U.S. patent number 7,177,604 [Application Number 10/335,253] was granted by the patent office on 2007-02-13 for pointing device for handheld devices and method for implementing same.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Nokia Corporation. Invention is credited to Jeff Philip Crampton, John Patrick Wong.
United States Patent |
7,177,604 |
Wong , et al. |
February 13, 2007 |
Pointing device for handheld devices and method for implementing
same
Abstract
A handheld device having processor components operatively
connected together for performing predetermined functions. The
device defines a socket configured for rotatably receiving a ball
defining an orifice configured for receiving a stylus. The socket
is further configured for generating to the processor components
electrical signals indicative of movement of the ball in response
to movement of the stylus. The processor components include
pointing device logic for responding to said signals.
Inventors: |
Wong; John Patrick (Vancouver,
CA), Crampton; Jeff Philip (Vancouver,
CA) |
Assignee: |
Nokia Corporation (Espoo,
FI)
|
Family
ID: |
32655301 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/335,253 |
Filed: |
December 31, 2002 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20040127268 A1 |
Jul 1, 2004 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
455/90.3;
455/90.2; 455/575.1; 455/556.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M
1/0202 (20130101); G06F 3/0338 (20130101); G06F
1/1626 (20130101); H04M 1/233 (20130101); H04M
1/724 (20210101); G06F 1/169 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04B
1/38 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;455/575.1,575.6,90.1,96.3,550.1,566,556.2,90.3,559,90.2,556.1
;345/156,169,157,161,179 ;361/683,686 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Urban; Edward F.
Assistant Examiner: Lee; John J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Alston & Bird LLP
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A handheld device comprising: a main body having processor
components operatively connected together for performing
predetermined functions; a stylus; a ball defining an orifice
configured for receiving said stylus; and a socket defined by said
main body for rotatably receiving said ball, socket being
configured for generating to said main body electrical signals
indicative of movement of said ball in response to movement of said
stylus, said processor components including pointing device logic
for responding to said signals.
2. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein said handheld device is
a selected one of a cellular mobile telephone, a communicator, a
multimedia phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a gaming
device.
3. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein said orifice extends
fully through said ball.
4. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein said orifice extends
only partially through said ball.
5. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein said stylus comprises
detents configured for engaging said ball and securing said stylus
in said ball.
6. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein said stylus comprises a
tip portion and at least one extension portion secured
together.
7. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein said pointing device
logic is adapted for emulating one of a relative pointing device
and an absolute pointing device.
8. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein said predetermined
functions include at least one of telecommunications functions,
gaming functions, and entertainment functions.
9. The handheld device of claim 1, wherein said ball is configured
to additionally or alternatively be used as a trackball.
10. A handheld device comprising: a main body having processor
components operatively connected together for performing
predetermined functions; a stylus; a socket defining an orifice
configured for receiving said stylus; and an elastomeric skirt
movably securing said socket within a cavity of said main body,
said skirt being configured for generating to said main body
electrical signals indicative of movement of said socket in
response to tilting movement of said stylus, said processor
components including pointing device logic for responding to said
signals.
11. The handheld device of claim 10, wherein said handheld device
is a selected one of a cellular mobile telephone, a communicator, a
multimedia phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a gaming
device.
12. The handheld device of claim 10, wherein said orifice extends
fully through said socket.
13. The handheld device of claim 10, wherein said orifice extends
only partially through said socket.
14. The handheld device of claim 10, wherein said stylus comprises
detents configured for engaging said socket and securing said
stylus in said socket.
15. The handheld device of claim 10, wherein said stylus comprises
a tip portion and at least one extension portion secured
together.
16. The handheld device of claim 10, wherein said pointing device
logic is adapted for emulating one of a relative pointing device
and an absolute pointing device.
17. The handheld device of claim 10, wherein said predetermined
functions include at least one of telecommunications functions,
gaming functions, and entertainment functions.
18. A method for integrating a pointing device into a handheld
device, the method comprising the steps of: rotatably mounting a
ball within a socket defined by said handheld device, said ball
defining an orifice for receiving a stylus, said socket being
configured for generating to a processor of said handheld device
electrical signals indicative of movement of said ball in response
to movement of said stylus; and imparting pointing device logic to
said processor for responding to said signals.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein said handheld device is a
selected one of a cellular mobile telephone, a communicator, a
multimedia phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a gaming
device.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein said orifice extends fully
through said ball.
21. The method of claim 18, wherein said stylus comprises detents
configured for engaging said ball and securing said stylus in said
ball.
22. The method of claim 18, wherein said ball is configured to
additionally or alternatively be used as a trackball.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates generally to user interfaces and, more
particularly, to pointing devices configured for facilitating
movement of objects on a display and/or interacting with electronic
games.
BACKGROUND
Users of handheld devices, such as cellular mobile telephones,
communicators, multimedia phones, personal digital assistants
(PDAs), handheld gaming devices, and the like, and combinations
thereof, collectively referred to herein as "handheld devices,"
desire that such devices provide telecommunication services, as
well as gaming, entertainment, and other features that require
sophisticated graphical user interfaces (GUI's). A need has
therefore arisen to develop and provide sophisticated user
interfaces (UI's) that provide enhanced gaming and entertainment
capabilities, which are also intuitive to use.
One common UI used in gaming and other applications is a rocker.
Rockers tend to be very compact and are therefore adaptable for use
with handheld devices, such as cell phones. A rocker may be
depressed at any one of a number of points, such as four, five,
eight, or nine points, located on the rocker. For example, a rocker
with four such points, may be depressed at a selected point to
indicate orthogonal directions such as up, down, left, or right.
However, many applications, such as games, require much more
agility in motion and pointing capability than is permitted with
even as many as nine different points that may be indicated by a
rocker.
An improvement in the agility and pointing capability of a rocker
is found in a pointing device, such as a "joystick," which may be
moved in any of a virtually infinite number of different spatial
directions to control the movement of an object, such as a cursor,
on a screen, such as a GUI. For this reason, joysticks are often a
UI of choice for many gamers. However, due to the nature of
joysticks, namely, that they inherently consume a substantial
amount of space, they have not been considered practical for use
with handheld devices, such as cell phones.
Accordingly, a continuing search has been directed to the
development of apparatuses and methods by which a user may obtain
the advantages of compactness provided by rockers, as well as the
advantages of greater agility and pointing capabilities provided by
pointing devices, such as joysticks.
SUMMARY
The present invention, accordingly, provides for a handheld device
having processor components operatively connected together for
performing predetermined functions. The device defines a socket
configured for rotatably receiving a ball defining an orifice
configured for receiving a stylus. The socket is further configured
for generating to the processor components electrical signals
indicative of movement of the ball in response to movement of the
stylus. The processor components include pointing device logic for
responding to said signals.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the
advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following
descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,
in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cell phone embodying features of the
present invention;
FIG. 2 is an elevation view of a stylus of used in conjunction with
the cell phone of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 3 and 4 are alternate embodiments of the stylus of FIG.
2;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the cell phone of FIG. 1 taken
along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views of the cell phone of FIG. 1
and alternate embodiments of the stylus, taken along the line 2--2
of FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the cell phone of FIG. 1 and
alternate embodiments of a ball and socket, taken along the line
2--2 of FIG. 1; and
FIGS. 9 and 10 are cross-sectional views of the cell phone of FIG.
1 and alternate embodiments of a socket, taken along the line 2--2
of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the following discussion, numerous specific details are set
forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention.
However, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the
present invention may be practiced without such specific details.
In other instances, well-known elements have been illustrated in
schematic or block diagram form in order not to obscure the present
invention in unnecessary detail. Additionally, for the most part,
details concerning handheld devices (e.g., cell phones), printed
wire boards, circuitry for implementing logic required for pointing
devices (e.g., joysticks), and the like have been omitted inasmuch
as such details are not considered necessary to obtain a complete
understanding of the present invention, and are considered to be
within the skills of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant
art.
Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the reference numeral 100
generally designates a handheld device, such as a cellular mobile
telephone, a communicator, a multimedia phone, a personal digital
assistant (PDA), a gaming device, or the like, or a combination
thereof, embodying features of the present invention. The handheld
device 100 is exemplified in FIG. 1 as a cell phone, and includes a
main body 102 having a number of conventional features, such as a
key pad 104, a graphical user interface (GUI) or display 106, logic
(not shown, for performing functions required, for example, by
telecommunication and games), and the like. Handheld devices and
the various aforementioned features are, for the most part,
considered to be well-known in the art and will, therefore, not be
discussed in further detail herein.
In addition to the foregoing, the handheld device 100 includes a
ball 108 rotatably mounted within a socket 109 defined within the
body 102. As described in further detail below, the ball 108
defines an orifice configured for receiving an end, preferably
pointed, of a stylus 110. The ball 108 and socket 109 are
preferably integrated with the body 102 using substantially
conventional technology such as is associated with conventional joy
sticks. It is understood that such conventional technology includes
means (e.g., a spring return feature, not shown) for urging the
ball 108 to a neutral position in which a stylus 110 received
therein would be oriented substantially perpendicular to the face
of the cell phone 100 when not being moved otherwise by a user. It
is still further understood that such conventional technology also
includes well-known means for detecting rotation of the ball 108
within the socket 109, and for generating to a processor (not
shown) a signal indicative of such rotation. The processor includes
conventional logic for controlling the movement of an object (e.g.,
cursor) on the display 106 based on the received signal indicative
of rotation of the ball 108. The logic preferably emulates the
logic of a relative pointing device, moving an object on the
display 106 when the stylus 110 is moved, and stopping the movement
when the stylus 110 is released. Alternatively, the logic may
emulate the logic of an absolute pointing device, with each
position of the stylus 110 mapped to a specific location on the
display 106.
FIG. 2 exemplifies a single piece stylus 110 with a tip 110a
configured for insertion into the ball 108. In alternate
embodiments, the tip 110a may assume any of a number of shapes
effective for insertion into the ball 108, such as a blunt end or a
stepped cylindrical end.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show alternate embodiments of the stylus 110. In FIG.
3, a stylus 300 is similar to the stylus 110, but is separable into
a tip portion 302 with a tip end 302a, and an extension portion 304
to permit compact storage of the stylus 300 and/or use of the tip
portion alone if desired. The tip portion 302 includes a threaded
bore 306, and the extension portion 304 includes a threaded portion
308 configured for matingly engaging the threaded bore 306 to
thereby form a stylus similar to the stylus 110. The tip portion
302 may be used in conjunction with the ball 108 without the
extension portion 304. Alternatively, the bore 306 and portion 308
may be configured mating engagement without threads. In FIG. 4, a
stylus 400 is similar to the stylus 110, but comprises a tip
portion 402 with a tip end 402a, and an extension portion 404
connected together via a hinge 406 and clasp 408 to permit compact
storage of the stylus 400 and/or, if desired, use of the tip
portion without extending the extension portion.
FIG. 5 depicts a cross-sectional view of the ball 108 and socket
109. As shown therein, the ball 108 defines an orifice 502
configured for receiving the tip 110a of the stylus 110. The
orifice 502 extends through the ball 108 to permit maximum
insertion of the tip end 110a into the orifice, to thereby obtain
the maximum leverage possible by a user when using the stylus
110.
FIG. 6 depicts an alternate embodiment of a ball 108 and socket 109
similar to that depicted in FIG. 5, but with a stylus 110 having a
detent 602 on the end of the tip 110a. The detent 602 is configured
so that when the tip 110a is extended beyond the orifice, it snaps
out to assure a user that the stylus 110 is secured in place.
FIG. 7 depicts an alternate embodiment of a ball 108 and socket 109
similar to that depicted in FIG. 6, but with a stylus 110 having a
detent 602 positioned on the end of the tip 110a to matingly engage
the interior of the orifice 502, to thereby assure a user that the
stylus 110 is secured in place.
FIG. 8 depicts an alternate embodiment of a ball 108 and socket 109
similar to that depicted in FIG. 5, but with the socket 109
extending across the bottom side (as viewed in FIG. 8) of the ball
108, and the orifice 804 extending only partially through the ball
108, to thereby preclude the need for an opening on both sides of
the cell phone 100.
FIG. 9 depicts an alternate embodiment of a socket 909 positioned
within a cavity 908 of the cell phone 100, and which socket is
operative without a ball. The socket 909 includes an orifice 902
which extends through the socket 909 for receiving the tip end 110a
of the stylus 110. The socket 909 is movably secured to the cell
phone 100 via an elastomeric skirt 906 which permits movement of
the socket 909 within the cavity 908. The skirt 906 is preferably
fabricated from a suitable elastomeric material, such as, by way of
example and not limitation, silicon, santaprene, rubber, plastic
foam, flexible plastic, and the like, effective for resiliently
restoring the socket 909 substantially to an neutral position
subsequent to the socket 909 being moved by a user via a
stylus.
FIG. 10 depicts an alternate embodiment of a socket 1009 similar to
the socket depicted in FIG. 9. Unlike the socket 909, though, the
socket 1009 defines an orifice 1002 which does not extend through
the socket 1009, to thereby preclude the need for an opening on
both sides of the cell phone 100
In operation, a user (not shown) places a tip end 110a, 302a, or
402a of a respective stylus 110, 300 or 400, into an orifice 502,
804, 902, or 1002. If a stylus is used having a detent 602 or 702,
then a user will also receive tactile feedback indicating that the
stylus is secured in position and ready for use. Upon movement of
the stylus by the user, the motion is detected and a signal
generated in a conventional manner indicating to a processor (not
shown) housed by the cell phone 100 what motion the user is
imparting to the stylus. The processor then causes an object on the
display 106 to move according to the motion imparted to the stylus.
As discussed above, the motion preferably emulates a relative
pointing device, but alternatively may emulate an absolute point
device.
By the use of the present invention, a user may obtain the
advantages of compactness provided by rockers, as well as the
advantages of greater agility and pointing capabilities provided by
pointing devices, such as joysticks. The present invention also
renders moot the need for function keys or a rocker for gaming or
navigating.
It is understood that the present invention may take many forms and
embodiments. Accordingly, several variations may be made in the
foregoing without departing from the spirit or the scope of the
invention. For example, the ball 108 and socket 109 may be
configured for additional or alternative use as a trackball, a
gaming rocker, or a combination thereof, in addition to use as a
pointing device. In another variation, control buttons may be
positioned adjacent the ball and/or socket to more strongly emulate
a conventional joystick. Still further, the stylus may comprise any
pointed instrument, such as a conventional pen or pencil, and the
orifice 502, 804, 902, or 1002 may be sized accordingly for
receiving same.
Having thus described the present invention by reference to certain
of its preferred embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments
disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that
a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, and
substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in
some instances, some features of the present invention may be
employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Many
such variations and modifications may be considered obvious and
desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the
foregoing description of preferred embodiments. Accordingly, it is
appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a
manner consistent with the scope of the invention.
* * * * *