Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display peripheral interface input device – Cursor mark position control device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-27
2001-04-17
Hjerpe, Richard (Department: 2774)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display peripheral interface input device
Cursor mark position control device
C345S157000, C345S160000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06219036
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic equipment (e.g., an information processing device) with a pointing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an opportunity to use multimedia software such as game software and interactive movie software has increased in association with widespread use and higher performance of electronic equipment, e.g., mobile personal computers. In running this kind of software, it is effective to use a joystick rather than use a keyboard only. The joystick is displaceably provided to a base member, for example, and coordinates (e.g., two-dimensional coordinates) or a direction at any coordinates can be input according to a relative positional relation between the joystick and the base member.
Although electronic equipment having a configuration allowing connection of a joystick is known, the joystick to be connected is almost a large-sized one for a desktop computer. Accordingly, it can be said that such conventional electronic equipment is inferior in portability.
It may be proposed to incorporate a joystick into electronic equipment. In this case, however, there is a possibility that when the joystick is not used, the joystick may interfere with the use of another part (e.g., a keyboard unit).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide electronic equipment with a joystick (or pointing device) which is improved in portability.
It is another object of the present invention to provide electronic equipment with a joystick (or a pointing device) which can eliminate the possibility that when the joystick (or the pointing device) is not used, the joystick (or an operation member of the pointing device) may interfere with the use of another part.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic equipment or an apparatus which includes a housing and a joystick unit. The housing accommodates an electronic circuit, for example. The joystick unit is provided on the housing and electrically connected, for example, to the electronic circuit. The joystick unit includes a base member and a joystick displaceably provided to the base member for inputting coordinates (e.g., two-dimensional coordinates) or a direction at any coordinates according to a relative positional relation to the base member. The base member is supported rotatably between a first condition and a second condition. In the first condition, the base member and the joystick respectively face the inside and the outside of the housing, whereas in the second condition, the base member and the joystick respectively face the outside and the inside of the housing.
With this configuration, the electronic equipment itself includes the joystick, so that the portability of the electronic equipment with the joystick is improved as compared with the case of using a joystick and electronic equipment having a configuration allowing connection of the joystick.
Furthermore, in the case of using the joystick, the first condition is intended to be selected, whereas in the case of not using the joystick, the second condition is intended to be selected. Accordingly, by rotating the joystick unit with respect to the housing, the joystick is prevented from interfering with the use of another part of the electronic equipment when the joystick is not used.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the electronic equipment further includes a lock mechanism for locking each of the first and second conditions. In this case, the joystick unit in each of the first and second conditions is stabilized by the lock mechanism. For example, the operability of the joystick used in the first condition is improved.
Preferably, the housing includes a housing body and a cover member openably provided to the housing body, and the joystick unit is provided on the housing body. In this case, by closing the cover member with respect to the housing body, the portability of the electronic equipment is further improved. Accordingly, this preferred embodiment is suitable for a laptop, notebook, or any other portable information processing device. Particularly in the case that a keyboard unit is provided on the housing body and a display unit is provided on the cover member, an operator can use the joystick as viewing the display unit. Furthermore, when the joystick is not used, the joystick does not interfere with the use of the keyboard unit.
Preferably, the base member of the joystick unit has an outer surface forming a part of a substantially spherical surface. Accordingly, when the joystick is not used, the base member hardly interferes with the use of the keyboard unit. In addition, when restoring the first condition from the second condition to use the joystick, the base member can be easily rotated with an operator's finger.
Preferably, the joystick is movably fixed to the base member by a spring. Accordingly, the joystick can be easily displaced in an arbitrary direction at any coordinates. By making this direction correspond to a specific signal, the direction at any coordinates can be easily input.
Preferably, the joystick has an outer surface on which a plurality of first electrodes are provided, and the base member has an inner surface on which a plurality of second electrodes are provided so as to correspond to the first electrodes, wherein a direction at the coordinates is determined by contact of one selected from the first electrodes and one selected from the second electrodes.
Preferably, at least one button switch is provided on a surface adjacent to a surface of the housing on which the joystick unit is provided. For example, the button switch is used for difficulty setting in game software or triggering for a specific operation necessary for game processing (e.g., firing in shooting games).
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic equipment or an apparatus which comprises a housing; a pointing device provided on the housing, the pointing device having an operation member to be operated by an operator for coordinate inputting; and a support unit for supporting the pointing device to the housing rotatably between a first condition where the operation member faces the outside of the housing and a second condition where the operation member faces the inside of the housing.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention and the manner of realizing them will become more apparent, and the invention itself will best be understood from a study of the following description and appended claims with reference to the attached drawings showing some preferred embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5914702 (1999-06-01), Derocher et al.
patent: 2 266 360 (1993-10-01), None
patent: 57-8830 (1982-01-01), None
patent: 4-284526 (1992-10-01), None
patent: 5-250069 (1993-09-01), None
patent: 8-30385 (1996-02-01), None
Armstrong, Westerman Hattori, McLeland, and Naughton, LLP
Dinh Duc
Fujitsu Limited
Hjerpe Richard
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