GB2364763A - Computer-mouse - Google Patents

Abstract

Computer-mouse adapted to search, read and control software parameters and software switches, like those in an audio-program, in an easy and manual-analogue way, comprises a handle 1 that is adjustably mounted on the mouse-chassis 6 and held between at least one finger and the palm, and a rotary knob 2 which is operated, at the same time, by the other fingers or the thumb and forefinger of the same hand. A led-bar 7 on the mouse gives information about the value or position of a selected software parameter or software switch.

Description

2364763 TITLE: Computer-mouse for analogue searching, reading and

controlling of software parameters and software switches.

10 The using domain is the computer-program such as harddisk-recording, virtual synthesizer, samplers, ef f ects etc. These programs show many parameters and switches on the monitor screen and are usual be controlled by a current computer-mouse. This proceeds 15 very uncomfortable because the mouse has to drive small circles on the mouse-pad with keeping down the mousepushbutton to turn a virtual parameter-knob. At the same time, you have to look closely to the small picture on the screen. That's why many musicians leave the computer 20 and return to the analogue equipments where they can feel and control manually the hardware knobs.

There is a kind of solution to control in a more manual way namely, the I'midi-controller" that has several hardware turn,- slide- and pushknobs, which can 25 be programmed to a group of software parameters and software switches. Each program-setup can be stored in a memory bank. However, after some switchovers to other memory banks, to re-arrange the hardware knobs on the 2 midi-controller for another group of software parameters and switches, you loose the overview of the momentary function of each knob. Beside that, these midi controllers are very expensive.

5 The invention creates the possibility to control easily every software parameter and software switch of the whole audio-program.

For this-we have a new kind of computer mouse that we can catch by a small handle with our 10 littlefinger or little- and ringfinger or little,ringand middlefinger to move the mouse across the table.

We can move the mouse across a horizontal table or a more vertical standing table or even lift it up and 15 move it through the air because we can hold the mouse very steady at the handle. At the same time, the thumb, forefinger and possible middlefinger are free to control a turnknob of an incremental parameter ( impulse giver) that is placed on the mouse, next to the handle. This 20 operates very precisely because the hand is resting on the mouse and on the handle.

The fingers can bend easy around the handle because this bowed holding position is natural to the human fingers.

25 The incremental parameter on the mouse, produced impulse-signals which can adjust a virtual projected software parameter or software switch that is selected with the virtual mouse-arrow (cursor-mousepointer).

In this way, you can directly reach and control every projected parameter or switch.

We can grip the turning knob on both sides with our thumb and forefinger and turn it, which is much easier 5 and steady to control than rolling a scroll-wheel on the current mouse with only one finger. The thumb and forefinger can be holding continuously at the knob while the mouse is moving. Therefore, you can even reach and control a parameter or switch easier than as we work with 10 the analogue equipments with several hardware knobs that we have to grip and let loose by every next knob.

We can use an incremental parameter with a built-in moment -push- switch and when we put four switches around the parameter, we can get a kind of joystick.

15 Further, the handle is adjustable in the distance to the turnknob to get fit the size of the hand of the user. Fore this, we unlock two iron bolts to get the handle loose from the mouse-chassis, move the handle to the ideal position and lock the bolts again.

20 Working on a horizontal table, the hand is laying on the mouse and on the handle in an angle that gives a minimum turning of the hand to the arm.

There is another expansion of the invention to create the possibilities of more analogue working with 25 the audio-programs. When we move the mouse to a selected virtual parameter or switch on the screen, the computer transmits the value or position of the selected parameter or switch to a led-bar on the mouse. The led's light up 4 more or less when the selected parameter is more or less open or the selected switch is open or close.

Now we can read the value on an analogue way and don't need a monitor for this proceeding.

5 Therefore, we can spread-out the virtual picture of the program with all the parameters and switches on a printed, graphic map on the table to over-cross this with the mouse instead of looking on the monitor screen.

In this graphic layout we even can put the several pages 10 of the program next to each other on the table and open up all menus on a blank area so that we can see every parameter or switch of the entire program in an analogue way.

Of course, on the monitor-screen, we have to make 15 the pages smaller and they will be not readable any more.

However, this is not important when we work on a bigger graphic layout on the table.

We just have to adjust the speed of the virtual mouse-arrow to correct the space -dif f erence between the 20 small virtual projection on the screen and the bigger graphic projection on the table.

Now we can search, select, read and control a software studio that can be as big as we want, depending to the capacity of the computer.

When we zooming in to the compressed virtual picture of the entire setup of the program on the screen, we can monitoring the details of the selected parameter or switch and watch for example the waveform of an I oscillator or other detailed information.

The drawings show with fig. 1 the upside view, with fig.2 the cross section of fig.1 and fig.3 showsthe perspective view of the mouse that is be holding by the 5 hand and fingers.

Fig.1 shows the handle 1, the turnknob 2 and the led-bar 7 which are mounted on the mouse-chassis 6.

Fig.2 shows the handle 1 and the turnknob 2 that is connected with the incremental parameter 3.

10 Further, the drawing shows the possibility of adjust the handle 1 in the distance to the turnknob 2 by using two iron bolts 4 to lock and unlock the handle from the mouse-chassis.

Fig.3 shows the handle 1 that is gripped by the 15 little,- ring- and middlefinger and the turnknob 2 that is gripped by the thumb and forefinger.

Further, the drawing shows the ledbar 7 on the side of the mouse

Claims (6)

1. A computer-mouse to select, read and control software 5 parameters or software switches is identifying marked by a handle (1) to grip with some fingers and a turnknob (2) of an incremental parameter (3) to grip with the other fingers of the same hand.

10 2. Computer-mouse as claimed in Claim 1, is identifying marked by the ability to adjust the handle (1) in distance to the turnknob (2) with using of at least one bolt (4).

15 3. Computer-mouse as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, is identifying marked by a led-bar (7) at one side of the mouse-chassis (6).

4. A computer mouse comprising a body, a handle 20 mounted on the body and configured to be held one-handed by an operator between at least one finger and the palm of the same hand, and a rotatable control means mounted on the body adjacent the handle, the rotatable control means being configured to be rotated by the operator'A 25 thumb of the same hand in which the handle is being held.

5. A computer mouse according to claim 4, in which the rotatable control means is further configured to be t rotated between the operator's thumb and at least one f inger of the same hand in which the handle is being held.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 19 CLAIMS 1. A computer-mouse to select, read and control software parameters or software switches, the computer mouse 5 comprising a handle to be gripped by some fingers of a user's hand and a turnknob of an incremental parameter to be gripped with the other fingers of the same hand, the mouse being movable across a table to select, using a cursor-mousepointer, the software parameter or software 10 switch on a monitor screen and the turnknob being controlled to adjust the selected software parameter or software switch.

2. Computer-mouse as claimed in Claim 1, comprising at 15 least one bolt for adjusting the distance between the handle and the turnknob.

3. Computer-mouse as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, comprising a mouse-chassis and an LED-bar on one side of the mouse 20 chassis, the LED-bar being configured to display information on the value or position of the selected parameter or switch.

4. A computer mouse comprising a body, a handle 25 mounted on the body and configured to be held one-handed by an operator between at least one finger and the palm of the same hand, and a rotatable control means mounted on the body adjacent the handle, the computer mouse being movable across a table to select, using a cursormousepointer, a virtual projected software parameter or software switch on a monitor screen and the rotatable control means being configured to be rotated by the 5 operator's thumb of the same hand in which the handle is being held whereby the selected virtual projected software parameter or software switch is adjusted.

5. A computer mouse according to claim 4, in which the 10 rotatable control means is further configured to be rotated between the operator's thumb and at least one finger of the same hand in which the handle is being held.

6. A computer mouse substantially hereinbefore 15 described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.