Pointing device

A pointing device for controlling a computer user interface, the pointing device comprising:

• a housing having a base part;
• an elongate support member;
• an elongate cursor navigation member being movably arranged for rotation about the elongate support member and translation along the elongate support member, the cursor navigation member further being depressible with respect to the base part;
• a plurality of sensors for detecting rotation, translation, and depression of the cursor navigation member;
• computer interface circuitry for connection to a computer;
• a controller connected to the plurality of sensors, the controller being configured to cause transmission of data regarding rotation, translation, and depression of the elongate cursor navigation member to the computer through the computer interface circuitry;
• wherein the plurality of sensors include contactless click sensors for detecting deflection of the support member caused when a user depresses the cursor navigation member, the controller being configured to monitor outputs from the contactless click sensors to detect that the detected deflection of the support member exceeds a click operation threshold value, and in response to such detected deflection, to determine that a mouse click operation is intended by the user's depression and to cause transmission of data representing the mouse click operation to the computer through the computer interface circuitry,
• a vibration generating unit connected to the controller, wherein the vibration generating unit is positioned laterally with respect to a center of the support member;
• wherein the controller has a click sensitivity adjustment mode for allowing the user to configure the click operation threshold value;
• wherein the controller is configured, in response to having determined that a mouse click operation is intended by the user's depression, to send a control or drive signal to the vibration generating unit to cause generation of a vibration as a feedback to the user of the mouse click operation committed by the depression of the support member;
• wherein the vibration generating unit is mounted to the printed circuit board at a lateral position with respect to a center section of the hollow rod.

A pointing device for controlling a computer user interface, the pointing device comprising:

• a housing having a base part;
• an elongate support member;
• an elongate cursor navigation member being movably arranged for rotation about the elongate support member and translation along the elongate support member, the cursor navigation member further being depressible with respect to the base part;
• a plurality of sensors for detecting rotation, translation, and depression of the cursor navigation member;
• computer interface circuitry for connection to a computer;
• a controller connected to the plurality of sensors, the controller being configured to cause transmission of data regarding rotation, translation, and depression of the elongate cursor navigation member to the computer through the computer interface circuitry;
• wherein the plurality of sensors include contactless click sensors for detecting deflection of the support member caused when a user depresses the cursor navigation member, the controller being configured to monitor outputs from the contactless click sensors to detect that the detected deflection of the support member exceeds a click operation threshold value, and in response to such detected deflection, to determine that a mouse click operation is intended by the user's depression and to cause transmission of data representing the mouse click operation to the computer through the computer interface circuitry,
• a vibration generating unit connected to the controller, wherein an amount of vibration generated by the vibration generating unit is configurable by the user;
• a button set, wherein a magnitude of the control or drive signal to the vibration generating unit is configurable by the user using the button set;
• wherein the controller has a click sensitivity adjustment mode for allowing the user to configure the click operation threshold value;
• wherein the controller is configured, in response to having determined that a mouse click operation is intended by the user's depression, to send a control or drive signal to the vibration generating unit to cause generation of a vibration as a feedback to the user of the mouse click operation committed by the depression of the support member;
• wherein the button set includes a scroll wheel, and
• wherein the controller is configured, in response to detecting actuation of the scroll wheel, to send a burst of control or drive signals to the vibration generating unit to cause generation of intermittent vibrations and a ticking sound as a feedback to the user of a scroll operation committed by the actuation of the scroll wheel.