Abstract: A computer mouse device for tracking user input and providing tactile feedback. A housing includes a lower portion designed to move over a flat surface, and a casing portion engaged by a palm of a user's hand. A sensor is provided within the housing for tracking the motion of the housing with repect to the flat surface, where motion data from the sensor is transmitted to a host computer for updating the status of a cursor on a graphical display displaying one or more graphical details. The mouse device receives over signal lines a sensory feedback signal from the host computer when the displayed cursor interacts with a graphical detail in response to the motion data. An actuator is included within and coupled to the housing and generates motion of the casing in a direction substantially orthogonal to the flat surface, delivering a tactile sensation to the user's palm in response to the sensory feedback signal received over the signal lines.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tracking device (10) and a method for a sensory feedback to the tracking device (10), when a cursor (28) hits or passes the borders of a graphical detail (32, 34, 36, 40, 42, 44). In an alternative embodiment for marking graphical details (32, 34, 36, 40, 42, 44) it is achieved that the cursor (28) controlled by the tracking device (10) on a display is fixed within the borders of said details (32, 34, 36, 40, 42, 44), when the cursor hits the borders, the tracking device (10) receiving a sensory feedback (46). In an embodiment is indicated how the cursor (28) is released from the fixation. The invention provides especially cognitive, tactile and motoric advantages to the user of socalled window interfaces with key rows (40, 42, 44) and icons (34).