US 20060022937A1
(19) United States
(12) Patent Application Publication (io) Pub. No.: US 2006/0022937 Al
Matta et al. (43) Pub. Date: Feb. 2,2006
(54) SLIDE PAD NOTEBOOK POINTING DEVICE WITH HIDDEN SPRING SYSTEM
(76) Inventors: Farid Matta, Los Altos, CA (US);
Jonah Harley, Mountain View, CA
(US)
Correspondence Address:
AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Intellectual Property Administration
Legal Department, DL 429
P.O. Box 7599
Loveland, CO 80537-0599 (US)
(21) Appl. No.: 10/902,909
(22) Filed: Jul. 29, 2004
Publication Classification
(51) Int. CI.
G09G 5/00 (2006.01)
(52) U.S. CI 345/156
(57) ABSTRACT
A pointing device having a moveable puck and a first belt having a slot therein in which said puck moves in a first direction is disclosed. The first belt is wrapped around the first and second belt guides such that the first belt moves back and forth in a second direction different from the first direction. A spring system returns the puck to an equilibrium position when the puck is released from a position that is displaced from the equilibrium position. A sensor measures the position of the puck. In one embodiment, the spring system includes first and second springs that are attached to a surface that is fixed with respect to the first belt. The first spring provides a restoring force in one direction when the second spring provides a restoring force in the opposite direction and vice versa.
