Abstract:
A thumb-retained stylus for effecting operative contact with the interface of a handheld device is disclosed. The thumb-retained stylus includes a thumb-mounting device and a curved stylus which extends laterally therefrom. The curved stylus is oriented for effecting operative contact with an interface of a handheld device. The interface could be physical buttons or the keypad, keyboard or navigation buttons depicted on a touch screen of a mobile phone or PDA.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a thumb-mounted device designed to interact with the physical buttons or the touch screen navigation buttons of a handheld or portable computer such as a mobile phone or a personal digital assistant (PDA). 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    Handheld electronic devices have been shrinking for years and many users are having trouble with the ever-decreasing size of physical buttons and touch screen navigation buttons of such devices. Such buttons on computing devices, which seem to get smaller every year, are often difficult to operate accurately. Due to increasingly smaller sizes, users often actuate an unintended button or select the wrong menu option on mobile phones or PDAs. Ergonomists who have studied such handheld devices have suggested that the buttons and menu options on such devices are more suited to the hands of young children rather than full grown adults. 
         [0003]    Also, fingertips are often unduly large and/or blunt and a user often cannot position his or her finger or thumb with sufficient accuracy to locate a desired physical button or touch screen navigation button, especially when actuating buttons or menu selections in rapid succession, such as when composing a text message. Often the user may inadvertently actuate an incorrect button resulting in typing errors, wasted time, and indecipherable sent text messages. 
         [0004]    The device of the present invention provides a solution to these problems by providing a design that reduces stress on fingers and thumbs, and improves the speed and accuracy of typing and texting. The device of the present invention fits over a user&#39;s thumbs and provides a smaller stylus that is free of dirt, perspiration and oil, for actuating physical buttons or touch screens. The stylus extends laterally from the thumbs to prevent obstructing the user&#39;s view of the buttons or menu options during typing or texting. Using the present invention increases speed and accuracy during typing and texting. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A thumb-retained stylus for effecting operative contact with the interface of a handheld device is disclosed. The thumb-retained stylus includes a thumb-mounting device and a curved stylus which extends laterally therefrom. The curved stylus is oriented for effecting operative contact with an interface of a handheld device. The interface could be physical buttons or the keypad, keyboard or navigation buttons depicted on a touch screen of a mobile phone or PDA. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the thumb-retained stylus of the present invention situated over a user&#39;s thumb for actuating buttons on handheld devices; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an elevational view of the thumb-retained stylus of the present invention; and, 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an elevational view of the thumb-retained stylus of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    Referring now in detail to the various figures of the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts, there is shown at  10  in  FIGS. 1-3 , the thumb-retained input device of the present invention. The device  10  is shown being used for actuating the interface of a handheld device. The exemplary handheld device shown in  FIG. 1  is a mobile phone  18  having an interface comprised of a series of physical buttons  14 . The size of the buttons  14  are shown as being greater in width than in height. However, it should be understood that the device  10  of the present invention is equally suited for use on handheld devices where the size of the buttons  14  are greater in height than in width, or other configurations and shapes. In addition to the physical buttons  14 , the mobile phone  18  includes a screen display  22  and other components familiar to end users and those having skill in the art. It should also be understood that although not shown in the figures, the device  10  of the present invention is equally suited for use with other handheld devices such as a PDA having a touch screen comprised of a plurality of navigation buttons or menu selections having different configurations. 
         [0010]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the thumb-retained input device  10  comprises a thumb-mounting device  26  having a curved stylus  30  projecting laterally therefrom. The mounting device  26  is preferably in the shape of a ring having an aperture  34  designed to receive a thumb  38  (shown in phantom). It should be understood that the thumb-retained input device  10  shown in  FIG. 1  is arranged for receiving a user&#39;s right thumb  38  with the curved stylus  30  extending laterally in the medial direction. Likewise, a mirror image (not shown) of the thumb retained input device  10  could be arranged or adapted for receiving a user&#39;s left thumb wherein the curved stylus  30  could extend laterally from a mounting device  26  in the medial direction, i.e., to the right of the user&#39;s left thumb. In other words, when worn on a user&#39;s opposed thumbs, the curved styluses  30  of each input device  10  would extend inwardly towards each other and are arranged to be utilized simultaneously. 
         [0011]    The mounting device  26  is formed of a rigid or semi-rigid material such as plastic, stamped or cast metal, acrylic, or any other suitable material that is safe for contact with human skin. The inside surface of the mounting device  26  could be formed of, surface treated with, e.g., providing grooves or nubs, or coated with a suitable tactile material, e.g., a suitable silicone, to increase gripping and adherence of the mounting device  26  upon the user&#39;s thumb to prevent slippage during use. The specific diameter, size and style of the mounting device  26  may be varied depending on the desired specifications of the user. The mounting device  26  may be a bracket or “expandable ring” which provides an open structure having a gap  40 . The open structure allows the user to increase or decrease the size of the aperture  34  of the mounting device  12  to a desired size and to provide a degree of clamping pressure when worn on the user&#39;s thumb. 
         [0012]    The stylus  30  extending from the mounting device  26  is shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . The stylus  30  is preferably curved in shape. The curved stylus  30  includes a base  42  which extends laterally from the mounting device  26  and an actuator portion  46 , which extends at an angle of approximately ninety (90) degrees from the base  42  and points towards the interface of the handheld device. The actuator portion  46  is shown as extending for a short distance beyond the bottom surface of the user&#39;s thumb to assure that the thumb does not come into contact with the interface of the handheld device or otherwise interfere during use of the input device  10 . 
         [0013]    At the distal end of the actuator portion  46  are a series of projections  50 . By way of example, as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , there are four projections  50  extending from the actuator portion  46  towards the physical buttons  14  of the mobile phone  18 . Each projection  50  narrows to a point as it extends from the actuator portion  46 . By providing multiple projections  50 , as opposed to a single projection, pressure is more evenly distributed across the surface area of a button  14  in the area where pressure is applied to increase the likelihood that the button  14  has been successfully actuated. For example, where pressure is applied at a single point to a remote corner of a button  14 , the button  14  may not actuate. However, by utilizing multiple projections  50 , a more even distribution of pressure is applied to the face of the button  14  which will increase the likelihood that the button will be actuated even when pressure is applied to the same remote corner of the button  14 . In addition, utilizing multiple projections  50  reduces the possibility of creating marks, divots, or cavities in the buttons  14  during texting or typing. Further, by utilizing multiple projections  50 , precise contact with buttons of a handheld device will be assured, reducing slippage, regardless of the buttons&#39; shape or configuration. For example, due to the series of projections  50 , the device  10  is equally suited for use on handheld devices where the buttons are greater in height than in width or where buttons are greater in width than in height, or other configurations, e.g., round buttons. Alternatively, the projections  50  could be formed of or surface-coated with a suitable tacky material or substance, e.g., rubber or silicone, to increase gripping contact with the buttons  14  during use. 
         [0014]    Although the projections  50  preferably narrow as they extend from the actuator portion  46 , they may also be circular, rectangular or any other shape which allows precise contact with the physical buttons or touch screen navigation buttons of a handheld device. The projections  50  are capable of actuating the buttons of a handheld device when the thumb mounting device  26  is mounted on either the right, the left thumb or both thumbs. The space between each projection  50  is a distance sufficient to prevent more than one physical button  14  or touch screen navigation button from being selected simultaneously during use. 
         [0015]    For example, when the thumb-retained input device  10  is used to operate the physical buttons or touch screen navigation buttons of a handheld device such as a mobile phone or a PDA, one input device  10  is positioned on each thumb of the user so that the curved styluses  30  extend inwardly towards each other and the projections  50  extend towards the interface of the handheld device. The user then holds the hand held device with remaining fingers of both hands freeing the thumbs for use for typing or texting. The user then uses his thumbs to align the projections  50  with specific physical buttons or locations on the PDA screen. Because the projections  50  are laterally offset, the user&#39;s view of the physical or touch screen buttons is not obstructed or blocked by the thumbs during texting or typing. 
         [0016]    Although this invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, it is not intended to be limited thereto and various modifications which will become apparent to the person of ordinary skill in the art are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.