Patent Publication Number: US-2009225028-A1

Title: Point and click device for computer

Description:
This application claims the benefit of Provision Application Ser. No. 61/067,159, filed Feb. 26, 2008. The present invention relates to personal computers and in particular to pointing devices for personal computers. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The personal computer has become a modern fixture in businesses and residences. Users of personal computers typically interface with their laptops and desktop computers by typing on a keyboard and looking at images on a screen. Additionally, pointing devices, such as a computer mouse, allow for increased interface capability through a point-and-click method. 
     The current optical mouse, developed by Agilent Technologies was introduced to the world in late 1999. The operation of the mouse is such that moving an optical mouse over a flat surface allows the x and y distances moved to be transferred into pointing the cursor on the computer monitor. The optical mouse uses a tiny camera to take thousands of pictures every second. It is able to work on almost any surface without a mouse pad. Most optical mice use a small, light-emitting diode (LED) that bounces light off a surface onto a complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor. In addition to LEDs, a recent innovation is a laser-based optical mouse that detects more surface details compared to LED technology. This results in the ability to use a laser-based optical mouse on even more surfaces than an LED mouse. 
     The sensor and other parts of an optical mouse work together in the following fashion:
     1) The CMOS sensor sends each image to a digital signal processor (DSP) for analysis,   2) The DSP detects patterns in the images and examines how the patterns have moved since the previous image,   3) Based on the change in patterns over a sequence of images, the DSP determines how far the mouse has moved and sends the corresponding coordinates to the computer,   4) The computer moves the cursor on the screen based on the coordinates received from the mouse. This happens hundreds of times each second, making the cursor to appear to move very smoothly.   

     The use of a laser mouse is based on the same idea except it uses a narrow beam of light that is reflected off the surface producing an image with greater contrast that is captured by a higher resolution sensor (1600 dpi) at a higher rate, of up to 6000-7000 times per second. Because of this advancement, laser can track where optical cannot, such as clear glass. Currently laser mice are taking over the optical mice. 
     Typical optical mice elements are separate from the keyboard or are positioned on the keyboard but require that the keyboard operator take his hands off the keys of the keyboard to operate the mouse element. The current mouse-keyboard interface is problematic due to the need to move back and forth from the computer keyboard to the mouse to make operations occur. The operator must remove one of his hands from the appropriate typing position in order to grab and operate a mouse. Significant time can be lost moving the hand from the keyboard, grabbing the mouse, operating the mouse and then moving the hand back to the keyboard. 
     What is needed is a better pointing device for computers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a pointing device for controlling cursor operation on a computer monitor screen. An operator controls the motion of a movable reflective surface. A stationary light source directs light onto the movable reflective surface and the light is reflected to a stationary light sensor. A signal processor receives signals generated by the stationary light sensor based on light reflected from the movable reflective surface. The processed signals are transferred to a computer processing unit and are utilized to move a cursor across a monitor screen in a manner that corresponds to the motion of the movable reflective surface. In a preferred embodiment the light source is a laser light source. Also, in a preferred embodiment, two joysticks are provided in front of the keyboard space bar. The joysticks are used to control the motion of the movable reflective surface and right/left clicking with the thumbs of the keyboard operator while his fingers are kept in an appropriate position for typing on a computer keyboard. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 2A-11C  show an example of the operation of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  shows a preferred pointing device connected to a keyboard. 
         FIGS. 13-16  show some components of a preferred pointing device. 
         FIGS. 17-18  show a collapsible stem. 
         FIG. 19  shows a preferred laser light-sensor unit. 
         FIGS. 20-21  show a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 22  shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 23A-23B  show another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention includes pointing device  50 . Pointing device  50  ( FIG. 1 ) operates in reverse of a traditional mouse. That is, instead of operating like a traditional mouse and moving the light, camera and sensor over a flat surface (i.e., a table or a mouse pad), a curved surface is moved over a stationary light, camera, and sensor system by the operator&#39;s thumbs allowing the fingers to remain over the key board at all times. This is a drastic improvement over the prior art. Now, an operator can keep his fingers in the appropriate positions for typing and at the same time operate a pointing device with his thumb. The result is a significant savings in time spent inputting information into a computer. 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 12 . Joysticks  10  (and  30 ) and scroll rocker  36  are contained within wrist-rest  61 . As indicated in  FIG. 15 , joysticks  10  and  30  are used to orbit a small curved reflector surface (pivot ball  12 ) above a laser light-sensor unit to control cursor movement on the computer monitor. In effect, this moves a ‘curved table’ over a stationary laser. 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , wrist-rest  61  contains pointing device  50  and is attached to the separate keyboard  62 . It should be noted that in another preferred embodiment device  50  could also be incorporated into a keyboard that has a built in wrist rest. Keyboard  62 , joysticks  10  and  30 , and scroll rocker  36  are utilized to allow an operator to input information into a personal computer. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an operator places both hands over keyboard  62  in the normal typing position. The operator&#39;s right thumb is used to manipulate joystick  10 . Normally, when the operator is typing words into the computer, he does not need to use a pointing device. Therefore, the joysticks are configured so that if they are inadvertently bumped then they will not affect the position of the cursor on the screen. 
     However, when the operator presses joystick  10  downward with his thumb he moves the bottom rounded part of the joystick (pivot ball  12 ) into a region so that its motion is detected and sensed by a laser light-sensor unit which is adapted to transmit signals to a movement processor which controls the position of the cursor. When pivot ball  12  has been appropriately lowered, any circular or left-right-forward-backward movement of the joystick by the thumb will cause the cursor to move around the monitor screen. In addition, when the cursor is in a desired location, the right thumb can be pushed even further down to activate a pull-down menu. Or when the cursor is in a desired location, the left thumb is used to depress joystick  30  downward to fix the cursor at a specific spot. Either thumb may be used to press down on scroll bar  36 . 
     Reverse operation via a software driver program is provided for left-handed operator. For example, a left-handed person may want to be able to manipulate the location of the cursor spot on the monitor or pull down a menu by using his left thumb. Likewise in the reverse operation mode, the right thumb would be used to locate the cursor at a spot on the monitor. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the joystick stem can be collapsed to allow the joystick to be lowered below the space key and out of the way when not required for operation. The joystick elevation is adjustable to vary the height relative to the top of the space bar for comfortable operation by the user. Communication between the movement processor and monitor cursor is via blue tooth, USB, or via other wireless or wire means. 
     A Preferred Embodiment of the Present Invention 
       FIG. 1  shows some of the components of a preferred embodiment. Pivot arms  7 B and  7  are connected to printed circuit board  11  via legs  4 B and  4 , respectively. Joysticks  10  and  30  are seated in pivot arms  7  and  7 B. Laser light sensors are positioned below joysticks  7 B and  7  and function to detect the motion of the joysticks. Housing  6  is attached to printed circuit board  11 . Thumb shoes  67  at the top of joysticks  10  and  30  provide for control of cursor operation. Thumb shoes  67  are moved in a 360 circular or x-y direction to provide movement of the cursor on the monitor. 
     Pivot ball  12  is placed into the laser light by a slight downward pressure on thumb shoe  67  by the thumb. The right thumb presses downward opposing a spring force generated by pivot arm  7  and spring leg  9 . The downward movement puts the curved surface of pivot ball  12  in the field of the light-sensor so that the light wave pattern can be measured and transferred into movement of the cursor in its X-Y coordinates on screen  20 ,  FIG. 21 . 
     Upon release of the user&#39;s thumb force, the spring force in the pivot arm returns pivot ball  12  to its normal centered vertical position taking the curved surface out of the light field. Preferably, when the cursor is not moved completely to the spot desired on monitor  20  a release of the joystick  10  and subsequent reapplication of the downward motion on thumb shoe  67  enables continuation of cursor movement to the spot desired on monitor  20 . This is similar to picking up and moving a conventional mouse to a new spot on the mouse pad to obtain more cursor movement space. 
     Operation of a Preferred Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of preferred pointing device  50  having thumb-operated joysticks  10  and  30  for controlling cursor movement and  FIGS. 2-11  show simplified side views depicting the operation of the joysticks. Joysticks  10  and  30  are each supported by pivot ball holders  90  and  91 ,  FIG. 13 , respectively. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2C , pivot axis  3  of pivot ball holder  90  is rigidly support by pivot legs  4 . Pivot legs  4  are rigidly support by slots  5  of housing  6  and are thereby kept stationary and prevented from movement. Pivot arm  7  is rigidly connected to pivot axis  3 . In a preferred embodiment, spring legs  8  and  9  are also connected to pivot axis  3 . Spring leg  9  is slightly longer than spring leg  8  and is further from pivot axis  3  than spring leg  8 . Spring leg  9  is in contact with the top of printed circuit board  11 . The bottom of spring leg  8  is slightly elevated above the top of circuit board  11 . Spring legs  8  and  9  are each connected to pivot axis  3  via their own pivot arms. For example, pivot arm  8 P for spring leg  8  is shown in  FIG. 14 . Likewise similar features are associated with pivot ball holder  91 . 
     A simple example of the operation of thumb operated pointing device  50  is shown by reference to  FIGS. 2A-11C . 
     In  FIGS. 2A-2C  an operator has typed a selection from the Gettysburg Address and has decided that he wants to edit the selection. Both joysticks are vertical and in their neutral position. Pivot ball  12  is above the laser light path from laser  13 . Therefore, if joystick  10  is inadvertently bumped the cursor will not move across the monitor screen shown in  FIG. 2A . 
     In  FIGS. 3A-3C  the operator has pressed down on joystick  10  with his thumb. Pivot arm  7  and spring leg  9  both act together as a spring to resist the force imparted by the operator&#39;s thumb. However, the operator can easily overcome the resistance with minimal thumb force. As the operator continues to press downward with his thumb, spring leg  8  comes into contact with the top of circuit board  11 . The increased resistance is felt by the operator and is a signal to the operator that pivot ball  12  of joystick  10  is in the appropriate position to reflect light from laser  13  so that sensor  14  can properly read the light. The operator then refrains from increasing the downward thumb force and instead maintains pivot ball  12  at the appropriate level for good reflection. From this location, the operator can maneuver the joystick is a circular or linear fashion so that cursor  15  is positioned as desired. As shown in  FIGS. 3A-3B , the operator moves joystick  10  forward and to the left so that cursor  15  is at the beginning of the Gettysburg Address in front of the word “Four”. 
     In  FIGS. 4A-4C , while cursor  15  was positioned in front of the word “Four” as shown in  FIG. 3A , the operator pressed downward on joystick  30  with his left thumb overcoming the increase in spring resistance offered by pivot arm  7 B and spring legs  8 B and  9 B. This has caused the end of pivot arm  7 B to press downward on micro switch  32 B. Micro switch  32 B controls the left-click function of pointing device  50 . After left-clicking, the operator continues to hold down joystick  30  with his thumb so that micro switch  32 B continues to depress. The operator then moves cursor  15  to the position shown in  FIG. 4A  so that it is located after the word “equal”. The operator then releases thumb pressure on joystick  30 . The operator has selected the words “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” 
     In  FIGS. 5A-5C , the operator has increased the thumb pressure on joystick  10 , overcoming the spring resistance offered by pivot arm  7 , spring leg  9  and the further spring resistance of spring leg  8 . Micro switch  32  is consequently pressed downward. Micro switch  32  controls the right-click function of pointing device  50 . By right-clicking pointing device  50 , the operator has brought up menu  35  and cursor  15  now appears as an arrow. 
     In  FIGS. 6A-6C , the operator has moved cursor  15  to the left and downward slightly so that cursor  15  points to the word “cut” on menu  35 . 
     In  FIGS. 7A-7C , the operator has pressed downward on joystick  30  with his left thumb overcoming the spring resistance offered by pivot arm  7 B and spring legs  8 B and  9 B. This has caused the end of pivot arm  7 B to press downward on micro switch  32 B to activate the left-click function of pointing device  50 . After left-clicking the word “cut”, the selected text from  FIG. 6A  no longer appears on screen  20 . 
     In  FIGS. 8A-8C , the operator has scrolled down the page by pressing on the bottom part of scroll rocker  36 . This has caused scroll rocker  36  to press down micro switch  37 B. Pressing micro switch  37 B causes the page viewed on screen  20  to scroll downward. As shown in  FIG. 8A , the operator has scrolled downward to the next page. In addition to scrolling downward, the operator has moved joystick  10  left and downward so that cursor  15  is positioned as shown. 
     In  FIGS. 9A-9C , the operator has right-clicked by pressing downward on joystick  10  to bring up menu  35 . Then, the operator has slightly eased pressure on joystick  10  so that pivot ball  12  is in the appropriate position to reflect light from LASER  13  so that sensor  14  can properly receive the light. Then, the operator has moved joystick  10  slightly to the left so that cursor  15  is pointing at the word “paste”. 
     In  FIGS. 10A-10C , the operator has pressed downward on joystick  30  with his left thumb overcoming the spring resistance offered by pivot arm  7 B and spring legs  8 B and  9 B. This has caused the end of pivot arm  7 B to press downward on micro switch  32 B to activate the left-click function of pointing device  50 . After left-clicking the word “paste”, the selected text from  FIG. 6A  appears at the position shown on screen  20 . 
     In  FIGS. 11A-11C , the operator has released thumb pressure on joysticks  10  and  30 . The document is now ready for further editing. 
     Preferred Components 
     Housing 
       FIG. 13  shows housing  6 . Housing  6  is sized to house all of the mechanical parts and is configured so that key parts could be snapped into place without supplemental fasteners. In a preferred embodiment, the top to housing  6  is wrist-rest  61  ( FIG. 12 ) and the bottom is printed circuit board  11  ( FIG. 1 ). 
     Pivot Arms 
       FIG. 14  shows pivot arms  7  and  7 B of pivot ball holders  90  and  91 , respectively. As explained above, pivot ball holders  90  and  91  are preferably snapped into housing  6  and they rest on circuit board  11  so that they are held firmly in place. Pivot arm  7  is connected to pivot axis  3  and pivot arm  7 B is connected to pivot axis  3 B. As shown above, pivot arm  7  holds joystick  10  and pivot arm  7 B holds joystick  30 . 
     The pivot arms, preferably, provide several functions. When the operator is not pressing down on the joystick with his thumb, the pivot arm forces the top part of pivot ball  12  ( FIG. 15 ) up against the underside of the wrist-rest  61  to maintain the joystick in a neutral vertical position when not in use. Pivots arm  7 B and  7 , with ball holders  90  and  91 , are both sized, configured and made of material that provides the ‘spring action’ that keeps the joystick in its neutral position. A preferred material is plastic. 
     Pivot arms  7  and  7 B each include concave holders  63  to support pivot balls  12 . Concave holders  63  allow for fluid motion of pivot balls  12  while the joysticks are being utilized. 
     Pivot arms  7  and  7 B also provide spring resistance to movement of pivot ball  12  into the laser light to activate movement of the curser on the computer monitor. Downward thumb force on joystick  10  moves pivot ball  12  into the laser light. Preferably, this movement is adjustable between 0.125 inches and 0.032 inches. As shown above, thumb rotation of joystick  10  places the curser where desired. 
     Spring Resistance to the Motion of the Pivot Arms 
     As explained above, pivot arm  7  is rigidly connected to pivot axis  3  and some spring resistance is provided by virtue of this connection alone. Additional spring resistance is provided by spring legs  8  and  9 . Spring legs  9  and  8  each have their own pivot arms  9 P and  8 P. Preferably, spring leg  9  extends ( FIGS. 2-11 ) longer than spring leg  8  and pivot arm  9 P is longer than pivot arm  8 P. Spring leg  8  adds resistance to thumb movement beyond getting the pivot ball  12  into the laser light. This resistance is used to let the operator know he is at the appropriate position for cursor control and to prevent the accidental activation of the micro switch  32  ( FIG. 4C ) below the pivot arm  7  until ready. By placing the curser where desired by the right thumb, the left thumb is used to overcome the spring leg  8 B and activate selection micro switch  32 B ( FIG. 4C ). Pivot arm  7  can then be used to press down on micro switch  32  to activate pull down menus. 
     Joystick 
     Joystick  10  is shown in  FIG. 15  and includes pivot ball  12 . Preferably, pivot ball  12  is approximately one half of a sphere having a 0.625 inch outer diameter. Stem  66  is attached between pivot ball  12  and thumb shoe  67 . 
     The two holes cut into wrist-rest  61  are sized to let the stem  66  of joysticks  10  and  30  to pass through and rotate during operation but not pivot ball  12  ( FIG. 12 ). Thumb shoe  67  is screwed onto joystick stems when in place. The pivot ball surface, when in operation, is kept above the laser at a constant distance so that the reflective light can be accurately measured and transformed into movement of the curser on the computer monitor. 
     Joystick with Adjustable Height 
     In another preferred embodiment joystick  10  is adjustable in height to accommodate user&#39;s hand. For example, thumb shoe  67  can be attached via threads so that it can be threaded up or down on stem  66  to the desired height. 
     In another preferred embodiment joystick  10  is collapsible because on some occasions the user may not want to utilize the joysticks. For example,  FIG. 17  shows spring  68  contained within collapsible stem  66 . In  FIG. 18  the operator has pressed downward on thumb shoe  67  and stem  66  has collapsed and spring  68  has compressed. Thumb shoe  67  is held approximately level with wrist-rest  61  via tabs engaged with grooves in wrist-rest  61 . 
     Scroll Rocker 
       FIG. 16  shows scroll rocker  36 . Positioned between joysticks  10  and  30 , scroll rocker  36  operates two micro switches  37 A and  37 B ( FIGS. 8C and 8D ) to provide up and down movement of the curser on the computer monitor. Side to side movement can also be provided by utilization of a similar pair of microswitches. Scroll rocker  36  is held in position by the wrist-rest  61  and the spring response in micro switches  37 A and  37 B. 
     Laser Light Sensor Unit 
       FIG. 19  shows a perspective view of laser light-sensor unit  69 . Focusing the laser light from laser light-sensor unit  69  onto pivot ball  12  surface ( FIG. 3C ) allows a tiny camera to take thousands of pictures of the ball surface every second. 
     Sensor  14  ( FIG. 3C ) works in the following manner:
         A high resolution complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) optical sensor sends each image to a digital signal processor (DSP) for analysis.   The DSP detects patterns in the images and examines how the patterns have moved since the previous image.   Based on the change in patterns over a sequence of images, the DSP determines how far the surface has moved and sends the corresponding coordinates to the computer.   The computer moves the cursor on the screen based on the coordinates received from the mouse. This happens hundreds of times each second, making the cursor appear to move very smoothly.       

     The laser provides a narrow beam of light that is reflected off the surface producing an image with great contrast that is captured by the high resolution sensor at rates of up to 6000-7000 times per second. 
     Signal Processor 
     Light impinging on the pivot ball  12  is reflected back into a sensor  14  ( FIG. 3C ) where movements of the surface of pivot ball  12  are measured and converted into x-y position coordinates by signal processor  77  ( FIG. 21 ). Signal processor  77  sends the information to the signal transmitter  78  for wireless transfer to the dongle receiver  52  that is attached to the computer  51 . This transmission moves the cursor on the monitor  20  screen. This cursor positioning method is similar to that of a conventional optical mouse except that the direction of the cursor movement is reversed in signal processor  77 . A USB wire connection between the signal transmitter and dongle receiver  52  can also be used. 
     Circuits 
     The circuits on circuit board  11  are arranged for applying power to laser light-sensor unit  69 , taking pictures of the light spectrum on the curved reflective surface of pivot ball  12 , collecting and analyzing the changes in movement, and sending the results to the signal transmitter  78  circuit for wireless movement to the dongle  52 . The circuitry includes provisions for re-routing the controls from the right to the left thumb, controlling the speed and direction of cursor movement, and complete vertical and horizontal scrolling of the cursor. The scrolling circuitry uses programming logic to take the activation of two micro-switches to initiate the cursor movement up, down, or back and forth. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the circuits on circuit board  11  are powered from batteries  93 . In another preferred embodiment the power is drawn from a USB direct connection to the computer. Battery power is the preferred embodiment as it allows pointing device  50  to be added to a normal keyboard where the space bar is close to the front of the keyboard. 
     Wireless Transmission 
     As shown in  FIG. 20 , in a preferred embodiment pointing device  50  transmits its cursor control signals to computer  51  via wireless transmission by utilization of dongle  52  attached to a USB port of computer  51 . 
     Other Preferred Embodiments 
     Activation of Light Sensor 
     The downward movement of joysticks  10  and  30  is replaced by placing a very low capacitive charge on thumb shoes  67  so that when the thumb touches it, laser  13  and sensor  14  and the laser light-sensor unit circuit is activated and deactivated when the thumb is removed. This removes the requirement for a spring arm action to control the downward movement of the joysticks. However, a centering spring reaction is still required to return the joystick to its vertical at-rest position when not in use. 
     Flat Bottomed Joystick 
     Instead of having pivot ball  12  at the bottom of joysticks  10  and  30 , the bottom of each joystick can be flat. The movement of a flat plate surface can also accomplish the thumb-activated movement of a surface over a stationary light-sensor source. The x-y rotation pivot provides the pivot point. The surface plate can be flat and held in x-y position by springs that return the plate to a neutral state. The varying length stem with a light return spring will allow the plate to be moved into the laser light and rotated in a full 360-degree circle while maintaining the x-y direction orientations. 
     Track Ball 
     In another preferred embodiment the joysticks can be replaced with track balls. The track balls can be controlled by the user&#39;s thumb and their convex surface will move over the stationary light-sensor source in a fashion similar to that described above in reference to the joysticks. 
     Finger Control 
     Another preferred embodiment for the activation of the light sensor is through the use of any partial (very small) surface of a finger or thumb rather than by a joystick and pivot ball ( FIGS. 23A and 23B ). This embodiment takes advantage of the development of laser sensitivities exceeding 30,000 dots per inch to detect movement directions for transmission to the cursor. Considerable reduction of overall height occurs making its use in lap top computers easier to accomplish. 
     Micro-Switches 
     While the preferred embodiment uses multiple micro-switches to select and activate the cursor spot, in another preferred embodiment a single micro-switch can be used to replicate the standard right and left click, as well as the activation of a scroll operation. 
     Computer Software 
     In a preferred embodiment computer  51  ( FIG. 21 ) is programmed to allow the operator the ability to customize the operation of pointing device  50 . For example, by accessing software loaded onto computer  51 , the user can choose whether he prefers joystick  10  or joystick  30  to control cursor  15  movements across monitor screen  20 . The operator can also customize the clicking function of micro switches so that the right click function and left click function can be assigned to joystick  10  or joystick  30 . 
     Game Console Embodiment 
     In another preferred embodiment, joystick  10 B is utilized in a computer game console to control character movement on monitor screen  20 B. Laser light from light source  13  is directed onto pivot ball  12  and reflected back onto light sensor  14  in a manner similar to that described above. As joystick  10 B is manipulated by the user signals received by sensor  14  are processed and are transferred to console  20 C. A characters and/or objects depicted on screen  20 B are moved across the screen in accordance with the operator controlled movement of joystick  10 B. Dual joysticks, or thumb surfaces can be used where both thumbs are involved in game operation. 
     While the above description contains many specifications, the reader should not construe these as limitations on the scope of the invention, but merely as exemplifications of preferred embodiments thereof. Those skilled in the art will envision many other possible variations are within its scope. Accordingly the reader is requested to determine the scope of the invention by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not by the examples which have been given.