Optical slider for input devices

• US 20070018970A1
• Filed: 05/04/2006
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Mathis, Olivier, Plancherel, Laurent, Monney, Patrick, Tabasso, Alain, Lazzarotto, Sergio, Bonanno, Daniel, Dupraz, Jean-Luc, Marini, Maxime, Kehlstadt, Florian, Bidiville, Marc, Chauvin, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US11/418,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20070018970A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3262 Power saving in digitizer or tablet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An optical feedback mechanism corresponding to a variation in input by a user'"'"'s digit on an input element. The variation in input can be movement by the user'"'"'s finger, or a change in the amount of pressure or force applied to a button. In one embodiment, the optical feedback is a linear light array adjacent a solid-state scroll/zoom sensor, with the light corresponding to the finger position. Alternately, a solid state button could provide feedback corresponding to the amount of pressure in the form of a change in intensity, color or blinking. In one embodiment, the input signal from an input element alternates between a scroll, zoom and/or other functions depending on the current application.

Claims

1. A user input device comprising:

a sensor for tracking a variation in input by a digit of a user;

a light emitter for providing a feedback signal corresponding to said variation by said digit of said user.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said variation is a movement of said digit along said sensor, said sensor being elongated.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said elongated sensor is curved.

4. The detector of claim 3 wherein said elongated sensor is in the shape of a circle.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said variation is a variation in pressure applied to said sensor.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said sensor is an elongated sensor for controlling scrolling/zooming of a computer display.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said light emitter comprises an elongated strip of light emitters, parallel to said elongated sensor, which is configured to illuminate at a position corresponding to a position of said digit of said user.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein said sensor is a solid state sensor.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said sensor is an optical sensor.

10. The device of claim 9 further comprising;

a photo-detector; and

a lens for focusing reflected light from a finger onto said photo-detector.

11. The device of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of photo-detectors offset in pitch from a sensor light emitter.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein said light emitter is part of an optical sensor, providing the dual functions of sensing and user feedback.

13. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a PIR sensor configured to detect a user'"'"'s hand; and

power control circuitry configured to limit power in said device in response to the absence of detection of a user'"'"'s hand for a predefined period of time.

14. A user input device comprising:

an optical window;

a plurality of light emitters mounted inside said optical window and oriented toward said window to direct light at said window;

a plurality of photodetectors mounted in interleaved fashion between said light emitters, to detect light reflected in from said optical window.

15. The input device of claim 14 wherein said light emitters and photo detectors are mounted in a line, with less than 20 total light emitters and photodetectors.

16. The input device of claim 15 further comprising first and second optical buttons at the ends of said line.

17. The input device of claim 14 wherein said light emitters and photodetectors are mounted in a two dimensional interleaved array.

18. The input device of claim 14 further comprising a lens bar between said window and said light emitters and photodetectors.

19. The input device of claim 14 further comprising a baffle providing a barrier between said light emitters and photodetectors to reduce light directly reaching said photodetectors from said light emitters without being reflected off said window.

20. The input device of claim 14 further comprising at least one light pipe directing light from said light emitter toward said window.

21. The input device of claim 14 wherein said input device is a keyboard, and wherein said light emitters are infrared LEDs.

22. The input device of claim 14 wherein said input device is a mouse, and wherein said light emitters are infrared LEDs.

23. A user input device comprising:

an elongated sensor for tracking a movement of a digit of a user along said sensor to control scrolling/zooming of a computer display;

an elongated strip of light emitters, parallel to said elongated sensor, which is configured to illuminate at a position corresponding to a position of said digit of said user to provide a feedback signal corresponding to said movement by said digit of said user.

24. A method for providing feedback corresponding to a user input on a user input device, comprising:

tracking a variation in input by a digit of a user; and

providing an optical feedback signal on said user input device which varies to said variation by said digit of said user.

25. A user input system comprising:

a sensor for tracking a variation in input by a digit of a user;

computer readable media containing program instructions for detecting a software program being used by said user; and

said computer readable media further containing program instructions to make a selection of a function in said software program to be controlled by said sensor.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein said function is further based on the current content of said software application.

27. An input system for an electronic appliance comprising:

an input element; and

a module for detection of a software program in use, said module automatically selecting a function for said input element in said software program.

28. The input system of claim 27 wherein said input element is an analog input.

29. The input system of claim 27 wherein said input element is one of a slider, touchpad, roller, joystick trackball, and pressure sensitive button.

30. The input system of claim 27 wherein said module stores a user selected preference for said function.

31. The input system of claim 27 wherein said module is further configured to determine a location of a cursor in said software program and vary said function in accordance with said location.

32. The input system of claim 27 wherein said function includes one of scrolling and zooming.

33. A method for providing an input to an electronic appliance, comprising:

providing an input signal from an input element; and

detecting a software program in use;

automatically selecting a function for said input signal in said software program.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising storing a user selected preference for said function.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

determining a location of a cursor in said software program; and

varying said function in accordance with said location.