The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 26, 1996
Filed:
Jul. 25, 1995
John Busch, Austin, TX (US);
Dell USA, L.P., Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a pointing device for a computer system having a chassis. The pointing device comprises a sensor carrier slidably coupled to the chassis to allow substantially linear reciprocating movement with respect to the chassis. A first sensor, which may be a potentiometer, is coupled to the sensor carrier and is adapted to generate a first signal as a function of an angular displacement of a rotatable shaft associated with the first sensor. The pointing device further comprises a second sensor coupled to the chassis that is adapted to generate a second signal as a function of the linear reciprocating movement of the sensor carrier. The first and second signals cooperate to provide input data representing a unique point on a computer screen of the computer system. The second sensor may also be a potentiometer, an optical encoder or alternatively includes first and second electrical terminals coupled to the sensor carrier and the chassis, respectively. A resistive strip that couples the first and second electrical terminals is also provided. The resistive strip provides a resistance path between the first and second electrical terminals that generates the second signal a function of the linear reciprocating movement between the first and second electrical terminals.