Importance

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Abstract

A pointing device (200) for controlling a computer user interface is presented. The pointing device has a housing (210) with a base part (212). It also has an elongate support member (12) and an elongate cursor navigation member (14), the cursor navigation member being movably arranged for rotation about the support member and translation along the support member, the cursor navigation member further being depressible with respect to the base part. A plurality of sensors (602, 604, 610) for detecting rotation, translation and depression of the cursor navigation member is provided, as is computer interface circuitry (608) for connection to a computer. A controller (606) is connected to the plurality of sensors, the controller being configured to cause transmission of data regarding rotation, translation and depression of the cursor navigation member to the computer through the computer interface circuitry. The plurality of sensors include contactless click sensors (610) for detecting deflection of the support member (12) caused when a user depresses the cursor navigation member. The controller is configured to monitor the outputs from the contactless click sensors to detect that the detected deflection exceeds a click operation threshold value, and in response determine that a mouse click operation is intended by the user's depression and cause transmission of data representing the mouse click operation to the computer through the computer interface circuitry. The controller has a click sensitivity adjustment mode for allowing the user to configure the click operation threshold value.

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First Claim