Patent ID: 8587522

Claim:
A mouse for operating an electronic device, the mouse comprising: an actuating base that is movable relative to a guide surface to thereby perform a function on an associated electronic device, the actuating base having a top and bottom and a height between the top and bottom; and a moving assembly for the actuating base, the moving assembly comprising an elongate member with a central lengthwise axis, the elongate member constructed to be: a) operatively held in a user's hand that is configured to hold the elongate member in the same manner that an elongate writing instrument would be held by a user's hand during a writing action; and b) moved while being operatively held to thereby cause the actuating base to be moved relative to the surface, the elongate member connected to the actuating base for controlled guided movement relative to the actuating base to thereby change an angular relationship between the central lengthwise axis of the elongate member and the actuating base, the actuating base defined by a wall having a generally circular perimeter shape with a diameter around a vertical axis, the diameter of the actuating base substantially greater than the diameter of the elongate member, the diameter of the perimeter shape decreasing progressively from a location adjacent the bottom of the actuating base over a majority of the height of the actuating base.