JP2005070962A - Mouse input device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mouse input device which has position information output functions and infrared signal receiving functions, then, is reduced in the number of cables and costs. <P>SOLUTION: In the mouse input device, at least a part of a case body 11 is provided with an infrared transmissive part 26 formed of infrared transmissive materials, and an infrared signal receiver 22 for receiving an infrared control signal to be transmitted from an infrared remote controller 7 is incorporated in the case body 11 at a position opposite to the infrared transmissive part 26, and in a status in which a personal computer 1 is set in an audio/visual function or tuner function, the operation of function switching or the like can be performed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a mouse that is connected to a personal computer device or the like and inputs coordinate information and the like.

  In a personal computer device or the like, a cursor or mouse pointer indicating a coordinate point is moved to an arbitrary position on a screen displayed on an image display device (monitor), a range is designated, or a display screen is scrolled. A mouse is used as a position information input device for performing. The mouse generally includes a case body, a trackball that is rotatably housed by exposing a part of the outer peripheral surface from the bottom surface of the case body, and an encoder that detects the amount and direction of rotation of the trackball. A plurality of click buttons arranged on the case body and a signal cable constituting a connection portion with the personal computer device are provided.

  When the mouse is gripped and moved so as to enclose the case body, the trackball built in the case body rotates. The mouse detects the amount and direction of rotation of the trackball by an encoder, and outputs a control signal for moving the cursor and mouse pointer from the encoder to the microcomputer device side. When the click button is operated while the cursor or pointer reaches the designated position on the monitor, the mouse outputs a control signal and performs various operations such as input of various information corresponding to the screen.

  The mouse is equipped with a light source such as a light emitting diode instead of the trackball and encoder, and an optical sensor that receives the detection light emitted from the light source and reflected by the desk surface, etc. There is also provided an optical mouse configured to detect automatically. In such an optical mouse, the emitted light emitted from the light emitting diode is reflected from the slit provided on the bottom surface of the case body and is reflected by the desk surface, and the return light from the operation surface is detected by the optical sensor. The optical mouse outputs a control signal for moving the cursor and the mouse pointer to a predetermined position from the optical sensor to the microcomputer device.

  By the way, in a personal computer device, various components such as a monitor, a speaker, a keyboard, and a mouse are connected to the computer main body, and a number of connection cables are confused on a narrow desk. End up. In the personal computer device, it is difficult to spread documents necessary for inputting data etc. on the desk surface, and there is a problem that a cable is caught and an excessive force is applied to the connector portion to cause damage. . For this purpose, the personal computer device is also configured to wirelessly connect a keyboard or mouse to the computer main body using infrared rays.

  On the other hand, recent personal computer devices are also provided with an audio visual function for reproducing, for example, music information and video information, and a tuner function for receiving television broadcast, radio broadcast, distribution information, and the like. In such a personal computer device 50, as shown in FIG. 4, a disc-shaped recording medium such as a CD (compact disc) or a DVD (digital versatile disc) (not shown) is loaded in a disc loading section 52 of a computer main body 51, and a built-in optical pickup. As a result, music information, video information, etc. stored on the disc are reproduced, a reproduced image is displayed on the monitor 53, and reproduced audio is output from the speaker 54. In the personal computer device 50, for example, the received television broadcast program is output by the monitor 53 and the speaker 54.

  In the personal computer device 50, operations such as channel switching, volume adjustment, or function switching are performed in the setting state of the audio visual function and the tuner function. In the personal computer device 50, it is possible to perform such an operation with a keyboard, for example, but in order to improve the usability, the operation can be performed even from a remote place as with a general audio device or the like. A remote control function is also included.

  In the personal computer device 50, similarly to the other conventional personal computer devices described above, the infrared signal receiver 55 is connected to the cable by using a USB (Universal Serial BUS) connector (not shown) provided in the computer main body 51, for example. 56 and connected. In the personal computer device 50, the infrared control signal output from the remote controller 57 is received by the infrared signal receiver 55, and various switching operations are performed in the computer main body 51 by the control signal input via the infrared signal receiver 55. To be done.

Therefore, in the personal computer device 50, the cable 56 for connecting the computer main body 51 and the infrared signal receiver 55 is further provided on the desk surface on which a plurality of cables are stretched. It was. Further, since the personal computer device 50 includes the infrared signal receiver 55 and the remote controller 56 which are independent devices as accessory devices, there is a problem that the cost of the entire system increases.
JP 2000-187556 A JP 2001-60132 A

  The present invention is suitably used in a computer system that wirelessly inputs an infrared control signal or the like from a remote controller to a computer, and has a position information output function and an infrared signal reception function to reduce the number of cables and reduce the cost. The purpose of this is to provide a mouse.

  A mouse according to the present invention that achieves this object is connected to a computer device and inputs coordinate axis information and the like. The mouse is provided with an infrared translucent part formed of an infrared transmissible material in at least a part of the case body, and an infrared signal transmitted from the infrared remote controller is transmitted to the inside of the case body opposite the infrared translucent part. An infrared signal receiver for receiving is incorporated. According to the mouse, the infrared signal transmitted from the infrared remote controller at a position away from the computer device is received by the infrared signal receiver via the infrared light transmitting portion and is output to the computer device.

  In addition, the mouse has an infrared translucent portion formed on the second side surface opposite to the first side surface provided with a signal cable or an infrared signal transmitting portion that constitutes a connection means with the click button of the case body or the computer device. The

  Further, the mouse is configured as a control signal receiving unit transmitted from an infrared remote controller, in which an infrared signal receiver controls a tuner function or an audio visual function for receiving a television broadcast or a radio broadcast mounted on a computer device. Is done.

According to the mouse according to the present invention, by incorporating an infrared signal receiver for receiving an infrared signal transmitted from an infrared remote controller, an increase in the number of cables for connecting to the computer main body is suppressed, thereby improving usability. To be planned. According to the mouse, since the receiver of the infrared remote controller is also used, an independent accessory device connected to the computer main body becomes unnecessary, and the system cost can be reduced. According to the mouse, since the infrared remote controller is not used simultaneously as an input device for the computer main body, even if the infrared signal receiving function is combined with the position information output function, there is a problem in use. The system should be simplified.

  According to the mouse, even when the user is used as a function of receiving an infrared signal transmitted from the infrared remote controller by holding the second side face in front of the user in use, it can be used for positioning, etc. There is no need to pay attention. Therefore, according to the mouse, occurrence of erroneous input such as a control signal is suppressed.

  According to the mouse, a tuner function or an audio visual function which is mounted on a computer device and performs operations such as channel switching, volume adjustment or function switching is also operated by an infrared remote controller from a remote position, so that the usability is improved. Become figured.

  Hereinafter, the best mode of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. A mouse 10 shown as an embodiment is connected to a computer main body 3 constituting a personal computer 1 by a USB cable 2 as shown in FIG. 1, and has a combined function of a position information output function and an infrared signal receiving function. The personal computer 1 has, for example, an audio visual function for reproducing music information and video information, a tuner function for receiving television broadcasting, radio broadcasting, distribution information, and the like. The personal computer 1 reproduces music information and video information stored from a disk such as a CD or DVD loaded in the disk loading unit 4 of the computer main body 3 and displays a reproduced image on the monitor 5. At the same time, the reproduced sound is output from the speaker 6. Further, the personal computer 1 receives, for example, a television broadcast program or a radio broadcast program and outputs it from the monitor 5 and the speaker 6.

  Like the conventional mouse, the mouse 10 moves a cursor indicating a coordinate point, a mouse pointer, or the like to an arbitrary position on the display screen displayed on the monitor 4, performs range designation, and performs a scroll operation of the display screen. A position information signal for output is output to the personal computer 1. In addition, the mouse 10 is operated at a position away from the computer main body 3 in a state where the personal computer 1 is set to the audio visual function or the tuner function, for example, an infrared remote that performs operations such as channel switching, volume adjustment or function switching. An infrared signal transmitted from the controller 7 is received.

  The mouse 10 includes a case body 11 that has a basic configuration and an external shape that are substantially the same as those of a conventional general mouse, and that has a combination of an upper half 12 and a lower half 13 to form an overall oval shape. The mouse 10 is provided with a left click button 14 and a right click button 15 on the upper surface of the upper half 12 constituting the case body 11. The mouse 10 is provided with a scroll dial 16 rotatably disposed between the left click button 14 and the right click button 15 with a part of the outer peripheral surface exposed. The mouse 10 is provided with a left click switch 17 and a right click switch 18 that are opened and closed by a left click button 14 and a right click button 15, respectively, inside the case body 11. The mouse 10 is provided with a scroll switch 19 that is opened and closed by a scroll dial 16 inside the case body 11.

As shown in FIG. 2, the mouse 10 incorporates a trackball 20 and an encoder 21 that constitute a position information output function whose details are omitted, and an infrared receiver 22 that constitutes an infrared signal receiving function. . The mouse 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 23 that processes output from the encoder 21 and the infrared receiver 22 and outputs the processed control signal to the computer main body 3 as a predetermined control signal. In the mouse 10, the amount of rotation of the scroll dial 16 is detected by the encoder 27.

  The mouse 10 is provided with a circular opening on the bottom surface of the lower half 13, and a part of the outer peripheral portion is exposed from the opening so that the trackball 20 is rotatably accommodated in the case body 11. . When the user grips the case 10 so as to wrap the case body 11 and moves the mouse 10 so as to slide on the mouse pad or the like, the trackball 20 rotates in the case body 11. In the mouse 10, the encoder 21 detects the amount and direction of rotation of the trackball 20. The mouse 10 receives the rotation information of the scroll dial 16 detected by the encoder 27, the rotation amount information and the rotation direction information of the trackball 20 in the CPU 23, and outputs them to the personal computer 1, whereby the display screen of the monitor 4 is displayed. Move the cursor etc.

  In the mouse 10, the left click button 14, the right click button 15, or the scroll dial 16 is pressed with the cursor reaching a predetermined position on the display screen of the monitor 4. The mouse 10 performs a switching operation of the left click switch 17, the right click switch 18, or the scroll switch 19 by this operation. In the mouse 10, output from each switch is signal-processed by the CPU 23 and output to the personal computer 1 so that a predetermined control operation is performed on the display screen of the monitor 4.

  In the mouse 10, the upper half 12 and the lower half 13 are each formed of a synthetic resin material having an appropriate color tone. When the mouse 10 is held by the user, the USB cable 2 is pulled out, and the first side surface 24 side on which the left click button 14 and the right click button 15 are provided is directed to the personal computer 1 side. In the mouse 10, an infrared light transmitting portion 26 is formed on a part of the upper half 12 that constitutes the second side surface 25 facing the first side surface 24.

  That is, the mouse 10 forms an opening in at least a part of the upper half 12 constituting the second side face 25 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and closes the opening so as to transmit infrared rays. The infrared translucent portion 26 is configured by assembling a member formed of a synthetic resin material having the following. In the mouse 10, an infrared receiver 22 is disposed inside the case body 11 facing the infrared light transmitting part 26 with the reception surface facing the infrared light transmitting part 26.

  The mouse 10 configured as described above is connected to a personal computer 1 having an audio visual function and a tuner function via a USB cable 2 and has a position information output function. By the way, in the personal computer 1, for example, operations such as channel switching, volume adjustment, or function switching are performed by the infrared remote controller 7 in a state where the audio visual function or the tuner function is set. The infrared remote controller 7 transmits an infrared signal by performing an appropriate input operation at a remote position while viewing the screen of the monitor 5 with the transmission surface 8 facing the computer main body 3 side.

Since the mouse 10 is provided with the infrared light transmitting portion 26 on the second side surface 25 side as described above, the second operation can be performed without particularly performing operations such as positioning when the user releases his / her hand from the usage state. The side surface 25 comes to be located on the near side. Therefore, in the mouse 10, the infrared light transmitting portion 26 faces the transmission surface 8 of the infrared remote controller 7, and an infrared signal transmitted from the infrared remote controller 7 is received by the infrared receiver 22 via the infrared light transmitting portion 26. To do. The mouse 10 performs the above-described operations by performing signal processing on the output from the infrared receiver 22 in the CPU 23 and outputting the signal to the personal computer 1.

  Although the mouse 10 is connected to the personal computer 1 via the USB cable 2 as described above, for example, an infrared transmitter is built in the first side surface 24 and provided on the front surface of the computer main body 3. You may comprise so that the wireless connection by an infrared rays may be performed between infrared receivers. The mouse 10 may include a light emitting diode and an optical encoder instead of the trackball 20 and the encoder 21.

It is explanatory drawing of the usage pattern of the mouse | mouth shown as embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the same mouse. It is a principal part longitudinal cross-sectional view of the same mouse. It is explanatory drawing of the usage type of the conventional mouse | mouth.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Personal computer 2 USB cable 3 Computer main body 5 Monitor 7 Infrared remote controller 10 Mouse 11 Case body 12 Upper half 13 Lower half 20 Trackball 21 Encoder 22 Infrared receiver 24 First side 25 Second side 26 Infrared translucent part

Claims (3)

In a mouse that is connected to a computer device and inputs coordinate axis information, etc.
Infrared light that receives an infrared control signal transmitted from an infrared remote controller inside the case body that is provided with an infrared light transmitting portion formed of an infrared transparent material on at least a part of the case body. A mouse characterized by a built-in signal receiver.   The infrared light transmitting portion is formed on a second side surface opposite to a first side surface provided with a signal cable or an infrared signal transmitting portion that constitutes a connection means with the click button of the case body and a computer device. The mouse according to claim 1, wherein   The infrared signal receiver is a control signal receiving unit that controls a tuner function or an audiovisual function that receives a television broadcast or a radio broadcast mounted on a computer device, and that receives a control signal transmitted from the infrared remote controller. The mouse according to claim 1.

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