Patent ID: 8284162

Claim:
A manual pointing device for a computer system and operable on a sliding surface, comprising: at least one first key manually actuatable by a user; and a click-event detection circuit coupled to the first key and structured to detect actuation of the first key, the click-event detection circuit including an inertial-sensor circuit structured to detect mechanical stresses generated by actuation of the first key, the inertial-sensor circuit having a first detection axis and a second detection axis perpendicular to one another and structured to be parallel to the surface of sliding of the manual pointing device at least in one operative configuration, and a third detection axis perpendicular to the first and second detection axes; the inertial-sensor circuit structured to supply a first detection signal, a second detection signal, and a third detection signal in response to mechanical stresses acting along the first detection axis, the second detection axis, and the third detection axis, respectively; a casing; and a board elastically coupled to the casing and structured to carry the inertial-sensor circuit in a manner that enables the inertial-sensor circuit to oscillate and to rotate about the second detection axis.