Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display peripheral interface input device – Cursor mark position control device
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-30
2004-09-07
Shankar, Vijay (Department: 2673)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display peripheral interface input device
Cursor mark position control device
C345S163000, C345S159000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06788288
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coordinate input device used to manipulate a cursor, window, and the like on a display screen in order to enhance the ease of operation of a portable information apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable information apparatuses such as notebook computers are equipped with a built-in pointing device or an externally connected pointing device to enhance their ease of operation. Examples of commonly used pointing devices include mice, flat pads, and trackballs. The pointing device detects, for example, the amount and direction of rotation of a trackball, and the portable information apparatus causes the cursor on the display screen to move on the basis of the result of the detection and accomplishes various operations in response to button click operations that the user performs at the new cursor position.
Recently, mice that incorporate a rotating dial (wheel) have come into popular use; with this type of mouse, when a document too large to be shown within one screen is displayed, the wheel mounted in the mouse is rotated to scroll the document to bring other portions of the document into the screen. Using the rotating wheel for scrolling enhances the ease of operation in scrolling since it not only accomplishes scrolling at high speed but also allows fine adjustment of the scrolling. As an example of a pointing device combined with a wheel, there is also available a device that is equipped with a dial ring encircling a trackball, and that is designed for use, for example, with an ultrasonic diagnostic instrument, to manipulate three-dimensional data by detecting an coordinate input on a third axis.
Referring to
FIG. 3
, a description will be given of a method of how information such as a document or image displayed within a window screen is scrolled using a conventional mouse or trackball. In
FIG. 3
, reference numeral
30
is a window screen displayed on a display device,
31
is a vertical scroll bar,
32
is a vertical scroll box,
33
is a scroll up button,
34
is a scroll down button, and
35
is a cursor. When the cursor
35
is moved to the scroll up button
33
by using the mouse, and the mouse is clicked on it, the information displayed in the screen is scrolled upward across the screen; likewise, when the cursor
35
is positioned on the scroll down button
34
, and the mouse is clicked on it, the information displayed in the screen is scrolled downward across the screen.
Since the screen is scrolled up or down by an amount proportional to the number of times or the length of time that the scroll up button
33
or the scroll down button
34
is clicked or held down by the mouse, the desired part of the information can be correctly brought into the screen for viewing. The information displayed within the screen can also be scrolled vertically by positioning the cursor
35
on the vertical scroll box
32
and moving the mouse forward or backward while keeping the mouse button pressed down (dragging the vertical scroll box
32
). Horizontal scrolling is performed in like manner by using a scroll left button
38
, a scroll right button
39
, and a horizontal scroll box
37
provided at the bottom of the window screen
30
.
To accomplish the above operations by using a trackball instead of a mouse, the trackball is rotated to move the cursor
35
across the window screen
30
and, by performing a designated left click operation, the information can be scrolled in the same manner as when it is done using a mouse.
Recently, a wheel mouse, a mouse having a forward/backward rotating wheel between left and right click buttons as shown in
FIG. 6
, has come into use. Reference numeral
60
is the mouse body,
61
is the left button,
62
is the right button, and
63
is the wheel. When the cursor
35
is moved to an arbitrary position within the window screen
30
, and the wheel
63
is rotated forward, the information displayed within the screen is scrolled in the upward direction in the same manner as when the scroll up button
33
is pressed; likewise, when the wheel
63
is rotated backward, the displayed information is scrolled in the downward direction in the same manner as when the scroll down button
34
is pressed. Since the wheel
63
can be rotated using only a forefinger, the user can operate it easily even when the amount of scroll is large. However, on a notebook computer or the like, since the user has to move his hand off the keyboard to operate the wheel, it has been difficult to operate the wheel while inputting characters.
As described above, while the wheel offers enhanced usability, the prior art wheel mouse has had the problem that when inputting characters, for example, the user has to suspend the current task to operate the wheel as he has to move his hand off the home position on the keyboard and put his hand on the mouse to rotate the wheel. Furthermore, in the case of a portable electronic apparatus, the space for operating the wheel mouse has had to be provided in addition to the space for the apparatus itself.
In view of the above problems with the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a coordinate input device that allows the user to operate the wheel without having to move his hand off the keyboard, and also provide a portable information apparatus equipped with such a coordinate input device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the present invention is a coordinate input device comprising: to claim
1
) is a coordinate input device comprising:
a keyboard;
a rotary dial annular in shape and mounted in substantially the same plane as said keyboard, said rotary dial being rotatable within said plane; and
a rotation detector for detecting the amount and direction of rotation of said rotary dial, and wherein:
said rotary dial is disposed below said keyboard.
A further aspect of the present invention is a coordinate input device, wherein said rotary dial is disposed so that the center of said rotary dial lies on a line that substantially bisects the width of said keyboard.
A still another aspect of the present invention is a coordinate input device, further comprising a depression detector for detecting depression of said rotary dial when said rotary dial is depressed in a direction perpendicular to said plane.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is a coordinate input device, further comprising a trackball, a second rotation detector for detecting the amount and direction of rotation of said trackball, and one or more click buttons provided in positions adjacent to said trackball, and wherein:
said trackball and said click buttons are disposed within said plane in such a manner as to be surrounded by said rotary dial.
Still yet another aspect of the present invention is a coordinate input device, further comprising a flat pad which is touched by an object, a movement detector for detecting the distance and direction of movement of said object while said flat pad is being touched with said object, and one or more click buttons provided in positions adjacent to said flat pad, and wherein:
said flat pad and said click buttons are disposed within said plane in such a manner as to be surrounded by said rotary dial.
A further aspect of the present invention is a coordinate input device, wherein said rotary dial is constructed so that when said rotary dial is rotated, various parts forming said rotary dial can stay stable in a plurality of positions within said plane.
A still further aspect of the present invention is a portable information apparatus comprising:
a coordinate input device as described in 1st invention;
a display device having a screen for displaying information and a pointer for indicating a portion within said screen; and
a controller for causing said information or said pointer displayed within said screen to move according to the amount and direction of rotation of said rotary dial.
A yet further aspect of the present invention is a portable information apparatus, wherein said screen includes a scroll b
Dharia Prabodh M.
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
RatnerPrestia
Shankar Vijay
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