US5959611A — Portable computer system with ergonomic input dev…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 166 words

A portable computer system with an ergonomic input device, comprising: a housing having a surface; a processing unit carried in said housing; a two-dimensional heads-up display for displaying information to a user, certain of the information being selectable by the user, said display being under the control of said processing unit; a first input rotary switch centered in said housing and having a single degree of freedom for producing a first signal for identifying the information to be selected, in a predetermined sequence, without moving all of said information being selectable by the user; a second input switch at a periphery of said first switch for producing a second signal for selecting the identified information, said first and second input switches carried on said surface of said housing; and an input interface for receiving said first and second signals and for inputting the information contained in said first and second signals to said processing unit, said first signal being mapped to a position on said display.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 166 words

A portable computer system with an ergonomic input device, comprising: a housing having a surface; a processing unit carried in said housing; a two-dimensional heads-up display for displaying information to a user, certain of the information being selectable by the user, said display being under the control of said processing unit; a first input rotary switch centered in said housing and having a single degree of freedom for producing a first signal for identifying the information to be selected, in a predetermined sequence, without moving all of said information being selectable by the user; a second input switch at a periphery of said first switch for producing a second signal for selecting the identified information, said first and second input switches carried on said surface of said housing; and an input interface for receiving said first and second signals and for inputting the information contained in said first and second signals to said processing unit, said first signal being mapped to a position on said display.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 27 words

The computer system of claim 1 wherein said first input rotary switch includes a rotary switch for producing a first signal that is a gray code signal.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 27 words

The computer system of claim 2 wherein said second input switch includes a plurality of pushbutton switches each producing a second signal for selecting the identified information.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 27 words

The computer system of claim 1 wherein said display includes a headband carrying said display such that the display my be positioned proximate to a user's eye.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 31 words

The computer system of claim 4 additionally comprising a case for carrying said housing and a belt connected to said case so that the housing may be worn by the user.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 33 words

The computer system of claim 1 wherein said interface includes a microcontroller for receiving said input signals and for producing an eight bit byte having the information from said input signals coded therein.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 166 words

A portable computer system having an ergonomic input device, comprising: a housing having a surface; a central processing unit carried in said housing; a two dimensional heads-up display for displaying information to a user, certain of the information being selectable by the user, said display being under the control of said central processing unit; a first input rotary switch centered in said housing and having a single degree of freedom for producing a first signal; a second input switch at a periphery of said first switch for producing a second signal, said first and second input switches being carried on said surface of said housing; and a software routine running on said central processing unit, said routine for receiving said first and second signals and for mapping said first signal to one of a number of positions on said display, in a predetermined sequence, without moving all of said information being selectable by the user, and for selecting certain information in response to said second signal.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 166 words

A portable computer system having an ergonomic input device, comprising: a housing having a surface; a central processing unit carried in said housing; a two dimensional heads-up display for displaying information to a user, certain of the information being selectable by the user, said display being under the control of said central processing unit; a first input rotary switch centered in said housing and having a single degree of freedom for producing a first signal; a second input switch at a periphery of said first switch for producing a second signal, said first and second input switches being carried on said surface of said housing; and a software routine running on said central processing unit, said routine for receiving said first and second signals and for mapping said first signal to one of a number of positions on said display, in a predetermined sequence, without moving all of said information being selectable by the user, and for selecting certain information in response to said second signal.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 16 words

The computer system of claim 7 wherein said rotary switch is sized to be easily rotated.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 23 words

The computer system of claim 8 wherein said rotary switch is triangularly shaped and has an indentation in one point of the triangle.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 16 words

The computer system of claim 8 wherein said rotary switch has a plurality of discrete positions.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

The computer system of claim 7 wherein said second signal causes said central processing unit to perform a function that is related to the displayed information.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 181 words

A computer system, comprising: a housing having a surface; a central processing unit carried in said housing; a two-dimensional heads-up display under the control of said central processing unit, said display for displaying a plurality of information items in a predetermined order; a first input rotary switch centered in said housing and having a single degree of freedom for producing a first signal; a second input switch at a periphery of said first switch for producing a second signal, said first and second switches being carried on said surface of said housing; and means executed on said central processing unit for cycling through said predetermined order of information items in a first direction, without moving all of said information items, in response to rotation of said rotary switch in a first direction and for cycling through said predetermined order of information items in an opposite direction, without moving all of said information items, in response to rotation of said rotary switch in a direction opposite to said first direction, and for selecting an information item in response to said second signal.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 181 words

A computer system, comprising: a housing having a surface; a central processing unit carried in said housing; a two-dimensional heads-up display under the control of said central processing unit, said display for displaying a plurality of information items in a predetermined order; a first input rotary switch centered in said housing and having a single degree of freedom for producing a first signal; a second input switch at a periphery of said first switch for producing a second signal, said first and second switches being carried on said surface of said housing; and means executed on said central processing unit for cycling through said predetermined order of information items in a first direction, without moving all of said information items, in response to rotation of said rotary switch in a first direction and for cycling through said predetermined order of information items in an opposite direction, without moving all of said information items, in response to rotation of said rotary switch in a direction opposite to said first direction, and for selecting an information item in response to said second signal.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 16 words

The computer system of claim 12 wherein said rotary switch is sized to be easily rotated.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 23 words

The computer system of claim 13 wherein said rotary switch is triangularly shaped and has an indentation in one point of the triangle.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 16 words

The computer system of claim 13 wherein said rotary switch has a plurality of discrete positions.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 26 words

The computer system of claim 12 wherein said second signal causes said central processing unit to perform a function that is related to the displayed information.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 82 words

A combination, comprising: a heads-up display having at least two dimensions; a rotary input device centered in said housing and having a single degree of freedom; a second input at a periphery of said first input; a processor, connected to said display and said first and second input devices, for selecting, in a predetermined sequence, among a plurality of predetermined regions of said display, without moving all of said predetermined regions of said display, and in response to said rotary input device.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 82 words

A combination, comprising: a heads-up display having at least two dimensions; a rotary input device centered in said housing and having a single degree of freedom; a second input at a periphery of said first input; a processor, connected to said display and said first and second input devices, for selecting, in a predetermined sequence, among a plurality of predetermined regions of said display, without moving all of said predetermined regions of said display, and in response to said rotary input device.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 16 words

The combination of claim 17 wherein said rotary input device has a plurality of discrete positions.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 27 words

The combination of claim 18 wherein said processor selects among said plurality of predetermined regions in a predetermined sequence responsive to rotation of said rotational input device.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 29 words

The combination of claim 19 wherein said processor selects the next sequential said predetermined region in response to movement of said rotational input device between said adjacent discrete positions.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 14 words

The combination of claim 17 wherein said rotational input device is triangular in shape.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 17 words

The computer of claim 21 wherein said triangular input device has an indentation on its top surface.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 94 words

A method of mapping a one dimensional signal to a two dimensional heads-up display, comprising the steps of: establishing a sequence of hot spots on the heads-up display; moving, in a predetermined order, through said sequence of hot spots in one of first and second directions, without moving all of said hot spots, in response to first input signal, the amount of movement being proportional to the displacement of a rotary switch; and selecting a hot spot in response to a second input signal from a switch at a periphery of the rotary switch.

Claim 28

Independent Claim 94 words

A method of mapping a one dimensional signal to a two dimensional heads-up display, comprising the steps of: establishing a sequence of hot spots on the heads-up display; moving, in a predetermined order, through said sequence of hot spots in one of first and second directions, without moving all of said hot spots, in response to first input signal, the amount of movement being proportional to the displacement of a rotary switch; and selecting a hot spot in response to a second input signal from a switch at a periphery of the rotary switch.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 52 words

The method of claim 23, wherein rotation of said rotary switch in a clockwise direction causes activation of said hot spots in the first direction and wherein rotation of said rotary switch in a counter clockwise direction causes activation of said hot spots in a second direction opposite to said first direction.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-09-27	2003-03-29	2003-09-28	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-09-27	2007-03-29	2007-09-28	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-09-27	2011-03-29	2011-09-28	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Portable computer system with ergonomic input device

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