Computer input device and keyboard

• US 5,757,363 A
• Filed: 06/28/1996
• Issued: 05/26/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hagiwara Systems-Com Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Hagiwara Systems-Com Company Limited
• Inventors: Matsuda, Hideki, Nakamura, Kimitoshi, Hayakawa, Yoshiaki, Oishi, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kovalick, Vincent E.
• Application Number:
  US08/682,899
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 345/145, 345/156, 345/157, 345/163, 345/168, 345/173, 345/174, 345/179, 128/18
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position

Abstract

A proposed computer input device for transmitting the displacement data representing the quantity and direction of the movement of a cursor to a computer is operable in a narrow space and easily portable. The input device is provided with a pressure sensitive pad composed of a conductive layer formed on the underside of a flexible sheet and a resistor layer formed on the upper face of a substrate at a predetermined interval from the conductive layer. When the flexible sheet is depressed, the conductive layer contacts the resistor layer at the depressed position. In a control circuit connected to the conductive layer and the resistor layer, when the contact of the conductive layer with the resistor layer is detected, a voltage of 5V is applied alternately in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction on the surface of the resistor layer. The depressed position on the pressure sensitive pad is sequentially computed from the voltage value produced on the conductive layer when the voltage is applied. Based on the computation result, the movement count number is calculated and transmitted to the computer.

Claims

1. An input device for transmitting a displacement data representing the quantity and direction of the movement of a cursor to a computer, comprising:

a pressure sensitive pad having a conductive layer and a resistor layer disposed at a predetermined vertical interval from said conductive layer, at least an upper one of said conductive layers and said resistor layer being formed from an underside of a flexible sheet, such that when an upper face of said flexible sheet is depressed, said conductive layer is brought in contact with said resistor layer at a corresponding depressed position;

a contact detection means for detecting a contact between said conductive layer and said resistor layer;

a voltage application means for alternately applying a voltage alternately in a horizontal direction and in a vertical direction on a surface of said resistor layer when contact between said conductive layer and said resistor layer is detected by said contact detection means;

a position computation means for detecting a voltage of said resistor layer synchronously when the voltage is applied by said voltage application means and for sequentially computing the depressed position on said flexible sheet, based on the voltage value detected when the voltage is applied in said horizontal direction and the voltage value detected when the voltage is applied in said vertical direction;

a memory means for storing a computation result of said position computation means;

a data preparation means for preparing displacement data representing a quantity and direction of movement of said depressed position for a predetermined unit time, based on a plurality of computation results stored in said memory means;

an output means for transmitting the displacement data prepared by said data preparation means to said computer;

an initialization means for stopping operation of said voltage application means and canceling content stored in said memory means when the contact detection means detects disconnection of said conductive layer from said resistor layer;

a contact time measurement means for measuring a time during which said conductive layer and said resistor layer are in contact with each other, based on the detection result of said contact detection means; and

a definition signal output means for determining whether the time measured by said contact time measurement means is within a predetermined time and for indicating a definition of a cursor position to said computer when said time is within said predetermined time.

2. The computer input device according to claim 1, wherein said contact detection means again detects a contact between said conductive layer and said resistor layer before said definition signal output means completes the output of said definition signal, and when the time measured by said contact time measurement means exceeds said predetermined time, said definition signal continuously transmits said definition signal until said contact detection means detects a disconnection from said conductive layer from said resistor layer.

3. The computer input device according to claim 1, wherein said contact detection means again detects a contact between said conductive layer and said resistor layer before said definition signal output means completes the output of said definition signal, and when the time measured by said contact time measurement means is within said predetermined time, said definition signal output means once stops the output of said definition signal at the same time when said contact detection means detects a disconnection from said conductive layer from said resistor layer, and after a predetermined time elapses, said definition signal output means resumes the output of said definition signal.

4. The computer input device according to claim 1, wherein said position computation means includes an averaging means for averaging the depressed positions computed a plurality of times, and the averaged depressed position information is stored in said memory means.

5. A keyboard for inputting information responsive to depression of keys to a computer, comprising:

a housing;

character keys mounted on a surface of said housing for inputting alphabetical and numerical characters;

a pressure sensitive pad provided on the surface of said housing and having a conductive layer and a resistor layer disposed at a predetermined vertical interval from said conductive layer, at least an upper one of said conductive layers and said resistor layer being formed from an underside of a flexible sheet, such that when an upper face of said flexible sheet is depressed, said conductive layer is brought in contact with said resistor layer at a corresponding depressed position;

a contact detection means for detecting a contact between said conductive layer and said resistor layer;

a voltage application means for alternately applying a voltage alternately in a horizontal direction and in a vertical direction on a surface of said resistor layer when contact between said conductive layer and said resistor layer is detected by said contact detection means;

a position computation means for detecting a voltage of said resistor layer synchronously when the voltage is applied by said voltage application means and for sequentially computing the depressed position on said flexible sheet, based on the voltage value detected when the voltage is applied in said horizontal direction and the voltage value detected when the voltage is applied in said vertical direction;

a memory means for storing a computation result of said position computation means;

a data preparation means for preparing displacement data representing a quantity and direction of movement of said depressed position for a predetermined unit time, based on a plurality of computation results stored in said memory means;

an output means for transmitting the displacement data prepared by said data preparation means to said computer;

an initialization means for stopping operation of said voltage application means and canceling content stored in said memory means when the contact detection means detects disconnection of said conductive layer from said resistor layer;

a contact time measurement means for measuring a time during which said conductive layer and said resistor layer are in contact with each other, based on the detection result of said contact detection means; and

a definition of signal output means for determining whether the time measured by said contact time measurement means is within a predetermined time and for indicating a definition of a cursor position to said computer when said time is within said predetermined time.

6. The keyboard according to claim 5, wherein said contact detection means again detects a contact between said conductive layer and said resistor layer before said definition signal output means completes the output of said definition signal, and when the time measured by said contact time measurement means exceeds said predetermined time, said definition signal output means continuously transmits said definition signal until said contact detection means detects a disconnection from said conductive layer from said resistor layer.

7. The keyboard according to claim 5, wherein said contact detection means again detects a contact between said conductive layer and said resistor layer before said definition signal output means completes the output of said definition signal, and when the time measured by said contact time measurement means is within said predetermined time, said definition signal output means once stops the output of said definition signal at the same time when said contact detection means detects a disconnection from said conductive layer from said resistor layer, and after a predetermined time elapses, said definition signal output means resumes the output of said definition signal.

8. The keyboard according to claim 5, further comprising:

a changeover key; and

keys having switchable functions of moving a cursor and of entering the predetermined data other than the cursor movement data, responsive to the operation of said changeover key.