Touchpad with smart automatic scroll function and control method therefor

• US 20060250372A1
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
• Inventors: Lii, Jia-Yih
• Application Number:
  US11/274,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20060250372A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041661 using detection at multiple resolutions, e.g. coarse and fine scanning; using detection within a limited area, e.g. object tracking window

Abstract

A touchpad is defined to have a first zone and a second zone, and operated in such a way that a location information of an object is generated when the object is detected to move within the first zone, and a scrolling signal is generated if the object moves into the second zone and stays therewithin for a period longer than a threshold time.

Claims

1. A control method for a touchpad defined with a first zone and a second zone, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a location of an object on the touchpad;

sending out a location information of the object during the object moves within the first zone; and

sending out a scrolling signal if the object moves into the second zone and stays therewithin for a period longer than a threshold time.

2. A touchpad comprising:

defined first and second zones;

wherein a location information of an object is generated when the object is detected to move within the first zone;

wherein a scrolling signal is generated if the object moves into the second zone and stays therewithin for a period longer than a threshold time.

3. The touchpad of claim 2, wherein the second zone comprises an edge zone.

4. The touchpad of claim 2, wherein the second zone surrounds the first zone.

5. The touchpad of claim 2, wherein the location information comprises an absolute coordinate.

6. The touchpad of claim 2, wherein the location information comprises a relative movement amount.

7. The touchpad of claim 2, wherein the scrolling signal comprises a digital signal.

8. The touchpad of claim 2, wherein the scrolling signal comprises a location information.