Incontrol Solutions, Inc.

Daniel R Brown

Patrick J Franz

Philip D Biehl

Pointing stick assembly for use in a computer keyboard for cursor control is disclosed. The assembly includes a pointing button coupled through a plurality of rigid actuator legs to force sensors. For pointing operations, the pointing button is pressed in a desired direction by a user for moving a cursor in a corresponding direction on a display screen. Apertures are provided extending through one or more keycaps on the keyboard for mounting the pointing assembly. Each actuator leg is positioned in one of the apertures so that no additional keyboard space is required for the pointing device, thereby obviating a separate mouse, keyboard mounted trackball or the like.

Pointing stick with tripod actuator for cursor control in a computer

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for normalizing electronic sensor data to correct for variations in individual sensor transfer characteristics which are not known in advance. A general characteristic transfer function for a sensor type of interest is determined empirically. A baseline response reading is acquired from an individual sensor, and that baseline response applied to the general transfer function to determine a specific transfer function for the individual sensor. The specific transfer function is used to calculate normalized data. One application of the invention is in computer cursor control pointing devices such as a joystick. Because the invention compensates for wide variations in sensor characteristics, inexpensive sensors such as force-sensitive resistors may be used in a joystick without sacrificing pointing accuracy and ergonomic efficiency.

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Beaver Creek, OR, United States of America

Daniel R Brown