US 9,019,205 B1 · Apparatus and method for controlling display cursor

Abstract

A method includes user actuating X and Y transducers (16, 17, 38A, 39A, 66, 422A, 704A) to selective X and Y positions; producing x and y electrical signals as functions of the positions; moving a cursor (388) of a display (390) at velocities that are functions of the x and y electrical signals; clicking the cursor (388); correcting initialization errors in one of the transducers; providing a deadband (288A, 288B) in which the moving step is obviated; selectively adjusting the deadband (288A, 288B); delaying transmission of one of the electrical signals to the cursor (388); and stopping the moving step irrespective of the delaying step. The clicking step comprises user actuating one of the transducers (16, 17, 38A, 39B, 66, 422A, 704A) more rapidly; user actuating a manual switch (372, 550, 551); user actuating a sound pressure switch (432); user actuating a voice recognition IC (394), or user actuating an another switching device (384).

Claims27

Dependent claims

A method which comprises:

a) selectively transitioning an apparatus from a first mode of operation associated with control of a first device to a second mode of operation, the second mode of operation being adapted to provide a display cursor control operation associated with a second device, the second device being a computer;
b) user actuating X and Y transducers associated with the apparatus from a reference position to selective plus X, minus X, plus Y, and minus Y positions, said transducers being tilt-sensitive and said actuating positions including angular displacements relative to the reference position;
c) producing x and y electrical signals that are functions of the angular displacements of said actuating positions, the x and y electrical signals adapted to control both first and second modes of operation;
d) translating the x and y electrical signals into a computer language to generate translated x and y electrical signals;
and
e) moving the display cursor in plus X, minus X, plus Y, and minus Y directions based on the translated x and y electrical signals, the movement of the cursor being an essentially planar movement.

3 more elements

A method comprising:

selectively transitioning an apparatus from a first mode of operation associated with control of a first device to a second mode of operation, the second mode of operation being adapted to provide a display cursor control operation associated with a second device, the second device being a computer;
actuating a first transducer associated with the apparatus relative to a first reference position, the displacement of the first transducer including a first angular displacement, and actuating a second transducer associated with the apparatus relative to a second reference position, the displacement of the second transducer including a second angular displacement;
in response to actuating the first and second transducers, producing a first electrical signal based on the first angular displacement and producing a second electrical signal based on the second angular displacement, the first and second electrical signals adapted to control both first and second modes of operation;
calculating a first signal differential based on the first electrical signal and calculating a second signal differential based on the second electrical signal;
translating the first and second signal differential into a computer language to generate a translated first signal differential and a translated second signal differential;
and
moving the display cursor responsive to the first angular displacement based on the translated first signal differential and moving the display cursor responsive to the translated second angular displacement based on the second signal differential.

4 more elements

An apparatus comprising:

first sensing means for sensing a first angular displacement, wherein first sensing means is adapted to produce a first electrical signal in response to the first angular displacement;
second sensing means for sensing a second displacement, wherein second sensing means is adapted to produce a second electrical signal in response to the second displacement;
first differentiating means for differentiating the first electrical signal, and being further configured to produce a first signal differential;
second differentiating means for differentiating the second electrical signal, and being further configured to produce a second signal differential;
means for selectively causing the apparatus to transition to or from a first mode of operation associated with control of a first device and a second mode of operation, the first and second electrical signals adapted to control both first and second modes of operation, the second mode of operation being adapted to provide a display cursor control operation associated with a second device, the second device being a computer;
means for controlling a display cursor based on the first signal differential and the second signal differential with the apparatus in cursor control operation, the means for controlling being operatively connected to a computer and having means for translating the first and second signal differentials into a computer language for processing by the computer.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus and method for controlling display cursor

Life of this patent

Apparatus and method for controlling display cursor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27