JP2004005091A - Pointing device and portable electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a small-sized pointing device easy to manufacture, minimized in performance deterioration by wear, hardly influenced by an environmental condition such as dust, and applicable to portable communication equipment. <P>SOLUTION: A pair of Y-directional rotation detecting coils 17 and a pair of X-directional detecting coils 18 are arranged along the equator 14 and meridian 15 of a track ball 11 having a smooth spherical surface, with magnetized ranges and non-magnetized ranges being periodically arranged on the surface, respectively, in no contact with the track ball 11. The induced electromotive force generated in each pair of coils by the change in leak magnetic flux according to the rotation of the track ball 11 is transmitted to a rotation detecting means 13 through a coil connecting cable 16 to detect the magnitude and direction of rotation of the track ball 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a pointing device and, more particularly, to a downsized pointing device suitable for use in portable communication devices and the like, and a portable electronic device on which the device is mounted.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Various pointing devices have been widely used as means for quickly and smoothly inputting information communication devices such as personal computers. Above all, a mouse or a trackball using a spherical ball that rotates two-dimensionally in an arbitrary size and direction is a representative example (hereinafter, a trackball including a spherical ball for a mouse is referred to as a trackball). . In addition, with the rapid spread of portable communication devices in recent years, there is a need for a pointing device that is small, is not easily affected by environmental conditions, can be easily manufactured, and can be supplied at low cost.
[0003]
FIG. 11 shows an example of a pointing device used in the conventional technology. In the figure, 111 is a trackball, 112 is a pressing roller, 113 is a rotation detecting means, 114 is a light emitting element, 115 is a light receiving element, 116 is a light shielding plate, 117 is a light receiving element connection cable, 118 is a rotation detecting roller, 119 is a rotation transmission shaft.
[0004]
In this pointing device, the rotation detection roller 118 detects rotation of the trackball 111 held in the envelope or the like by the pressing roller 112 or the like in the first direction (X direction), and the rotation transmission roller 118 detects the rotation. Through the shaft 119, a circular light-shielding plate 116 having holes periodically provided along the outer circumference is rotated. Then, the light emitted from the light emitting element 114 forming a pair is intermittently received by the light receiving element 117 similarly forming a pair with the rotation of the trackball 111, and is converted into an intermittent electric signal. It is transmitted to the rotation detecting means 113 via the element connection cable 117.
[0005]
In this case, the number of intermittent lights indicates the magnitude of the rotation of the trackball 111 in the direction, and the order of the respective electric signals from the light receiving elements forming a pair indicates the direction of the rotation. Can be. The rotation detecting means 117 receives the electric signal from the light receiving element, and can detect the magnitude and direction of the rotation of the trackball 111 in the direction by a function as a widely used rotary encoder.
[0006]
A second rotation detection roller 118 is provided in a second direction (Y direction) orthogonal to the above direction, and the magnitude and direction of rotation of the trackball 111 in the second direction are detected in the same manner as described above. Accordingly, the magnitude and direction of the two-dimensional rotation of the trackball 111 can be detected.
[0007]
As another prior art, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-249116 proposes magnetizing a track ball and detecting a change in magnetic flux on the surface using a non-contact detecting means. In this publication, a magnetic material having a spherical but convex or concave portion formed on the surface at substantially regular intervals is used as a core, a track ball is formed by covering the surface with a nonmagnetic material, and a Hall effect element is used for detecting a change in magnetic flux. It is intended to be used in mice.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the prior art shown in FIG. 13, the rotation detection roller 118 is in contact with the trackball 111, so that the rotation detection roller 118 is susceptible to dust and the like, and the rotation detection roller 118 and the trackball 111 are liable to wear and deteriorate in performance. In addition, various functional components such as the light emitting element 114, the light receiving element 115, the light shielding plate 116, and the rotation transmitting shaft 119 are required, which is not suitable for miniaturization.
[0009]
Further, the prior art disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-249116 aims at improving dust resistance and abrasion resistance by using a non-contact detecting means. However, in the prior art disclosed in this publication, a magnetic material is formed into a spherical shape, and convex or concave portions are formed on the surface at substantially equal intervals, and a spherical magnetic material is formed on the surface to smooth the surface. The trackball is formed by covering the material with a nonmagnetic material over the entire peripheral surface. Thus, with this prior art, the manufacture of the trackball is complicated and therefore cannot be manufactured at low cost.
[0010]
Also, since the prior art is premised on application to a mouse, a trackball configuration that can be realized with a relatively large size is shown. However, portable electronic devices such as portable communication devices and PDAs require a trackball smaller in size than that applied to a mouse. However, the conventional trackball has a complicated structure in which protrusions or recesses are formed at regular intervals on the surface of a magnetic material, and thus it is structurally difficult to reduce the size. Further, as the size is reduced, finer processing is required, so that it is difficult to manufacture, so that the manufacturing cost is inevitably increased.
[0011]
The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has a small trackball with a small size that can be easily and inexpensively manufactured with little performance deterioration due to wear, less affected by environmental conditions such as dust. It is an object to provide a pointing device used and a portable electronic device using the device.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a pointing device of the present invention provides a trackball in which the surface has a smooth spherical shape, and the direction and / or the magnitude of leakage magnetic flux from the surface with respect to the surface periodically changes depending on the area on the surface. A magnetic flux change detecting means arranged in the X direction and the Y direction which is arranged close to the surface of the trackball and detects a change in magnetic flux leakage from the surface caused by the rotation of the trackball; And X and Y rotation detecting means for detecting the magnitude and direction of rotation of the trackball based on the detection result.
[0013]
According to the present invention, a trackball having a periodic change in magnetic flux along a spherical surface is easily formed, and a change in magnetic flux due to the rotation of the trackball is detected in a non-contact manner, so that the device is small, dust-resistant, and dust-resistant. A pointing device which has excellent durability and is suitable for use in portable communication devices can be provided.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
(First Embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a pointing device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the pointing device according to the first embodiment.
[0015]
In FIG. 1, the pointing device comprises a trackball 11, a pressing roller 12, a rotation detecting means 13, a coil supporting means 16 containing a coil connecting cable, a Y direction rotation detecting coil 17, and an X direction rotation detecting coil 18. I have. At least the trackball 11, the pressing roller 12, the Y-direction rotation detection coil 17, and the X-direction rotation detection coil 18 are stored in storage means not shown in FIG. In addition, a plurality of pressing rollers 12 are provided as necessary, and support the trackball 11 so that the trackball 11 can rotate with an arbitrary size and orientation in the above-described storage means. In addition, 14 is an equator when the trackball 11 is likened to the earth, and 15 is a meridian.
[0016]
As will be described later, the surface of the trackball 11 is magnetized in such a manner that regions where there is magnetic flux leakage from the surface and regions where there is no magnetic flux are periodically arranged.
[0017]
The Y-direction rotation detecting coil 17 is constituted by a pair of coils. The pair of coils are arranged in a line with respect to the trackball 11 along the direction of the meridian 15 and such that the equator 14 is located at an intermediate position. Are located. The Y-direction rotation detecting coil 17 is arranged close to the surface of the trackball 11 in a non-contact state.
[0018]
The X-direction rotation detecting coil 18 is also composed of a pair of coils, and the pair of coils are arranged in a line with respect to the trackball 11 along the direction of the meridian 15 and such that the equator 14 is located in the middle. Are located. The Y-direction rotation detecting coil 17 is arranged close to the surface of the trackball 11 in a non-contact state.
[0019]
Further, the Y direction rotation detection coil 17 and the X direction rotation detection coil 18 are separated from each other so as to form an angle of 90 degrees with respect to the center of the trackball 11 when viewed in a cross section taken along the equator 14 of the trackball 11. Is located at
[0020]
The Y-direction rotation detecting coil 17 detects a rotation component of the track ball 11 in the Y direction by detecting a change in the Y direction of the leakage magnetic flux caused by the rotation of the track ball 11 with the pair of coils. That is, in the pair of coils of the Y-direction rotation detecting coil 17, the direction of the leakage magnetic flux generated from the surface of the trackball 11 (the direction perpendicular to the surface of the trackball 11) or the magnitude of the leakage magnetic flux Is changed, an electromotive force is generated in a direction that hinders a change in the leakage magnetic flux due to the effect of electromagnetic induction. The electromotive force is input to the rotation detecting means 13 via the coil connection cable 16. This electromotive force represents a rotation component of the trackball 11 in the Y direction.
[0021]
The rotation detecting means 13 detects the amount of rotation of the trackball 11 in the Y direction based on the electromotive force input from the Y-direction rotation detecting coil 17.
[0022]
The X-direction rotation detection coil 18 detects the rotation component of the track ball 11 in the X direction by detecting a change in the X direction of the leakage magnetic flux caused by the rotation of the track ball 11 with the pair of coils. That is, in the pair of X-direction rotation detecting coils 18, the direction of the leakage magnetic flux generated from the surface of the trackball 11 (the direction perpendicular to the surface of the trackball 11) or the magnitude of the leakage magnetic flux Is changed, an electromotive force is generated in a direction that hinders a change in the leakage magnetic flux due to the effect of electromagnetic induction. The electromotive force is input to the rotation detecting means 13 via the coil connection cable 16. The electromotive force represents a rotation component of the trackball 11 in the X direction.
[0023]
The rotation detection means 13 detects the amount of rotation of the trackball 11 in the X direction based on the electromotive force input from the X-direction rotation detection coil 18.
[0024]
A method of detecting the rotation component (Y direction or X direction) of the trackball 11 by the Y direction rotation detection coil 17 or the X direction rotation detection coil 18 will be described later in detail.
[0025]
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an appearance in a case where a region (magnetized range) having no magnetic flux leaking from the surface of the trackball 11 and a region (non-magnetized range) having no magnetic flux are periodically arranged on the surface. In the figure, reference numeral 21 denotes a magnetization range on the surface of the trackball 11, and reference numeral 22 denotes a non-magnetization range on the surface of the trackball 11. For convenience, the magnetization range is black and the non-magnetization range is white. (A) is a case where a quasi-regular polyhedron is applied just like a soccer ball in order to ensure strict periodicity. (B) is an example in which the periodicity in a strict sense is not ensured in order to increase the detection accuracy as compared with the case of (a), but is painted with a finer repetition period.
[0026]
FIG. 3 is a side view of the Y direction rotation detection coil 17 or the X direction rotation detection coil 18. In the figure, 31 is a coil conductor, 32 is a connection end of the coil conductor 31 with the rotation detecting means 13, 33 is a ground end of the coil conductor 31, and 34 is a surface of the trackball 11. The shape of the coil is not limited to this, but may be any as long as it detects a change in magnetic flux and generates an electromotive force due to electromagnetic induction.
[0027]
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a method of periodically arranging a magnetized range and a non-magnetized range on the surface of a trackball formed of only a core part having a smooth spherical surface. In the figure, 41 is a track ball before processing made of a non-magnetic material, 42 is a range to which an adhesive on the track ball surface is applied, 43 is a range to which no adhesive is applied to the track ball surface, and 44 is a magnetic field by the adhesive The magnetized range 45 on the trackball surface to which the powder is attached is the non-magnetized range 45 on the trackball surface which is equal to the range 43 on the trackball surface where no adhesive is applied.
[0028]
Next, the operation of the pointing device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the magnetization range and the non-magnetization range of the surface of the trackball 11 move temporally continuously along the paired Y-direction rotation detection coil 17 or X-direction rotation detection coil 18. It is.
[0029]
A coil A501 and a coil B507 in FIG. 5 indicate a pair of coils constituting the Y-direction rotation detection coil 17 or a pair of coils constituting the X-direction rotation detection coil 18.
[0030]
In the figure, 501 is the coil A on the left side in the figure, 502 is the connection end of the coil A501 with the rotation detecting means 13, 503 is the ground end of the coil A501, 504 is the left end of the coil A501, 505 is the center of the coil A501, 506 is The right end of the coil A501, 507 is the right side coil B in the figure, 508 is the connection end of the coil B507 to the rotation detecting means 13, 509 is the ground end of the coil B507, 510 is the left end of the coil B507, 511 is the center of the coil B507, 512 is the right end of the coil B507. 513 is a magnetization range of the surface of the trackball 11, 514 and 515 are non-magnetization ranges of the surface of the trackball 11, 516 is a boundary between the non-magnetization range 514 and the magnetization range 513, 517 is a boundary between the magnetization range 513 and the non-magnetization range 515. It is.
[0031]
Also, (a) to (f) in the figure show the magnetization range of the trackball at each timing when the surface of the trackball 11 moves from right to left in the figure (that is, in the direction from the coil A to the coil B). 513 shows the relative positional relationship between the coils A501 and B507. FIG. 6 shows the transition of the electromotive force generated in the coil A501 and the coil B507 for each of the timings (a) to (f) shown in FIG.
[0032]
First, at the timing of FIG. 5A, the boundary 516 between the non-magnetized range 514 and the magnetized range 513 on the surface of the trackball 11 has just moved to the right end 506 of the coil A 501 from the right hand of the drawing. Thereafter, until the boundary 516 passes through the center 505 of the coil A501 (b), the leakage flux from the magnetization range 513 passing through the coil A501 gradually increases, so that the coil A501 cancels the change of the magnetic flux. Therefore, an electromotive force having a magnitude proportional to the amount of change in leakage magnetic flux over time is generated. This is the voltage generated from the timing (a) in FIG. 6, and in this case, the electromotive force generated in this direction is a positive voltage. This voltage becomes maximum at the timing (b) when the amount of temporal change of the leakage magnetic flux passing through the coil A501 becomes maximum.
[0033]
On the other hand, in the coil B507, the magnetization range 513 is still applied to the entire range from the right end 512 to the left end 501 during the timings (a) and (b), so that the magnitude of the magnetic flux passing through the coil B507 changes. Since no coil is provided, no electromotive force is generated in the coil B507.
[0034]
Next, from the timings (b) to (c), the leakage magnetic flux from the magnetization range 513 passing through the coil A501 continues to increase, but its temporal change amount decreases, and the boundary 516 is shifted to the right end 504 of the coil A501. At the timing (c) when the data reaches. Correspondingly, the electromotive force generated in the coil A501 during this period gradually decreases, and becomes “0” at the timing (c). During this time, the magnetizing range 513 is still applied to the entire range from the right end 512 to the left end 501 of the coil B507, so that no electromotive force is generated in the coil B507.
[0035]
Next, from timings (c) to (d), since the magnetization range 513 is still applied to the entire range from the right end 506 to the left end 504 of the coil A501, no electromotive force is generated in the coil A501.
[0036]
On the other hand, in the coil B507, the magnitude of the leakage magnetic flux from the magnetization range 513 penetrating the coil B507 from the time when the boundary 517 reaches the right end 512 at the timing (c) to the time when the center 511 is passed at the timing (d) is It continues to decrease, and its temporal change amount becomes maximum at the timing (d). An electromotive force is generated in the coil B507 in a direction that hinders the change of the magnetic flux. In this case, the electromotive force generated in this direction is a positive voltage.
[0037]
Next, during the timings (d) to (e), the magnetizing range 513 is still applied to the entire range from the right end 506 to the left end 504 of the coil A501, so that no electromotive force is generated in the coil A501. On the other hand, the leakage magnetic flux from the magnetization range 513 that passes through the coil B507 continues to decrease, but the temporal change also decreases, and the timing (e) at which the boundary 517 reaches the left end 510 of the coil B507 becomes “0”. It becomes. Correspondingly, the electromotive force generated in the coil B507 during this time gradually decreases, and becomes zero at the timing (e).
[0038]
Next, from timings (e) to (f), the entire range from the right end 506 to the left end 504 of the coil A 501 remains covered with the magnetization range 513, and the entire range from the right end 512 to the left end 501 of the coil B 507 is kept. Since the range is still covered by the non-magnetized range 515, no electromotive force is generated in both the coil A501 and the coil B507.
[0039]
Thereafter, at timing (f), the boundary 517 reaches the right end 506 of the coil A501, and subsequently, the leakage magnetic flux from the magnetization range 513 passing through the coil A501 starts to decrease. Therefore, the electromotive force in the opposite direction (in this case, negative) from the timing (a) to the timing (b) is started to be generated in the coil A501.
[0040]
Subsequent operations are the same as those described above except for the polarity of the voltage of the electromotive force generated in the coil A501 and the coil B507. Thereafter, as long as the trackball 11 continues to rotate in the same direction, it returns to the same state as at the timing (a) and repeats the same operation as described above.
[0041]
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a change in the signal waveform until the magnitude and direction of rotation of the trackball 11 are detected by using the electromotive force of the opposite polarity alternately appearing in the coil A501 and the coil B507 as described above. . An electronic circuit for realizing this is built in the rotation detecting means 13. (A) is a reverse polarity electromotive force appearing alternately in the coil A501 and the coil B507, and (b) is a bipolar pulse signal obtained by slicing the waveform of (a) by providing positive and negative threshold levels. , (C) are waveforms shaped so that state inversion between binary levels is repeated with the pulse signal of (b) as a trigger. Such waveform shaping can be easily performed using a digital integrated circuit or the like.
[0042]
In the waveform of (c), the change of one cycle corresponds to the movement of one cycle between the magnetized range 513 and the non-magnetized range 515, and the pulse waveform derived from the coil A501 and the pulse waveform derived from the coil B507. The order of the pulse waveform corresponds to the direction of rotation of the trackball 11. The rotation detecting means 13 has a function of obtaining the above information from the waveform (c). This function can be easily realized by, for example, the same method as that used for the rotation detecting means 113 of the prior art. Can be.
[0043]
By the operation described above, the magnitude and direction of the rotation of the track ball 11 along one rotation direction can be detected. The magnitude and direction of the two-dimensional rotation of the ball 11 can be detected, and the ball 11 can function as a non-contact pointing device.
[0044]
As described above, the track ball 11 is manufactured by forming a spherical core portion having a smooth surface with a non-magnetic material and sticking magnetic powder on the surface to form a magnetization range and a non-magnetization range periodically. I did it. For this reason, it is possible to manufacture the track ball 11 having a small size, and it is possible to manufacture the track ball 11 easily and at low cost. Therefore, by using the small-sized trackball 11 manufactured in this manner, the size of the pointing device 10 can be reduced, and the manufacturing thereof can be easily and inexpensively.
[0045]
Furthermore, the Y-direction rotation detection coil 17 and the X-direction rotation detection coil 18 detect the amount of change in the leakage magnetic flux based on the movement of the magnetized range and the non-magnetized range on the surface in accordance with the rotation of the trackball 11, so that the contactless The mechanism for detecting the rotation amount and the rotation direction of the trackball 11 is small, so that performance degradation due to friction is small and it is hard to be influenced by environmental conditions such as dust.
[0046]
(Second embodiment)
A second embodiment of the pointing device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8A shows the direction of magnetization of the surface of the trackball of the pointing device according to the second embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 81 denotes an N-pole magnetization range on the surface of the trackball 11, and 82 denotes an S-pole magnetization range on the surface of the trackball 11. The configuration other than the trackball 11 is the same as that of the first embodiment.
[0047]
As a method of magnetizing the surface of the trackball 11, for example, several sheet-like magnets are prepared, and different surfaces of the magnets are attached to the area adjacent to the surface of the trackball 11 with the different surfaces facing the outside of the surface. There is a method of attaching the track ball 11 or a method of subsequently magnetizing the track ball 11 made of a magnetic material in a different direction from region to region.
[0048]
Compared with the case of FIG. 5, the trackball 11 of the second embodiment has magnetized regions arranged in different directions adjacent to each other, so that it is possible to reduce the density of the leakage magnetic flux. it can. FIG. 9 shows the relationship between the density change of the leakage magnetic flux and the density change of the magnetic flux passing through the coil in the case of FIG. FIG. 10 shows the relationship between the density change of the leakage magnetic flux and the density change of the magnetic flux passing through the coil in the case of FIG.
[0049]
As shown in FIG. 9, in the case of FIG. 5, in order to set the width of the density change of the magnetic flux passing through the coil to 1, the magnitude of the absolute value of the leakage magnetic flux in the magnetization range of the surface of the trackball 11 is set to 1. There is a need to. (In the example of FIG. 9, the magnitude of the absolute value of the leakage magnetic flux is set to +1; however, the invention is not limited to this, and it goes without saying that the magnitude of the leakage magnetic flux may be set to −1.)
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10, in the case of FIG. 8, in order to set the width of the density change of the magnetic flux passing through the coil to 1, one of the regions of the surface of the trackball 11 magnetized in different directions from one another. The magnitude of the leakage magnetic flux in the area may be set to +0.5, and the magnitude of the leakage magnetic flux in the other area may be set to -0.5. For this reason, the absolute value of the magnitude of the leakage magnetic flux can be made smaller than in the case of FIG.
[0050]
Therefore, for example, even when the pointing device using the trackball 11 shown in FIG. 8 is put in a bag together with the magnetic card, it is possible to suppress the influence of the leakage magnetic flux on the surface of the trackball 11 on the magnetic card.
[0051]
(Third embodiment)
The third embodiment of the present invention shows an example of mounting the pointing device according to the present invention on a portable communication device.
[0052]
FIG. 9 shows an example of mounting on a personal digital assistant (PDA), where 91 is a pointing device, 92 is a display device, 93 is a cursor, 94 is an operation unit, and 95 is a main body.
[0053]
The display device 92 performs display control of a cursor indicating a predetermined position on the display screen of the display device 92 based on the rotation direction and the rotation amount of the trackball detected by the pointing device 91.
[0054]
FIG. 12 shows an example of mounting on a mobile phone, where 101 is a pointing device, 102 is a display device, 103 is an operation unit, and 104 is a main body.
[0055]
【The invention's effect】
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the performance degradation by abrasion is small, it is hard to be influenced by environmental conditions, such as refuse, Moreover, the pointing device using the small trackball of the size which can be manufactured easily and inexpensively, and using the same device Portable electronic devices can be realized.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a pointing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a periodic arrangement of a magnetization range and a non-magnetization range on the surface of a trackball according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a side view of a coil which is one of magnetic flux change detecting means of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a view showing a method of periodically arranging a magnetized range and a non-magnetized range on a trackball surface according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a transition in which a magnetized range and a non-magnetized range on a trackball surface alternately face a pair of magnetic flux change detecting means of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a situation in which bipolar electromotive force due to electromagnetic induction is generated in the magnetic flux change detecting means forming a pair according to the present invention, corresponding to the transition in FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an order of pulse shaping for detecting the magnitude and direction of rotation from the electromotive force in FIG. 6 by the rotation detecting means of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a periodic arrangement of magnetization ranges having alternately opposite polarities on the surface of the trackball of the present invention and a situation in which they are alternately opposed to a pair of magnetic flux change detecting means.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a change in magnetic flux density in the case of FIG. 5;
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a change in magnetic flux density in the case of FIG. 8;
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of mounting a pointing device of the present invention on a personal digital assistant (PDA).
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of mounting the pointing device of the present invention on a mobile phone.
FIG. 13 is a configuration diagram of a pointing device according to an example of the related art.
[Explanation of symbols]
10. Pointing device
11 Trackball
12 Holding roller
13 rotation detection means
14 Equator
15 Meridian
16 Coil support means with built-in coil connection cable
17 Y direction rotation detection coil
18 X direction rotation detection coil
21 Trackball Surface Magnetization Range
22 Non-magnetized range of trackball surface
31 coil conductor
32 Connection end with rotation detection means
33 ground end
34 Trackball Surface
41 Ball before processing
42 Range of application of adhesive on ball surface
43 Range where the adhesive on the ball surface is not applied
44 Trackball Surface Magnetization Range
45 Non-magnetized range of trackball surface
91 Pointing device
92 Display device
93 Casa displayed as a result of pointing
94 Operation keys
95 body
101 pointing device
102 Display device
103 Operation unit
104 body

Claims (6)

A trackball in which the surface has a smooth spherical shape, and the direction and / or magnitude of the magnetic flux leakage from the surface with respect to the surface periodically changes depending on the area on the surface;
Magnetic flux change detection means in X and Y directions, which is arranged close to the surface of the trackball and detects a change in magnetic flux leakage from the surface caused by the rotation of the trackball;
X-direction and Y-direction rotation detection means for detecting the magnitude and direction of rotation of the trackball based on the detection result of the magnetic flux change detection means,
A pointing device, comprising: The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the trackball has a region where a magnetic flux leaking from the surface and a region where no magnetic flux leaks from the surface are periodically arranged on the surface. 2. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the trackball has two types of regions where leakage magnetic fluxes from the surface are opposite to each other, and are periodically arranged on the surface. 3. The magnetic flux change detecting means is arranged along the rotation direction of the trackball in a pair, so that the magnitude and direction of rotation of the trackball in the rotation direction can be detected. The pointing device according to claim 1. The magnetic flux change detecting means can detect the magnitude and direction of the two-dimensional rotation of the trackball by being arranged in two or more sets along the direction of rotation of the trackball orthogonal to each other. The pointing device according to claim 4, characterized in that: In a portable electronic device having a main body and a pointing device and a display device provided in the main body,
The pointing device includes a trackball in which the surface has a smooth spherical shape, and a direction and / or a magnitude of a magnetic flux leakage from the surface with respect to the surface periodically change according to an area on the surface. X-direction and Y-direction magnetic flux change detecting means for detecting a change in magnetic flux leakage from the surface caused by the rotation of the trackball, based on the detection result of the magnetic flux change detecting means, X and Y direction rotation detecting means for detecting the magnitude and direction of rotation,
The display device performs display control of a cursor indicating a predetermined position on a display screen of the display device based on a rotation direction and a rotation amount of the trackball detected by the pointing device. For electronic equipment.

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