Patent ID: 8321173

Claim:
A computer cursor position tracking system, comprising: a computer; a display device coupled to the computer; a three dimensional tracking volume comprising at least first, second, and third orthogonal platforms physically connected to define a three-dimensional space having a predetermined volume; at least first, second, and third magnetoresistive integrated circuit sensors mounted to the first, second, and third platforms, respectively, the sensors being orthogonally aligned; a computer mouse coupled to the computer, the computer mouse comprising a permanent magnet generating a magnetic field, the permanent magnet being freely movable in three dimensions within the tracking volume; the first, second, and third magnetoresistive integrated circuit sensors configured to detect respective components of an intensity of the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet, wherein the sensors are separate from the at least one permanent magnet, the detected components of the intensity being dependent, at least in part, on the proximity of the permanent magnet to a respective sensor; the computer comprising at least one processor configured to: determine the position of the permanent magnet within the tracking volume based, at least in part, on the detected magnetic field; and display a computer cursor on the display device in a position corresponding to the determined position of the permanent magnet within the tracking volume.