Pressure Augmented Mouse

• US 20100127983A1
• Filed: 04/28/2008
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jared Cechanowicz, Kang Shi, Pourang Irani, Sriram Subramanian
• Original Assignee: Jared Cechanowicz, Kang Shi, Pourang Irani, Sriram Subramanian
• Inventors: Subramanian, Sriram, Cechanowicz, Jared, Shi, Kang, Irani, Pourang
• Application Number:
  US12/597,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20100127983A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

The use of a uni-pressure and dual-pressure augmented mouse permits users to simultaneously control cursor positions as well as multiple levels of discrete action modes for common desktop application tasks. One, two or more independent pressure sensors can be mounted onto several locations on the body of the mouse. Various selection techniques are described to control many discrete levels and to simultaneously control different variable functions with pressure sensors on an input device for an electronic device.

Claims

1. An input device for an electronic device comprising:

a housing;

electronic circuitry in the housing arranged to detect user inputs and generate control signals corresponding to said user inputs to be transmitted to the electronic device;

the electronic circuitry comprising;

a first switch arranged to generate a first control signal when depressed by the user;

a second switch arranged to generate a second control signal when depressed by the user;

at least the second switch comprising a pressure sensitive switch arranged to generate continuous pressure values in at least two different identifiable discrete pressure ranges corresponding to different pressures being applied by the user in depressing the pressure sensitive switch.

9. The input device according to claim 1, for an electronic device comprising a plurality of sequential selection items arranged in a plurality of groups, wherein the pressure sensitive switch is arranged to generate an advancing control signal arranged to advance selection of one group through the plurality of groups when the pressure sensitive switch is momentarily depressed and wherein the discrete pressure ranges are arranged to correspond to the selection items of the selected group when continuous pressure is applied to the pressure sensitive switch for selecting one of the selection items within the selected group.

10. The input device according to claim 9 wherein the electronic circuitry comprises two pressure sensitive switches, the pressure sensitive switches being arranged to generate an advancing control signal arranged to advance selection of one group through the plurality of groups when the pressure sensitive switch is momentarily depressed in opposing directions relative to one another and wherein the discrete pressure ranges of each pressure sensitive switch are arranged to correspond to the selection items of the selected group when continuous pressure is applied to the pressure sensitive switch for selecting one of the selection items within the selected group.

13. The input device according to claim 1 for use with an electronic device including a plurality of sequential selection items to be selected in a range from a first selection item to a last selection item, wherein both the first switch and the second switch comprise a pressure sensitive switch arranged to generate continuous pressure values in at least two different identifiable discrete pressure ranges corresponding to different pressures being applied by the user in depressing the pressure sensitive switch, each discrete pressure range of at least one of the pressure sensitive switches corresponding to one of the selection items whereby increasing pressure applied to said at least one pressure sensitive switch advances the selection item being selected towards the last selection item and reducing pressure applied to said at least one pressure sensitive switch returns the selection item being selected towards the first selection item.

14. The input device according to claim 1 for an electronic device comprising a plurality of sequential selection items arranged in a plurality of groups, wherein both the first switch and the second switch comprise a pressure sensitive switch arranged to generate continuous pressure values in at least two different identifiable discrete pressure ranges corresponding to different pressures being applied by the user in depressing the pressure sensitive switch and wherein at least one of the pressure sensitive switches is arranged to generate an advancing control signal arranged to advance selection of one groups through the plurality of groups when the pressure sensitive switch is momentarily depressed and wherein the discrete pressure ranges of said at least one of the pressure sensitive switches are arranged to correspond to the selection items of the selected group when continuous pressure is applied to the pressure sensitive switch for selecting one of the selection items within the selected group.

15. The input device according to claim 14 wherein the two pressure sensitive switches are arranged to generate respective advancing control signals arranged to advance selection of one group through the plurality of groups in opposing directions relative to one another when the pressure sensitive switches are momentarily depressed and wherein the discrete pressure ranges of each pressure sensitive switch are arranged to correspond to the selection items of the selected group when continuous pressure is applied to the pressure sensitive switch for selecting one of the selection items within the selected group.

16. The input device according to claim 1 for use with an electronic device including a plurality of sequential selection items to be selected in a range from a first selection item to a last selection item, wherein both the first switch and the second switch comprise a pressure sensitive switch arranged to generate continuous pressure values in at least two different identifiable discrete pressure ranges corresponding to different pressures being applied by the user in depressing the pressure sensitive switch, each discrete pressure range of at least one of the pressure sensitive switches corresponding to one of the selection items whereby increasing pressure applied to said at least one of pressure sensitive switches advances the selection item being selected towards the last selection item and reducing pressure applied to said at least one of the pressure sensitive switches returns the selection item being selected towards the first selection item.

17. The input device according to claim 1, for an electronic device comprising a plurality of sequential selection items arranged in a plurality of groups, wherein the first switch is arranged to generate an advancing control signal arranged to advance selection of one group through the plurality of groups when the first switch is momentarily depressed and wherein the discrete pressure ranges of the pressure sensitive switch are arranged to correspond to the selection items of the selected group when continuous pressure is applied to the pressure sensitive switch for selecting one of the selection items within the selected group.

18. The input device according to claim 17 wherein both the first switch and the second switch comprise pressure sensitive switches.

19. The input device according to claim 18 wherein each of the two pressure sensitive switches comprises 8 or fewer discrete pressure ranges.

20. The input device according to claim 1 for an electronic device comprising a plurality of sequential selection items arranged in cascading levels, wherein both the first switch and the second switch comprise a pressure sensitive switch arranged to generate continuous pressure values in at least two different identifiable discrete pressure ranges corresponding to different pressures being applied by the user in depressing, the pressure sensitive switch, the discrete pressure ranges of the pressure sensitive switches being arranged to correspond to the selection items of alternating cascading levels when continuous pressure is applied to the pressure sensitive switch for selecting one of the selection items within a selected level, and wherein switching applied pressure between the two pressure switches is arranged to generate a control signal which confirms entry to the electronic device of the selected item within each level.

21. The input device according to claim 1 wherein both the first switch and the second switch comprise a pressure sensitive switch arranged to generate continuous pressure values in at least two different identifiable discrete pressure ranges corresponding to different pressures being applied by the user in depressing the pressure sensitive switch and wherein there is provided a third switch comprising a two state button.

26. The input device according to claim 1 wherein the pressure sensitive switch is arranged to distinguish among pressure values in discrete pressure ranges corresponding to different pressures being applied by the user by dividing the entire range of pressure values into discrete units with a discretization function and wherein the discretization function is a quadratic function given by the following equation,

$y=\mathrm{floor}\left(\frac{\left(x^2*l\right)}{R^2}\right)$

where x is the raw pressure value from the pressure switch, I is the number of pressure ranges, and R is the total number of raw pressure values.

27. The input device according to claim 1 wherein the pressure sensitive switch is arranged to distinguish among pressure values in discrete pressure ranges corresponding to different pressures being applied by the user by dividing the entire range of pressure values into discrete units with a discretization function and wherein the discretization function arranged to divide the range of pressure values into discrete pressure units such that a currently selected one of the discrete pressure units is arranged to be larger between respective upper and lower pressure value limits than remaining non-selected discrete pressure units.

28. The input device according to claim 1 wherein the pressure sensitive switch is arranged to distinguish among pressure values in discrete pressure ranges corresponding to different pressures being applied by the user by dividing the entire range of pressure values into discrete units with a discretization function and wherein the discretization function is a fisheye function given by the following equation,

$y=\{\begin{array}{c}\mathrm{floor}\end{array}$

( ( x - r ) * ( l - 1 ) R - r 

) + 1 x >

r - R - r l - 1 0 x ≤

r - R - r l - 1

where x is the raw pressure value from the pressure switch, I is the number of pressure ranges, r is the fisheye radius, and R is the total number of raw pressure values.

29. The input device according to claim 1 wherein the electronic circuitry includes a tracking mechanism arranged to track movement of the housing relative to a supporting surface and wherein the pressure switch and the tracking mechanism are arranged to controllably vary two different variable functions simultaneously.

30. The input device according to claim 1 wherein the pressure switch is operable in a first mode in which a variable function associated with the pressure switch is arranged to be varied in a first direction responsive to increased pressure applied to the switch and a second mode in which the variable function is arranged to be varied in a second direction opposite to the first direction responsive to increased pressure applied to the switch.

31. The input device according to claim 1 for an electronic device comprising a selection function and an action initiation function wherein the pressure switch is arranged to generate a first signal responsive to a first user interaction and a second signal responsive to a second user interaction, the pressure switch being arranged to generate a selection signal responsive to the first and second signals being generated in which the selection signal is identifiable as a selection by the selection function of the electronic device.

2-8. -8. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

22-25. -25. (canceled)

32-34. -34. (canceled)

35. An input device for an electronic device comprising:

a housing;

electronic circuitry in the housing arranged to detect user inputs and generate control signals corresponding to said user inputs to be transmitted to the electronic device;

the electronic circuitry comprising a pressure switch arranged to generate a control signal when depressed by the user comprising continuous pressure values in at least two different identifiable discrete pressure ranges corresponding to different pressures being applied by the user in depressing the pressure sensitive switch;

the pressure sensitive switch being arranged to distinguish among pressure values in discrete pressure ranges corresponding to different pressures being applied by the user by dividing the entire range of pressure values into discrete units with a discretization function;

wherein the discretization function is arranged to divide the range of pressure values into discrete pressure units such that a currently selected one of the discrete pressure units is arranged to be larger between respective upper and lower pressure value limits than remaining non-selected discrete pressure units.

36-41. -41. (canceled)

42. In an input device for an electronic device comprising a pressure sensitive switch arranged to generate continuous pressure values over a range of pressure values to be transmitted to the electronic device, the improvement comprising:

a discretization function arranged to divide the range of pressure values into discrete pressure units according to the following equation;

$y=\{\begin{array}{cc}\mathrm{floor}<br><br>\left(\frac{\left(x-r\right)*\left(l-1\right)}{R-r}\right)+1& x><br><br>r-\frac{R-r}{l-1}\\ 0& x\le <br><br>r-\frac{R-r}{l-1}\end{array}$

where x is the raw pressure value from the pressure switch, I is the number of pressure ranges, r is the fisheye radius, and R is the total number of raw pressure values.

43-69. -69. (canceled)