JPH04257016A - Pointing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a pointing device whose power is reduced by turning off a power source for operating the device when the device is not operated by an operator, in the pointing device such as a mouth used for controlling the display device of an electronic computer. CONSTITUTION:This device is equipped with a presence or absence detecting means 11 which detects the presence or absence of the pointing device operation, and a device power source 12 whose turning on and off is controlled by a control part 13 from the output of the pertinent detecting means 11.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pointing device such as a mouse used to control a display device of an electronic computer. A pointing device commonly known as a mouse is effectively used to specify a position on the screen of a display device, but when the computer main body and display device are powered on, the mouse is also energized at the same time, making it difficult for the operator to operate. The mouse was consuming power even when I wasn't using it. There was a request to develop technology that would save power when the mouse was not being used.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art A pointing device refers to an input device used for specifying a position on the screen of a display device or specifying coordinate data, such as a mouse, a trackball, etc.
Digitizers, light pens, etc. are currently in use. Here, the mouse is equipped with a rotating ball and one to three switch buttons on the back side, and when the operator moves it on the desk, the ball rotates, and the moving direction and distance can be obtained as data, so the mouse can be displayed on the display device. The cursor displayed on the screen can be easily moved from a certain location to an arbitrary location. When the switch button is pressed, it gives a command to the computer main body, so that appropriate processing can proceed.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the internal circuit of a mouse. Figure 6 shows the case where optical rotary encoders are used, where 1 is an X-axis encoder, 2 is a Y-axis encoder, and 3-1 and 3-4 are inverters with two each for the X and Y axes. , 1-11, 1-21 are light emitting diodes, 1
-12, 1-22 are phototransistors corresponding to light emitting diodes, 2-11, 2-22 are light emitting diodes, and 2-12, 2-22 are phototransistors. 4 and 5 each indicate a DC power supply. Although not shown, the mouse has a disc coaxially attached to a rotating shaft that is directly connected to the ball, and a slit is cut around the periphery of the disc. A light emitting diode and a light receiving phototransistor are provided facing each other at the position of the slit in the disk. Now, when the ball is rotated on the desk, the disks rotate at the same time, so
The light from the light emitting diode is received by the phototransistor in pulses through the slit. Phototransistor 1-12
The outputs of ~2-22 are connected to inverters 3-1 ~3-, respectively.
By measuring the number of pulses through 4, we can obtain the angle and amount of rotation (distance rotated) of the ball. Therefore, inverter 3-1 in the circuit of FIG.
-3-4 The output signals of XA to YB are calculated by the processor to obtain the amount of rotation of the ball, and the cursor on the display screen is moved by the corresponding amount.

In addition to the mouse that uses an optical encoder as described above, there is also a mouse that converts the rotation of a ball into the amount of movement of the shaft of a variable resistor. The trackball has a structure similar to an upside-down mouse, and the cursor on the screen can be moved by rotating only the ball with your finger, without moving the outer casing. A pointing device called a digitizer/light pen directly specifies coordinate positions, so its electrical configuration is slightly simpler than that of a mouse. For example, in the case of a light pen, a light receiving sensor is incorporated into the cylindrical tip of the pen, and when the tip is placed on the screen of a display device, it is possible to detect where the tip of the pen is on the screen.

[0005]

[Problem to be solved by the invention] In the circuit of FIG.
Light-emitting diodes are constantly drawing current from the time the processor and display device are powered on. This resulted in wasted power consumption even when the operator was not operating the display, which was a loss for portable, battery-powered processor display devices such as notebook computers. This loss was particularly large for mice and trackballs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to improve the above-mentioned drawbacks and to provide a pointing device that saves power by turning off the power for operating the device when the operator is not operating it.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the basic configuration of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 10 is an encoder of a pointing device, 11 is means for detecting whether or not the device is operated, 12 is an overall representation of a power supply circuit for operating the device, and 13 is a control section in the power supply circuit. The present invention has the following configuration in a pointing device used for specifying a display position on a display device of an electronic computer. That is, means 11 for detecting the presence or absence of device operation.
and a device operating power source 12 whose on/off control 13 is performed by the output of the detecting means 11.

[0008]

[Operation] In the present invention, since the operator operates the pointing device, for example, the detection means 11 detects that the pointing device is held in the hand, and determines that the pointing device has been operated. The output of the detecting means 11 generated at that time controls, for example, the control section 13 of the device operating power source 12 to turn on the power. When the pointing device is powered on, the processing operations performed by the pointing device are the same as before. Further, when the operator releases the pointing device from his/her hand, the detecting means 11 determines that there is no operation and turns off the power source. Therefore, with the configuration of the present invention, unnecessary power consumption when the pointing device is not operated can be avoided.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a case where the present invention is applied to a mouse as an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 shows an electric circuit diagram inside the mouse having the structure shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, 14
15 shows the mouse as a whole, 15 shows the pressure sensitive rubber, 16-
1 and 16-2 indicate button switches. In Figure 3, 1
7 is a current voltage change circuit, 18 is a comparator, 19-1
, 19-2 are switching transistors, 20 is FIG.
The electrical circuit of the conventional mouse shown in Figure 1 is generally shown. In FIG. 2, the button switches 16-1 and 16-2 represent the mouse 14.
provides a click signal to the display device processor. When the operator holds the mouse in his hand to operate it, he will be grasping the pressure-sensitive rubber 15, and the electrical resistance value at both ends of the pressure-sensitive rubber 15 will decrease. In FIG. 3, switching transistors 19-1 and 19-2 are adjusted to be always off. Since the pressure-sensitive rubber is installed in the position shown in FIG. 3, the current-voltage conversion circuit 17 converts an increase in current due to a decrease in resistance value into an increase in voltage. Comparator 1
When a certain predetermined voltage at 8 is exceeded, comparator 1
8 becomes "H", the switching transistors 19-1 and 19-2 are turned on, the encoder section is energized, and the normal operating state is entered.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the present invention in which an automatic return type push button switch 21 is installed in place of the pressure sensitive rubber shown in FIG. The push button switch 21 is the switching transistor 19-1, 19-2 in the circuit of FIG.
It is wired to the position. When the operator holds the mouse to operate the mouse, the push button switch 21 is pressed with a finger, and the power is turned on. The power remains on as long as you hold the mouse, and when you release the mouse, the push button switch 21
The power will turn off as it will automatically return.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing still another embodiment of the present invention applied to a trackball. In FIG. 5, 22 is a trackball, 23 is an inner casing that supports the trackball, 24 is an outer casing, and 25 is an automatic return type push button switch that is attached to the outer casing 24 and is pressed by the inner casing 23. show. When the operator touches the trackball 22 for operation, the trackball 2
2 and the inner casing 23 are both slightly sunken into the outer casing 24. At that time, the push button switch 25 is turned on,
Since the power supply circuit (not shown) is turned on, the trackball 22 enters the operating state.

0012

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, since the pointing device does not consume power when not operated by the operator, it is particularly useful for devices such as portable personal computers that require power saving. In the case of powered equipment, it is effective in extending the life of the battery.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an electrical circuit diagram of the configuration of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an internal circuit of a conventional mouse.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Pointing device encoder 11
Means for detecting the presence or absence of device operation 12 Overall representation of the power supply circuit for device operation 13 Control unit in the power supply circuit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. In a pointing device used for specifying a display position on a display device of a computer, means (11) for detecting the presence or absence of device operation, and turning on/off according to the output of the detecting means (11). control (1
3) A pointing device comprising: a power source (12) for operating the device; 2. A pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the means for detecting whether or not the device is operated is configured to generate an electrical signal when an operator holds the pointing device.