1. Technical field
The disclosure generally relates to mechanical devices, and particularly to a mouse assembly and an input operation method of the mouse assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mouse assemblies used as inputting devices are usually substituted by touch pads on laptops. However, quite a lot of users prefer to use a mouse assembly rather than a touch pad. What is needed is to decrease the size of the mouse assembly having the same function as the touch pad.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.
Many aspects of a multi-function mouse assembly and an input operation method thereof can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the multi-function mouse assembly and the input operation method thereof. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like elements of an embodiment.
1, but the first mouse module disassembled from the second mouse module of the disclosure.
Referring to
In this embodiment, the first power supply unit 14 is received within the main body 11 to supply power for the first mouse module 10. The first power supply unit 14 can be a dry cell battery or rechargeable battery. When the first power supply unit 14 is a rechargeable battery, during recharging, the first connector 19 is electrically connected to an external power source. The first sensor 15 is a displacement sensor and is located within the main body 11, and is capable of measuring the position and/or changes of the position of the second mouse module 30.
The sliding pad 18 is a layer positioned at the bottom surface of the first main body 11 and enhances the usability of the mouse module 10. In this embodiment, the sliding pad 18 may be made of plastic or rubber. The first connector 19 is located at the surface, facing the second mouse module 30. The first connector 19 is electrically connected to the first button 12, the scroll wheel 13, the first power supply unit 14 and the first sensor 15, and can be a universal serial bus (USB) connector that is used as an electro-mechanical device for joining electrical circuits.
The second mouse module 30 has substantially the same shape as the first mouse module 10, and includes a second main body 31, a second button 32, a microcontroller 33, a second power supply unit 34, a second sensor 35, a BLUETOOTH module 36, a photoelectric module 37, a second sliding pad 38, and a second connector 39. In this embodiment, the microcontroller 33 received in the main body 31 is electrically connected to the second button 32, the second power supply unit 34, the second sensor 35, the BLUETOOTH module 36, the photoelectric module 37 and the second connector 39.
The second button 32 is exposed out from the upper surface of the second main body 31 and may be a micro-switch that can be pressed or clicked to choose or interact with an element of a graphical user interface, like the operation manner of a typical mouse assembly. The microcontroller 33 processes the instructions sent from the mouse assembly 100 and performs the basic arithmetical, logical and input/output operations to control the second button 32, the second sensor 35, the BLUETOOTH module 36, the photoelectric module 37 and the second connector 39. The second power supply unit 34 is received within the main body 31 to power the second mouse module 30. In this embodiment, the second power supply unit 34 can be a dry cell battery or rechargeable battery. When the second power supply unit 34 is needed to be recharged, the second connector 39 electrically connects with an external power source for charging the second power supply unit 34.
The second sensor 35 can be a displacement sensor and is located within the main body 31. The second sensor 35 is in electronic communication with the first sensor 15 to measure and determine the position and/or the displacement of the second mouse module 30 relative to the first mouse module 10. The BLUETOOTH module 36 is capable of transferring information between the mouse assembly 100 and a computer (not shown) such as a laptop. In this embodiment, the photoelectric module 37 is partially exposed out from the bottom surface of the second main body 31 and can be a photoelectric sensor or infrared displacement sensor. The photoelectric module 37 is capable of measuring the position and/or the changes of the position of the mouse assembly 100.
The second sliding pad 38 is located at the bottom surface of the main body 31, and adjacent to the photoelectric module 37, and enhances the usability of the mouse module 30. The second sliding pad 38 is substantially the same as the first sliding pad 18 which is made of plastic or rubber. The second connector 39 can be a USB connector that is used as an electro-mechanical device for joining electrical circuits. In this embodiment, the second connector 39 is detachably and electrically connected to the first connector 19.
The ring member 50 is a substantially circular ring and can be detachably secured to the upper surface of the second mouse module 30 to hold the mouse assembly 100, and user can pass one finger through the ring member 50 and press the second button 32. For example, a middle finger can engage through the ring member 50 to operate the second button 32 acting as a right mouse button, and a forefinger can simultaneously operate the scroll wheel 13 and the first button 12 acting as a left mouse button.
In use, when the first connector 19 is electrically and mechanically connected to the second connector 39, the first mouse module 10 and the second mouse module 30 are assembled as a whole. Thus, the mouse assembly 100 can have the same function of a wireless optical mouse.
When the first connector 19 mechanically detaches from the second connector 39, the first mouse module 10 and the second mouse module 30 are disassembled with each other. At this time, the mouse assembly 100 can be used as a touch input device. In use, the first mouse module 10 is positioned at a corner (e.g., top-left corner) of a screen 200 of the computer, and the second mouse module 30 can be acted as the left mouse button. The first sensor 15 intercommunicates with the second sensor 35, and the corner where the first mouse module 10 is positioned is used as an origin. The second mouse module 30 is removed to reach for four corners of the screen 200 to measure the position and/or the displacement of the second mouse module 30 relative to the first mouse module 10. The microcontroller 33 then generates a simulation coordinate system of the screen 200 according to the position and/or the displacement of the second mouse module 30. Thus, when the second mouse module 30 is moved to touch any point on the screen 200, the microcontroller 33 figures out the position coordinates of the second mouse module 30 relative to the first mouse module 10, and transmits the position coordinates of the second mouse module 30 to the computer via the BLUETOOTH module 36, enabling the cursor of the computer to simultaneously move with the second mouse module 30. Thus, the mouse assembly 100 functions as a touch input device.
Referring to
In step SO1, the mouse assembly 100 is powered on and activated to establish communication with the computer through the BLUETOOTH module 36.
In step S02, the microcontroller 33 determines whether the first mouse module 10 is electrically and mechanically connected to the second mouse module 30. If the first mouse module 10 is electrically and mechanically connected to the second mouse module 30, the method proceeds to step S03; if the first mouse module 10 is disconnected from the second mouse module 30, the method proceeds to step S06.
In step S03, the mouse assembly 100 is used as a wireless mouse, that is, the mouse assembly 100 is in a wireless mouse mode.
In step S04, the microcontroller 36 detects and processes the position and/or the changes of the position of the mouse assembly 100, and input information by the first button 12 and the second button 32.
In step S05, the position and/or the changes of the position of the mouse assembly 100 and the input information are transmitted to the computer from the mouse assembly 100 via the BLUETOOTH module 36 to execute the operations by the first button 12 and/or the second button 32.
In step S06, the mouse assembly 100 is used as a touch input device, that is, the mouse assembly 100 is in a touch input mode.
In step S07, the mouse assembly 100 is initialized and enabled to obtain the current position coordinates of the second mouse module 30. Referring to
In step S08, the second mouse module 30 is clicked and/or moved relative to the first mouse module 10.
In step S09, the microcontroller 33 transmits the position coordinates of the second mouse module 30 and the input information to the computer in real-time via the BLUETOOTH module 36, to enable the cursor to simultaneously move along with the second mouse module 30 and execute the operation of the second mouse module 30.
Depending on the embodiment, certain of the steps described may be removed, others may be added, and the sequence of steps may be altered. It is also to be understood that the description and the claims drawn for a method may include some indication in reference to certain steps. However, the indication used is only to be viewed for identification purpose and not as a suggestion as to an order for the steps.
In the embodiment of the mouse assembly 100 of the present disclosure, when the first mouse module 10 is electrically and mechanically connected to the second mouse module 30, the mouse assembly as a whole can be treated as a wireless mouse.
When the first mouse module 10 is mechanically disassembled from the second mouse module 30, the mouse assembly 100 can function as a touch input device. The mouse assembly 100 is suitable for a touch screen and other types of display screens, which can meet the requirements of the users.
In the present specification and claims, the word “a” or “an” preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. Further, the word “comprising” does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the exemplary disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the exemplary disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of this exemplary disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201110255052.X | Aug 2011 | CN | national |