Patent ID: 8791903

Claim:
A pointing device configured to output a movement instruction signal for moving a cursor on a display in an instructed direction, with reference to an X direction and a Y direction orthogonally intersecting with each other at an original point on the display, the pointing device comprising: a pointing stick; a cursor movement instruction sensor provided for the X direction and Y direction on the display, and including: a cursor X positive direction movement instruction sensor configured to sense a cursor movement instruction signal for instructing the cursor to move away from the original point in +X direction according to an operation to the pointing stick; a cursor X negative direction movement instruction sensor configured to sense a cursor movement instruction signal for instructing the cursor to move away from the original point in −X direction according to an operation to the pointing stick; a cursor Y positive direction movement instruction sensor configured to sense a cursor movement instruction signal for instructing the cursor to move away from the original point in +Y direction according to an operation to the pointing stick; and a cursor Y negative direction movement instruction sensor configured to sense a cursor movement instruction signal for instructing the cursor to move away from the original point in −Y direction according to an operation to the pointing stick; and a stick Z direction operation detector configured to determine that an instruction signal according to an operation to the pointing stick is different from the cursor movement instruction signals when each of outputs from the cursor X positive direction movement instruction sensor, the cursor X negative direction movement instruction sensor, the cursor Y positive direction movement instruction sensor, and the cursor Y negative direction movement instruction sensor is changed by a corresponding predetermined first threshold value or greater within a predetermined time period.