Ballpoint Pen Mouse With Spherical Ball Cursor Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mice require physical movement to control the cursor and have separate buttons for left and right clicks, leading to potential wrist disorders and inefficient user input methods.
Innovation Solution
A mouse-type input device in the form of a ballpoint pen that utilizes a spherical ball for rotation data to generate cursor coordinates, incorporates fingerprint recognition for user authentication, and detects grip and pressure inputs to simulate mouse functions, including drag, click, and scroll operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional mice are used for long periods, then cursor control and user input functions are achieved, but wrist disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome develop
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional mouse's mechanical ball rotation system with a pen tip contact-based input system. The ballpoint pen interface uses friction between the pen tip and surface to generate rotation data, eliminating the need for the user to physically move a separate mouse device, thereby reducing wrist strain while maintaining cursor control functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The ballpoint pen device integrates multiple functions into a single form factor: it serves as both a writing instrument and a mouse input device. The same pen tip contact mechanism provides both writing capability and cursor control through rotation detection, eliminating the need for separate mouse and pen devices and reducing overall physical strain
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate left-click and right-click buttons are provided, then various functions can be executed, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the input functions into distinct operational modes rather than separate physical buttons. Different click functions are achieved through different rotation patterns (direction, speed, duration) of the same pen tip contact interface, allowing multiple functions to be derived from a single mechanical interaction point
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses dynamic rotation characteristics of the pen tip contact to differentiate between various input functions. By detecting changes in rotation direction, speed, and duration, the system dynamically interprets different user intentions from the same basic pen movement, eliminating the need for static separate buttons
3Measurement precision
If ball rotation measurement is performed continuously, then precise cursor control is achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic ball rotation measurement rather than continuous measurement. The rotation detection operates at specific intervals or triggers based on pen tip contact events, maintaining sufficient precision for cursor control while significantly reducing energy consumption by keeping the measurement system inactive between valid input events
Data Source
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AI summary
A mouse-type input device in the form of a ballpoint pen, according to the present invention, may comprise: a housing; a ball formed to have a spherical shape and rotatably installed at the lower end of the housing; a ball rotation measuring unit that measures rotation of the ball and generates ball rotation data; a processor that generates, on the basis of the ball rotation data, coordinate value data representing coordinate values of a cursor displayed by a display device; and a communication unit that transmits the coordinate value data to the display device.