Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display peripheral interface input device – Cursor mark position control device
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-29
2004-02-24
Shalwala, Bipin (Department: 2673)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display peripheral interface input device
Cursor mark position control device
C345S156000, C345S157000, C345S158000, C345S160000, C345S169000, C074S47100R, C341S034000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06697049
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a pointing device and, in particular, a pointing stick with a rectangular-shaped hollow structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pointing devices are used to control the movement of a cursor on a computer monitor. They are widely used in all kinds of desktop and laptop computer peripherals, such as keyboards, mice, joysticks and remote controls.
Please refer to
FIG. 1
, which is a schematic view of a conventional pointing stick device
10
. The pointing stick device
10
comprises a substrate
11
, a monolithic cylindrical stick
12
positioned on the substrate
11
to control the two-dimensional movements of the cursor on a computer monitor, and a plurality of strip strain gauges
14
installed at orthogonal positions around the stick
12
to measure pressure and generate corresponding pointing signals.
Please refer to
FIG. 2
, which shows schematically the pointing stick device
10
under a force. As shown in
FIG. 2
, when a horizontal external force is applied on the stick
12
, the strain gauges
14
bend and distort along with the stick
12
. The distortion of the strain gauges
14
generates the corresponding pointing signals.
However, the conventional pointing stick device
10
generates pointing signals using the strain gauges
14
that measure simply the bending of the stick
12
. Therefore, the sensitivity of the strain gauges
14
is limited by the elasticity of the stick
12
and the strains generated due to bending. This makes it difficult to improve the sensitivity of the pointing stick device
10
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Consequently, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a pointing stick with a rectangular-shaped hollow structure to overcome the above-mentioned defects.
Briefly, the present invention discloses a pointing stick device having a substrate, a rectangular-shaped hollow structure installed on the substrate and having a central axis substantially vertical to the substrate, at least one strain gauge installed on the rectangular-shaped hollow structure, and a claw structure. The claw structure has at least one claw, and is used to impart a pressure onto the rectangular-shaped hollow structure and curve the rectangular-shaped hollow structure. When the claw of the claw structure imparts pressure on the rectangular-shaped hollow structure, the strain gauge distorts, following the curve of the rectangular-shaped hollow structure, to produce corresponding pointing signals.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the claw structure disposed on the rectangular-shaped hollow structure is better able to distort the rectangular-shaped hollow structure. This improved distortion leads to greater deformation of the strain gauges, and thus improves the overall sensitivity of the pointing stick device.
These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become clear to one skilled in the art after reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the following figures.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4046005 (1977-09-01), Goroski
patent: 5541622 (1996-07-01), Engle et al.
patent: 5748180 (1998-05-01), Inukai
patent: 5894301 (1999-04-01), Seffernick
patent: 6002388 (1999-12-01), Seffernick et al.
patent: 6353431 (2002-03-01), Poole et al.
patent: 6400354 (2002-06-01), Pin-Chien
patent: 6411193 (2002-06-01), Chen
Darfon Electronics Corp.
Hsu Winston
Kovalick Vincent E.
Shalwala Bipin
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