WO2012050537A1

WO2012050537A1 - Pencil input peripheral computer controller

Info

Publication number: WO2012050537A1
Application number: PCT/SK2011/050015
Authority: WO
Inventors: Štefan VALÍČEK
Original assignee: Valicek Stefan
Priority date: 2010-10-15
Filing date: 2011-10-12
Publication date: 2012-04-19
Also published as: SK5946Y1; SK500772010U1

Abstract

The invention relates to mechanical construction of the longitudinal pencil body (1 ) for fast control of standard computer consisting of the fixed position sensor (3), the vertical cursor shift button (4) with the primary micro switch button fitted under it and the secondary micro switch button (5) which are mutually interconnected with the computer on electric basis. The position sensor (3) is fitted in the longitudinal pencil body (1 ). The tip (2) is placed under it and the vertical cursor shift button (4) is fitted above the tip on the other side of the longitudinal pencil body and the secondary micro switch button (5) is placed above the cursor shift button. The position sensor (3) at the axes angle α = 45 angle degrees and the tip (2) inclined at the angle β in the range 0 to 80 angle degrees are fitted in the longitudinal pencil body (1 ). It is helpful, if the tip (2) forms the primary micro switch button in the longitudinal pencil body (1 ) and the secondary micro switch button (5) is fitted above, under or next to the vertical cursor shift button (4). It is also helpful, if at least one additional button and/or turn- off switch and/or change-over switch is located above, under or next to the vertical cursor shift button (4) or the secondary micro switch button (5) in the longitudinal pencil body (1 ).

Description

PENCIL INPUT PERIPHERAL COMPUTER CONTROLLER

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to mechanical construction of pencil input peripheral device for fast and comfortable computer control.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The peripheral device, so called position indicator „X - Y", informally called the „Mouse" in general, is currently the most widespread peripheral device for easy and fast computer control. The computer programs are controlled faster using such mouse than using the keyboard. The user holds the mouse in his/her hand and moves it on a pad. Its movement is transferred by special sensors to the cursor movement on the monitor. The development of the mouse shape and number of its buttons was very rapid - the mouse with three buttons was introduced even 5 years after the first public introduction of this technical solution. The mouse has usually a position sensor placed on the bottom side of the body and two buttons on the upper side, namely a primary button (usually the left one) and a secondary button (usually the right one). The primary button is used most often. The majority of mouses are equipped with a rotary wheel between the buttons allowing easier scroll of the document content and of the web pages. It is even possible to press the rotary wheel on some mouses, it means that it works as a third button. More complicated mouses may have even more other buttons which can be used for some other functions. The position sensor, rotary wheel, primary, secondary and other mouse buttons are mutually interconnected according to the well-known electric diagram so that the mouse used to be connected to the computers by various special connectors at the very beginning, later the connectors PS/2, or USB, or COM were established. Currently, the wireless mouses based on radio, infrared or Bluetooth technology of wireless transfer are used still more and more often. In the case of a wireless mouse the source of electric current is placed in it, for example at least one pencil battery. The body of such device is of longitudinal shape, resolved economically to be handheld by the user from the upper side so that the user can move it by hand along with the computer keyboard on a clean and even surface, e.g. on a mouse pad. The mouse movement is transferred to the cursor movement on computer monitor using special sensors. Classic mechanical / optical mouse allowing the input of two-dimensional information using the position sensor in form of a ball placed in the bottom mouse part in a rotating manner with resolution of cca. 200 - 2400 dpi is well-known. Furthermore, optical mouse with the position sensor (ball) replaced by light transmitter and receiver, e.g. infrared (based on LEDdiodes), etc. is well-known too. Ultrasound and radio mouse is well-known too, operating on a similar principle as the optical one and the optical position sensor is replaced by ultrasound or radio sensor allowing three-dimensional data input into the computer, the third coordinate is here defined by the distance of the mouse position sensor (its lift from the pad) and it has resolution of cca. 6000 dpi. The advantage of the mouse and the mouse-oriented programs is that the majority of the most often used functions are offered on the monitor in form of a graphical symbol. If you wish to activate the marked function you have to press the button - usually the left one (the term„click" is used). Drawing in graphics programs is more difficult using the mouse. The mouse activity has to be supported by appropriate software delivered directly by the producer along with the device.

It is impossible to use the graphics programs for drawing, especially those for kids, applying the above-mentioned technical devices in a technically simple manner in full scope. They do not bring such joy to the users as could be brought by maintaining the possibility of using all their current functions.

The peripheral device connected to graphic display, called„Optical pen", in general, is well-known too. Such device allows interactive interference into the computer display image. The pen is of a pencil-like shape and is connected to the computer by a cable. Furthermore, it is usually equipped with so called acknowledge button. A photosensitive element (e.g. a phototransistor) is placed inside the pen. After putting the pen to a particular point on the display and acknowledging by the acknowledge button the pen^'s position is scanned. This fact is quite simple from the technical point of view, as the activating impulse occurs at the moment of electronic beam^'s transit through the area of the pen^'s position. At the moment when an activating impulse is identified the computer re-calculates the point position at the moment of activation based on the synchronization and the point coordinates on the computer display are definitely calculated and fixed.

The disadvantage of such device is that it does not allow to use the graphics programs for drawing outside the computer graphic display monitor and it does not allow to perform some other functions and possibilities as the common position indicator„X - Y", i.e. the„Mouse" does.

The pencil input peripheral controller according to utility model SK 5302 is well-known too. It has the position sensor fitted on the longitudinal pencil body along with the rotary wheel of the micro switch placed above it and the secondary micro switch button attached next to it. There is a position sensor placed at the end of the longitudinal pencil body. The micro switch primary button is placed next to the micro switch rotary wheel and the secondary micro switch button in the longitudinal pencil body. As an alternative, the head with the sensor may be fitted on a fixed or swinging basis in the longitudinal pencil body. The position sensor may be fitted in the longitudinal pencil body or head on a sliding basis and its upper position forms the micro switch primary button. The position sensor may be fixed at the end of the longitudinal pencil body and the micro switch primary button is fitted under or above the micro switch rotary wheel in the longitudinal pencil body. The micro switch rotary wheel is connected to the micro switch middle button on an axially sliding basis and there is a protrusion located above the micro switch rotary wheel or the middle button in the longitudinal pencil body that form at least one additional micro switch button. This solution is technically difficult and requires longer time from a user to adapt to.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above mentioned disadvantages are substantially eliminated by the pencil input peripheral controller according to the invention consisting of the longitudinal pencil body with position sensor fitted on a fixed basis and with a the vertical cursor shift button with the primary button fitted under it and with the secondary micro switch button being mutually interconnected with the computer on electric basis. The invention essence is that the position sensor is placed in the longitudinal pencil body, the tip placed under it and the secondary micro switch button are fitted above the tip on the other side of the longitudinal pencil body. It is helpful if there is a position sensor forming the primary micro switch button at the axes angle a in the range 10 to 80 angle degrees and the tip at the angle β in the range 0 to 80 angle degrees.

Furthermore, it is helpful if there is a secondary micro switch button fitted above, under or next to the the vertical cursor shift button in the longitudinal pencil body.

It is also helpful if there is at least one additional button and/or turn-off switch and/or changeover switch located above, under or beside the the vertical cursor shift button or the secondary micro switch in the longitudinal pencil body.

The device according to the invention represents is a technical improvement which makes the usage faster, less expensive and technically less demanding for its users. The technical solution allows of simple graphics programs for drawing in computer outside its graphic display monitor and performance of all other functions and possibilities as the common position indicator„X-Y", i.e. the„Mouse" does and thus it expands the range of peripheral devices for fast and easy computer control.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A particular example of invention implementation is diagrammatically represented on the attached drawings, where: fig. 1 illustrates an implementation example of the pencil input peripheral computer device with the computer inlet cable, functional specimen of which is on the mousepad with the view on the the vertical cursor shift button and the secondary micro switch button fitted in the longitudinal pencil body. fig. 2 illustrates an implementation example of the pencil input peripheral computer device set on the mousepad on the fig. 1 with the view on the position sensor and the primary micro switch button placed in the longitudinal pencil body. fig. 3 illustrates an implementation example of the pencil input peripheral computer device set positioned on the mousepad on the fig. 1 and 2 with the view of some of its components equipment (without the primary button) before their inserting in the longitudinal pencil body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The particular example of the pencil input peripheral computer controller according to the invention displayed in fig. 1 to 3 consists of the longitudinal pencil body 1_, fitted with the position sensor 3, with the tip on a slidable basis 2 under it, forming the primary micro switch button. The tip is placed under it and the vertical cursor shift button 4 is fitted above the tip on the other side of the longitudinal pencil body and the secondary micro switch button 5 is placed above the cursor shift button. The position sensor 3 is fitted at the axes angle a = 45 angle degrees in the longitudinal pencil body1 and the tip 2 forming the primary micro switch button is fitted at the axes angle β = 45 angle degrees in the longitudinal pencil body. The tip 2, the position sensor 3 the vertical cursor shift button 4, the secondary micro switch button 5 and the alternative additional control buttons, which are not depicted here etc. are mutually interconnected according to the generally known electric diagram for the computer controlling mouse so that it can be connected to the computer in a standard manner, i.e. for example by an inlet cable 6 using various special connectors or PS/2, or USB, or COM connectors, or applying radio, infrared or Bluetooth technology of wireless transfer, etc. There has to be an electric current source (not displayed) placed in the wireless controller (not displayed) in its longitudinal pencil body, similar as in wireless mouse, i.e. for example at least one micro or mini battery in various standard versions or a pencil battery. This option replaces the inlet cable (on the picture) and eliminates its use while giving the user impression of using pencil or pen. The position sensor 3 in the controller may consist of a displayed light transmitter and receiver, e.g. infrared (on LED-diode basis), common light source with fotosensitive element for example foto sensor (electrochip), etc., or not displayed ultrasound or radio transmitter and receiver commonly used in the mouse for computer control at present.

The user holds the longitudinal pencil body 1 in his/her hand under appropriate inclination grasping the longitudinal pencil body1 as if writing with thicker common pencil so that the tip of the primary button can move in various directions on a clean and even surface, e.g. on a table, paper or common mouse pad, etc. As an alternative the tip may be equipped with fixed or removable or inclinable pencil or ballpoint pen refill etc., which allows ordinary writing for, e.g. on the paper. The position sensor 3 moves above the writing pad along with the tip 2 and its movement is automatically transferred to the cursor on the computer monitor. As an alternative a three-dimensional computer date input, i.e. the third coordinate can be set by putting the position sensor in the appopriate distance from the surface of the pad (lifting the device into appopriate height). At the same time, the user controls the computer by fingers, in a standard manner as in case of a mouse by pressing the appropriate micro switch buttons, i.e. the tip 2 as the primary micro switch button, the secondary micro swich button 5, the vertical cursor shift button 4 and possibly the additional button (not displayed) for various tasks such as speed computer control and/or change-over swich, (e.g. of various sensitivity of the position sensor etc.) and/or turn-off switch of the device, e.g. on a button, shifting or revolving basis well-known from several other technical implementations.

The described implementations are not the only possible solutions according to the utility model. The pencil input peripheral device according to the invention and technical elements may differ from depicted functional specimen. Universal components used with the electric circuit located on a printed circuit board on fig. 3 can be replaced by a small special photo chip. Furthermore, the position sensor 3 with any inclination of the axes in the range 10 to 80 angle degrees is fitted in the longitudinal pencil body _. The tip 2 can be fitted at any angle β in the range 0 to 80 angle degrees in the longitudinal pencil body 1_. The tip may be made on fixed, sliding or removable basis. The end of it may be rounded, with a ball ending, with a ball or a pencil point attached to it, ballpoint pen refill etc. The tip 2 on a slidable basis may be equipped with various common extensions, which are not displayed, with non-axial mechanical converter related to the primary micro switch button. On the tip 2 on a fixed basis the primary button may be placed as the additional button, e.g. next to the vertical cursor shift button 4 or the secondary micro switch button 5. One or more additional buttons (not displayed) may be thus positioned above, under or beside the vertical cursor shift button 4 or the secondary micro switch button 5 in the longitudinal pencil body _.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The pencil input peripheral device according to the invention can be used for all commonly produced computers.

Claims

- 1 - C L A I M S

1 . The pencil input peripheral computer controller consisting of the longitudinal pencil body with the position sensor on a fixed basis and the vertical cursor shift button, primary micro switch button and the secondary micro switch button fitted under it, being mutually interconnected with the computer on electric basis, being distinguished by the position sensor (3) fitted in the longitudinal pencil body (1 ) and the tip (2) fixed under it. The vertical cursor shift button (4) and the secondary micro switch button (5) are fitted above the tip on the other side of the longitudinal pencil body (1 ).

2. The pencil input peripheral computer controller pursuant to the claim 1 being distinguished by the position sensor (3) with inclination of mutual axes a in the range 10 to 80 angle degrees and the tip (2) inclined at the angle β in the range 0 to 80 angle degrees fitted in the longitudinal pencil body (1 ).

3. The pencil input peripheral computer controller pursuant to the claim 1 being distinguished by its tip (2) forming the primary micro switch button.

4. The pencil input peripheral computer controller pursuant to the claims 1 to 3 being distinguished by the secondary micro switch button (5) fitted above or under the vertical cursor shift button (4) in the longitudinal pencil body (1 ).

5. The pencil input peripheral computer controller pursuant to the claims 1 to 3 being distinguished by the secondary micro switch button (5) fitted next to the the vertical cursor shift button (4) in the longitudinal pencil body (1 ).

6. The pencil input peripheral computer controller pursuant to the claims 1 to 5 being distinguished by at least one additional button and/or turn-off switch and/or change-over switch fitted above, under or next to vertical cursor shift button (4) or next to the secondary micro switch button (5) in the longitudinal pencil body (1 ).