End-of-travel detection sensor and method of calibrating confined pointing device

Claim 1

A pointing apparatus controlling movement of an on-screen reference for a computer having a computer screen and a housing, comprising: a handle movable within a confined movement area, the confined movement area defining a plane; a link member having an outer end connected to the handle and an inner end received in the housing, the inner end and outer end of the link member moving with the handle, the link member moving within the plane defined by the confined movement area relative to a pivot point; a first signal varying with changes in handle position for use in controlling movement of the on-screen reference; an elastomeric conductor located about the pivot point, the elastomeric conductor receiving force exerted on the pivot point; and a plurality of directional contacts adjacent to the elastomeric conductor; and wherein in response to the handle moving to a peripheral border of the confined movement area, an end-of-travel force is exerted on the elastomeric conductor via the link member, the force effecting an electrical circuit comprising the elastomeric conductor and at least one of the plurality of directional contacts to indicate that the handle has moved to an end of the handle's travel path, the electrical circuit generating an indication signal for indicating an end-of-travel direction for the handle, the indication signal derived independently from the first signal.

Claim 8

A method for controlling movement of an on-screen reference for a computer having a pointing device, a pointing device calibration circuit, a computer screen and a housing, the calibration circuit comprising an elastomeric conductor and directional contacts, the method comprising the steps of: moving a handle of the pointing device within a confined movement area, the confined movement area defining a plane; moving with the handle a link member of the pointing device, the link member coupled to the handle and having an end received in the housing, the link member moving relative to a pivot point; generating with the pointing device a first signal input to the computer for controlling movement of the on-screen reference, the first signal varying in response to movement of the handle within the confined movement area; and calibrating absolute handle position and location of the on-screen reference when the handle moves to a peripheral border of the confined movement area, wherein the step of calibrating comprises the steps: (a) receiving a force at the elastomeric conductor due to the pointing device handle moving to the peripheral border of the confined movement area, wherein the elastomeric conductor is located about the pivot point and wherein the directional contacts are adjacent to the elastomeric conductor; (b) generating by the calibration circuit an end-of-travel direction signal defined by the elastomeric conductor and at least one of a plurality of directional contacts; and (c) changing location of the on-screen reference based upon the direction signal to calibrate absolute handle position and on-screen reference location, and wherein the generation of the end-of-travel direction signal is independent of the generation of the first signal.

Claim 9

A method for controlling movement of an on-screen reference for a computer having a pointing device, a pointing device calibration circuit, a computer screen and a housing, the calibration circuit comprising an elastomeric conductor and directional contacts, the method comprising the steps of: moving a handle of the pointing device within a confined movement area, the confined movement area defining a plane; moving with the handle a link member of the pointing device, the link member coupled to the handle and having an end received in the housing, the link member moving relative to a pivot point; generating with the pointing device a first signal input to the computer for controlling movement of the on-screen reference, the first signal varying in response to movement of the handle within the confined movement area; and calibrating absolute handle position and location of the on-screen reference when the handle moves to a peripheral border of the confined movement area, wherein the step of calibrating comprises the steps: (a) receiving a force at the elastomeric conductor due to the pointing device handle moving to the peripheral border of the confined movement area, wherein the elastomeric conductor is located about the pivot point and wherein the directional contacts are adjacent to the elastomeric conductor; (b) generating by the calibration circuit an end-of-travel direction signal defined by the elastomeric conductor and at least one of a plurality of directional contacts; and (c) changing location of the on-screen reference based upon the direction signal to calibrate absolute handle position and on-screen reference location, and wherein the generation of the end-of-travel direction signal is independent of the generation of the first signal.

Claim 13

A method for calibrating a pointing device and a display screen cursor, the pointing device moveable relative to a generally fixed pivot point and within a confined movement area, the method comprising the steps of: exerting a force on the pivot point as the pointing device moves to a peripheral border of the confined movement area, wherein the exerted force causes a corresponding force on an adjacent elastomeric conductor, wherein a current location of the pointing device as moved to the peripheral border corresponds to an absolute position of the pointing device; sensing an end-of-travel direction of the pointing device from an electrical circuit defined by the elastomeric conductor and at least one of a plurality of directional contacts; and calibrating cursor position on a display screen and pointing device absolute position, wherein the step of calibrating comprises moving the display screen cursor to an on-screen position along a peripheral border of a display area of the display screen, wherein the on-screen position along the peripheral border of the display area is based upon the sensed end-of-travel direction.

Claim 14

A method for calibrating a pointing device and a display screen cursor, the pointing device moveable relative to a generally fixed pivot point and within a confined movement area, the method comprising the steps of: exerting a force on the pivot point as the pointing device moves to a peripheral border of the confined movement area, wherein the exerted force causes a corresponding force on an adjacent elastomeric conductor, wherein a current location of the pointing device as moved to the peripheral border corresponds to an absolute position of the pointing device; sensing an end-of-travel direction of the pointing device from an electrical circuit defined by the elastomeric conductor and at least one of a plurality of directional contacts; and calibrating cursor position on a display screen and pointing device absolute position, wherein the step of calibrating comprises moving the display screen cursor to an on-screen position along a peripheral border of a display area of the display screen, wherein the on-screen position along the peripheral border of the display area is based upon the sensed end-of-travel direction.

Claim 18

A system for controlling movement of an on-screen reference in a computer having a computer screen and a housing, the system comprising: a pointing device generating a first signal for controlling movement of the on-screen reference, wherein at least a portion of the pointing device moves relative to the housing about a pivot point, the pointing device having a handle movable within a confined movement area, the confined movement area defining a plane, wherein movement of the handle within the confined movement area causes variations in the first signal; and an electrical circuit used for calibrating the pointing device in response to the pointing device handle moving to a peripheral border of the confined movement area, the circuit comprising an elastomeric conductor located about the pivot point, and a plurality of directional contacts adjacent to the elastomeric conductor, wherein movement of the handle to the peripheral border of the confined movement area causes a force to be exerted on the elastomeric conductor at the pivot point, the elastomeric conductor in turn causing the electrical circuit to generate a calibration signal corresponding to an end-of-travel direction for the handle, wherein the calibration signal is input to the computer to calibrate handle position at the peripheral border to a location on the computer screen derived from the signal, wherein the calibration signal of the electrical circuit is generated independent of the first signal of the pointing device.

Claim 19

A system for controlling movement of an on-screen reference in a computer having a computer screen and a housing, the system comprising: a pointing device generating a first signal for controlling movement of the on-screen reference, wherein at least a portion of the pointing device moves relative to the housing about a pivot point, the pointing device having a handle movable within a confined movement area, the confined movement area defining a plane, wherein movement of the handle within the confined movement area causes variations in the first signal; and an electrical circuit used for calibrating the pointing device in response to the pointing device handle moving to a peripheral border of the confined movement area, the circuit comprising an elastomeric conductor located about the pivot point, and a plurality of directional contacts adjacent to the elastomeric conductor, wherein movement of the handle to the peripheral border of the confined movement area causes a force to be exerted on the elastomeric conductor at the pivot point, the elastomeric conductor in turn causing the electrical circuit to generate a calibration signal corresponding to an end-of-travel direction for the handle, wherein the calibration signal is input to the computer to calibrate handle position at the peripheral border to a location on the computer screen derived from the signal, wherein the calibration signal of the electrical circuit is generated independent of the first signal of the pointing device.

Claim 20

A method for controlling movement of an on-screen reference in a computer having a computer screen and a housing, the method comprising the steps of: generating with a pointing device a first signal for controlling movement of the on-screen reference, wherein at least a portion of the pointing device moves relative to the housing about a pivot point, the pointing device having a handle movable within a confined movement area, the confined movement area defining a plane, wherein movement of the handle within the confined movement area causes variations in the first signal; and calibrating the pointing device in response to the pointing device handle moving to a peripheral border of the confined movement area, the step of calibrating comprising the steps: (a) moving the handle to the peripheral border of the confined movement area; (b) receiving, in response to the step of moving the handle, a force at an elastomeric conductor located about the pivot point, wherein a plurality of directional contacts are located adjacent to the elastomeric conductor; (c) generating with an electrical circuit formed by the elastomeric conductor and at least one of the directional contacts a calibration signal corresponding to an end-of-travel direction for the handle; and (d) changing location of the on-screen reference based upon the calibration signal to calibrate absolute handle position and on-screen reference location; and wherein the calibration signal is generated independently of the first signal.

Claim 21

A method for controlling movement of an on-screen reference in a computer having a computer screen and a housing, the method comprising the steps of: generating with a pointing device a first signal for controlling movement of the on-screen reference, wherein at least a portion of the pointing device moves relative to the housing about a pivot point, the pointing device having a handle movable within a confined movement area, the confined movement area defining a plane, wherein movement of the handle within the confined movement area causes variations in the first signal; and calibrating the pointing device in response to the pointing device handle moving to a peripheral border of the confined movement area, the step of calibrating comprising the steps: (a) moving the handle to the peripheral border of the confined movement area; (b) receiving, in response to the step of moving the handle, a force at an elastomeric conductor located about the pivot point, wherein a plurality of directional contacts are located adjacent to the elastomeric conductor; (c) generating with an electrical circuit formed by the elastomeric conductor and at least one of the directional contacts a calibration signal corresponding to an end-of-travel direction for the handle; and (d) changing location of the on-screen reference based upon the calibration signal to calibrate absolute handle position and on-screen reference location; and wherein the calibration signal is generated independently of the first signal.