GB2266360A - Electronic apparatus with a keyboard and a trackball. - Google Patents

Electronic apparatus with a keyboard and a trackball. Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2266360A
GB2266360A GB9304296A GB9304296A GB2266360A GB 2266360 A GB2266360 A GB 2266360A GB 9304296 A GB9304296 A GB 9304296A GB 9304296 A GB9304296 A GB 9304296A GB 2266360 A GB2266360 A GB 2266360A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
track ball
keyboard
unit
input
input means
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB9304296A
Other versions
GB2266360B (en
GB9304296D0 (en
Inventor
Yuzo Kawahara
Kenichi Morinaga
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Funai Electric Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Funai Electric Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from JP04086004A external-priority patent/JP3095037B2/en
Priority claimed from JP4086002A external-priority patent/JPH05250069A/en
Priority claimed from JP4086003A external-priority patent/JPH05250070A/en
Application filed by Funai Electric Co Ltd filed Critical Funai Electric Co Ltd
Publication of GB9304296D0 publication Critical patent/GB9304296D0/en
Publication of GB2266360A publication Critical patent/GB2266360A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2266360B publication Critical patent/GB2266360B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
    • G06F1/16—Constructional details or arrangements
    • G06F1/1613—Constructional details or arrangements for portable computers
    • G06F1/1615—Constructional details or arrangements for portable computers with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function
    • G06F1/1616—Constructional details or arrangements for portable computers with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
    • G06F1/16—Constructional details or arrangements
    • G06F1/1613—Constructional details or arrangements for portable computers
    • G06F1/1633—Constructional details or arrangements of portable computers not specific to the type of enclosures covered by groups G06F1/1615 - G06F1/1626
    • G06F1/1662—Details related to the integrated keyboard
    • G06F1/1667—Arrangements for adjusting the tilt angle of the integrated keyboard independently from the main body
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
    • G06F1/16—Constructional details or arrangements
    • G06F1/1613—Constructional details or arrangements for portable computers
    • G06F1/1633—Constructional details or arrangements of portable computers not specific to the type of enclosures covered by groups G06F1/1615 - G06F1/1626
    • G06F1/1684—Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
    • G06F1/169—Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mathematical Physics (AREA)
  • Position Input By Displaying (AREA)

Description

2266360 ELECTRONIC APPARATUS This invention relates to electronic
apparatus with a track ball having a keyboard which inputs information in electronic equipment of a computer or the like, particularly in electronic equipment wherein a personal computer display is integrated with the input unit thereof.
Hitherto, there has been provided an integrated operation device of a computer or the like, particularly the so-called lap-top or note-type personal computers having a thin box shape convenient for carrying by bringing down the keyboard on the display integrated with the input unit. However, when the track ball is set up other than the input means such as the keyboard or the like which inputs to the computer, the track ball is normally secured at a position close to the same surface with the input means of the keyboard or the like.
However, in such input unit with a track ball, since the input means of the track ball and the keyboard are positioned close together on the same surface, if the operator's hand mistakenly touches the track ball during the operation of the input means to move it, the output is input and an error occurs.
Further, the track ball comes into sight during the operation of the input means of the keyboard ok the like and becomes an eyesore, which causes difficulty in operation. In addition, when the liquid crystal display comes down on the input means to make a thin box type, the surface of the input means becomes larger due to the track ball, and the flat area of the box type also becomes larger, which is inconvenient for carrying.
An aim of the applicant is to provide an input unit with track ball which enables the making, of a portable personal computer by erasing the above conventional problem points of the input unit with track ball by preventing the operation error caused by the rotation of the track ball by mistakenly touching the track ball by hand during the input means operation of the keyboard, cancelling the operation difficulty of the input means 1 which causes the eyesore as a result of the track ball coming into sight, and further making the flat area of the box type smaller when carrying it by bringing down to fold the display.
The input unit with track ball described hereinafter is characterized in that this input unit with track ball is provided with a keyboard plate having a keyboard slidable to the front and rear, said track ball being structured so as to be a lower side of the keyboard plate when the keyboard plate is slid towards the front.
Further,. the input unit is provided with an input means of the keyboard and the like and the track ball, and is further provided with a unit accommodating portion which accommodates the track ball unit having the track ball attached thereto is provided at the lower portion of the input means, said unit being structured so as to be able to be drawn out of the accommodated portion to the front side when the track ball is in use.
Furthermore, the input unit is provided with an input means of the keyboard and the track ball, said track ball being provided so that the track ball may be taken in and taken out against the input surface where the track ball is set.

Claims (22)

In the input unit with track ball according to Claim 20, when the keyboard plate is drawn near the user, the track ball is covered by the keyboard whereby it can be used as a keyboard having no track ball, in the same way as a conventional keyboard. Accordingly, the track ball does not disturb operation. When the keyboard plate is pushed out towards the opposite side, the track ball is exposed at this side, thereby enabling input. In this case, since the operation is performed at the front portion of the keyboard, errors in operation, such as pushing a key by mistake, do not occur, thereby making the operation more easy. In the input unit with track ball according to Claim21, the track ball can be operated by drawing it out at the front 2 surface of the input means from the lower side of the input means of the keyboard or the like at the time of using the track ball. on the other hand, when the track ball is not in use, defects in operation such as the track ball coming into the user's line of vision during operation of the input means of the keyboard and the like, or an error in operation due to the input of a motion caused by the mistaken touch of a hand with the track ball during the operation of the input means, are removed by accommodating the track ball unit at the lower side of the input means of the keyboard. In the input unit with track ball according to Claim 22, the operation of the track ball in the same manner as the conventional input unit with track ball can be done by exposing the track ball to a setting surface or raising it up to the same surface by the operation of the operation member when using the track ball. when the track ball is not in use, the track ball is housed below the set surface, while at the time of the input of the track ball, the keyboard operation is facilitated by decreasing the rate wherein the track ball comes into sight and bringing down the display until it contacts with the keyboard surface thereby being able to make the personal computer a thin and portable one. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view which shows the keyboard in use, according to the first embodiment of this invention when it is removed to the rear. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same keyboard in use when it is removed to the front. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a material portion of the second embodiment. Fig. 4 is a perspective view where the same track unit is drawn out toward the front. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a material portion of a notetype personal computer according to a third embodiment. Fig. 6 is a general perspective view of the third 3 embodiment. Fig. 7 is a perspective view which shows an exploded state of the material portion thereof. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Each embodiment of the input unit with a track ball according to this invention will now be described with reference to Fig. 1 through Fig. 7. Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 are figures which illustrate a note-type personal computer of the first embodiment. At the rear surface of a body case 1 which is a keyboard attached member of the note-type personal computer, a liquid crystal display 2 is attached undulatingly to the body case 1. The content shown by the liquid crystal can be seen from the front surface of the body case 1 by standing up the display 2. When the display 2 is brought down, the keyboard 3 is covered with the display 2 to form a small type of box having a thin rectangular form as a whole. This form is convenient for carrying. At the upper surf ace of the front portion in this main body case 1, a step portion la is formed, and a keyboard plate 4 having keyboard 3 comprising a plurality of keys is formed in the same shape as the step la. A projection (not shown) provided at the lower surface of the front portion of the keyboard plate 4 is slidably inserted into a guide groove lb. At the rear side of the keyboard plate 4, one end of an arm 5 which slides in a groove lc at a side of the main body case 1 is provided rotatably and another end thereof is pivotally attached to the side of the keyboard plate 4. Accordingly, when the arm 5 is rotated, one end thereof slides to the rear and moves along the guide groove lb to make the keyboard plate 4 slide towards the rear, and the keyboard plate 4 inclines at the rear of the step portion la as shown in Fig. 1. At the step portion la of the main body case 1 which becomes exposed when sliding the keyboard 4 toward the rear direction, a track ball (pointing device) 6 is attached. When the keyboard plate 4 is inserted into the step portion 4 la by sliding forward, the track ball is covered by the keyboard plate 4 as shown in Fig. 2 and the keyboard plate 4 is positioned at the front of the main body 1. Accordingly, it is possible to input in the same manner as the conventional keyboard having no track ball 6. The track ball 6 does not disturb the input, nor prevent the display 2 from being brought down on the keyboard plate 4. If the keyboard plate 4 is moved to the rear only when input due to the track ball 6 is necessary. the track ball 6 appears at the place where the keyboard plate 4 exists. Since this place is a front portion of the main case 1, the track ball is easily operated. Further, since this position is one step lower than the position where the keyboard plate 4 is moved, there are no operational errors caused by mistakenly touching the keyboard 3 during the operation of the track ball 6. Furthermore. since the keyboard plate 4 is slightly inclined, the operation of the keyboard 3 is also easy. Although the above embodiment is performed with respect to a note-type personal computer, the same operation is possible with respect to input units of electronic equipment for other personal computers and the same effect can be obtained. As a moving means of the keyboard plate 4, when the keyboard plate 4 is moved to the rear, it may be quite right to use a means other than the above means such as one wherein the khyboard 4 does not incline and the like. Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 show a note-type personal computer of a second embodiment. At the upper portion of the front surface of the main body 21 of the personal computer, a keyboard 22 is provided and at the rear side of the main body case 22, a liquid crystal display 23 is pivotally attached undulatingly. When this display is stood up, the display surface can be seen from the front thereof and the display 23 and the main case 21 can be allowed to fold into a thin box type by bringing it down to the position near the keyboard 22. At the lower side of the keyboard 22 of the main body case 21 is set a concave portion 21a having the same form as the 5 track ball unit 25 wherein the track ball (pointing device) 24 is accommodated, said track ball unit 25 and said main case 21 being secured rotatably to an axis 28 at the front upper portion of the track ball unit 25 and the upper front portion of the concave 21a. The track ball unit 25 is accommodated at the concave 21a so that the track ball 24 may go downward. At the lower side of the track ball unit 25 accommodated in the concave portion 21a, a lid 26 is provided so as to slide toward the front against the main body case 21. The-track ball 25 accommodated in the concave portion 21a is covered by the lid 26 whereby the track ball 25 is adapted to not rotate. A latching projection 26a is provided at the upper surface of the bottom end of the lid 26 to prevent unreasonable sliding of the lid 6 by latching the latching projection 26a to a latching concave 21b formed at the lower surface of the main body case 21. However, if the lid 26 is pulled strongly, the lid 26 is adapted to be drawn out to the front of the main body case 21. When the lid 26 is drawn out to the front of the main body case 21.. the track ball unit 25 becomes rotatable in the direction shown by arrow "A" in Fig. 3 with a center of the attached point. Accordingly, the track ball unit 25 rotates so that the track ball 24 may be upward as shown in Fig. 3. At the lower side thereof, the lid 26 is pushed in the direction shown by arrow "B" in Fig. 3 and an upper surface of'the top end 26b of the lid 26 is latched with the latched concave 25a of the lower surface of the track ball unit 25, and if the movement of the lid 26 and the rotation of the track ball unit 25 are obstructed, the track ball unit 25 is fixed at this position. Accordingly, when the track ball unit 25 is accommodated at the lower side of the keyboard 22, errors in operation caused by mistakenly touching the track ball 25 during the operation of the keyboard 22 can be prevented. Besides, difficulty in keyboard operation caused by the appearance of the track ball 24 into the operator's line of vision disappears, and since the track ball 24 is positioned at the front side of the keyboard 22, by drawing out the track ball 24 before the keyboard, the operation thereof becomes easy. 6 In the above embodiment, the track ball unit 25 is accommodated in the concave 21a so as to be rotatable to the main body case 21 and covered with the lid 26. As an accommodated system of the track ball unit 25, a drawing-out system and other systems can be used and these effects are not different from this embodiment. Fig. 5 to Fig. 7 are drawings which represent note-type personal computers of a third embodiment of this invention. At the rear side of the main body case 32 of the personal computer provided with the keyboard 31 at the upper front side, a liquid crystal display 33 is pivotally attached undulatingly.. The rear side surface of a set-up surface of the keyboard 31 of this main body case 32 is made to be a surface one step higher than the set-up surface of the keyboard 31. A track ball unit 37 which accommodates a lock lever 35 and the track ball (pointing device) 36 therein, is inserted between an accommodation hole 32a provided at the above one step higher surface and a back plate 34 attached to the back surface of the accommodation hole 32a. An operation piece 35b is provided to the lock lever 35, said operation lever 35b projecting toward an upper surface from the operation hole 32b of the main body case 32 provided near the accommodation hole 32a and a spring 38 being bridged at one end of the lock lever 35 to energize the lock lever in a certain direction. Between the track ball unit 37 and the back plate 34, a spring 39 which energizes the track ball unit 37 in an upward direction, and at the side of the front and rear of the track ball a latching projection 37b having an inclined surface 37a at the lower side is projected and further a latching groove 35c is provided at the front and rear sides of the accommodation hole 35a of the lock lever 35. At the right and left sides of the track ball unit 37, stoppers 37c are protruded respectively and stoppers 37c are respectively inserted into each guide hole 34a at the back plate 34 to define the lower position thereof. When the track ball unit 37 is pushed down to the above defined position against the energized spring 39, the latching groove 35c of the lock lever 7 is adapted to push by an inclined surface 37a against the energized spring 38 whereby the latching projection 37b comes into the lower side of the latching groove 35c to be latched at this position. when the operation piece 35b of the lock lever 35 is pushed to the opposite side with the track ball unit 37 against the energy of the spring 38, the latching.groove 35c is retired from the position of the latching projection 37b and the latching of the track ball unit 37 is released. By this, the track ball unit 37 rises up to the same level as the accommodation hole 32a by the energized spring 39. The track-ball unit 37 is connected to a requested circuit by a flexible print code 10 whereby a rotation locus of the track ball 36b is adapted to be input when the track ball 36 is rotated by the palm of the hand. Accordingly, when the track ball unit 37 is pushed down against the energized spring 39, since the track ball 36 is latched at a lower position than the surface of the accommodation hole 32a, the conventional fault does not appear within sight with respect to the keyboard 31, whereby the keyboard becomes easy to operate. At the same time, the input due to error in operation caused by moving the track ball 36 with the touch of a hand during the operation of the keyboard disappears. Besides, the occurrence of a slit on the main body case 32 thade by the display 33 when the display 33 is brought down on the keyboard 31, does not appear. Further, when the operation piece 35b is pushed to the track ball unit 37 side, the latching of the track ball unit 37 is released and the track ball unit 37 comes into a rising position. Accordingly, the same operation as the conventional input unit can be performed. In this invention there exist the following embodiments other than the embodiments described above: The track ball 36 can be retired from a surface where the keyboard 31 is provided, and the keyboard 31 appears from the retired position by the operation of the operation member. Its means is not limited to the above. 8 This invention is not restricted to the above note-type personal computer, but can be widely applied to small-type electronic equipment such as WP (word processors) and the like. According to the input unit with track ball of this invention, this invention is constructed as described above and the following effects are obtained. In Claim 20,when the keyboard plate is moved to the front side so that this personal computer may be portable,.since the track ball comes to the lower side of the keyboard plate, the keyboard does not require an area for accommodating the track ball, thereby being able to realize a smaller input unit. Further, since the exposure of the track ball is performed by moving the keyboard to the display side, the track ball is positioned at the front of the input unit. As a result, this operation not only becomes easy, but also the operation of the keyboard becomes easy if the keyboard is inclined at the time of movement. In Claim21, when not using the track ball, since the track ball unit can be accommodated at the lower side of the input means of the keyboard or the like, the area of the input surface of the conventional keyboard or the like can be smaller compared to where the track ball is provided thereto. Accordingly, when the liquid crystal display is carried by bringing it down to the input surface, the flat area of the box type can be smaller and is convenient for carrying. Further, the error in operation which occurs when mistakenly touching the track ball by hand and rotating the track ball, and the defect in operation caused by the appearance of the track ball into the operator's line of vision, can be removed. In Claim 22,since the track ball is adapted to be retired from the surface where the input means of the keyboard or the like are provided, the rate at which the track ball comes into sight decreases in the operation of the input means of the keyboard whereby the operation becomes easy and the error in operation in which the hand touches the track ball can be prevented. when the liquid crystal display is used as a thin and 9 portable box by covering it on the input means of the keyboard, the track ball does not disturb the covering of the keyboard with the display. For instance, it is suitable to apply to a note-type personal computer.
1 CLAIMS Electronic apparatus comprising keyboard means and track ball input means, said track ball input means being arranged to be selectively accessible.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises a housing, said keyboard means being movable relative to the housing to expose the track ball input means.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the keyboard means is movable rearwardly, away from a user of the apparatus, to expose the track ball input means.
4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising pivoting means for inclining the keyboard means forwardly, to face the user, when the keyboard means is moved rearwardly to expose the track ball input means.
5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the track ball input means is movable between a concealed and an exposed position, said track ball input means being accommodated at the underside of the apparatus when in said concealed position.
6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein in its exposed position the track ball input means is positioned at the front of the apparatus.
7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein in its exposed position the track ball input means extends forwardly of the front edge of the apparatus.
8. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 5 to 7, - 12 wherein the track ball input means is pivotable between its concealed and its exposed positions.
9. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 5 to 8, further comprising cover means for retaining the track ball 5 input means in its concealed position.
10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said cover means is arranged to retain the track ball input means in its exposed position.
11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the track ball input means is movable-between a recessed position and an exposed position and the apparatus further comprises a main body, the track ball input means being, in said recessed position, at least partly recessed in a recess provided in the main body. is
12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the recess is provided in an upper surface of the main body.
13. Apparatus as claimed in claim.ii or claim 12, wherein the track ball input means, in said exposed position, projects at least partly out from said recess. 20
14. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 11 to 13, wherein said track ball input means is biased to said exposed position by spring means.
15. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 11 to 14, wherein selectively releasable latch means are provided for retaining the track ball input means in the recess.
16. Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the electrical apparatus is a computer.
17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the electrical apparatus is a notepad-type computer provided with a folding display screen
18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the display screen is foldable across at least part of the top surface of the apparatus.
19. Electronic apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
20. An input unit with a track ball which comprises a keyboard plate to which a keyboard is attached slidably at the front and the rear thereof and a track ball attached to a keyboard attaching member; said input unit with track ball being structured so that the track ball may be a lower side of the keyboard plate when the keyboard plate is allowed to slide to this side.
21. An input unit with track ball provided with an input means of a keyboard and the like and a track ball, said input unit with a track ball being provided with a unit accommodated portion which places a track ball unit attached to the track ball thereto at the lower side of the input means and being structured so that the unit may be drawn out from the accommodated portion to the front when the track ball is in use.
22. An input unit with a track ball provided with an input means of a keyboard and the like and a track ball, said input unit with track ball being provided with a track ball undulating with respect to an input surface where the track ball is provided.
GB9304296A 1992-03-09 1993-03-03 Electronic apparatus Expired - Lifetime GB2266360B (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP04086004A JP3095037B2 (en) 1992-03-09 1992-03-09 Input device with trackball
JP4086002A JPH05250069A (en) 1992-03-09 1992-03-09 Input device with track ball
JP4086003A JPH05250070A (en) 1992-03-09 1992-03-09 Input device with track ball

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9304296D0 GB9304296D0 (en) 1993-04-21
GB2266360A true GB2266360A (en) 1993-10-27
GB2266360B GB2266360B (en) 1995-06-14

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ID=27305031

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9304296A Expired - Lifetime GB2266360B (en) 1992-03-09 1993-03-03 Electronic apparatus

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Country Link
DE (1) DE4307223A1 (en)
GB (1) GB2266360B (en)

Cited By (6)

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GB2274152A (en) * 1993-01-12 1994-07-13 Hewlett Packard Co Handle for computer input position encoder system.
US5414420A (en) * 1992-03-23 1995-05-09 Hewlett-Packard Corporation Switch interconnect for position encoder system
US5428355A (en) * 1992-03-23 1995-06-27 Hewlett-Packard Corporation Position encoder system
US6175492B1 (en) 1997-09-04 2001-01-16 Fujitsu Limited Small-sized portable information processing apparatus having cooling means
US6219036B1 (en) 1998-06-23 2001-04-17 Fujitsu Limited Electronic equipment with pointing device
US8331999B2 (en) 2009-07-10 2012-12-11 Research In Motion Limited Moving control bar for a flip-style wireless communications device

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IT1258136B (en) * 1992-12-28 1996-02-20 Olivetti & Co Spa PORTABLE ELECTRONIC CALCULATOR WITH TRACK POSITIONER.
US6362440B1 (en) * 1998-03-27 2002-03-26 International Business Machines Corporation Flexibly interfaceable portable computing device
EP2284648B1 (en) * 2009-07-10 2014-09-03 BlackBerry Limited Moving control bar for a flip-style wireless communications device

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US4425014A (en) * 1980-07-31 1984-01-10 J. Hengstler K.G. Housing for data entry equipment
US4490604A (en) * 1982-08-13 1984-12-25 Northern Telecom Limited Input/output device arrangements for terminals
US4533791A (en) * 1982-01-27 1985-08-06 Northern Telecom Limited Input/output device arrangements for terminals
US5049863A (en) * 1989-02-10 1991-09-17 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Cursor key unit for a computer having a mouse function removably mounted on a keyboard section of a base
WO1992011623A1 (en) * 1990-12-18 1992-07-09 Apple Computer, Inc. Laptop computer having integrated keyboard, cursor control device and palm rest
EP0509337A2 (en) * 1991-04-05 1992-10-21 Logitech Inc Track ball mounted on keyboard
DE4123442A1 (en) * 1991-07-16 1993-01-21 Thomas Messingschlager Combined data entry device for computer and processor - has central mounting on character space bar of keyboard for actuator moving cursor in two dimensions

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EP0539599B1 (en) * 1991-05-15 1999-09-29 Fujitsu Limited Pointing device and controlling method therefor
US5621436A (en) * 1991-06-20 1997-04-15 Tandberg Data Storage As Keyboard with integrated mouse for data entry and control

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4425014A (en) * 1980-07-31 1984-01-10 J. Hengstler K.G. Housing for data entry equipment
US4533791A (en) * 1982-01-27 1985-08-06 Northern Telecom Limited Input/output device arrangements for terminals
US4490604A (en) * 1982-08-13 1984-12-25 Northern Telecom Limited Input/output device arrangements for terminals
US5049863A (en) * 1989-02-10 1991-09-17 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Cursor key unit for a computer having a mouse function removably mounted on a keyboard section of a base
WO1992011623A1 (en) * 1990-12-18 1992-07-09 Apple Computer, Inc. Laptop computer having integrated keyboard, cursor control device and palm rest
EP0509337A2 (en) * 1991-04-05 1992-10-21 Logitech Inc Track ball mounted on keyboard
DE4123442A1 (en) * 1991-07-16 1993-01-21 Thomas Messingschlager Combined data entry device for computer and processor - has central mounting on character space bar of keyboard for actuator moving cursor in two dimensions

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5414420A (en) * 1992-03-23 1995-05-09 Hewlett-Packard Corporation Switch interconnect for position encoder system
US5428355A (en) * 1992-03-23 1995-06-27 Hewlett-Packard Corporation Position encoder system
GB2274152A (en) * 1993-01-12 1994-07-13 Hewlett Packard Co Handle for computer input position encoder system.
GB2274152B (en) * 1993-01-12 1996-02-07 Hewlett Packard Co Handle for position encoder system
US6175492B1 (en) 1997-09-04 2001-01-16 Fujitsu Limited Small-sized portable information processing apparatus having cooling means
US6219036B1 (en) 1998-06-23 2001-04-17 Fujitsu Limited Electronic equipment with pointing device
US8331999B2 (en) 2009-07-10 2012-12-11 Research In Motion Limited Moving control bar for a flip-style wireless communications device

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Publication number Publication date
DE4307223A1 (en) 1993-09-16
GB2266360B (en) 1995-06-14
GB9304296D0 (en) 1993-04-21

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Expiry date: 20130302