Pointing device with solid-state roller

• US 20020109672A1
• Filed: 12/18/2001
• Published: 08/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Kehlstadt, Florian Max, Plancherel, Laurent, Bidiville, Marc, Piot, Julien, Merminod, Baptiste, Joss, Berni, Dupraz, Jean-Luc, Marini, Maxime, Yu, Chiu
• Granted Patent: US 7,170,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts

Abstract

A solid-state roller on a pointing device with enhanced features. The solid-state design described herein allows the sensor to be placed on any shape of surface, such as one that has curvature in two directions. In one embodiment, a trench or downward curve contains sensors for detecting finger movement. The user'"'"'s finger can thus bend about a knuckle in a curved motion to activate the sensor, requiring little or no movement of the finger up and down. The solid-state sensors can be of one of a number of designs. In one embodiment, multiple electrodes are contacted by a finger as it moves. Each electrode is coupled to a capacitive detection circuit, for detecting the change in capacitance as the electrode is contacted by the finger.

Claims

1. A pointing device comprising:

a housing for supporting a user'"'"'s hand;

a pointing sensor, mounted in said housing, for providing a pointing signal;

a contour on said housing for receiving a finger of said user, said contour having curvature in at least one directions;

a solid-state touch sensor in said contour for detecting movement of said finger along said.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said contour comprises a trench shaped to match a curve traced by a fingertip of said finger during a bending of said finger about a knuckle of said finger.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said touch sensor comprises:

at least two electrodes mounted in said contour; and

a capacitive detection circuit, connected to said electrodes, for detecting a change in capacitance due to a contact of said finger with said electrodes.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

wherein said touch sensor includes a plurality of discrete electrodes mounted in said contour to detect movement of a finger, wherein at least first and second electrodes are electrically connected, with a third electrode not connected to said first and second electrodes, said third electrode being mounted where a finger will contact said third electrode in between contacting said first and second electrodes; and

a circuit, connected to said electrodes, for detecting contact of said finger with said electrodes.

5. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said touch sensor includes at least two electrodes, and further comprising:

a circuit for detecting a contact with said electrode, including

a first, capacitive element;

a second element connected to said capacitive element;

a comparison circuit, having an input node connected to said capacitive and second elements, for comparing a voltage at said input node to a threshold voltage;

a clamp-high circuit, connected to said node, for clamping said node high in response to a clamp-high control signal;

a clamp-low circuit, connected to said input node, for clamping said node low in response to a clamp-low control signal;

a controller, connected to an output of said comparison circuit, to said clamp-high circuit and to said clamp low circuit, for providing said clamp-high and clamp-low control signals and generating an output signal in response to measuring an amount of time between transitions of said output of said comparison circuit.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the second element is a current source.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said touch sensor comprises a scrolling sensor, said scrolling sensor providing a scrolling command in response to a movement of a users finger across said stationary sensor, and continuing to provide said scrolling command in response to said finger reaching one end of said stationary scrolling sensor without lifting off.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a sensory feedback element for providing feedback to a user corresponding to an amount of movement of said finger in said contour.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said sensory feedback element comprises a plurality of tactile formations on a surface of said contour.

10. The device of claim 8 wherein said sensory feedback element comprises a speaker mounted in said pointing device.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein said trench is at least partially translucent, and further comprising a light emitting element mounted in said pointing device.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the second element is a current source.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

charging and discharging said capacitance faster than an AC frequency of an AC power supply;

detecting said first and second amounts of time at least twice during a period of said AC frequency to produce at least two measurement sets;

averaging said two measurement sets.

19. The pointing device of claim 18 wherein said device is a mouse.

26. The pointing device of claim 1 further comprising:

a control circuit, in said pointing device, for detecting a speed of movement between said two electrodes, and sending a movement signal to a computer for a number of movements corresponding to said speed.

29. The pointing device of claim 5 wherein said second element is a resistive element.

12. A pointing device comprising:

a housing;

a pointing sensor, mounted in said housing, for providing a pointing signal;

a plurality of discrete electrodes mounted on said housing to detect movement of a finger, wherein at least first and second electrodes are electrically connected, with a third electrode not connected to said first and second electrodes, said third electrode being mounted where a finger will contact said third electrode in between contacting said first and second electrodes; and

a circuit, connected to said electrodes, for detecting contact of said finger with said electrodes.

13. A pointing device comprising:

a housing;

a pointing sensor, mounted in said housing, for providing a pointing signal;

at least one electrode mounted on said housing;

a circuit for detecting a contact with said electrode, including

a first, capacitive element;

a second element connected to said first, capacitive element;

a comparison circuit, having an input node connected to said first and second elements, for comparing a voltage at said input node to a threshold voltage;

a clamp-high circuit, connected to said node, for clamping said node high in response to a clamp-high control signal;

a clamp-low circuit, connected to said input node, for clamping said node low in response to a clamp-low control signal;

a controller, connected to an output of said comparison circuit, to said clamp-high circuit and to said clamp low circuit, for providing said clamp-high and clamp-low control signals and generating an output signal in response to measuring an amount of time between transitions of said output of said comparison circuit.

15. A pointing device comprising:

a housing for supporting a user'"'"'s hand;

a pointing sensor, mounted in said housing, for providing a pointing signal;

a stationary scrolling sensor mounted on said housing, said scrolling sensor providing a scrolling command in response to a movement of a users finger across said stationary sensor, and continuing to provide said scrolling command in response to said finger reaching one end of said stationary scrolling sensor without lifting off.

16. A method of capacitively detecting movement of a finger across a plurality of electrodes on a pointing device, comprising:

detecting, for each electrode, a first amount of time for a capacitance connected to said electrode to charge up from a low voltage to a first threshold;

detecting, for each electrode, a second amount of time for said capacitance to discharge from a high voltage to a second threshold; and

comparing said amounts of time to a calibration value corresponding to the absence of a finger on said electrodes.

18. A pointing device comprising:

a housing for supporting a user'"'"'s hand;

a pointing sensor, mounted in said housing, for providing a pointing signal;

a speaker, mounted in said pointing device, for emanating sounds corresponding to a function of said pointing device.

20. A pointing device for use with a computer system, comprising:

a housing for supporting a user'"'"'s hand;

a pointing sensor, mounted in said housing, for providing a pointing signal; and

a notification element, mounted in said pointing device, for providing a notification to a user responsive to an event external to said computer system.

21. The pointing device of claim 20 wherein said device is a mouse.

22. The pointing device of claim 20 wherein said notification element is a light emitter.

23. The pointing device of claim 22 wherein said light emitter blinks to provide said notification.

24. The pointing device of claim 20 wherein said notification element is a speaker.

27. The pointing device of claim 26 wherein said movement signal comprises a scrolling signal.

25. A pointing device comprising:

a housing for supporting a user'"'"'s hand;

a pointing sensor, mounted in said housing, for providing a pointing signal;

a solid-state touch sensor having at least two discrete electrodes, said electrodes being separated with a portion of said housing in between said electrodes, said sensor detecting movement of a finger from one electrode to another.

28. A pointing device comprising:

a housing for supporting a user'"'"'s hand;

a pointing sensor, mounted in said housing, for providing a pointing signal;

a solid-state sensor for detecting movement of a finger across said sensor using capacitive sensing with a galvanic contact by said finger.