GB2283080A - Computer input mouse. - Google Patents

Computer input mouse. Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2283080A
GB2283080A GB9321844A GB9321844A GB2283080A GB 2283080 A GB2283080 A GB 2283080A GB 9321844 A GB9321844 A GB 9321844A GB 9321844 A GB9321844 A GB 9321844A GB 2283080 A GB2283080 A GB 2283080A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
housing
mouse
reference surface
graspable
computer
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB9321844A
Other versions
GB9321844D0 (en
Inventor
Christoph Dobrusskin
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.)
Central Research Laboratories Ltd
Original Assignee
Central Research Laboratories 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
Application filed by Central Research Laboratories Ltd filed Critical Central Research Laboratories Ltd
Priority to GB9321844A priority Critical patent/GB2283080A/en
Publication of GB9321844D0 publication Critical patent/GB9321844D0/en
Publication of GB2283080A publication Critical patent/GB2283080A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05G—CONTROL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS INSOFAR AS CHARACTERISED BY MECHANICAL FEATURES ONLY
    • G05G9/00—Manually-actuated control mechanisms provided with one single controlling member co-operating with two or more controlled members, e.g. selectively, simultaneously
    • G05G9/02—Manually-actuated control mechanisms provided with one single controlling member co-operating with two or more controlled members, e.g. selectively, simultaneously the controlling member being movable in different independent ways, movement in each individual way actuating one controlled member only
    • G05G9/04—Manually-actuated control mechanisms provided with one single controlling member co-operating with two or more controlled members, e.g. selectively, simultaneously the controlling member being movable in different independent ways, movement in each individual way actuating one controlled member only in which movement in two or more ways can occur simultaneously
    • G05G9/047—Manually-actuated control mechanisms provided with one single controlling member co-operating with two or more controlled members, e.g. selectively, simultaneously the controlling member being movable in different independent ways, movement in each individual way actuating one controlled member only in which movement in two or more ways can occur simultaneously the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks
    • G05G9/053—Manually-actuated control mechanisms provided with one single controlling member co-operating with two or more controlled members, e.g. selectively, simultaneously the controlling member being movable in different independent ways, movement in each individual way actuating one controlled member only in which movement in two or more ways can occur simultaneously the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks the controlling member comprising a ball
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
    • G06F3/033—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor
    • G06F3/0346—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
    • G06F3/033—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor
    • G06F3/0354—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
    • G06F3/03543—Mice or pucks

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
  • Position Input By Displaying (AREA)

Abstract

A mouse for inputting information to a computer comprises a rotatable tracker ball 1 for contacting a reference surface and a housing, a first part 2 of which defines a hole through which the tracker ball may protrude, and a second graspable part 3 of which is resiliently moveable relative to the first part in a plurality of directions. The housing may itself consist of resilient material, or may be in two parts resiliently coupled to one another by coil, leaf or rubber springs. Relative movement of the housing parts 2, 3 may be sensed, eg by a strain gauge, to input further information. Optical or capacitance sensing may replace the ball. A thumb-wheel (10, Fig. 3) may be provided in the casing, eg to enable input of Z-axis data. The connection cable enters the housing through a channel 5 which is angled so that the cable is less likely to foul movement of the mouse or be obstructed by items on the reference surface. <IMAGE>

Description

A MOUSE FOR INPUTTING INFORMATION This invention relates to a mouse for inputting information to a computer, comprising tracking means and a housing, a first part of the housing for contacting a reference surface.
Such devices are sold by companies such as Microsoft or Logitech, and are available in a number of designs. However, all the designs employ rigid housings and it is difficult to move the hand when grasping the mouse without causing the tracking means to move. Thus the muscles in the hand may tire, and repetitive strain injury is possible if the mouse is used for long periods of time. Also, playful movement of the hand is difficult without inputting spurious information to the computer.
An object of the present invention is to enable these disadvantages to be mitigated.
According to the invention, a mouse as described in the first paragraph above is characterised in that resilient means is provided to enable a further graspable part of the housing to be resiliently moveable in a plurality of directions relative to the first part of the housing.
Using such a mouse, the hand may move the graspable part of the housing to compress and release the housing, or may tilt the graspable part of the housing relative to the other part, without causing the tracking means to move or be disabled. Such hand movements and concomitant compression and/or stretching of the resilient means may be sensed using a sensor such as for example a strain gauge, and a signal from the sensor used to input further information to the computer if desired. The hand therefore does not have to be in a constant orientation relative to a reference surface.
The housing may itself comprise a resilient material and be made in one piece.
The housing may as an alternative be in two parts with resilient means such as rubber rods or springs coupling one part to the other.
A data input device for a computer including resilient means is disclosed in EP0403782-A3. However this device describes a small button which is moveable in only one direction, is not graspable in the hand, and does not form part of the housing of a mouse.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a schematic cross section of a first embodiment of a mouse according to the invention, Figure 2 shows the directions of resilient movement possible for the mouse of Figure 1, and Figure 3 shows a side view of a second embodiment.
In a first embodiment, shown in Figure 1, a mouse for inputting information into a computer comprises tracking means (consisting of a rotatable tracker ball 1 for contacting a reference surface 10) and a housing 2, 3. A first part 2 of the housing defines a hole through which the tracker ball may protrude. The base of the housing and the tracker ball may both contact the reference surface. Resilient means (in the present embodiment taking the form of helical springs 4) is provided to enable a further graspable part 3 of the housing to be resiliency moveable in a plurality of directions relative to the first part of the housing. The housing also comprises a button 6 for inputting further information to the computer. More buttons or other data input means such as for example thumb-wheels may be present in addition, but are not shown in the figure.
The housing in this embodiment is made of a rigid plastic material which contains electronics and sensor means (not shown) to detect both tracker ball rotation and the relative movement of the two parts 2 and 3 of the housing. The latter is achieved in the present embodiment using a displacement sensor connected to the resilient means. Electrical connection between the computer and this embodiment of the mouse is provided by a cable which enters the housing through a channel 5 which is arranged at a positive angle relative to the reference surface. This arrangement gives the further advantage of making it less likely that the cable will foul the movement of the mouse. This feature also prevents the cable being obstructed by items on the reference surface such as for example pens or rulers.
In this embodiment, the graspable part of the housing, may be moved relative to the other part of the housing in 3 different directions as shown in Figure 2 - namely towards and away from the reference surface (9), and tilting movement giving pitch (8) and roll (7).
To maintain the accuracy and ease of use of the mouse, the resilient movement should be mainly orthogonal to the reference surface. Gimbals-like movement may be included.
Mechanical equivalents of the helical spring may be used additionally or as an alternative. For example rubber rods or leaf springs made of metal or plastic may be used. The resilient means may be integrated into a moulded housing. The restoring forces in the springs may be adjusted to suit different users. The displacement sensing means may be replaced by a strain gauge.
Additionally or as an alternative to the above resilient means, the graspable part 3 of the mouse may be made of a resilient material such as rubber, enabling movement of part 3 relative to part 2.
Several different tracking means may be employed as alternatives to a tracker ball, such as methods employing optical tracking or capacitance sensors.
In a second embodiment shown schematically in figure 3, part of the housing is equipped with a wheel which may be activated by a thumb or finger of the user.
This wheel may be used to input further information (such as for example z-axis data) to the computer.
In general, buttons or wheels or other data input means may be provided on either the first, graspable part of the housing or on the further part of the housing.
The graspable part of the housing in either of the above two embodiments may be provided with wheels or rotatable balls (not shown), which may be sprung, at either side of the housing. Such wheels or balls may contact the reference surface only when the resilient means is in a compressed state. This arrangement provides the added advantage of making the mouse easier to steer in an arc, or in specific directions. In use such a mouse can be compared by analogy with a toy car having sprung wheels (or balls) on which pressure changes are translated into changes in direction.

Claims (6)

1. A mouse, for inputting information to a computer, comprising tracking means and a housing, a first part of the housing for contacting a reference surface, characterised in that resilient means is provided to enable a further graspable part of the housing to be resiliently moveable in a plurality of directions relative to the first part of the housing.
2. A mouse, for inputting information to a computer, comprising a rotatable tracker ball for contacting a reference surface and a housing, a first part of the housing defining a hole through which the tracker ball may protrude, characterised in that resilient means is provided to enable a further graspable part of the housing to be resiliently moveable in a plurality of directions relative to the first part of the housing.
3. A mouse as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the housing is in two parts, one part connected via resilient means to the other.
4. A mouse as claimed in any preceding claim in which the graspable part of the housing comprises resilient material.
5. A mouse as claimed in any preceding claim in which the relative movement of the first part of the housing relative to the further part is sensed by a sensing means, the output of which is used to input further information to the computer.
6. A mouse substantially as herein described with reference to figure 1 or figure 3 of the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.
GB9321844A 1993-10-22 1993-10-22 Computer input mouse. Withdrawn GB2283080A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9321844A GB2283080A (en) 1993-10-22 1993-10-22 Computer input mouse.

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9321844A GB2283080A (en) 1993-10-22 1993-10-22 Computer input mouse.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9321844D0 GB9321844D0 (en) 1993-12-15
GB2283080A true GB2283080A (en) 1995-04-26

Family

ID=10743984

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9321844A Withdrawn GB2283080A (en) 1993-10-22 1993-10-22 Computer input mouse.

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2283080A (en)

Cited By (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0802086A2 (en) * 1996-03-23 1997-10-22 Philips Patentverwaltung GmbH Multifunction control device
WO2000025256A1 (en) * 1998-10-23 2000-05-04 Frederik Hutter Computer mouse
GB2347733A (en) * 1999-03-08 2000-09-13 Hung Hsien Chung Computer mouse
EP1191418A1 (en) * 2000-09-25 2002-03-27 Nokia Corporation Control device
WO2003025846A1 (en) * 2001-09-14 2003-03-27 Shaw Stephen W Computer mouse input device with multi-axis palm control
WO2003042808A1 (en) * 2001-11-13 2003-05-22 Vadim Georgievich Savin Data entering device
EP1440430A1 (en) * 2001-10-22 2004-07-28 Apple Computer, Inc. Mouse having a rotary dial
WO2004102468A1 (en) * 2003-05-19 2004-11-25 Dmitry Kharisovich Ainutdinov Data input device
FR2858072A1 (en) * 2003-07-23 2005-01-28 Eric Delattre Input device for e.g. computer graphics, has shell connected to base by kinematic connection to authorize shell movements with respect to base, while exempting displacement along direction perpendicular to support plane
FR2881238A1 (en) * 2005-01-21 2006-07-28 Eric Delattre Input peripheral e.g. mouse, for computer, has casing coupled to fixed base by kinematic connection arranged to allow any movement of casing with respect to base, and cover with side wall that is extended
WO2006125924A1 (en) * 2005-05-25 2006-11-30 Universite De Bourgogne Computer pointing device
DE102004045134B4 (en) * 2004-09-17 2007-08-02 Reinhard Prigge Computer mouse and computer system
GB2453003A (en) * 2008-04-14 2009-03-25 Steven Paul Jackson Tilting a mouse sideways to send additional commands
FR2953609A1 (en) * 2009-10-12 2011-06-10 Lexip Mouse i.e. six-axis mouse, for controlling yaw motion of e.g. scene presented by computer-aided design application, has accelerometer determining inclination of shell relative to base plate by differentiation of movements of shell and plate
GB2476837A (en) * 2010-01-12 2011-07-13 Worthington Sharpe Ltd Rotatable Input Device
FR2986628A1 (en) * 2011-06-09 2013-08-09 Lexip Wireless mouse for controlling three-dimensional software application i.e. CAD application in computer, has housing body and sole body including respective accelerometers operated to determine inclination of housing relative to sole

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0346859A2 (en) * 1988-06-14 1989-12-20 Wang Laboratories Inc. Squeezable computer control device
WO1992008208A1 (en) * 1990-11-01 1992-05-14 Queen Mary & Westfield College Data input device having more than two degrees of freedom
WO1993004348A1 (en) * 1989-10-25 1993-03-04 Spaceball Technologies, Inc. Force and torque converter

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0346859A2 (en) * 1988-06-14 1989-12-20 Wang Laboratories Inc. Squeezable computer control device
WO1993004348A1 (en) * 1989-10-25 1993-03-04 Spaceball Technologies, Inc. Force and torque converter
WO1992008208A1 (en) * 1990-11-01 1992-05-14 Queen Mary & Westfield College Data input device having more than two degrees of freedom

Cited By (30)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0802086A3 (en) * 1996-03-23 1998-07-08 Philips Patentverwaltung GmbH Multifunction control device
EP0802086A2 (en) * 1996-03-23 1997-10-22 Philips Patentverwaltung GmbH Multifunction control device
WO2000025256A1 (en) * 1998-10-23 2000-05-04 Frederik Hutter Computer mouse
GB2347733A (en) * 1999-03-08 2000-09-13 Hung Hsien Chung Computer mouse
EP1191418A1 (en) * 2000-09-25 2002-03-27 Nokia Corporation Control device
US6727889B2 (en) 2001-09-14 2004-04-27 Stephen W. Shaw Computer mouse input device with multi-axis palm control
WO2003025846A1 (en) * 2001-09-14 2003-03-27 Shaw Stephen W Computer mouse input device with multi-axis palm control
EP1440430A1 (en) * 2001-10-22 2004-07-28 Apple Computer, Inc. Mouse having a rotary dial
EP2447810A1 (en) * 2001-10-22 2012-05-02 Apple Inc. Mouse having a rotary dial
EP3220240A1 (en) * 2001-10-22 2017-09-20 Apple Inc. Mouse having a rotary dial
EP1440430B1 (en) * 2001-10-22 2013-07-03 Apple Inc. Mouse having a rotary dial
WO2003042808A1 (en) * 2001-11-13 2003-05-22 Vadim Georgievich Savin Data entering device
WO2004102468A1 (en) * 2003-05-19 2004-11-25 Dmitry Kharisovich Ainutdinov Data input device
FR2858072A1 (en) * 2003-07-23 2005-01-28 Eric Delattre Input device for e.g. computer graphics, has shell connected to base by kinematic connection to authorize shell movements with respect to base, while exempting displacement along direction perpendicular to support plane
WO2005010743A1 (en) * 2003-07-23 2005-02-03 Eric Delattre Input unit for computer or the like
CN100399248C (en) * 2003-07-23 2008-07-02 埃里克·德拉特 Input unit for computer or the like
DE102004045134B4 (en) * 2004-09-17 2007-08-02 Reinhard Prigge Computer mouse and computer system
FR2881238A1 (en) * 2005-01-21 2006-07-28 Eric Delattre Input peripheral e.g. mouse, for computer, has casing coupled to fixed base by kinematic connection arranged to allow any movement of casing with respect to base, and cover with side wall that is extended
WO2007085707A1 (en) * 2005-01-21 2007-08-02 Eric Delattre Improvements to input peripherals for computer or the like
FR2886425A1 (en) * 2005-05-25 2006-12-01 Univ Bourgogne POINTING DEVICE FOR COMPUTER
WO2006125924A1 (en) * 2005-05-25 2006-11-30 Universite De Bourgogne Computer pointing device
GB2453003A (en) * 2008-04-14 2009-03-25 Steven Paul Jackson Tilting a mouse sideways to send additional commands
FR2953609A1 (en) * 2009-10-12 2011-06-10 Lexip Mouse i.e. six-axis mouse, for controlling yaw motion of e.g. scene presented by computer-aided design application, has accelerometer determining inclination of shell relative to base plate by differentiation of movements of shell and plate
GB2476837A (en) * 2010-01-12 2011-07-13 Worthington Sharpe Ltd Rotatable Input Device
WO2011086375A1 (en) * 2010-01-12 2011-07-21 Worthington Sharpe Limited Input device
GB2509887A (en) * 2010-01-12 2014-07-23 Worthington Sharpe Ltd Input device
US8890814B2 (en) 2010-01-12 2014-11-18 Worthington Sharpe Limited Input device
GB2476837B (en) * 2010-01-12 2015-06-03 Worthington Sharpe Ltd Input device
GB2509887B (en) * 2010-01-12 2015-06-03 Worthington Sharpe Ltd Input device
FR2986628A1 (en) * 2011-06-09 2013-08-09 Lexip Wireless mouse for controlling three-dimensional software application i.e. CAD application in computer, has housing body and sole body including respective accelerometers operated to determine inclination of housing relative to sole

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Publication number Publication date
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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)