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:
Jul. 04, 2000
Filed:
May. 09, 1997
Stuart I Yaniger, Ventura, CA (US);
Stewart M Findlater, Ventura, CA (US);
Interlink Electronics, Inc., Camarillo, CA (US);
Abstract
A computer input device that has the click function incorporated into a pointing device, rather than as a separate switch. The pointing device implements the operations of pointing, clicking and dragging based solely upon an evaluation of the pressure applied thereto. An array of sensors is monitored. The cursor direction is determined by the difference or ratio of applied force between the arrayed sensors. Cursor velocity is determined by the magnitude of the applied force. When a click is desired, the pointing device is pressed downward. The transient nature of the top or its nearly vertical force nature causes the output of the pointing device to readly distinguish between pointing and clicking operations.