GB2467009A

GB2467009A - Computer input device with separate hand and foot operated parts

Info

Publication number: GB2467009A
Application number: GB0900904A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jorg Schlieffers
Original assignee: THINKABLE STUDIO Ltd
Current assignee: THINKABLE STUDIO Ltd
Priority date: 2009-01-20
Filing date: 2009-01-20
Publication date: 2010-07-21
Anticipated expiration: 2029-01-20
Also published as: GB2467009B; GB0900904D0

Abstract

An input device for a computer 5 has two parts. A hand operated part 1 can be moved to move a cursor on the computer screen 6. A foot operated part 2 provides clicking, selecting or scrolling functions. The hand operated part is symmetrical to allow it to be held in either hand of a user. It may be possible to add additional clickable keys or a scroll wheel to the foot operated part. The foot operated part may use a passive RF antenna, which is closed by the user pressing a switch. The hand operated part may have an RF receiver to receive signals from the foot operated part. Alternatively, a docking station 3 may receive RF signals from the hand operated part and the foot operated part.

Description

Computer Input Device

Technical field

[0001] This invention relates to a computer input device, in particularly to a computer input device that is designed to counteract or prevent Repetitive Stress Injuries.

Background art

[0002] The computer mouse revolutionised the way that users interacted with computers. With its point-and-click intuitive interface, users no longer needed to remember and perform complex input commands to do what they wanted to do.

[0003] Unfortunately, over the last few decades our modern society seems to have created an epidemic of workplace injuries namely Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI), the most common example of which is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS).

[0004] It is very likely that prolonged repetitive use of both the keyboard and the mouse (together with other factors, such as work setup and equipment design) can contribute to the onset of RSI. It has been estimated that an individual who uses a mouse on a daily basis can turn out over two million mouse clicks a year and can travel over one hundred kilometres with their mouse.

[0005] These movements do not take into account the amount of time the hand is just holding onto or hovering over the mouse and its buttons, during which time the muscles and tendons in the hand and wrist are tensed and stretched. The fingers are often used in contorted positions in order to activate the increasingly numerous functions of a standard hand mouse, and in many cases our fingers may not be able to withstand a humans working lifetime of millions of clicks per year.

[0006] Another restriction of using a mouse may come from arthritis. Arthritis is one of the leading causes of disability in the elderly. It attacks the joints, and is very common in the hands. A computer user who suffers from arthritis in their hands would find it unpleasant or extremely painful in serious cases to perform the number of clicks a day that the average user does with their fingers.

[0007] There are many examples of so called ergonomic' mice which manufacturers have created to try to address these issues.

[0008] Some common methods of creating ergonomic mice are using a trackball, such as in the Logitech Trackman (TM) range as described in WOOl 63591, or by adjusting the angle of the hand during use of the mouse as described in US5576733 which is now marketed as the Evoluent VerticalMouse (TM). These methods however still leave the fingers performing the clicking and scrolling actions.

[0009] Also, in designing the mouse to be ergonomic, the symmetry of the mouse is lost therefore requiring a separate mouse to be designed for left-handed users, which is not beneficial to the manufacturers.

[0010] Other patents, for example U52008/01 29695 Al, disclose foot-operated mice. However, the level of dexterity of the feet is considerably lower than that of the hands and so they do not provide the high degree of fine-motor control that is required when controlling the tracking and pointing on the computer screen via a cursor or other symbol. Software programs used to control cursors often emulate real-life' input devices, such as airbrushes or paintbrushes in an artist's drawing program, as one example. A foot- controlled pointing device will negate that real life emulation on a screen -and/or touch sensitive monitor. It is an object of this invention to provide a device which can retain the hand-controlled natural' feel of a hand-operated input device yet addresses some of the problems discussed above.

[0011] Further prior art can be found in US 2005/0030323, US 6611250 and KR 20040007185, but none of these completely solve all the problems associated with fingers providing the clicking and/or scrolling input and the ambidextrous ergonomic hand mouse.

Disclosure of the invention

[0012] This invention provides a computer input device for providing point and click functions, comprising: -a hand operated part which provides only point function and which is freely moveable so as to move a cursor or pointer on a computer screen; and -a foot operated part which provides click function (the term click function' is also used to cover scrolling, zooming and other such functions typically provided by computer input devices); wherein the hand operated part comprises a three dimensional body with a plane of symmetry in the longitudinal plane which allows it to be held by either hand of a user and which is designed to be held with the plane of the hand in a substantially vertical position, and wherein the foot part comprises at least one actuator which when actuated provides clicking, selecting and/or scrolling functions..

[0013] The hand operated part preferably comprises rubberised grip surfaces with naturally positioned thumb recesses positioned symmetrically on either side.

[0014] In one embodiment, each actuator on the foot operated part has a convex shape and also comprises a non-slip surface made of a rubber-type material.

[0015] In a particularly preferable embodiment, the foot operated part also comprises an upgradable section into which separate modules can be placed to provide extra functionality. For example the modules can comprise additional clickable keys and/or a scroll wheel. These can be configured or customized by software.

[0016] In one embodiment both the foot operated part and the hand operated part are connected to the computer by a wire such as USB, PS/2 or RS232 cable.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment both the foot operated part and the hand operated part connect to the computer wirelessly using Bluetooth technology.

[0018] In a particularly preferable embodiment the foot operated part of the device uses RF wireless technology in which an antenna and processor arrangement is provided to send signals to a receiver to communicate the signals corresponding to actuator clicks and scroll commands to the computer. One example of suitable RF technology is that used in the RFID industry. Such technology is currently available in a number of suitable formats, e.g. HF (High Frequency) or UHF (Ultra-High Frequency) transmission rates. UHF typically has longer read distances than HF but consumes more power as a result.

[0019] Preferably the use of RFID technology allows the foot operated part to be a completely passive element of the device and therefore does not require batteries or any other direct power source.

[0020] It is preferred that each actuator on the foot operated part of the input device has a corresponding unclosed RF loop antenna which is mechanically closed when the actuator is actuated by the user.

Mechanical operation can be achieved by a number of different means.

[0021] The antenna preferably has the ability to apply a unique code to its signal so that there is no danger of interference between one read signal to another, especially when several devices are operating in proximity to one another.

[0022] The tag-only device is relatively cheap to manufacture. As there is no point-to-point radio, no pcb or battery need to be installed in the device, only the RFID tags acting as transmitters [0023] The RF receiver is preferably situated in the hand operated part of the device which sends the combined interface feedback signals from both hand and foot operated parts to the computer.

[0024] In a further embodiment, the computer input device also comprises a docking base in which the hand operated part can sit and be charged.

[0025] Preferably the charging docking base charges the mouse via standard charging contacts or alternatively via inductive charging methods.

[0026] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the docking base acts as the Bluetooth and/or RFID receiver while the computer input is in use, as well as a charger for the hand operated part of the mouse when it is docked.

[0027] In an alternative embodiment, the foot operated part of the device is comprised of a foldable rubber type material for creating a portable version designed for use when travelling.

Brief description of the drawings

[0028] Figure 1 shows the invention as part of a typical computer set up; Figures 2-6 show various aspects of the hand operated part of the device; Figures 7-17 show various aspects of the foot operated part of the device; Figure 18 shows a further embodiment of the hand operated part of the device; and Figures 19 and 20 show a further embodiment of a mouse and docking unit.

Mode(s) for carrying out the invention [0029] Figure 1 shows a typical set up of the various components of the device connected to a computer 5. A hand operated part of the input device (the hand mouse) 1 is positioned on the table whereas a foot operated part of the device (the foot mouse) 2 is positioned under the table.

[0030] In this instance, a charging dock 3 for the hand mouse which also acts as a wireless signal receiver for the device can be seen on the table and it connects to the computer 5 via a cable 4 which may be a USB, PSI2, RS 232 cable or similar.

[0031] Figure 2 shows the hand mouse 1 in greater detail. The design of the hand mouse keeps the plane of the hand in an upright and neutral position without the user having to twist his wrist.

[0032] The hand mouse 1 has a plane of symmetry in the longitudinal plane, this being the plane that runs from the back to the front through the middle of the hand mouse perpendicular to the surface on which it sits. This plane of symmetry enables the hand mouse to be held in either hand and so can easily be used by either left or right-handed people with equal measure.

The hand mouse also has a smooth shape that allows ease of use that is not substantially affected by the size of the user's hand.

[0033] Subtle rubberised grip surfaces 23 are provided to allow the user to hold the hand mouse without having to grip too hard in order to keep the mouse securely in his hand. There are also naturally' positioned thumb recesses 21 provided within each side portion 25. A battery status indicator (LED, LCD, e-paper or the like) is provided on an outer surface of the mouse 1.

[0034] There are no buttons provided on the hand mouse 1 at all so as to provide as few constraints as possible to a user's hand and grip, and therefore the user's hand can be completely relaxed at all times when using the hand mouse 1. All the clicking functions are carried out by the user's feet on the foot mouse 2.

[0035] Figure 3 shows the underneath of the hand mouse 1. An optical light emitter and sensor 31 provide the tracking information for the cursor on the screen. Other mouse movement sensor technologies can also be used. An on/off switch 33 is provided which will help preserve battery life.

Timers can also be used to put the mouse into a sleep mode to preserve battery life.

[0036] A connect button 37 is provided to allow a wireless connection to be established between the components of the device and the computer.

[0037] A charging connector 35 is provided for recharging the batteries in the hand mouse 2. Charging can be done via standard charging contacts such as pogo pins or via induction charging.

[0038] Figure 4 shows the hand mouse 1 with the upper part of the housing removed. The bottom part of the housing 40 contains the printed circuit board (PCB) 45 and a raised platform 47 above the PCB on which the batteries 41 are stored. An antenna 43 is provided for wireless communication with the foot mouse 2 and/or the computer 5.

[0039] Figure 5 shows the hand mouse 1 sitting in a charging dock 3. If the hand mouse 2 is powered by rechargeable batteries, the user can simply place the hand mouse in the charging dock 3 when it is not in use. This way the user will not be required to open the hand mouse 1 in order to replace any dead batteries. The charging dock 3 can connect to the computer 5 via a cable 4 which may be USB, PS/2, RS232 or similar. The charging dock 3 may also double as a Bluetooth receiver for the computer 5 which receives cursor tracking and clicking signals from the hand mouse 1 and/or the foot mouse 2.

[0040] If the user is unable to grip the hand mouse 1, perhaps due to loss of one or more fingers or possibly even a whole hand, then as shown in figure 6, the side portion 25 of the hand mouse 1 can comprise straps 61 which may be adjusted in size which will enable the hand mouse to be strapped to the hand or arm of the user. These straps 61 may be Velcro straps.

Other attachments with similar function can also be used. The mouse may also be designed with a basic shape to which a variety of attachments to aid gripping can be connected.

[0041] With reference to figure 7, the standard configuration of the foot operated part of the mouse (the foot mouse) 2 comprises a housing 73 that is shaped to accommodate three pedals 71 and a top housing cover 75 at the back of the foot mouse behind the pedals.

[0042] The standard configuration allows the left pedal 71a to provide the left click' function of a typical hand-only operated mouse, the right pedal 71 b to provide the right click' function of a typical hand-only operated mouse and the middle pedal 71 c to provide the middle click' function of a typical hand-only operated mouse. This configuration can be easily changed however by changing the software settings in the control panel and preferences on the computer.

[0043] Each of the pedals 71a-c is provided with rubber-like non-slip pad areas 79. These rubber-like non-slip pad areas 79 can be co-moulded with the pedal, and it provides a non-slip surface which will help the foot stick' to the pedal and therefore enhance the clicking efficiency. Typical materials that are used in the rubber-like non-slip pads are Santoprene or Texin.

[0044] Figure 8 shows that the pedals have a convex domed shaped. This will allow the user to easily find' the desired pedal without having to look at the positioning of their feet.

[0045] Throughout the workday, a computer user will frequently shift position and will therefore also need to reposition the foot mouse. Figures 7 and 8 show that the housing 73 has a subtle recessed indentation 77 in its side to the right of the pedals 71. There is also a similar recessed indentation on the side to the left of the pedals. These indentations, along with the shape of the housing 73 will facilitate a user's need to grab' the foot mouse 2 with their feet/shoes and reposition it easily without having to look at their feet.

[0046] Also in Figure 8, but better in Figure 9 can be seen rubber non-slip feet 81 on the under side 93 of the housing 73. These feet will stop the foot mouse from being accidentally moved out of position during use and therefore avoid unintentional clicks or missed clicks.

[0047] Figure 9 also shows screw bosses 91 which are used to secure the top of the housing 73 to the underside 93.

[0048] Figure 10 shows how the pedals 71 can also comprise sections that extend backwards which contain rubber grommets 100 which are used to connect the pedals to the housing in such a way as to allow the pedal to be pressed down and return to its original position when not in use.

[0049] Other methods of attaching the pedals to allow this functionality are obviously available.

[0050] Figure 11 shows the underside of the pedals 71. The rubber grommets can be clearly seen here. Also can be seen is a foot pedal retention hook 110. This retention hook will catch on a corresponding piece on the housing 73 and stops the pedal from being lifted up. Also can be seen are mountings 112 which can be used to mount mechanical springs if required to provide a returning force when the user lifts their foot off the pedal 71.

Finally there are further pieces 114 which extend down from the under surface of the pedal which are used to provide the signal that a mouse click has been performed. The piece 114 can be used to push a switch down on an electrical circuit board, or close a circuit.

[0051] Figure 12 shows the housing of the foot mouse with the top cover removed. The top cover is removed by removing the screws that hold it in place from holes 120. This area can now be used to provide extra functionality by adding modules to where the top cover used to be.

[0052] Figure 13 shows an example of such a module 130. In this example, the module 130 comprises two further clickable buttons 1 32a and 1 32b and also a scroll bar 134. The scroll bar 134 can provide the same function that a scroll wheel on a typical hand only operated mouse does.

[0053] Alternative examples of modules could comprise buttons only, trackballs, progressive' analogue pedals, or any combination thereof.

[0054] The figures 14 and 15 show how the foot mouse 2 will look when the extra module 130 is attached. In order to facilitate easy use of the upgrade module 130, it is raised above the height of the standard pedals 71. So in order to use a button 132 on the module, the user simply has to raise his foot slightly and reach the button 132 further back beyond the standard pedal 71.

[0055] There are multiple ways that the communication between the input device and the computer can be established.

[0056] In its simplest form, the device components (hand mouse 1 and foot mouse 2) can connect to a computer by being hardwired via R5232 or USB to either each other and then to the computer, or alternatively both hardwired into the computer separately.

[0057] However, utilizing today's' most common wireless approach in high-tech appliances, a Bluetooth wireless connection signal for the communication between the hand mouse 1 and the foot mouse 2. The foot mouse 2 sends its signal for the clicking of each key to the hand mouse 1, which in turn sends the combined Bluetooth signal of clicking and constant cursor location to the Bluetooth receiver in the computer, which may be either built in to the computer or provided by a USB dongle.

[0058] It is envisioned that a USB Bluetooth dongle would be provided that also can act as a charging dock for the hand mouse 1 as shown in Figure 5.

[0059] The use of Bluetooth technology to provide wireless connections is particularly power draining, and so constant monitoring of the battery life in both the hand mouse 1 and the foot mouse 2 would be required. If the hand mouse 1 has a charging dock 3 as shown in Figure 5, then the user will not have to worry about the batteries running out of power if he simply places the hand mouse 1 in the charging dock 3 whenever it is not in use.

The batteries in the foot mouse would still have to be replaced however.

[0060] A further innovation regarding the connectivity between the components is in the proposed use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to provide a completely passive' foot mouse 2 that does not require any power. RFID technology uses inductive loop antennas which do not require power. A radio frequency signal is sent out by a transmitter and it induces a minute electrical current within the loop which provides enough power for the integrated circuit within the loop to power up and transmit a response.

[0061] The implementation of RFID technology within the computer input device requires a radio frequency signal to be constantly sent out by the transmitter and a response would be sent to indicate a click.

[0062] Figure 16 shows the bottom part of the foot mouse 93, with the top housing 73 and pedals 71 removed. There are three RFID antenna loops positioned such that there is one under each pedal 71. Each antenna loop 160 is incomplete and therefore no RFID response signal can be sent to a receiving unit. Each incomplete loop also comprises a bridging piece 162 connected to the pushing piece 114 on pedal 71 above (as seen in Figure 17), which when pressed down mechanically closes the loop and allows a detectable wireless RFID response signal corresponding to the clicking action to be transmitted to the RFID receiving unit.

[0063] The click of each pedal will send out its own specific RFID signal, so that the clicks can be differentiated from each other. The extra buttons or scroll bar provided on an extended module 130 can also send out RFID signals specific to them.

[0064] As shown in Figure 18, the RFID transmitter/receiver 180 can be placed in the hand mouse component on its printed circuit board (PCB) 45. The hand mouse then combines its own cursor location signal with the RFID clicking signal and sends the combined interface feedback to the corn puter.

[0065] The receiver antenna may require a lot of battery power and an antenna which may need to be quite large to operate effectively. In this case, it may preferable to position the antenna in the battery charger module instead of the handmouse (see Figures 19 and 20).

[0066] The battery charger module may also require multiple cable connections, for example a USB to communicate with the computer, and a second cable connected to a power outlet if the charging and RFID module draw more current than a USB or RS232 connection may allow...

[0067] As is shown in Figures 19 and 20, the charging dock 170 has an enlarged front portion 172 which houses the receiver antenna 174. The receiver antenna 174 is connected to the circuit board 176 housed in the base of the dock 170, and which also includes contacts 178 for charging the mouse 1 when seated in the dock.

[0068] Alternatively the transmitter/receiver could be positioned within the USB charging dock described above.

[0069] The device may use any combination of the above features to connect its components to the computer.

[0070] It is possible to create a version of the foot operated part of the device which is comprised of a rollable or foldable type of rubber. This rubber version would be designed to roll or fold into a small shape that is ideal for use when travelling.

[0071] If electronics are required in the travel foot mouse, then it can further comprise a rigid part around which the rest of the foot mouse can be rolled or folded. However it is preferable that the use of RFID technology as described before will remove the requirement for batteries or electronic circuit boards within the travel foot mouse.

[0072] Further changes are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims 1. A computer input device for providing point and click functions, comprising: -a hand operated part which provides only point function and which is freely moveable so as to move a cursor or pointer on a computer screen; and -a foot operated part which provides click function; wherein the hand operated part comprises a three dimensional body with a plane of symmetry in the longitudinal plane which allows it to be held by either hand of a user and which is designed to be held with the plane of the hand in a substantially vertical position, and wherein the foot part comprises at least one actuator which when actuated provides clicking, selecting and/or scrolling functions.
2. A computer input device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hand operated part comprises rubberised grip surfaces with naturally positioned thumb recesses positioned symmetrically on either side.
3. A computer input device as claimed in claim 2, wherein each actuator on the foot operated part has a convex shape.
4. A computer input device as claimed in claim 3, wherein each actuator comprises a non-slip surface made of a rubber-type material.
5. A computer input device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the foot operated part also comprises an upgradable section into which separate modules can be placed to provide extra functionality.
6. A computer input device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the modules placed in the upgradable section can comprise additional clickable keys and/or a scroll wheel.
7. A computer input device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein both the foot operated part and the hand operated part are connected to the computer by cables.
8. A computer input device as claimed in claims 1 to 6, wherein both the foot operated part and the hand operated part connect to the computer wirelessly using Bluetooth technology.
9. A computer input device as claimed in claims 1 to 6, wherein the foot operated part of the device comprises a passive RF antenna and processor arrangement to communicate signals corresponding to actuator clicks and scroll commands to the computer.
10. A computer input device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the RF antenna is the only power source for the processor.
11. A computer input device as claimed in claim 9 or 10, wherein each actuator on the foot operated part of the input device has a corresponding unclosed RF loop antenna which is mechanically closed operation of the actuator by the user.
12. A computer input device as claimed in claim 9 to 11, wherein an RF receiver is situated in the hand operated part of the device which operates to send combined interface feedback signals from both hand and foot operated parts to the computer.
13. A computer input device as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a docking base in which the hand operated part can sit for charging.
14. A computer input device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the hand operated part is recharged in the docking base via standard charging contacts or via inductive charging methods.
15. A computer input device as claimed in claims 13 or 14, wherein the docking base comprises a Bluetooth and/or RF receiver for signals from the hand and/or foot operates parts of the device in use.
16. A computer input device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the foot operated part of the device is comprised of a rollable or foldable rubber type material.