Patent Abstract:
The present invention involves a computer input device that can be attached to a hand. The device includes an adjustable band that can be wrapped around the palm portion of the hand. A control housing is attached to the adjustable band. A control joystick used for controlling a computer screen cursor is attached to an end of the control housing. The joystick is angled for use with the thumb of a user and can be adjustable in length to accommodate different sized thumbs. The joystick can also be depressed to function as a button. One or more control buttons and a scrolling wheel can be located on the adjustable band near the joystick for increasing the functionality of the device. The device can communicate with a computer wirelessly or via an attached cable. The device can utilize a trackball in addition to or instead of the control joystick.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates to the field of computer input devices. More particularly, the preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to computer input devices adapted for removable engagement with the hand of a user wherein the computer curser is manipulable by the thumb of the hand. The device as disclosed can also be employed without the use of a thumb or fingers by movement of the palm of the hand and engagement of the joystick or ball on a surface. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    The invention of the computer mouse has greatly increased user interaction with computers by providing a computer input device that is relatively easy to learn and use. The typical mouse contains two or three buttons for controlling various software created menus on a computer screen and performing other software related functions. Additionally, by moving the mouse across a surface, a user can cause a cursor to make corresponding movements across the computer screen for performing various tasks. This is accomplished in traditional “mice” by use of a trackball and sensors located within the mouse. When the mouse is moved against a surface, the surface causes the trackball to rotate and the sensors detect the rotation and then create an electrical signal or pulse that corresponds to the rotation. This signal is then sent to the central processing unit of a connected computer to signal the movement of the cursor on the computer screen. 
         [0005]    Many advancements have been made in the design of the mouse. For instance, some “mice” rely on optics rather than a rotating trackball to track movements of the mouse across a surface. Further, some mice have included a trackball that is placed on the top of the mouse, rather than inside the mouse, to decrease the movement of the hand or wrist. While these developments have been useful in some respects, they have not solved the problem of having to remove one&#39;s hand from the keyboard to use the mouse. 
         [0006]    In response to this problem, some keyboard makers have placed the mouse directly on the keyboard. These inventions have either placed a touch pad or a mouse in various parts of the key board. While these configurations have helped in certain respects, they still require a user to remove his or her fingers from a typing position on the keyboard to a different location where the touch pad or trackball is located to utilize the mouse function. This procedure can cause discomfort for users and can also lead to decreased efficiency in completing several computer-related tasks. 
         [0007]    Other inventions have tried to solve the above-mentioned problems by creating a mouse that can be worn on a hand, typically through use of a glove, and utilized while a person keeps his or her hands on the keyboard keys. These inventions, while useful in providing increased efficiency and portability, have often involved components that are uncomfortable, restraining, bulky to operate, and once being placed on a user&#39;s hand or wrist they do not allow for adjustment and they can cause injury to the hand after long term use. 
         [0008]    Thus, there is a current need for a comfortable, adjustable, and lightweight hand attachable computer input device that is easy to use and can be utilized while keeping a user&#39;s hand on a keyboard. Such a device should also be employable for uses where a keyboard is not required and should additionally allow for manipulation of a computer curser with or without the use of the thumb or fingers on a hand to thereby accommodate disabled users who might be missing one or all the digits on one hand. 
         [0009]    With respect to the above, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components or steps set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The various apparatus and methods of the invention are capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways which will be obvious to those skilled in the art once they review this disclosure. Also, the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0010]    Also, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may be utilized as a basis for designing of other devices, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the disclosed device. It is important, therefore, that the advantages and claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction and methodology in that they do not depart from the spirit and scope of this invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    It is a principle advantage of the present invention to provide a computer input device that can be attached to a hand. 
         [0012]    It is another advantage of the present invention to provide a computer input device that can be easily adjusted to fit various hand sizes and shapes. 
         [0013]    It is yet another advantage of the present invention to provide a computer input device that offers various buttons or features to increase the functionality of the device. 
         [0014]    It is still another advantage of the present invention to provide a computer input device that can be quickly and efficiently manufactured. 
         [0015]    It is a further advantage of the present invention to provide a computer input device that reduces the amount of hand or wrist movement by a user while operating a computer. 
         [0016]    It is still a further advantage of the present invention to provide a computer input device that can be used by the thumb while the thumb is in the natural position in relation to the rest of the hand. 
         [0017]    It is yet a further advantage of the present invention to provide a new and unique computer input device to the field of computer input devices. 
         [0018]    These and other advantages will be apparent to one with ordinary skill in the art from the disclosure set forth herein. 
         [0019]    The present invention involves a computer input device that can be attached to a hand. The device includes an adjustable band having that can be wrapped around the palm portion of the hand. A control housing is attached to the adjustable band. A control joystick used for controlling a computer screen cursor is attached to an end of the control housing. The joystick is angled for use with the thumb of a user and can be adjustable in length to accommodate different sized thumbs. The joystick can also be depressed to function as a button. One or more control buttons and a scrolling wheel can be located on the adjustable band near the joystick for increasing the functionality of the device. The device can communicate with a computer via an attached cable or wirelessly. The device can utilize a trackball in addition to or instead of the control joystick. 
         [0020]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]    The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification illustrate embodiments of the disclosed processing system and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  depicts a front perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the hand engageable computer input device, constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  depicts a top view of the preferred embodiment of the hand attachable computer input device attached to a hand, constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  depicts a bottom view of the preferred embodiment of the hand attachable computer input device attached to a hand, constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  depicts a top end view of the preferred embodiment of the hand attachable computer input device, illustrating the curvature of the control joystick toward the palm of a user, constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  depicts a cross-section view of a standard control joystick, constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  depicts a front perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the hand attachable computer input device, having a control pad, constructed in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  depicts a front perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the hand attachable computer input device, having a trackball, constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0029]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein similar parts are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in  FIG. 1 , a front perspective view of the hand attachable computer input device  10  suited for a right-handed user. The device  10  is easily adapted to a left-handed user by simply rotating it 180 degrees wherein it will be adapted to removably engage with the palm of a left-handed user. One device  10  thus is easily situated to either a left or right handed user. 
         [0030]    The device  10  includes an adjustable band  20  or other means for positioning the control housing  30  against the palm of a user in an as-worn position as shown in  FIGS. 2-3 . Adjustable band  20  is preferably comprised of a flexible, comfortable, and durable fabric such as nylon or soft leather. Adjustable band  20  contains adjustment means  22  that can be used to alter the size of adjustable band  20  to enable it to fit various sized and shaped hands. Adjustment means  22  can be a variety of standard adjustment mechanisms as known in the art. 
         [0031]    Control housing  30  can be attached to adjustable band  20  by various methods including but not limited to gluing, clipping, snapping, interlocking, or other methods as would be recognized by one with ordinary skill in the art. Control housing  30  is preferably comprised of a strong and durable but lightweight material such as plastic. Of course other means to maintain the control housing  30  against the user&#39;s palm in the as-worn position may be employed as would occur to those skilled in the art. Control housing  30  houses conventional electronic circuitry providing electronic means to convert user movement of the joystick  40  or trackball  230  and/or other input buttons shown in the figures into an electrical output signal for transmission to a computer or other engaged electronic device. 
         [0032]    User input via device  10  is collected several ways. Device  10  preferably includes means to impart directional control to the curser or highlight on an engaged computer such as a control joystick  40  attached to and partially within control housing  30 . Other means to impart directional control along an XY-axis might be employed such as a trackball  230 . When a user engages the device  10  in the as-worn position, the joystick  40  is positioned at an engagement end  31  of the housing  30  in a position to be comfortably engaged by the thumb of the user. Control joystick  40  is freely rotatable in a 360-degree direction, allowing a user full range of movement of control joystick  40 . In the most preferred mode of the device  10 , control joystick  40  is attached to control housing  30  in an angular fashion (see  FIGS. 2-4 ) to enable a user to comfortably engage the distal end of the joystick  40  with the thumb. Control joystick  40  can also be adjustable in length to allow a user to adjust it to accommodate various sized hands. Control joystick  40  primarily serves to operate a cursor located on a computer screen or in the case of a game, to move the user&#39;s participant. However, control joystick  40  can be engaged to the device to also operate as an electronic input means if it is compressed in a downward fashion by the thumb of a user. This functionality, noted further below, allows a user to use control joystick  40  to open files, select different menus, and perform other operations that normally are performed via pressing buttons found on a traditional mouse. 
         [0033]    Device  10  can also include other input means if such are needed for the computing device and software to which it is operably engaged. Preferably, device  10  includes one or a combination of other input means such as an outer control button  50 , inner control button  52 , and a scroll wheel  54 . Outer control button  50  can be accessed by the pointer finger  64  of the user (see  FIG. 3 ). Inner control button  52  can be accessed by the middle finger  66  of the user (see  FIG. 3 ). Outer control button  50  and inner control button  52  can be used to perform various tasks such as opening menus, opening and closing files, highlighting text, and other operations that can be routinely performed by buttons found on a traditional mouse. Outer control button  50  and inner control button  52  can be programmed to function either after a user has clicked on them once or after a user has clicked on them twice. Scroll wheel  54  a conventional scroll wheel that can be used to quickly and conveniently scroll through a document or web page. Of course these other input means can be situated upon the device at different points depending on the intended engagement with the hand in the as-worn position. The number of input means may vary depending on whether the device is engaged to a personal computer, a TV, a video game, or other electronic device in need of user input. 
         [0034]    Device  10  has means for electronic communication with a computer in the form of a cord  70  that is preferably attached to control housing  30 . Cord  70  is adapted to connect operatively to a computer and serves primarily as a conduit for the transmission of electronic signals from device  10  to the computer and the feedback of information from the computer to device  10 . Cord  70  can vary in length to provide convenience to a user and can be configured to plug into either a USB port, a serial port, a Ps2 port, or other input ports of a computer. 
         [0035]    In other embodiments, the device employs a transmitter and receiver located within control housing  30  for communicating wirelessly with a computer as a means for electronic communication with the computer. This wireless transmission or WiFi, can occur over conventional frequencies as would be recognized by one with ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0036]      FIG. 2  depicts a top view of device  10  attached to a hand  60  of the user in the as-worn position. This figure illustrates the most preferred mode of the device  10  employing an angular orientation of control joystick  40  away from the palm of the hand with the distal end of the joystick  40  placed toward and adjacent to the distal end of the thumb  62  of a user. This angular orientation positions the joystick  40  or other means to direct a cursor along an XY axis and allows a user to operate control joystick  40  using the thumb  62  is in a more natural position, rather than forcing a user to strain the thumb into an uncomfortable position to use control joystick  40 . The angular positioning of control joystick  40 , represented by numeral  43 , is preferably about between 10-45 degrees with a current preferred mode of the device having an angle of 20 degrees form the center axis of the device  10  which runs substantially parallel to the palm when the device is in the as-worn position. The angle  43  may be fixed during manufacture in the basic version of the device  10  to extend away from the engagement end  31  at a determined angel in the range noted. Or, in a more adjustable mode of the device  10 , the engagement end  31  of the housing  30  may be rotationally engaged using a means for rotational engagement such as a hinged engagement  33  or a hinge and ratchet engagement of the engagement end  31  and the housing  30  or a ball and socket engagement or other such means for rotational engagement. If rotationally engaged, the angle  43  may be adjusted to the size of the hand and thumb of the user allowing for a custom fit to place the joystick  40  or trackball  230  in a proper position for easy manipulation by the user&#39;s thumb in a natural position while the device is in the as-worn position. 
         [0037]    Device  10  can also include indicia  24  located on adjustable band  20 . Indicia  24  can include various numbers, letters, symbols, shapes, words, pictures, or other indicia. Indicia  24  can be printed, stitched, sewn, on adjustable band  20 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 3  depicts a bottom view of the device  10  attached to hand  60  in the as-worn position. This figure illustrates the positioning of outer control button  50 , inner control button  52 , and scroll wheel  54  control button, in relation to hand  60 , as well as the angular positioning of control joystick  40  in relation to thumb  62 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 4  depicts a top end view of device  10  positioned for a left-handed user. This figure illustrates the curvature of an external surface of the device  10  thereby adapted to comfortably fit the palm of a user in an as-worn position. Control housing  30  is dimensioned to fit against the palm of a user to allow a user to operate control joystick  40  which is angled toward its distal end, to place it adjacent to the thumb  62  when in its natural resting position. The surface of the distal end of the thumb in a neutral or resting position is generally in a horizontal or vertical plane spaced from the surface of the palm of the hand  60 . Rather than forcing a user to strain the thumb into an uncomfortable position to use control joystick  40 , the device  10  employs the depicted and described angled engagement of the joystick  40  such that its distal end is positioned for easy and comfortable engagement by the thumb. The angular positioning of control joystick  40  away from the axis along the palm of a user, represented by numeral  43 , is preferably about 20 degrees. The angled engagement is of course a preferred component of the device  10  in its best mode. However, control joystick  40  can be angled toward the palm at an angle  43  ranging anywhere between 10-45 degrees. 
         [0040]      FIG. 5  depicts a cross-section generalized view of the internal workings of the device  10  showing an example of the means to convert user input from the joystick  40  or trackball  230  into an electrical output signal communicated to a computing device. As depicted, control joystick  40  includes a joystick housing  44 , a head  45 , a shaft  46 , a ball member  47 , a spring  48 , and at least one motion sensor  49 . Such motion sensors can be optical and sensing movement of the ball member  47  in the form of an LED or laser and a pickup device which senses movement of the ball member  47  in two directions. Or motion sensor  49  may be conventional analog wherein the ball member  47  rotates a pair of wheels which provide input of direction along an XY axis, or it may also be magnetic sensing. 
         [0041]    To use joystick  40  as a means for directional input for a computer curser engaged to the device  10 , a user exerts pressure in a particular direction on head  45 , causing shaft  46  and ball member  47  to rotate in directions along an XY axis. The motion sensor  49 , be it optical or analog or other means to sense movement in the two directions of an XY axis, senses the movement of the ball member  47  and converts it to an electronic signal useable by the attached computing device to thereby direct curser or other screen movement. 
         [0042]    As noted, in a particularly preferred mode to limit the removal of the thumb the joystick  40  may also be used as an input means or input button and perform various button-related tasks such as opening and closing files and menus which are conventionally done when the curser is properly positioned by movement along the XY axis. Making the joystick  40  depressable to overcome upward biasing of spring  48  to thereby activate a switch  51  providing an input allows the user to employ the device to also perform drag-and-drop and similar functions. This function can also be employed with other embodiments of the device  10  which use a trackball or other means for directional movement of the curser on an engaged computer. 
         [0043]      FIG. 6  depicts a front perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the hand attachable computer input device  100 . Device  100  includes a means to position the device against the palm of a user in the as-worn position in the form of an adjustable band  110  engaged to the control housing  30 . Adjustable band  110  is preferably comprised of a flexible, comfortable, and durable fabric such as nylon or soft leather. Adjustable band  110  contains adjustment means  112  that can be used to alter the size of adjustable band  110  to enable it to fit various sized and shaped hands. Adjustment means  112  can be a variety of standard adjustment mechanisms as known in the art. 
         [0044]    Control housing  30  can be attached to adjustable band  110  by various methods including but not limited to gluing, clipping, snapping, interlocking, or other methods as would be recognized by one with ordinary skill in the art. Control housing  30  is preferably comprised of a strong and durable material such as plastic. Control housing  30  houses various electronic circuitry as noted earlier to convert user manual input into electrical output signals for transmission to a computer. 
         [0045]    User input via device  100  is collected several ways. Device  100  preferably includes a directional pad  130  located on control housing  30  where the joystick of  FIG. 1  would extend. When a user wears device  100 , in the preferred mode, the pad  130  is positioned at an angle at the end of the hand facing the thumb, such that directional pad  130  can be engaged by the thumb of the user while in a natural position spaced from the palm. Directional pad  130  preferably contains four directional input buttons  132 , one for up, down, right, and left, allowing a user full ranges of movement of a cursor located on a computer screen. In additional to directional buttons  132 , directional pad  130  can also contain an omni-directional button  134  centrally located between directional buttons  132 . Button  134  can freely rotate in a 360-degree direction, allowing users joystick-type functionality as well as buttons that are solely dedicated to one directional movement. Omni-directional button  134  can also serve as a clicking button, whereby a user can press directly down on button  134  to allow a user to open files, select different menus, and perform other operations that normally are performed via pressing buttons found on a traditional mouse. 
         [0046]    Device  100  can include other mechanically activated electronic input means. Preferably, device  100  includes an outer button  140 , inner button  142 , and a scroll wheel  144 . Outer button  140  can be accessed by the pointer finger of the user. Inner button  142  can be accessed by the middle finger of the user. Outer button  140  and inner button  142  can be used to perform various tasks, such as opening menus, opening and closing files, highlighting text, and other functions routinely performed by buttons found on a traditional mouse. Outer button  140  and inner button  142  can be programmed to function either after a user has clicked on them once or twice. Scroll wheel  144  is a standard scroll wheel that can be used to quickly and conveniently scroll through a document or web page. 
         [0047]    Device  100  can also include a cord  150  that is preferably attached to control housing  120 . Cord  150  can be connected to a computer and serves primarily as a conduit for the transmission of information from device  100  to the computer and the reception of information from the computer to device  100 . Cord  150  can vary in length to provide convenience to a user, and can be configured to plug into either a USB port or a serial port or other conventional computer port, engaged to a computer. In other embodiments, the hand attachable computer input device does not utilize a cord  150 , but rather contains a transmitter and receiver located within control housing  120  for communicating wirelessly with a computer. This wireless transmission can occur over various frequencies as would be recognized by one with ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0048]      FIG. 7  depicts a front perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the hand attachable computer input device  200 . Device  200  includes an adjustable band  210  and a control housing  220  attached thereto. Adjustable band  210  is preferably comprised of a flexible, comfortable, and durable fabric such as nylon or soft leather, and provides means to position the device  200  in the as-worn position. Adjustable band  210  contains adjustment means  212  that can be used to alter the size of adjustable band  210  to enable it to fit various sized and shaped hands. Adjustment means  212  can be a variety of standard adjustment mechanisms as known in the art. 
         [0049]    Control housing  220  can be attached to adjustable band  210  by various methods including but not limited to gluing, clipping, snapping, interlocking, or other methods as would be recognized by one with ordinary skill in the art. Control housing  220  is preferably comprised of a strong and durable material such as plastic and houses various electronic circuitry that convert user mechanical input into electrical output for transmission to a computer. Housing  220  in the preferred mode would have the angled engagement end  31  having either a fixed angle toward the distal end of the user&#39;s thumb in an as-worn position, or employ means for rotational engagement such as a hinged engagement  33  or a hinge and ratchet engagement of the engagement end  31  and the housing  30  or a frictionally restrained ball and socket engagement or other such means for rotational engagement. 
         [0050]    User input via device  200  is collected several ways. Device  200  preferably includes a trackball  230  located on control housing  220 . Trackball  230  is a conventional trackball device as would be recognized by one with ordinary skill in the art. When a user wears device  100 , it is intended that trackball  230  is positioned at the end of the hand facing the thumb, such that trackball  230  can be engaged by the thumb of the user. Trackball  230  is attached to control housing  220  in an angular fashion, both horizontally and vertically, to enable a user to comfortably use it with the thumb. Trackball  230  can freely rotate in a 360 degree direction, allowing users joystick-type functionality. Trackball  230  can also serve as a clicking button as noted for the trackball above, whereby a user can press directly down on trackball  230  to allow a user to open files, select different menus, and perform other operations normally performed via pressing buttons on a traditional mouse. 
         [0051]    Device  200  can include other input means. Preferably, device  200  includes an outer button  240 , inner button  242 , and a scroll wheel  244 . Outer button  240  can be accessed by the pointer finger of the user. Inner button  242  can be accessed by the middle finger of the user. Outer button  240  and inner button  242  can be used to perform various tasks such as opening menus, opening and closing files, highlighting text, and other operations that can be routinely performed by buttons found on a traditional mouse. Outer button  240  and inner button  242  can be programmed to function either after a user has clicked on them once or after a user has clicked on them twice. Scroll wheel  244  is a standard scroll wheel that can be used to quickly and conveniently scroll through a document or web page. 
         [0052]    Device  200  can also include a cord  250  that is preferably attached to control housing  220 . Cord  250  can be connected to a computer and serves primarily as a conduit for the transmission of information from device  200  to the computer and the reception of information from the computer to device  200 . Cord  250  can vary in length and can plug into either a USB port or a serial port located within a computer. In other embodiments, the hand attachable computer input device does not use a cord  250 , but rather contains a transmitter and receiver located within control housing  220  for communicating wirelessly with a computer. This wireless transmission can occur over various frequencies. 
         [0053]    The device herein shown in the drawings and described in detail herein disclose arrangements of elements of particular construction and configuration for illustrating preferred embodiments of structure of the present invention. It is to be understood, however, that elements of different construction and configuration, and different steps and process procedures, and other arrangements thereof other than those illustrated and described may be employed for providing a cable locating device formed thereof in accordance with the spirit of this invention. 
         [0054]    As such, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modifications, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure, and will be appreciated that in some instance some features of the invention could be employed without a corresponding use of other features, without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. All such changes, alternations and modifications as would occur to those skilled in the art are considered to be within the scope of this invention as broadly defined in the appended claims. 
         [0055]    Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting, as to the scope of the invention in any way.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6