Computer input device for automaticall scrolling

• US 20070200826A1
• Filed: 05/01/2007
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KYE Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: KYE Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Zeng, Yu-Wen, Wang, Yu-Qi
• Granted Patent: US 7,859,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/166
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0317 in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

A computer input device includes a body and a trace-detecting module coupled to the body. The body has a micro control unit (MCU), and the trace-detecting module has at least a light pervious area, and a trace-detecting unit. The trace-detecting unit further has at least a light source and a sensor. The sensor senses a reflected light beam caused by movement of a user'"'"'s digit movement on the light pervious area at a velocity which can be sensed by the sensor. If the velocity exceeds a threshold stored in the MCU, the MCU executes automatically scrolling at a predetermined scrolling speed.

Claims

1. A computer input device, comprising:

a body and a movement-detecting module coupled to the body, said movement-detecting module arranged to detect a velocity, wherein when the velocity exceeds said predetermined threshold, the movement-detecting module generates a signal that causes automatic scrolling at a predetermined speed.

2. A computer input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movement-detecting module is a trace-detecting module that measures the velocity of a moving object.

3. The computer input device as claimed in claim 2, wherein when the velocity is less than the predetermined threshold, the trace-detecting module generates a scrolling signal based on the detected velocity.

4. The computer input device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the body has a micro control unit, and the trace-detecting module has at least a light pervious area and a trace-detecting unit;

the trace-detecting unit further having at least a light source, and a sensor; and

wherein the light source projects a light beam to the light pervious area, and the sensor detects a reflected light beam;

a velocity of the object on the light pervious area being sensed by the sensor

5. The computer input device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the object is a user'"'"'s digit.

6. The computer input device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the light pervious area is a lens opposing to the sensor.

7. The computer input device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the lens is a convex lens.

8. The computer input device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the sensor is an image sensor or a radiation sensor for sensing variation of the reflected light beam from the digit'"'"'s movement.

9. The computer input device as claimed in claim 4, wherein a negative movement of the user'"'"'s digit stops the automatically scrolling.

10. The computer input device as claimed in claim 4, wherein one of the plurality of buttons click stops the automatically scrolling.

18. The computer input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said movement-detecting module is arranged to detect movement of a scroll wheel.

11. A method for scrolling an application on a computer display by a computer input device, comprising the steps of:

detecting a velocity of an object; and

if the velocity exceeds a predetermined threshold, executing an automatic scrolling at a predetermined scrolling speed.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the computer input device has at least a light pervious area, a light source and a sensor for detecting the velocity, and a micro control unit that stores the predetermined threshold and compares it with detected velocity.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising the step of, when the velocity does not exceed the predetermined threshold, generating a scrolling signal based on the detected velocity.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the velocity is determined by the variation of a reflected light beam from the object'"'"'s movement.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the object is a user'"'"'s finger.

16. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein a negative movement of the user'"'"'s digit stops the automatically scrolling.

17. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein a button click of the computer input device stops the automatically scrolling.

19. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the step of detecting the velocity of an object comprises the step of detecting movement of a scroll wheel.