Patent ID: 7102626

Claim:
A multifunction pointing device connected with a portable hand-held electronic device, comprising: a pointing implement including a shaft; a holster connected with the portable hand-held electronic device and including an aperture through which the pointing implement is inserted into and removed from the holster, a portion of the shaft is positioned in the holster and is movable in a rotation about an axis and is movable in a translation along the axis; a first sensor positioned to detect the translation and the rotation of the portion of the shaft and operative to generate a first signal in response to the translation and the rotation, and wherein the portable hand-held electronic device receives the first signal and processes the first signal to initiate an action; and a second sensor including a collar with an opening therein through which the pointing implement is inserted into and removed from the holster, the collar is in contact with a sub-portion of the shaft, wherein a multi-directional motion of the pointing implement urges the sub-portion into contact with the collar with a first force, the collar is operative to induce a stress force on the second sensor in response to the first force, and the second sensor is operative to generate a second signal in response to the stress force, and wherein the electronic device receives the second signal and processes the second signal to initiate the action.