Granted Patent B2

US 7,679,600 · App. 10/944,335 · Granted Mar 16, 2010

Abstract

Claims (18)

1. A pointing device comprising:

a moveable puck that can be positioned at any location in a predetermined field of motion by applying a lateral force thereto;

a first linear spring attached to said puck, said first spring applying a first force to said puck at each location in said field of motion;

a second linear spring attached to said puck, said second spring applying a force component to said puck at each location in said field of motion, and

a bending post in a stationary position with respect to said puck, wherein the bending post is located outside of said field of motion, said bending post to contact an intermediate portion of said first linear spring to bend said first linear spring in a folded configuration at approximately a 90 degree angle around the bending post when the puck is in a resting position, wherein a first end of said first linear spring is attached to a stationary point located outside said field of motion such that a portion of the spring substantially follows a path adjacent to a perimeter of said field of motion of said puck, wherein said bending post further maintains a consistent location of a bending point for all positions of said puck within said field of motion.

2. The pointing device of claim 1 wherein said first linear spring comprises an elastic cord.

3. The pointing device of claim 1 wherein said first linear spring comprises a transparent leader for attaching said first linear spring to said puck, said first linear spring is not visible in said field of motion when said puck is at said resting location.

4. The pointing device of claim 1 wherein said field of motion is characterized by a maximum distance through which said puck moves in traversing two locations in said field of motion and wherein said first linear spring has a relaxed length longer than said maximum distance.

5. The pointing device of claim 1 wherein said bending post comprises a pulley.

6. A method inputting a location comprising:

positioning a moveable puck within a predetermined field of motion by applying a lateral force thereto, said field of motion being characterized by maximum dimension through which said puck can move in traversing two positions in said field of motion;

providing a first linear spring attached to said puck, said first spring applying a first force a said puck at each location in said field of motion;

providing a second linear spring attached to said puck, said second spring applying a second force to said puck at each location in said field of motion, said first and second springs returning said puck to a predetermined location in said field of motion when said lateral force is not applied to said puck; and

providing a bending post in a stationary position with respect to said puck, wherein the bending post is located outside of said field of motion, said bending post to contact an intermediate portion of said first linear spring to bend said first linear spring in a folded configuration at approximately a 90 degree angle around the bending post when the puck is in a resting position, wherein a first end of said first linear spring is attached to a stationary point located outside said field of motion such that a portion of the spring substantially follows a path adjacent to a perimeter of said field of motion of said puck, wherein said bending post further maintains a consistent location of a bending point for all positions of said puck within said field of motion.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said first linear spring comprises an elastic cord.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said first linear spring comprises a transparent leader for attaching said first linear spring to said puck, said transparent leader being longer than said maximum dimension.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said first linear spring has a relaxed length longer than said maximum dimension.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein said bending post comprises a pulley.

Assignments (8)