Input device featuring both trackball and mouse capability
Patent 4562347 Issued on December 31, 1985. Estimated Expiration Date: 
September 23, 2003. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
September 23, 2003. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesInventorsAssigneeApplicationNo. 06/535305 filed on 09/23/1983US Classes:250/221, Controlled by article, person, or animal250/231.14, Incremental shaft readers; i.e., with means to generate increments of angular shaft rotation33/1M, X-Y motion345/163, Mouse345/167, Trackball74/471XYControl moves in two planesExaminersPrimary: Nelms, David C.Assistant: Gatto, James Attorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassG06F 3/033 (20060101)AbstractAn input apparatus for use with a computer, including a housing having a top aperture and a bottom aperture, a spherical member supported in the housing so that a portion thereof protrudes through the top and bottom apertures, and encoding means for transforming the motion of the ball into computer compatible signals, wherein the input apparatus can be moved over a surface, so as to function as a mouse, or can be supported by its housing, with motive force applied to the portion of the spherical member protruding from the top aperture, so as to function as a trackball. | |
