Pointing control device for moving a cursor on a display on a computer

United States Patent [19]

Arita et al.

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US005504502A [ii] Patent Number: 5,504,502 [45] Date of Patent: Apr. 2,1996

[54] POINTING CONTROL DEVICE FOR

MOVING A CURSOR ON A DISPLAY ON A
COMPUTER

[75] Inventors: Takashi Arita; Akihiko Sakaguchi;

Toshinori Sasaki, all of Kawasaki,
Japan

[73] Assignee: Fujitsu Limited, Kanagawa, Japan

[21] Appl. No.: 389,620

[22] Filed: Feb. 15,1995

Related U.S. Application Data

[63] Continuation of Ser. No. 170,639, Dec. 21, 1993, Pat. No., which is a continuation of Ser. No. 761,184, Sep. 17, 1991, abandoned.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data

Sep. 18, 1990 [JP] Japan 2-246116

Nov. 7, 1990 [JP] Japan 2-299911

Mar. 5, 1991 [JP] Japan 3-038201

[51] Int. CI.6 G09G 5/08

[52] U.S. CI 345/160; 345/905

[58] Field of Search 345/156, 157,

345/159, 168, 161, 167, 905; 336/30; 341/6, 5, 15; 324/207, 251, 13

[56] References Cited

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4,823,062 4/1989 Hoffman et al 340/710

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4,837,489 6/1989 McFee 340/710

4,853,630 8/1989 Houston 324/207.13

4,868,549 9/1989 Affinito et al 340/710

4,896,554 1/1990 Culver 74/471 XY

4,922,444 5/1990 Baba 340/710

4,931,781 6/1990 Miyakawa 340/709

5,012,230 4/1991 Yasuda 340/709

5,021,771 6/1991 Lachman 340/711

5,065,146 11/1991 Garrett 345/161

5,095,302 3/1992 McLean et al 340/710

5,160,918 11/1992 Saposnik et al 345/161

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

0249509 12/1987 European Pat. Off. .

0253333 1/1988 European Pat. Off. .

0260340 3/1988 European Pat. Off. .

58- 113142 8/1983 Japan .

59- 116815 8/1984 Japan .

60- 166813 8/1985 Japan .

1- 503418 11/1989 Japan.

2- 115921 4/1990 Japan .
2216994 10/1989 United Kingdom .

Primary Examiner—Tommy P. Chin
Assistant Examiner—A. Au

Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Nikaido, Marmelstein, Murray &
Oram

[57] ABSTRACT

A pointing control device in a computer, including a support, a manually movable actuating member movably supported by the support, and a magnetic reluctance type detector for detecting a magnitude of movement of the movable actuating member within a unit of time, so that the pointer or the cursor can be moved in accordance with the detected magnitude of movement of the movable actuating member.

45 Claims, 31 Drawing Sheets