The mouse is embraced by the hand and is moved by moving the hand. Left and right movements can be made from the wrist, up and down movement require the movement of the arm. Daily and intense operation of the mouse induce Repetitive Strain Injuries. Another disadvantage of the mouse is that it is inconvenient to carry around with a notebook.

Notebook computers often have a touchpad incorporated. Pointing operations with a touchpad are possible with finger movement only and it doesn't require movement of the arm. However, the buttons are operated with the other hand, not resembling the intuitive operation of a normal computer mouse. Another disadvantage of a normal computer mouse is the inertia of its mass, compromising the precision of fast movements.

Object of the invention is to provide a pointing device with which the pointing operation and the operation of the buttons is done with the same fingers.

Object of the invention is to provide a pointing device for computers that is operated with finger movement only. The same fingers that are used to move the cursor on the screen are also able to operate the mouse keys at the same time. This can be done by making the mouse flat, for example the size of a small stack of Credit Cards (see fig 1, where item 1. is the mouse) with buttons incorporated in the upper surface of the mouse (see fig 1, where items 2. are the buttons). The mouse is moved by the fingers resting on the buttons. It is necessary that the friction between the fingers and the mouse is greater then the friction between the mouse and the surface it is resting on. This difference in friction can be obtained by making the underside of the mouse smooth or slippery or by mounting slippery supporting rests. The upper surface of the mouse can be furnished with a grain or sandpaper like surface to increase the friction between the fingers and the mouse. The size of the grain on the surface should not exceed the size of the finger tip, nor should there be a cavities to accommodate the finger.

The physical shape of finger tips can differ substantially as does the distance between the fingers themselves. Moving the fingers will also change their relative positions where cavities accommodating the fingers tips will only be annoying. The force applied by the fingers necessary to move the mouse should not exceed the force applied by the fingers necessary to operate the buttons. This way the mouse can be moved without operating the buttons. On the other hand, the force necessary to operate the buttons should not be to great, this would compromise the movement of the mouse with the buttons pressed down. This way the mouse can also be moved with the buttons pressed down allowing for for instance drag and drop operations.

In a second preferred embodiment a mouse can be made by a flat object (see fig 2, where item 1. is the mouse), for example the size of a Credit Card, wth incorporated buttons (see fig

2, where items 2. are the buttons), for example membrane buttons, moving over an upwards pointing optical sensor. Moving the flat object over the sensor moving the cursor over the screen correspondingly. The force applied by the fingers necessary to move the flat object should not exceed the force applied by the fingers necessary to operate the buttons. This way the flat object can be moved without operating the buttons. On the other hand, the force necessary to operate the buttons should not be to great, this would compromise the movement of the flat object with the buttons pressed down. This way the flat object can also be moved with the buttons pressed down allowing for for instance drag and drop operations.

In a special embodiment of the second embodiment the buttons are not connected to the computer by wires. The incorporated buttons open or close a tuned circuit. Near the optical sensor an electronic circuit is mounted that can detect the status of the tuned circuits and transmits this to the computer as a mouse button operation.

In a third preferred embodiment the upwards pointing optical sensor is incorporated in a notebook. (see fig 3, where item 1 is the notebook and item 2 is the optical sensor) The operation of the pointing devices as described in the invention is similar to the operation of a general computer mouse. The pointing devices as described according to this invention can be made smaller and lighter then a conventional mouse reducing the disadvantages of the inertia of a conventional mouse. A pointing device according to the second embodiment can easily be incorporated in a notebook, removing the need for the user of the notebook to carry a conventional mouse.