Light controlled touch pad for cursor and selection control on a computer display

• US 5,577,848 A
• Filed: 09/23/1994
• Issued: 11/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James H. Bowen
• Original Assignee: James H. Bowen
• Inventors: Bowen, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KELLEY, STEVEN SHAUN
• Application Number:
  US08/311,256
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 400/472, 400/479, 341/21, 341/22, 341/23, 345/157, 345/173
• US Class Current: 400/472
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 5/10 Arrangements of keyboards , e.g. key button disposition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3271 Power saving in keyboard
• 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 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 13/00 Teaching typing
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 13/04 Devices used in association with a real typewriter, teleprinter, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A keyboard where no finger pressure is needed to input data, that uses rows of emitters opposed by rows of detectors to detect a finger position, that is environmentally sealed, and inherently intrinsic safe. The keyboard has a mouse function so an operators finger can be tracked to position a cursor on a host display, and input normal keyboard functions. The keyboard has a field changeable coded overlay with indicia thereon so a scan pattern, ambient reference level or other application specific variables can be changed without breaking the environmental seal or powering down the keyboard. Further, the different scan patterns can include scanning the finger position by multiple emitter detector pairs at angles other than ninety degrees to give a cross check of detection. These said scan patterns can be further optimized to scan angled sets of keys and to adjust to different ambient light conditions so errors can be detected by the emitter detector pair closest to detection of a finger. Further to have a scanning technique so less emitters can be used than detectors. The scanning pattern can also include detecting the speed of the finger and relating that speed to the accuracy of the cursor, and emitting a frequency to be decoded by the detector to eliminate cross talk and ambient light interference.

Claims

1. A touch pad for cursor movement and selection control on a computer display, comprising:

a base connectable to a computer terminal for inputting commands to said computer terminal, said base including a unilocular area on a surface accessable by a finger of a computer operator;

a plurality of light transmitters and light sensors positioned about the periphery of said unilocular area for sensing the presence, absence, and position and movement of a finger of a computer operator in said unilocular area;

means, connected to said plurality of light transmitters and light sensors, for determining

i) a position of a finger of a computer operator within said unilocular area,

ii) a speed and direction of movement of said finger of said computer operator within said unilocular area,

iii) a selection made with respect to a time of insertion of said finger of said computer operator within said unilocular area and a time of withdrawal of said finger of said computer operator from said unilocular area; and

means for sending data signals from said base to a computer terminal which direct movement of a cursor on said computer terminal and control selections made on said computer terminal, said data signals are indicative of

i) a position of a finger of a computer operator within said unilocular area,

ii) a speed and direction of movement of said finger of said computer operator within said unilocular area, said speed and direction of movement directing movement of a cursor on said computer terminal, and

iii) a selection made with respect to a time of insertion of said finger of said computer operator within said unilocular area and a time of withdrawal of said finger of said computer operator from said unilocular area; and

a security key positioned inside said unilocular area on said base, said security key being pivotable to between a first position where said security key blocks light transmission between a first light transmitter and light sensor pair of said plurality of light transmitters and light sensors and a second position where said security key blocks light transmission between a second transmitter and light sensor pair of said plurality of light transmitters and light sensors.

2. The touch pad of claim 1 wherein said plurality of light transmitters and light sensors has an unequal number of light transmitters relative to said light sensors.

3. The touch pad of claim 1 further comprising a means for simultaneously turning on and off paired sets of light transmitters and light sensors of said plurality of light transmitters and light sensors.

4. The touch pad of claim 1 further comprising opaque indicia positioned within at least a portion of said unilocular area of said base.

5. A touch pad for cursor movement and selection control on a computer display, comprising:

a base connectable to a computer terminal for inputting commands to said computer terminal, said base including a unilocular area on a surface accessable by a finger of a computer operator;

a plurality of light transmitters and light sensors positioned about the periphery of said unilocular area for sensing the presence, absence, and position and movement of a finger of a computer operator in said unilocular area;

means, connected to said plurality of light transmitters and light sensors, for determining a position of a finger of a computer operator within said unilocular area, and a speed and direction of movement of said finger of said computer operator within said unilocular area;

means for sending data signals from said base to a computer terminal which direct movement of a cursor on said computer terminal and are indicative of a position of a finger of a computer operator within said unilocular area and a speed and direction of movement of said finger of said computer operator within said unilocular area;

input means, separate from said unilocular area, positioned on a surface of said base for entering selection commands on said computer terminal; and

a security key positioned inside said unilocular area on said base, said security key being pivotable to a first position where said security key blocks light transmission between a first light transmitter and light sensor pair of said plurality of light transmitters and light sensors and a second position where said security key blocks light transmission between a second transmitter and light sensor pair of said plurality of light transmitters and light sensors.

6. The touch pad of claim 5 wherein said input means is a click button.