Abstract: In some embodiments, a computer mouse comprises a housing, a depressible keyplate disposed within the housing, a carrier platform including a top side and disposed within the housing, a haptic element coupled to a top side of the carrier platform, a biasing system configured to couple the carrier platform to the housing and provide a pre-loading force that pushes the haptic element coupled to the carrier platform against a bottom surface of the depressible keyplate, and a limiter element operable to physically limit a movable range of the keyplate in one direction that prevents a top surface of the keyplate to deflect past an adjacent top surface of the housing due to the pre-loading force, the top surface of the keyplate and the adjacent top surface of the housing forming a continuous contour when the depressible keyplate is in a non-depressed, neutral position.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a computer mouse comprises a housing, a multi-tiered and depressible keyplate including a first tier and a second tier, a haptic element, a subchassis configured to support and directly couple the haptic element to a bottom surface of the first tier of the keyplate, and a sensor (e.g., force sensor, keypress detection sensor, and the like). In some cases, when depressed by a threshold distance, the second tier of the multi-tiered depressible keyplate makes contact with the sensor, causing the sensor to detect that the multi-tiered depressible keyplate is depressed. In some aspects, the multi-tiered depressible keyplate is a monolithic structure such that the first and second tiers move as a single unit relative to the housing when the multi-tiered depressible keyplate is depressed.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a computer mouse includes a housing, a depressible keyplate, and a haptic element coupled to a bottom surface of the depressible keyplate. The haptic element can be configured to operate in a plurality of modes of operation including a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode of operation, the haptic element can generate a haptic output that statically and unidirectionally deflects and holds the haptic element and coupled keyplate at a deflection distance. In the second mode of operation, the haptic element can generate a second haptic output that bidirectionally deflects the haptic element relative to the deflection distance thereby generating a vibrational feedback that is superimposed on the unidirectional deflection at the deflection distance. In some aspects, the haptic element is a piezoelectric device and the control signal is a voltage applied to the haptic element.

Abstract: A process is provided for documenting the contents of at least one version of a plurality of data products stored in a database, at least one of the products being a composite product having at least a portion of at least one of the data products included therein. The process includes the steps of: creating a state file to be associated with a version of a composite product to be created, the state file specifying a selected version of at least one selected data product to be used in creating the composite product; using the state file to access the selected version of the selected product from the database; creating the version of the composite product by including therein at least a portion of the selected version of the selected product; and generating a state history file associated with the version of the composite product, the state history file indicating that at least a portion of the selected version of the selected product is included within the version of the composite product.

Abstract: A method for navigating within a software application of an electronic device, such as a computer, personal digital assistant or global positioning system, using a scrolling navigational ribbon. In one embodiment, information is obtained by scrolling the ribbon to the left or right by clicking on left or right arrows until the user-selectable descriptive title of the required information appears. In another embodiment, the ribbon is scrolled by clicking on a grab bar beneath the ribbon and moving it to the right or left. The user then clicks on the required title, and the information appears on the screen. The descriptive title is placed in a field above the ribbon, known as the breadcrumb field. When the required information is more than one layer down in the hierarchy of the information database, descriptive titles on the scrolling ribbon change with each selection to reflect the next layer of information.

Abstract: A process is provided for documenting the contents of at least one version of a plurality of data products stored in a database, at least one of the products being a composite product having at least a portion of at least one of the data products included therein. The process includes the steps of: creating a state file to be associated with a version of a composite product to be created, the state file specifying a selected version of at least one selected data product to be used in creating the composite product; using the state file to access the selected version of the selected product from the database; creating the version of the composite product by including therein at least a portion of the selected version of the selected product; and generating a state history file associated with the version of the composite product, the state history file indicating that at least a portion of the selected version of the selected product is included within the version of the composite product.