Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6853366?dq=5787449
Timestamp: 2016-10-01 03:47:14
Document Index: 398662651

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 142', 'art 150', 'art 150', 'art 150', 'art 150', 'art 142']

Patent US6853366 - Articulator and optical detection cursor positioning device - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA cursor positioning device that can be sealed if the environment requires sealing, that can withstand harsh use, and can position the cursor easily and quickly. In operation the where the operator places their fingers on the positioning articulator and rocks or slides the articulator in the direction...http://www.google.com/patents/US6853366?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6853366 - Articulator and optical detection cursor positioning deviceAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS6853366 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/268,719Publication dateFeb 8, 2005Filing dateOct 11, 2002Priority dateOct 11, 2002Fee statusLapsedAlso published asUS20040070568Publication number10268719, 268719, US 6853366 B2, US 6853366B2, US-B2-6853366, US6853366 B2, US6853366B2InventorsJames H. BowenOriginal AssigneeJames H. BowenExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (26), Referenced by (24), Classifications (8), Legal Events (6) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetArticulator and optical detection cursor positioning device
US 6853366 B2Abstract
A cursor positioning device that can be sealed if the environment requires sealing, that can withstand harsh use, and can position the cursor easily and quickly. In operation the where the operator places their fingers on the positioning articulator and rocks or slides the articulator in the direction they want the cursor to move. And with movement signatures do single and double clicks, and character strings to the host computer, either through the mouse port or the keyboard port. The key and articulator interrupters block optical beams for key and mouse like positioning thus eliminating any physical contact or force from articulator to detecting optics. Cursor position is positioned by an interrupter disposed in a ring of optical emitters and detectors, whereas depending on the position of movement by the positioning interrupter emission is blocked, or partially blocked, between a particular pair or pairs of emitters and detectors, that particular pair or pairs being the direction of cursor movement. The amount of articulator movement is the distance the cursor moves.
It is therefor the primary objective of this invention to provide a cursor positioning device that can be sealed if the environment requires sealing, that can withstand harsh use, and can position the cursor easily and quickly.
Referring now to the drawings, in which the same reference numeral indicates the same element in the various figures, FIG. 1 shows a top surface 10 of cursor positioning device 11 and cursor articulator 18 used to position a cursor. Articulator top 9 shows a shape that can be used by one finger to position the cursor, and stops a vandal from hitting articulator 18 with a fist. Cursor positioning device 11 is a full function mouse in as much as all control of the cursor and related functions are preformed with cursor articulator 18. Clicking is preformed by down up movement, speed of down up movement and location of down up movement making up a signature for a single or double click or drag as required for cursor functions. FIG. 1A is a side view of FIG. 1 with top surface 10, side view of cursor articulator 18 and peripheral seal 32. FIG. 1B is a cross section view at A—A through the mouse in FIG. 1. Cursor articulator 18 is retained by fasteners 143 being threadably received into projections 152 coming from the lower side of cursor articulator 18 holding circular interrupter 145 rigid against projections 152. Projections 152 are pressed through cursor upper flex part 142 of cursor elastomer seal 151 forming an upper seal to stop liquids from entering the interior of the cursor positioning device. Cursor lower thick part 150 of cursor elastomer seal 151 is pressed over cursor extruded island 153 forming a lower seal to stop liquids from entering the interior of the cursor positioning device. Cursor lower thick part 150 is the only part of the seal that is exposed to users, so even if lower thick part 150 is completely cut through, bushing 149 will hold cursor lower thick part 150 in place so the seal to the inside of the mouse will not be broken. Cursor upper flex part 142 is protected by key cap 70 so the user cannot cut or damage it.
FIG. 3 is a section view through FIG. 2 at B—B rotated 90 degrees. Key indicia 72 in FIG. 3 can be press fit or adhesively attached in key cap 70 of key 12 over press-in threaded insert 74. Key indicia 72 can be printed on adhesive coated plastic or embossed in or printed on metal. These options allow key indicia 72 to be in color or have custom text so they can be installed after the keyboards have been assembled.
FIG. 4 shows mouse 50 with a planar top surface 52 and key 12. FIG. 5 showing the C—C cross section view through FIG. 5 with planar top surface 52 with key 12 and mounting studs 54. Those skilled in the art will recognize that while key 12 is shown round it should be appreciated it could just as easily be square like key 16 of FIG. 2. Mouse 50 in FIGS. 4 and 5 are to be mounted to a desk, machine or other structure with mount studs 54 disposed inwardly around the periphery of rear planar surface 58. Printed wiring board 56 mounts and connects the electronic components of mouse 50.
FIG. 6 shows the cross section at A—A of FIG. 2. Key 12 is shown in a depressed position with weld on stem interrupter 122 blocking beam 84. Detail 140 shows the cursor control device of the cursor positioning device. Cursor articulator 18 is shown in a depressed position. The periphery of circular interrupter 145 is allowed to float in the downwardly direction only being opposed by cursor positioning device spring 148, and when depressed the periphery of circular interrupter 145 can block or partially block the cursor optical beam 147 emitting from emitter 146 and being detected by detector 144.
In environments that do not require seals either because of lower cost or where contamination is not a factor FIG. 8 is a section view through FIG. 2 at B—B showing mouse 20 without seals. Molded key 100 and molded cursor articulator 101 are shown. Those skilled in the art will recognize that while molded key 100 is shown in a position to actuate an optical switch it should be appreciated it could just as easily actuate a mechanical switch with standard type contacts. Hollow stem interrupter 113 can allow LED beam 111 to be emitted from key stem LED 114 to illuminate through translucent indicia lens 116 showing an input has been made to the host computer, or that the host computer has input data to the mouse.
FIG. 13 is the micro processor schematic for the cursor positioning device. Cursor positioning device micro processor 210 has various ports under control of the firmware, one such port 212 is shown labeled PC referring to Port C, these ports control the input/output of the mouse, turning on and off the emitters and detectors, and detecting varying voltage amplitudes from the detectors. One such input/output is shown at mouse connector 214. Mouse connector 214 connects to a host computer to send mouse movement, and other signals generated from the cursor positioning device or sent from the host. When the cursor positioning device is used to input movement signatures special programs in the host must be installed to receive these commands. Keyboard connector 213 can be connected to the host so that the cursor positioning device can directly input character strings to any application running on the host without special programs, because the character string could be the same as an operator inputs from a standard host keyboard. Example, if an operator made a movement signature in the twenty-two degree direction it could send a character string with ‘tab’ to get to the command prompt line in a browser, then ‘www.’. This would be a short cut to start inputting a web address.
FIG. 22 shows a section view E—E of FIG. 27 with a pivoting cursor positioning device with interrupter 316 in a non-interrupting position out of the optical beam 314 between emitter 35 and detector 313. Stem articulator 310 with pivot ball 311 is pivotally received in pivot mount 319 and being retained by pressure seal 312. Pivot mount 319 is then retained through top surface 318 by retainer 317. Although centering spring 321 is not necessary for operation it can be used to bias stem articulator 310 to a central position whereby holding interrupter 316 in a non-interrupting position.
FIG. 24 shows section view D—D of FIG. 26 with a sliding cursor positioning device. In this configuration the cursor position device can be made thinner. Sliding articulator interrupter 337 is disposed through elastomer seal 328 being retained by upper housing 326 against the lower surface of top surface 325. Sliding articulator interrupter 337 is shown blocking optical beam 333 being emitted by emitter 332 mounted on printer wiring board 329. Glide point 336 spaces sliding articulator interrupter 337 from mirror 335, and is the opposing force to central spring 338. When optical beam 333 is not blocked mirror 335 reflects optical beam to detector 334. It should be appreciated that those skilled in the art could substitute hall effect technology and get a similar result. In operation a finger or other object is placed on articulator interrupter 337 and slides articulator interrupter 337 in the direction of desired cursor movement, or by movement signatures input control signals to the host, or computer display. These movement signatures can be input through a mouse input port, or through a keyboard input port in the form of single characters or multiple character strings. When movement is made elastomer seal 328 is elongated in the direction of movement, and when released elastomer seal 328 centralizes articulator interrupter 336 over the ring of emitter 332 and detector 334 pairs. If the application does not require articulator interrupter 337 to be sealed it can be centralized by central spring 338 being installed over upper tab 330 and lower tab 331 of lower cover 327. Lower cover 327 is the opposing force to a vandals blow so it will not contact emitter 332 or detector 334.
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