Abstract:
A pointing device/mouse having a keypad integrated thereon. Other embodiments relate to a pointing device/mouse having a virtual keypad activation mechanism, which, when activated, causes a virtual keyboard to appear on a computer screen of a tablet or similar device.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    In general, embodiments of the present invention relate to input devices, namely, a pointing device/mouse having a keypad integrated thereon. Other embodiments relate to a pointing device/mouse having a virtual keyboard activation mechanism, which, when activated, causes a virtual keyboard to appear on a computer screen of a tablet or similar device. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Typically, a computer or other computerized device may receive input through a keyboard implemented either as hardware or virtually, for example, on a touch-sensitive computer screen. Typically, these are separate devices, or the mouse is placed somewhere on the keyboard, as a touch sensitive keypad or moveable stick, etc. As computers, tablets, smart phones, and other digital devices are becoming more and more prevalent in daily life, it is therefore desirable to have an improved apparatus and method for data input. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Embodiments of the present invention provide a pointing device which integrates a mouse (having a position/movement-detecting mechanism) with a keypad/keyboard. In one embodiment, the keypad may be situated on a housing of a pointing device. In another embodiment, a virtual keypad may be activated on a computer screen by activation by a button or other mechanism present on a pointing device. In yet another embodiment, the pointing device comprises both a keypad situated on the housing thereof and an activation button for enabling the virtual keypad. 
         [0004]    A first aspect of the present invention provides a pointing device, having a housing, a position detector, an interface, and a keypad. 
         [0005]    A second aspect of the present invention provides a pointing device, having a housing, a position detector, an interface, and a virtual keypad activation mechanism. 
         [0006]    A third aspect of the present invention provides a method comprising, in response to activation of a keypad located on a housing of a pointing device, transmitting a signal from the pointing device to a computing device via an interface, a signal indicating data to be displayed on a screen associated with the computing device. 
         [0007]    A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a method comprising, in response to activation of a virtual keypad activation mechanism of a pointing device, transmitting a signal from the pointing device to a computing device via an interface, a signal indicating a command to display a virtual keypad on a screen associated with the computing device. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    These and other features of this invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  depicts a general purpose computer, having a pointing device connected thereto. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  depicts a perspective view of a pointing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows a flowchart of an operation of the first embodiment of the pointing device of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  depicts a perspective view of a pointing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  shows a flowchart of an operation of the second embodiment of the pointing device of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  depicts a perspective view of a pointing device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0015]    The drawings are not necessarily to scale. The drawings are merely schematic representations, not intended to portray specific parameters of the invention. The drawings are intended to depict only typical embodiments of the invention, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    Illustrative embodiments will now be described more fully herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments are shown. This disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of this disclosure to those skilled in the art. In the description, details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the presented embodiments. 
         [0017]    The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, the use of the terms “a”, “an”, etc., do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising”, or “includes” and/or “including”, when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
         [0018]    The term “computing device” herein encompasses a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a tablet computer, a telephone, a cellular phone, a smartphone, and any other digital computing device now known or hereafter developed, etc. In addition, the term “screen”, “display screen” or “display” as used herein can be any user interface. 
         [0019]    In general, a pointing device, or “mouse” (used interchangeably herein), detects a direction and position of movement of the mouse, and transmits the coordinates to a computing device to control movement of a cursor or other pointer on a screen associated with the computing device. Keyboard technology allows a user to enter data, typically, in the form of alphanumeric and other symbols to a computing device. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  shows a computing device  102 . Typically, a computing device comprises a processor  104 , and memory  106 . The memory  106  may include a combination of random access memory (RAM), and read-only memory (ROM). Computing device  102  typically receives input from a user through an interface  110  from any of the pointing devices  200 ,  400 , or  600  of the present invention, represented on  FIG. 1 , generally, as  112 . When computing device  102  receives data transmitted from a keypad (or “keyboard”, used interchangeably therewith herein) or position detector from the pointing devices of the present invention, computing device  102  may display the data or a representation thereof on a screen  114 . 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a pointing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown. Pointing device  200  typically comprises a housing  202 , position detector  204 , a keypad  206 , an interface/communication mechanism  208 , and function buttons  210  and  212 . 
         [0022]    Position and movement detector  204  (referred to herein as “position detector”) is typically provided for detecting the direction and distance of movement of the pointing device  200 . When pointing device  200  is moved back and forth and from side to side, the coordinates of the position are detected by the position detector  204 . The coordinates are transmitted to the computer (e.g.,  102  of  FIG. 1 ) through the interface  208 , and a cursor (e.g.  116  on  FIG. 1 ) can be moved on the screen (e.g.,  114  on  FIG. 1 ) associated with the computing device (e.g.,  102  of  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0023]    The position detector  204  may be any suitable detection apparatus, such as a trackball apparatus, a ball type using a mouse ball, of an optical type using an optical sensor, laser sensor, or any other suitable detection technology now known or hereafter developed, etc. 
         [0024]    The at least one function button is represented herein as function buttons  210  and  212 . In practice, more or fewer function buttons may be included on the pointing device  200 , and the invention is not limited to the two shown. In the present embodiment, the function buttons are shown on an upper surface of housing  202 . In practice, the function button(s) can be situated on any suitable area of the pointing device  200  accessible to a user typically by his/her fingers. Function buttons  210  and  212  have the same function as the function buttons provided on a conventional mouse. For example, when the function buttons  210  and  212  are pressed, signals are transmitted to the computing device (e.g.  102  of  FIG. 1 ) through the interface  208  and an operation in accordance with each function button can be performed on the computing device. 
         [0025]    The keypad  206  includes an array of keys, e.g.,  220 . The keys  220  of keypad  206  may comprise button-like keys. Alternatively, the keypad  206  may be a screen wherein the keys  220  are touch-sensitive virtual keys. These keys may comprise alphanumeric symbols, e.g., arranged in a QWERTY keypad  222  and/or a numerals keypad  224 , and/or a plurality of control keys  226 . Keys  222  of the keypad  220  are configured and disposed to transmit a code via interface  208  to a computing device (e.g.  102  of  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0026]    The interface  208  transmits signals generated in the operation of the pointing device  200  to the computing device (e.g.  102  of  FIG. 1 ). Interface  208  can be any suitable technology, for example, wired, wireless, and any technology now known or hereafter developed. More specifically, without limitation, the interface  208  can communicate via Universal Serial Bus (USB), Bluetooth, ZigBee, infrared, etc. Signals originating from the position detector  204 , keypad  206 , and function buttons  210  and  212 , may be sent through the interface  208  to the computing device (e.g.  102  of  FIG. 1 ) for processing. 
         [0027]      FIG. 3  shows a flowchart of the operation of pointing device  200 . At  302 , a determination is made as to whether the keypad  206  or position detector  204  is activated. In some embodiments of the invention, when one of the keypad or position detector is activated, the other of the keypad or position detector is deactivated and cannot accept input. Activation or deactivation can be accomplished by any mechanism, for example, a switch  230  of  FIG. 2 . In other embodiments, both keypad and position detector can be active simultaneously. 
         [0028]    If at  302 , it is determined that keypad  206  is activated, at step  304 , position detector  204  senses position and movement of the pointing device  200 . At  306 , the pointing device  200  transmits positional data to the computing device (e.g.,  102  of  FIG. 1 ). The computing device  102  then processes the data, at  308 , and accordingly, moves a cursor  116  or other pointer on a screen (e.g.,  114  of  FIG. 1 ) to a position corresponding to the positional data. 
         [0029]    If, at  302 , the determination is that the keypad  206  is activated, at  310 , the keypad accepts input (alphanumeric and/or symbolic by a user&#39;s pressing of one or more of the keys). At  312 , the keypad transmits the input as data to the computer (e.g.,  102  of  FIG. 1 ). The computer  102 , at  314 , then processes the data and displays the input on a screen (e.g.,  114  of  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a pointing device  400  according to a second embodiment of the present invention is shown. In the second embodiment, the pointing device  400  may comprise any or all of the components of pointing device  200 , except that pointing device  400  comprises a virtual keypad activation mechanism for installing/accessing a virtual keypad program (rather than an integrated keyboard), i.e. initiating the display of a virtual keyboard on a screen (e.g.,  114  of  FIG. 1 ) of a computing device, such as a tablet. In some embodiments, the virtual keypad is provided by the operating system, or another program installed on the computing device. As shown herein, the mechanism may comprise a button  450  on housing  402 . The button  450  is not limited to the position shown, but may be situated at any suitable position on housing  402  from which a user can access it. Additionally, the button  450  is not limited to configuration as a button, but may be any suitable device, for example, without limitation, a pressure sensor, etc. Alternatively, the virtual keypad activation mechanism may activate the virtual keypad in response to the operating system sensing the presence of the pointing device  400  on a USB port, or other interface. 
         [0031]      FIG. 5  shows a flowchart of an operation of the pointing device  400 . In response to a user pressing the button  450  or sensing the presence of a pointing device  400  on an interface (e.g.,  110  of  FIG. 1 ), at  502 , the pointing device  400  transmits a signal to a computing device (e.g.,  102  of  FIG. 1 ) indicating a command to display a virtual keypad (such as  140  of  FIG. 1 ) on the display screen  114 , at step  504 . The computing device  102  receives and processes the signal, at  506 , and displays the keypad  140  on the display screen  114 , at  508 . In some embodiments, the display screen  114  is a touch-sensitive screen so a user can then enter input via a keyboard to the computing device  102 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention. Point device  600  may comprise any and all components of either of pointing device  200  or  400 . In this embodiment, pointing device  600  comprises both an integrated keypad  606  thereon and a virtual keypad activation mechanism  650 . The keypad  606  and keypad activation mechanism  650  function substantially similarly to keypad  206  of  FIG. 2  and keypad activation mechanism  450  of  FIG. 4 . 
         [0033]    The foregoing description of various aspects of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed and, obviously, many modifications and variations are possible. Such modifications and variations that may be apparent to a person skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims.