Multi-state one-button computer pointing device

Abstract

A multi-state, one-button computer mouse includes a housing movable over a reference surface, a tracking mechanism coupled to the housing to provide positional coordinates relative to the reference surface, a single button, and a switch mechanism coupled to the button. The single button is movable between a base position, a first button position, and a second button position by a force exerted on the button. The button is biased to the base position in absence of the force. The switch mechanism is coupled to the button such that it activates a first switch at the first button position and a second switch at the second button position. A computer system with the pointing device includes a processing unit, a visual display, a pointing device as described above, and a computer implemented process for indicating on the visual display when the button of the pointing device is in a locked button mode. A computer-implemented process for processing pointer data includes intercepting pointer data entered into the processing unit of the computer system, determining whether the pointer data includes locked button data, entering a locked button state if it is included, processing the pointer data in a pointer data handler, and changing a cursor image to be displayed on the visual display to indicate that the button is in the locked button state.