WO2000004490A2 - Computer input device - Google Patents

Computer input device Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2000004490A2
WO2000004490A2 PCT/DK1999/000396 DK9900396W WO0004490A2 WO 2000004490 A2 WO2000004490 A2 WO 2000004490A2 DK 9900396 W DK9900396 W DK 9900396W WO 0004490 A2 WO0004490 A2 WO 0004490A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
ball
rotary
optical detection
input device
computer input
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/DK1999/000396
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2000004490A3 (en
Inventor
Jørgen Korsgaard JENSEN
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Kanitech AS
Original Assignee
Kanitech AS
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Kanitech AS filed Critical Kanitech AS
Priority to EP99932681A priority Critical patent/EP1095355A2/en
Priority to JP2000560539A priority patent/JP2002520745A/en
Priority to AU48977/99A priority patent/AU4897799A/en
Publication of WO2000004490A2 publication Critical patent/WO2000004490A2/en
Publication of WO2000004490A3 publication Critical patent/WO2000004490A3/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
    • G06F3/0304—Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means
    • G06F3/0312—Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
    • G06F3/033—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor
    • G06F3/0354—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor with detection of two-dimensional [2D] relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
    • G06F3/03545—Pens or stylus
    • G06F3/03546—Pens or stylus using a rotatable ball at the tip as position detecting member
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
    • G06F3/041—Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
    • G06F3/042—Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means by opto-electronic means
    • G06F3/0421—Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means by opto-electronic means by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a computer input device comprising an elongated housing having at one end rotary means capable of being moved relative to a substrate, and optical detection means for detecting the movement of the rotary means, said detection means being disposed inside said housing.
  • a computer input device such as a computer mouse, having optical detection means are known in the art, e.g. from WO 94/22071 or US 5,288,993.
  • Computer input devices having elongated housings in the shape of a computer pen are also known from i.e. EP 0 413 606.
  • the idea behind the computer pen is to simulate the use of a normal writing pen.
  • drawbacks of these pen structures are numerous. They are bulky in their design and the minimum allowed diameter of the ball is unacceptably large so that the intended use pattern cannot be achieved.
  • the movement of the ball is detected by optical detection means by detecting the change in surface structure of the ball.
  • the ball is therefore provided with a surface structure insuring good optical detection signals corresponding to the movement of the ball.
  • the ball is therefore preferably made of steel or similar material.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a solution by which there is ensured a satisfying amount of friction between the ball and the substrate whilst a convenient surface structure for optical movement detection is maintained.
  • the present invention discloses a computer input device of the initially mentioned kind, wherein the rotary means comprises at least two rotary members arranged in a stacked configuration and that a first rotary member displays a surface of high friction material for contact with the substrate and the second rotary member displays an optical detection surface for optical detection of the surface movement.
  • the first rotary member can rotate against the substrate and transform this rotation to the second rotary member.
  • the rotation of the second rotary member is then detected by the optical detection means.
  • the first rotary member is made of rubber and that the second rotary member is made of steel with coating for facilitating optical detection of its rotation.
  • the two rotary members are optimised according to their functions in an inexpensive manner in the computer input device according to the invention.
  • the second rotary member could be made of steel, plastic or the like and given a coating of light reflecting material.
  • the optical detection surface of the second rotary member comprises a coating of TiN plasma material for optical detection of the surface structure.
  • TiN plasma coating is optimal in order to the creation of speckles on the surface for optical detection, whereby a rotary member having a very small diameter can be provided.
  • the optical detection surface of the second rotary member displays a pattern of randomly configured spots in contrast colours. This embodiment is an inexpensive solution for rotary member having a large diameter.
  • the computer input device displays a first and second rotary members consisting of a first, outermost ball and a second, innermost ball, respectively.
  • the first and second ball are preferably aligned along the centre axis of the elongated housing, whereby a housing having dimensions similar to a pen or similar writing utensil can be provided.
  • the diameter of the first ball is larger than the diameter of the second ball.
  • At least the first ball is supported by a bearing. Furthermore, the accumulated friction of the bearing and between the balls is lower than the friction between the first ball and the substrate.
  • the bearing is preferably made of a number of steel balls embedded in polymeric material having a low coefficient of friction.
  • fig. 1 is a view of a computer input device designed as a computer pen
  • FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the detection means of the computer pen.
  • a computer input device can be seen.
  • the device is shaped like a pen or similar writing utensil. It comprises an elongated housing 1 with rotary means 2 in one end of this housing 1.
  • said rotary means 2 cooperate with the optical detection means 3 for the detection of the movement of the computer pen in relation to a substrate, such as a table, a writing desk or the like.
  • the housing 1 is provided with click-bottoms 6 ergonomically arranged on the side of the housing for operating the computer input device.
  • the rotary means 2 comprises a first ball 4 and a second ball 5.
  • the first ball is made of rubber or similar material creating a high friction between the ball 4 and the substrate and between the first ball 4 and the second ball 5, so that the rotation of the first ball 4 is transplanted to the second ball 5.
  • the second ball 5 can be prepared with a coating of TiN in order to optimise it for optical detection of the surface movement of the ball 5. Detecting the speckles in the surface structure has proven a reliable and effective manner of detecting the direction and the velocity of the rotation of the ball 5.
  • the ball 5 is preferably made of steel or the like with a coating of a high light reflecting material, such as TiN.
  • the surface could also be prepared for magnetic detection and a suitable coating could be provided for this purpose if necessary.
  • the ball could be provided with a basic colour and randomly distributed spots in a contrast colour.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Position Input By Displaying (AREA)

Abstract

The invention relates to a computer input device comprising an elongated housing having at one end rotary means capable of being moved relative to a substrate, and optical detection means for detecting the movement of the rotary means, said detection means being disposed inside said housing, wherein the rotary means comprises at least two rotary members arranged in a stacked configuration and that a first rotary member displays a surface of high friction material for contact with the substrate and the second rotary member displays an optical detection surface for optical detection of the surface movement. The first rotary member can rotate against the substrate and transform this rotation to the second rotary member. The rotation of the second rotary member is then detected by the optical detection means. Hereby, both the requirements concerning high friction against the substrate of the first rotary member and the optical detection surface of the second member have been solved.

Description

COMPUTER INPUT DEVICE
The present invention relates to a computer input device comprising an elongated housing having at one end rotary means capable of being moved relative to a substrate, and optical detection means for detecting the movement of the rotary means, said detection means being disposed inside said housing.
A computer input device, such as a computer mouse, having optical detection means are known in the art, e.g. from WO 94/22071 or US 5,288,993. Computer input devices having elongated housings in the shape of a computer pen are also known from i.e. EP 0 413 606. The idea behind the computer pen is to simulate the use of a normal writing pen. However the drawbacks of these pen structures are numerous. They are bulky in their design and the minimum allowed diameter of the ball is unacceptably large so that the intended use pattern cannot be achieved.
In relation to present progressive and innovative developments in the computer pen design there is currently being developed a new and improved optical detection method, paving the way for a very small size of the ball. This results in a slim pen housing making it possible to use the computer pen in a use pattern similar to a normal writing utensil.
The movement of the ball is detected by optical detection means by detecting the change in surface structure of the ball. The ball is therefore provided with a surface structure insuring good optical detection signals corresponding to the movement of the ball. The ball is therefore preferably made of steel or similar material.
In order to ensure that the movement of the ball corresponds to the movement of the computer pen a certain amount of friction is needed between the ball and the substrate against which the ball is moved during the use of the computer input device. These two requirements to the surface of the ball are somewhat contradictory, and the object of the present invention is to provide a solution by which there is ensured a satisfying amount of friction between the ball and the substrate whilst a convenient surface structure for optical movement detection is maintained.
The present invention discloses a computer input device of the initially mentioned kind, wherein the rotary means comprises at least two rotary members arranged in a stacked configuration and that a first rotary member displays a surface of high friction material for contact with the substrate and the second rotary member displays an optical detection surface for optical detection of the surface movement.
By the present invention the two above-mentioned contradictory requirements for the rotary means have been overcome. The first rotary member can rotate against the substrate and transform this rotation to the second rotary member. The rotation of the second rotary member is then detected by the optical detection means. Hereby, both the requirements concerning high friction against the substrate of the first rotary member and the optical detection surface of the second member have been solved.
In an embodiment of the invention the first rotary member is made of rubber and that the second rotary member is made of steel with coating for facilitating optical detection of its rotation. Hereby, the two rotary members are optimised according to their functions in an inexpensive manner in the computer input device according to the invention. The second rotary member could be made of steel, plastic or the like and given a coating of light reflecting material.
In the first preferred embodiment the optical detection surface of the second rotary member comprises a coating of TiN plasma material for optical detection of the surface structure. By this TiN plasma coating is optimal in order to the creation of speckles on the surface for optical detection, whereby a rotary member having a very small diameter can be provided. Alternatively, the optical detection surface of the second rotary member displays a pattern of randomly configured spots in contrast colours. This embodiment is an inexpensive solution for rotary member having a large diameter.
In the preferred embodiment the computer input device according to the invention displays a first and second rotary members consisting of a first, outermost ball and a second, innermost ball, respectively. The first and second ball are preferably aligned along the centre axis of the elongated housing, whereby a housing having dimensions similar to a pen or similar writing utensil can be provided.
In a preferred embodiment, the diameter of the first ball is larger than the diameter of the second ball. By providing a second ball of a smaller diameter a low friction of rotation is ensured for the first ball.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, at least the first ball is supported by a bearing. Furthermore, the accumulated friction of the bearing and between the balls is lower than the friction between the first ball and the substrate. The bearing is preferably made of a number of steel balls embedded in polymeric material having a low coefficient of friction. Hereby slip in the assembly of the rotary means can be prevented and the detection can be detected accurately and in correspondence to the relative movement of the computer input device, as the rotation velocity of the surface of the first and the second ball according to this embodiment of the invention will correspond to the velocity of the computer input device relative to the substrate.
The invention is in the following explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
fig. 1 is a view of a computer input device designed as a computer pen, and
fig. 2 is a detailed view of the detection means of the computer pen. In figure 1 a computer input device can be seen. The device is shaped like a pen or similar writing utensil. It comprises an elongated housing 1 with rotary means 2 in one end of this housing 1. As can be view in detail in figure 2, said rotary means 2 cooperate with the optical detection means 3 for the detection of the movement of the computer pen in relation to a substrate, such as a table, a writing desk or the like. The housing 1 is provided with click-bottoms 6 ergonomically arranged on the side of the housing for operating the computer input device.
The rotary means 2 comprises a first ball 4 and a second ball 5. The first ball is made of rubber or similar material creating a high friction between the ball 4 and the substrate and between the first ball 4 and the second ball 5, so that the rotation of the first ball 4 is transplanted to the second ball 5. By ensuring a good frictional contact between the two balls 4, 5 a similar peripheral surface velocity of the two balls are ensured and the two directions of rotation are altered.
The second ball 5 can be prepared with a coating of TiN in order to optimise it for optical detection of the surface movement of the ball 5. Detecting the speckles in the surface structure has proven a reliable and effective manner of detecting the direction and the velocity of the rotation of the ball 5. The ball 5 is preferably made of steel or the like with a coating of a high light reflecting material, such as TiN.
However, other surface structures and corresponding detection means and detection methods can also be used. For example, the surface could also be prepared for magnetic detection and a suitable coating could be provided for this purpose if necessary. Alternatively, the ball could be provided with a basic colour and randomly distributed spots in a contrast colour.
By the invention it is realised that either one or both the balls 4, 5 alternatively could be replaced by a rotary cylinder or a rotating wheel. Furthermore, it is realised that one or more rotation transmitting rotary members can be inserted between the first and second rotary members of the computer input device according to the invention as set forth in the accompanying claims.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS:
1. Computer input device comprising an elongated housing having at one end rotary means capable of being moved relative to a substrate, and optical detection means for detecting the movement of the rotary means, said detection means being disposed inside said housing, characterised in that the rotary means comprises at least two rotary members arranged in a stacked configuration and that a first rotary member displays a surface of high friction material for contact with the substrate and the second rotary member displays an optical detection surface for optical detection of the surface movement.
2. Computer input device according to claim 1, characterised in that the first rotary member is made of rubber and that the second rotary member is provided with a coating for facilitating optical detection of its rotation.
3. Computer input device according to any of the claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the optical detection surface of the second rotary member comprises a coating of TiN plasma material for optical detection of the surface structure.
4. Computer input device according to any of the claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the optical detection surface of the second rotary member displays a pattern of randomly configured spots in contrast colours.
5. Computer input device according to any of the previous claims. characterised in that the first and second rotary members consist of a first, outermost ball and a second, innermost ball, respectively.
6. Computer input device according to claim 5, characterised in that the first and second ball are aligned along the centre axis of the elongated housing.
7. Computer input device according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the diameter of the first ball is larger than the diameter of the second ball.
8. Computer input device according to any of the claims 5 to 7, characterised in that at least the first ball is supported by a bearing, and that the accumulated friction of the bushing and between the balls is lower than the friction between the first ball and the substrate.
PCT/DK1999/000396 1998-07-13 1999-07-12 Computer input device Ceased WO2000004490A2 (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP99932681A EP1095355A2 (en) 1998-07-13 1999-07-12 Computer input device
JP2000560539A JP2002520745A (en) 1998-07-13 1999-07-12 Computer input device
AU48977/99A AU4897799A (en) 1998-07-13 1999-07-12 Computer input device

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DKPA199800930 1998-07-13
DKPA199800930 1998-07-13

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2000004490A2 true WO2000004490A2 (en) 2000-01-27
WO2000004490A3 WO2000004490A3 (en) 2000-04-20

Family

ID=8099135

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/DK1999/000396 Ceased WO2000004490A2 (en) 1998-07-13 1999-07-12 Computer input device

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1095355A2 (en)
JP (1) JP2002520745A (en)
AU (1) AU4897799A (en)
WO (1) WO2000004490A2 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2003036560A3 (en) * 2001-10-24 2003-12-18 The Technology Partnership Plc Sensing apparatus comprising a rolling component

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5291213A (en) * 1992-12-23 1994-03-01 Krauss Kenneth W Pen-type computer input device with multiple spheres
KR940022342A (en) * 1993-03-19 1994-10-20 탁승호 Compact mouse structure
JPH06342338A (en) * 1993-05-31 1994-12-13 Sony Corp Position detector
JPH0962439A (en) * 1995-08-25 1997-03-07 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Input device

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2003036560A3 (en) * 2001-10-24 2003-12-18 The Technology Partnership Plc Sensing apparatus comprising a rolling component

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP2002520745A (en) 2002-07-09
EP1095355A2 (en) 2001-05-02
WO2000004490A3 (en) 2000-04-20
AU4897799A (en) 2000-02-07

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