Did You Know...
...that in 1800 ether was first used by partyers as a fun diversion? Sniffing the gas led to hilarious and raucous laughter as people watched each other become more and more intoxicated and silly. Several doctors independently realized the value ether would have to anesthetize surgery patients. Of those who claimed rights to the "discovery," none had a happy ending. One had a seizure and died defending his rights. Another spent his life in an asylum because he had been denied acclaim. A third became addicted to chloroform and, in a New York City jail, he soaked a cloth in the drug, severed an artery and bled to death.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 5402150 | Pointing device with improved pivot A pivotable trackball-type computer command pointing device for entering commands into a computer has a housing and a ball retained within the housing for generating electrical signals translatable into commands for the computer. A coupling assembly remov... | 03/28/1995 |
| 5400054 | Manually operable device for indicating position on a display screen A position indication device, e.g., for controlling the position of a cursor or other object on the screen of a display monitor of an information processing system, includes a position plate that is translationally movable by a user to indicate a correspo... | 03/21/1995 |
| 5394169 | Trackball supporting device A trackball supporting device includes a plurality of trackball supports respectively installed in holes around a base to support a trackball on a trackball seat on the base, each trackball support including a front socket, a rolling ball revolvably retai... | 02/28/1995 |
| 5386089 | Track ball coordinate data inputting device An object of this invention is to provide a track ball coordinate data inputting device in which means for holing supporting ball elements adapted to support the ball is simplified in structure, so that the supporting ball elements can be built in it with... | 01/31/1995 |
| 5382962 | Dual purpose handle and controller for handheld computer A handle/controlle 3 consisting of a gripping handle of suitable shape as to conform to the hand and attached to a hand held computer 1 or a base unit 2 of the same and containing on either side a ball in socket or "cursor ball" 5L and a pressure switch o... | 01/17/1995 |
| 5379054 | Pointing device When keyboard 1 is set on the upper side, ball 10 is inserted between stopper 8 and the coordinate converting unit 4. As a result, the coordinate converting unit 4 is fixed by ball 10. When the user moves the pointing device on the flat surface, the ball ... | 01/03/1995 |
| 5369270 | Signal generator activated by radiation from a screen-like space An apparatus for producing signals by means of radiation, for controlling musical instruments, image producing devices, video games, computer games and the like, comprises sensors sensitive to radiation directed towards them from points of sensing spaces,... | 11/29/1994 |
| 5345253 | Track ball base structure A track ball base structure comprises a single-piece body having a housing being composed of a plurality of standing plates in the top of the body with extruding portions in the upper end of which to get secure connection to a cover, a central circular re... | 09/06/1994 |
| 5341154 | Portable personal computer A compact computer has a base with an alphanumeric keyboard, and a display screen is pivotally connected to the base. In a stowed configuration the display screen faces against the base with one protective shell extending around the rear of the base and a... | 08/23/1994 |
| 5334997 | Foot-operated computer control A foot-operated input device for use in combination with a computer includes a housing to which one or more track balls are mounted, and a series of switches mounted to the housing. The track balls are employed to control the position of the computer's cu... | 08/02/1994 |
| 5311210 | Ergonomic keyboard and operator's chair A combination ergonomic chair and bifurcated QWERTY apparatus integrally defined in the armrests of the chair. The combination apparatus includes a pair of adjustable arms for selectively orienting the armrests with respect to the operator. A standard QWE... | 05/10/1994 |
| 5309172 | Computer data and command entry device A multiple speed computer control device for use in providing touch commands from a user, comprising a roller ball and a roller assembly supporting the roller ball, wherein the roller assembly responds to pressure applied to the roller ball so as to produ... | 05/03/1994 |
| 5298916 | Control ball assembly for a coordinate input device A control ball assembly for a coordinate input device including a pair of orthogonal rotatable shafts contacting a control ball and which rotate in response to a rotation of the control ball. A spring having two arms, each arm connected to one end of one ... | 03/29/1994 |
| 5298919 | Multi-dimensional input device An input device for providing multi-dimensional spatial input data to a computer is disclosed. The device incorporates multiple independently operable locating members or input mechanisms, such as a roller ball for entry of two translational coordinates, ... | 03/29/1994 |
| 5287090 | Combination mouse and track ball unit A combined mouse and track ball are contained within an ergonomically designed housing or shell. The shell is curved to fit comfortably within the palm of the hand of an operator so that the forefinger and thumb are opposed to each other in a prehensile p... | 02/15/1994 |
| 5280276 | Combination mouse/trackball input device A combination mouse/trackball input device for an electronic computer functions as either a mouse or a trackball, depending on which of two operating modes the user selects. The user selects the desired mode by moving a selector handle to one of two posit... | 01/18/1994 |
| 5270694 | Content addressable video system for image display An interactive video display system with tight coupling between user-input and the images displayed to provide a feeling of real control by the user. A library of frames of video data is stored in randomly accessible data locations, such as an optical vid... | 12/14/1993 |
| 5248961 | Track ball The case of a track ball structure has X-axis and Y-axis encoder shafts provided therein and X-axis and Y-axis driven rollers rotatably coupled with said shafts and provided closer to the top panel of the case than said shafts. A ball makes rotary contact... | 09/28/1993 |
| 5245320 | Multiport game card with configurable address The invention is a multi-port video game controller interface which provides supports for at least two multifunctional game controllers via a single microcomputer I/O bus connector. An address decoder selectively enables one of the game controllers, in or... | 09/14/1993 |
| 5219226 | Imaging and temperature monitoring system An imaging and temperature monitoring system (10) is disclosed for displaying an image of an environment (E), along with information regarding the temperature of select regions (R) within the environment. The system includes a sensor head (12) equipped wi... | 06/15/1993 |
| 5208736 | Portable computer with trackball mounted in display section A pointing device according to the present invention includes a trackball embedded in the case of a computer display. The trackball is placed adjacent to the display and the select buttons for the trackball are located on the backside of the display case ... | 05/04/1993 |
| 5189402 | Content addressable video system for image display An interactive video display system with tight coupling between user-input and the images displayed to provide a feeling of real control by the user. A library of frames of video data is stored in randomly accessible data locations, such as an optical vid... | 02/23/1993 |
| 5187468 | Pointing device with adjustable clamp attachable to a keyboard A pointing device which is removably attachable to a keyboard is disclosed. The pointing device is coupled to an attachment assembly, the attachment assembly being removably and selectively attachable to the keyboard. The attachment assembly includes a cl... | 02/16/1993 |
| 5171978 | Trackball assembly including a loosely mounted ball support A trackball assembly has a ball supported on a bottom ball support, which is rotatably and translationally mounted on a lower support having an upper support conntected thereto. The ball protrudes through an opening, which has a beveled inner surface, in ... | 12/15/1992 |
| 5168221 | Pivotal magnetic coupling and position sensor Two toroidal magnets (221, 22) are coupled to each other by a ferrous spherical spacer (23). The spacer (23) partially engages openings (24, 25) provided in the two magnet surfaces facing each other. The facing magnet surfaces have the same polarity, repe... | 12/01/1992 |
| 5162780 | Trackball for data entry and control with optimized ball height A trackball system is provided wherein a roller ball is received and supported within a ball retaining assembly. A vertical height of the ball is adjusted relative to the housing by adjusting a vertical height of the ball assembly relative to the housing.... | 11/10/1992 |
| 5142275 | Method and means for manipulating images in a video display Control of a split screen display and the display of sequential images on a display is effected by rotation of a trackball. Pulse trains generated by rotation of the trackball are inputted to a microprocessor which controls the junctions in a split screen... | 08/25/1992 |
| 5122654 | Ergonomic thumb-actuated trackball combined with control switches An ergonomically designed trackball cursor pointing device in which the cursor movement ball and function switches or buttons are respectively positioned to allow movement of the ball by the thumb while simultaneously operating the switches. More particul... | 06/16/1992 |
| 5078019 | Trackball device A trackball device comprising a housing having a circular opening formed in a top wall thereof, a ball received in the housing and partially projecting through the circular opening, a pair of rotatable members arranged orthogonally to each other and rotat... | 01/07/1992 |
| 5063289 | Combined mouse and trackball A combined mouse and trackball having its control ball (15) extend past cover 1. Cover 1 has neck hinges (5) so that it pivots in relations to opposing cover (17). A cable (33) at the front communicates with the computer receiving the control signals from... | 11/05/1991 |
| 5008528 | Invertible trackball The present invention relates to cursor control devices for computers, and particularly relates to cursor control devices for personal computers which involve the use of a ball rotatable by the fingers for controlling cursor movement.... | 04/16/1991 |
| 4982618 | Multifunction tactile manipulatable control A multifunction human digit control includes a rotating cylinder journalled in a movable bar slidable in a groove in a deflectable support track. Rotation of the cylinder by a thumb or finger generates a first motion signal and movement of either or both ... | 01/08/1991 |
| 4952919 | Trackball mechanism A trackball-type input device (10) uses a retainer (114) to secure a ball (80) to a housing (12) so that a large segment (164) of the ball (80) protrudes from the housing (12) for manipulation by the user, thereby affording precise control over rotational... | 08/28/1990 |
| 4939508 | Point and select device A point and select device is disclosed in which a sphere protruding from one major surface of a housing can serve as either a trackball or the moving element in a mouse. Actuators on either side of the device are selected according to the use of the devic... | 07/03/1990 |
| 4933670 | Multi-axis trackball A first electromechanical transducer (40) generates a first electrical signal indicative of rotation of a ball (A) relative to a first axis. A second electromechanical transducer (50) generates a second electrical signal indicative of rotation of the ball... | 06/12/1990 |
| 4908791 | Switch display encoder apparatus A sensing system connects to a switch display encoder apparatus and monitors the rotational speed of a plurality of encoders in all directions independently and responds to rate-aided commands issued to the user or by a Central Processing Unit (CPU). As t... | 03/13/1990 |
| 4857902 | Position-dependent interactivity system for image display An interactive video display system with tight coupling between user-input and the images displayed to provide a feeling of real control by the user. A library of frames of video data is stored in randomly accessible data locations, such as an optical vid... | 08/15/1989 |
| 4839805 | Dual control of image level and window parameters of a display and the like Dual control of image level and window of a display is accomplished by rotation of a single trackball. Rotation of the trackball within a first band including the X axis controls one parameter, and rotation of the trackball in a second band including the ... | 06/13/1989 |
| 4581609 | X-Y position input device for display system An X-Y input device has: a sphere to be rotated disposed rotatably; a first driven roller in contact with the sphere so as to be rotated by the rotational force thereof; a second driven roller in contact with the sphere so as to be rotated by the rotation... | 04/08/1986 |
| 4575086 | Trackball device The trackball device comprises cylindrical first and second supports. First and second code wheels are respectively coupled to the supports and are rotatable therewith. First and second reader means are respectively associated with the first and second co... | 03/11/1986 |
