Control device

Abstract

A substantially flat control device which a user pushes with two or more fingertips to generate an input, the input being associated with the direction and strength of the combined force applied to the device. The device may be a platform which fingertips rest on and push against, or a platform with a shallow edge which the fingertips grip and push. The device may be positioned on the wrist rest area in front of the keyboard of a laptop computer.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A low-profile control device for a computer, the control device comprising: 
 a) a fixed mounting;    b) a control member connected to said fixed mounting by a connecting means and acted upon by two or more spaced-apart fingertips of a user,    c) means for restricting travel of the control member in a predetermined plane, and    d) output means coupled to said control member for generating a vector output signal in response to a force applied by the user in said predetermined plane.    
     
     
         2 . A control device according to  claim 1  having a wrist-rest surface disposed substantially parallel to said plane.  
     
     
         3 . A control device according to  claim 2  wherein said control member has an upper surface substantially flush with said wrist-rest surface.  
     
     
         4 . A control device according to  claim 2  wherein said control member has an upper surface recessed with respect to said wrist-rest surface.  
     
     
         5 . A control device according to  claim 1  wherein said control member is substantially oval in plan view.  
     
     
         6 . A control device according to  claim 1  wherein said control member has a dimension parallel to said plane of at least 10 mm.  
     
     
         7 . A control device according to  claim 6  wherein said dimension is at least 20 mm.  
     
     
         8 . A control device according to  claim 1  comprising means for restricting travel of said control member in said plane to 50 mm or less.  
     
     
         9 . A control device according to  claim 1  comprising means for substantially preventing movement of said control member in said plane.  
     
     
         10 . A control device according to  claim 1  wherein said connecting means comprises a pivot mounting for enabling rotation of said control member in said plane by said user.  
     
     
         11 . A control device according to  claim 1  wherein said control member has a fingertip-engaging control surface substantially parallel to said plane.  
     
     
         12 . A control device according to  claim 1  wherein said control member has a fingertip-engaging control surface transverse to said plane.  
     
     
         13 . A control device according to  claim 1  which includes two transducers for sensing orthogonal components of said force in said plane and generating vector output signal components.  
     
     
         14 . A control device according to  claim 1  which has at least one user-operable switch means carried in a peripheral region of said control member to generate a switching signal distinct from said vector output signal.  
     
     
         15 . A keyboard incorporating a control device according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         16 . A computer incorporating a control device according to  claim 1 , the computer having a display and cursor control circuitry for displaying a cursor means on said display, said output means of said control device being coupled to said cursor control circuitry for controlling the movement of said cursor means.  
     
     
         17 . A computer according to  claim 16  which is a laptop computer having a keyboard and a wrist-wrest area disposed adjacent to said keyboard and wherein said control device is located in said wrist-rest area.  
     
     
         18 . A laptop computer having a wrist-rest surface and a pointing device located in said wrist-rest surface, said pointing device comprising: 
 a) a fixed mounting disposed beneath said wrist-rest surface;    b) a control member located on said fixed mounting for responding to transverse forces generally parallel to said wrist-rest surface applied by two or more spaced-apart fingertips of a user, and    c) output means coupled to said control member for generating a vector output signal in response to said transverse forces.    
     
     
         19 . A laptop computer according to  claim 18  wherein a recess is formed in said wrist-rest surface and said control member is disposed in said recess.  
     
     
         20 . A laptop computer according to  claim 18  wherein said control member has an upper surface which is substantially flush with said wrist-rest surface.