US 7,321,358 B2
Pointing stick with function pad for two handed operation
Michael G. Faeth, 5052 N. Wishon-B, Fresno, Calif. 93704 (US)
Filed on Aug. 26, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/213,369.
Application 11/213369 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/754864, filed on Jan. 08, 2004, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/440216, filed on Jan. 14, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2006/0007138 A1, Jan. 12, 2006
Int. Cl. G09G 5/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 345—156  [345/157] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computer pointing device for use on a work surface by a human user located facing the work surface, the pointing device comprising: a first module disposed at a first position corresponding to the natural rest position of such human user's first hand on such work surface wherein the first module further comprises mouse pointing circuitry operative to transmit to the computer standard signals associated with the pointing of a joystick; a substantially flat second module disposed at a second position corresponding to the natural rest position of such human user's second hand on such work surface wherein the second module further comprises mouse click circuitry operative to transmit to the computer standard signals associated with all of the clicking of a standard mouse; the first and second modules being operatively electrically connected to a first computer input port; the first module having a pointing mechanism; and the second module having a plurality of touch sensitive devices thereon; wherein the second module further comprises mouse click circuitry operative to transmit to the computer standard signals associated with all of the clicking of a standard mouse wherein the operative connections further comprise one member selected from the group consisting of:
i) a first cable carrying the standard joystick pointing signals from the first module and a second cable carrying the standard mouse click signals from the second module, the first and second cables merging prior to the first computer input port, the combined length of the two cables greater than the length of a standard computer keyboard,
ii) a first cable carrying the standard joystick pointing signals and also standard left-click mouse click signals from the first module, a second cable carrying the clicking signals from the second module, the first and second cables merging prior to the first computer input port, the combined length of the two cables greater than the length of a standard computer keyboard.