Facile ergonomic computer pointing device
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorGary B. Gordon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ergonomic mouse has an upright freestanding body that is designed to be gripped by a user's fingers in a writing position and manipulated like a writing implement. The mouse has a body shaped like a pen. The pen is coupled to a weighted base so the mouse remains freestanding and does not need to be picked up before each use. The mouse has a primary switch that is activated by the weight of the user's hand bearing down upon the pen. A secondary switch is located on the pen. Alternatively, the ergonomic mouse has a small body that can be gripped in the fingers much like a pen. The small-bodied mouse has switches on its base surface that are activated by the weight of the user's hand bearing down upon the mouse body.
Claims16
An ergonomic miniature mouse, the mouse in communication with a computer or instrument having a display screen, comprising:
- an upright freestanding body, having a base surface for resting and sliding upon a work surface, the freestanding body adapted for gripping by a user's fingers in a writing position while the user's hand is in contact with the work surface;
- a relative motion sensor at the base surface of the freestanding body, for translating movement of the mouse into corresponding movement of an object on the display screen;
- and
- at least one primary switch connected to the freestanding body, adapted for activation by the weight of the user's hand bearing down onto the freestanding body such that activation of the primary switch corresponds to a selection on the display screen.
An ergonomic mouse, the mouse in communication with a computer or instrument having a display screen, comprising:
- a weighted base, having a base surface for resting and sliding upon a work surface;
- an optical sensor at the base surface of the weighted base;
- a cylindrical rod flexibly coupled to the weighted base, such that the cylindrical rod is elevated at an angle to the work surface, the cylindrical rod having sufficient length to be held in a user's fingers like a writing implement while the user's hand is in contact with the work surface;
- and
- at least one switch in the weighted base, actuated by the weight of the user's hand bearing down onto the cylindrical rod.
An ergonomic mouse, the mouse in communication with a computer or instrument having a display screen, comprising:
- a weighted base having a base surface for resting and sliding upon a work surface;
- a cylindrical rod having sufficient length to be held in the user's fingers like a writing implement while the user's hand is in contact with the work surface, the cylindrical rod being coupled to the weighted base such that the cylindrical rod is elevated at an angle between 40° and 90° to the work surface;
- relative motion sensor at the base surface of the weighted base, far translating movement of the mouse into corresponding movement of an object on the display screen;
- and
- at least one primary switch in the weighted base, adapted for activation by the weight of the user's hand bearing down onto the cylindrical rod such that the activation of the primary switch corresponds to a selection on the display screen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.