INPUT DEVICE, PARTICULARLY COMPUTER MOUSE

• US 20100001955A1
• Filed: 08/20/2008
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microchip Technology Germany GmbH (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Microchip Technology Germany GmbH (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Richter, Wolfgang
• Granted Patent: US 10,048,759 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means

Abstract

The invention refers to an input device for computer system. The invention is based on the task of creating solutions to make it possible to considerably simplify mouse-based input operations in the use of computers. This task is solved in accordance with the invention by a computer mouse with a housing and a movement detector to generate control data which as such correlate with the movement of the housing along the X or Y axis, and a hand detector to generate control data which as such correlate with the position and/or the finger gestures of a hand in relation to the housing before the computer mouse is touched. This makes it advantageously possible to carry out input operations to an even better degree with a computer mouse, in particular cursor controls, in a way that can be intuitively and easily mastered.

Claims

1. A computer mouse comprising:

a housing,

a movement detector to generate control data which as such correlate with the movement of the housing along an X1 and a Y1 axis, and

a hand detector to generate control data which as such correlate with the position and/or movement of a hand in relation to the housing before the computer mouse is touched.

2. The computer mouse in accordance with claim 1 that wherein it is connected to a computer system with a display and that the control movements executed by the user in relation to the computer mouse are reflected in a user interface represented by the display.

3. The computer mouse in accordance with claim 1 wherein the user interface is designed in such a way that a cross-movement of the operation hand in relation to the computer mouse triggers a cursor movement along the X axis or allows the selection of various buttons.

4. The computer mouse in accordance with claim 1 wherein the user interface is designed in such a way that a longitudinal movement of the operation hand in relation to the computer mouse triggers a cursor movement along the Y axis or allows the selection of various buttons.

5. The computer mouse in accordance with claim 1 wherein the depth movement allows the selection of various menu windows from the user interface.

6. The computer mouse in accordance with claim 1 wherein depth movement allows the selection of various menu windows or frames.

7. The computer mouse in accordance with claim 1 wherein the zoom factor of the user interface visualized in the display is coordinated via the Z information.

8. The computer mouse in accordance with claim 1 wherein the navigation is controlled by the longitudinal or cross movements within a window or frame by the operation hand of the user.

9. The computer mouse in accordance with claim 1 wherein the system is configured in such a way that a selection command is derived from a certain detection event.

10. The computer mouse in accordance with claim 1 wherein the selection command is generated by a finger movement, in particular the lowering of one or more fingers of the operation hand in the direction of the mouse.

11. The computer mouse in accordance with claim 1 wherein the mouse has an input structure to realize manual selection by the corresponding activation of the input structure.

12. The computer mouse in accordance with claim 1 wherein the input structure is executed as a key structure which can be activated by the corresponding tipping of the mouse by a finger of the gripping hand, in particular the index finger.

13. The computer mouse in accordance with claim 1 wherein the hand detector includes an electrode structure for the detection of the input operations on the basis of field electric interaction effects.

14. The computer mouse in accordance with claim 1 wherein the hand detector includes a first, second and third electrode and that the position of the operation hand and/or the cross, longitudinal and/or depth movement of the operation hand in relation to the computer mouse is detected on the basis of differences in the field electric events at these electrodes.

15. The computer mouse in accordance with claim 1 wherein the hand detector includes an excitation electrode which functions as a send electrode and generates an electric field in an area above the computer mouse.

16. The computer mouse in accordance with claim 1 wherein the excitation electrode is arranged in such a way that it largely radiates the excitation field vertically upward.

17. The computer mouse in accordance with claim 1 wherein it includes a coupling electrode for the coupling of a dielectric current event to the gripping hand of the user.

18. The computer mouse in accordance with claim 1 wherein the computer system realized with the computer mouse is configured in such a way that the length and the width of the hand movement area provided to execute the input operations by the operation hand R allow a movement of the cursor over the whole extent of the screen.

19. An input device for a computer mouse in accordance with claim 1 wherein it has a thin circuit board structure carrying electrode structures and that an ASIC is arranged on this circuit board structure for the generation of the control signals on the basis of proximity effects detected by the electrodes.

20. A computer mouse comprising:

a housing,

a movement detector to generate control data which as such correlate with the movement of the housing along an X1 and a Y1 axis and

a hand detector to generate a signal which indicates whether the mouse has been touched by a user and whereby in accordance with this signal the mouse electronics switch from a power-saving mode to operation mode.

21. The computer mouse in accordance with claim 20 wherein, when the mouse is released, the mouse electronics revert to the power-saving mode immediately or with a slight delay.

22. A computer mouse comprising:

a housing,

a movement detector to generate control data which as such correlate with the movement of the housing along an X1 and a Y1 axis, and

a hand detector to generate a signal which indicates whether the hand of a user is approaching the mouse whereby in accordance with this signal the mouse electronics switch from a power-saving mode to operation mode.

23. The computer mouse in accordance with claim 22 wherein, when the mouse is released, the mouse electronics revert to the power-saving mode immediately or with a slight delay.

24. A process for the realization of an input mode in the use of a computer system with a computer mouse whereby the computer mouse generates control data which as such correlate with the position of the hand of a user relative to the mouse before the mouse is gripped.