mouse is pulled quickly in the right direction to reach the key. It has no importance if the computer mouse is pulled too far. The cursor will anyhow stop at the edge. To hit a key situated e.g. in the centre of the displays frame more coordination is however required by a user of the computer mouse to hit the target, thus, the user must e.g. slow down the tracking device before the key is reached to let the cursor land on the key. This step takes time and might be difficult and might even give the user stress and irritation. 
     A further problem, which is related to the use of tracking devices for said object, is that the user requires a simultaneous feature, i.e. to e.g. quickly localize the key for the memorizing function in a program without necessarily having to let the eye scan the display unit. 
     In the european patent application EP-A1-0,607,580 a computer mouse with a pin is described receiving signals from a host computer unit effecting the pin which generates sensory signals to a users finger top e.g. when the cursor status is altered 
     The invention according to said EP-application is, however, not without problems in that a finger top must be kept in contact with the pin. Ergonometric studies have shown that the user of a computer mouse when continuously using the computer mouse hardly can keep the finger tops over the same spot over a longer period of time. This is easily understood by ordinary people as some users are easily seized with cramp, writing cramps being a well known complaint. Furthermore, some people suffer from a lighter or heavier trembling. Thus the computer mouse with a pin is restricted in its use for a not negligible part of the users of tracking devices. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention intends to solve above mentioned problems related to a window face and similar in a new and innovative manner. 
     To achieve said object of the invention it is for marking graphical details in connection with or comprised in the program proposed a tracking device as a user interface for the access of program functions comprised in the details. 
     A cursor as a tracking device controlling on a display receives a sensory feedback from status signals for a user of the cursor in a host unit, when the cursor hits or passes said graphical details, in such a way that means arranged in the tracking device generate a movement of the tracking device. 
     The movement of the tracking device consists of that it vibrates, bounces, bumps or slants. 
     The cursor might be fixed within the limits of optional derails, even three-dimensional ones, when the cursor hits the limit or passes it and the cursor is thus released by pushing the tracking device mantle downwards. 
     A graphical detail might be an icon, a key, a window or a border limiting the window. 
     Alternatively, graphical details in form of key rows provide various sensory feedback depending on the key and its function. 
     In a further alternative the cursor being fixed within a detail, is free to move within the borders of the detail. 
     The cursor, being fixed within a three-dimensional object or detail, is possibly free to move within the volume of the object or the detail in an embodiment with the cursor possibly generating a shadow within the object or the detail when drawn out of these without first having been released. The shadow allows that the cursor can be moved more easily into the object or the detail. The invention comprises even a method for marking graphical details by means of a tracking device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       The invention will be described here below more in detail with reference so the attached figures of the drawings, where 
         FIG. 1  schematically illustrates a tracking device in form of a computer mouse connected to a host computer unit with a display showing graphical details and a sensory feedback to the computer mouse according to the invention, 
         FIG. 2  schematically illustrates an alternative sensory feedback in a tracking device according to  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 3  schematically illustrates a pressing of the tracking device according to  FIG. 1  in an embodiment of the invention, 
         FIG. 4  schematically illustrates in an exploded view of the computer mouse an embodiment of how a means might be arranged in the computer mouse to achieve a movement of the computer mouse, 
         FIG. 5  schematically illustrates how a cursor with a shadow is shown, when the user of the cursor touches a tracking device in a three-dimensional environment according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention is here described more in detail with alternative embodiments illustrating the technology of the invention and the cognitive, tactile and motoric advantages provided by a tracking device according to the invention. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates schematically a computer mouse  10  connected to a host unit  12  in form of a computer, here a PC, with a display unit  14  and a key board  16 . 
     The present invention with its embodiments specifically describes a computer mouse  10 , the invention is however generally applicable to a majority of already known tracking devices such as track balls for portable computers, pointers, etc. 
     The computer mouse  10  consists of a casing  20  movable in relation to a bottom portion  18  and the conventional function keys  22 ,  24 . Furthermore, the computer mouse is connected to a host unit  12 ,  14 ,  16  by means of a signal cable  26  comprising signal lines for a track balls, here not shown, transmitters in the x and y-direction. Furthermore, the signal cable comprises lines for transmitting status signals for the cursor  28  from a cursor controller comprised in the host unit  12 ,  14 . 
     The display  14  shows schematically in its frame  30  how the interface might be in a window environment. The frame  30  besides the display cursor  28  a window  32 , an icon  34 , a display border  36 , a line of three keys  40 ,  42 ,  44  and three areas with special attributes not to be described in detail. 
     When the cursor  28  by means of the computer mouse  10  is moved towards or over the periphery  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44  of a graphical detail the host unit  12 ,  14  in one embodiment of the invention generates by means of the cursor controllers status (x- and y-coordinates, status flags, etc.) for the cursor  28  a sensory feedback in form of a signal by means of signal lines in the cable  26 . The signal provides that a means arranged in the computer mouse  10  generates a movement of the computer mouse  10 , e.g. in a form that the computer mouse vibrates, bounces, bumps, slants, etc. 
     In an alternative embodiment even the cursor  28  is fixed within the borders, but preferably in such a way, that it is free to move between the borders, e.g. between the borders  32  and  34  for the window and the icon, respectively, if it is fixed within the window. 
     In fixing the cursor  28  within a graphical detail the status register for the cursor  28  is initiated that a signal is sent to the computer mouse  10  with its casing  20  receiving a sensory feedback in that the cursor  28  has been fixed within or to a graphical detail  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44 . In the present embodiment the casing  20  vibrates  46  in relation to the bottom portion  18 . The complete computer mouse might eventually vibrate in an embodiment without any specific casing and specific bottom portion. A tracking device  10  might instead of vibrating bounce or bump each time the cursor is moved towards or fixed onto a graphical detail. 
     The vibrations can be achieved by means of devices such as electromagnets, piezoelectric transmitters, composite metals and other devices available in the market possibly achieving vibrations. 
     Furthermore, the graphical detail, in which the cursor  28  has been fixed, might in another embodiment be identified by means of the vibration frequency. In mots cases it is quite sufficient that a few graphical details are to be identified by means of the vibration frequency, e.g. by means of an enter key, here designates  40 , so that a simultneous effect is achieved in that e.g. a program or a data file has to be entered. This is achieved without the user necessarily sweeping or drifting with his eyes over the frame  30  to find the enter key  40 . In principle most graphical derails might, however, be provided with a specific code by means of the vibration frequency. 
     The cursor  28  being fixed within a frame it must be possibly released from this fixation. According to an embodiment of the present invention this is achieved in that the computer mouse  10  or any other used tracking device is extended to a pressure downwards effecting a signal transmitter, e.g. a pressure transmitter, co change the status of the cursor  28 , the user then feeling as if it presses out the cursor or is diving under the edge of the border, thus improving the perception of the process on the frame  30 . 
     In feeling that the cursor is sliding over e.g. a key  40  the picture of the key  40  is elucidated. In a similar way the picture of a window  32  is intensified. 
     A parallel to the present invention is the introduction of shadows in a graphical interfaces. In that the user can see the shadow of an interface, such as a window, it becomes much easier to understand the concept with several layers in windows, i.e. windows overlapping each order. This provides a three-dimensional effect and improves the aesthetic aspect and provides even an improvement of the users perception of the interface rending it mor effective. The present invention achieves similar features which provides the parallelism. 
     In  FIG. 2  is shown another embodiment of a sensory feedback according to the invention. 
       FIG. 2  schematically illustrates the computer mouse  10 , the casing  20  being movable in relation to the bottom portion  18 , slants to the right in the figure, marked by a downwards pointing arrow as a sensory feedback from the status register of the cursor  28 . The slanting might even be achieved forwards, backwards, to the left, etc. Thus, the corresponding slanting indicates a code. The slanting to the right might e.g. imply the key for the entering function  40 . In the same way, the other silanting positions might indicate the code for another graphical detail  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44 . Furthermore, alternating slanting positions for a feedback might indicate further codes. 
     Meanss for slanting the computer mouse  10  might consist of electromagnets, relays, etc. 
     To leave a fixation within the limited area of a graphical detail or its periphery it is illustrated in  FIG. 3 , how the casing of the computer mouse  10  is pressed against the bottom portion  18 , a pressure transmitter e.g. generating a signal to the cursor  28  to leave a limited area, where it previously had been fixed. As already mentioned the computer mouse  10 , with the casing  20  and the bottom portion forming together a unit, even by means of a convenient arrangement is provided with a pressure transmitter to achieve signals releasing the cursor  28 . 
     Regarding the arrangement of meanss adapted to generate the sensory feedback in a tracking device it is preferably design precautions for the man of the art, but with reference to  FIG. 4  an embodiment is exemplified how the means might be arranged within a computer mouse  10 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates, how an electromagnet  50  by means of screws is arranged in a means of attachment  52 , here fixed by means of screws in the bottom portion  18  of the computer mouse  10 . Between the casing  20  and the bottom portion  18  a resilient means  56  is placed. When the computer mouse  10  receives the sensory feedback signal the anchor  58  of the electromagnet  50  hits the casing  20  generating a movement in the casing  20 . The movement transforms into a vibration by means of the potential energy stored in the resilient means  56 . To achieve a coding of the sensory feedback as described above already known meanss generating pulse sequences might be used. 
     Moreover, the present invention solves the problems connected to the sensory feedback by means of a pin as described in EP-A1-0-607,580 in that the mouse itself vibrates making it easier for the user with a tendency to be seized with cramp and trembling to use the computer mouse  10 . They do not necessarily have to touch the computer mouse with any specific position of the hand as the whole computer mouse according to the invention is moving. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates how a cursor with a shadow is shown, when according to one embodiment of the present invention a user of the cursor touches a tracking device in a three-dimensional virtual surrounding  60 , e.g. a space. 
     The tracking device  10  is moved to a desired virtual object  62  in form of a three-dimensional volume without the object being visible in space. However, the cursor  28  controlled by the pointer might be followed on a display means delimited by means of the solid line  64 . The display means is not necessarily a computer screen  30  but relay consist of any other form of picture reproduction means, e.g. a mirror. 
     The object  62  is visible to a user on the display means delimited by the line  64  in  FIG. 5  i.e. nor virtually as the surroundings  60 . 
     Moreover, the cursor  28  has a shadow  66  on the display means  64  remaining within the object, when the cursor is pulled out of the object, if the tracking device is not released by means of e.g. a pressing downwards. A user of the racking device finds in some way easier back to the object  62  in the virtual surroundings after e.g. a pause or another exit from the space of the object  62 . The cursor is then integrated with the shadow when it is situated in the object  62 . 
     The facts mentioned above are e.g. applicable in CAD programs such as ALIAS i.a. being used in the car industry to design products, where it is a problem to decide, where in the space depth the cursor  28  is simated. It should also be observed that the virtual space  60  may comprise numbers of space objects  62  in various geometric forms, the usefulness of the shadow  66  becoming obvious. 
     The depth of a space object  62  is e.g. defined by means of a coordinate system  68  in three dimensions, such as a cartesian or a polar system, etc. 
     Another possible application area for the embodiment above of the cursor  28  with a shadow  66  is in surgery field, e.g. for training of surgical candidates or for more advanced surgery of more or less complicated operations. 
     A three-dimensional picture or a picture in perspective consists conventionally of a program providing mesh models of objects  62  without any space therein. The space might be calculated in real time when a surface is passed in the object  62 . Thus, a surface in the object  62  is defined by means of here not shown polygon rendered in real time, the necessary surface to obtain space thus being obtained. 
     The present invention has been described with preferred embodiments not to be considered to limit the invention. It is the definition of the claims that defines the invention for the man of art.