Optical pointing device

• US 6,847,350 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2002
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Van Brocklin, Andrew L, Oross, Glen A, Bausch, James F, May, Gregory J
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Jimmy H.
• Application Number:
  US10/317,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20030117370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/163, 345/166, 345/167, 345/168
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means

Abstract

An electronic device has a case and a screen attached to the case. The screen indicates a cursor position. The electronic device further has an input device mounted to the case. The input device includes a curved surface for detecting an object disposed on the curved surface using a light path that transfers an image of the object to an optical sensor. The optical sensor detects the movement of the object across the curved surface and in response, the input device manipulates the cursor position.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

a curved surface for detecting an object disposed on said curved surface;

an optical sensor for detecting movement of the object;

a light path including a fiber optic bundle capable of transferring an image of the object to said optical sensor, wherein said input device is capable of manipulating a cursor position; and

a software subroutine capable of emulating rotational inertia by manipulating said cursor position based on the movement of said object on said curved surface.

2. The input device of claim 1 wherein said curved surface is dome shaped.

3. The input device of claim 1 further comprising a keyboard formed from an array of individual keys, wherein said curved surface is disposed between at least two individual keys.

4. The input device of claim 1 wherein said input device is t-shaped.

5. The input device of claim 1 wherein said input device is capable of detecting when the object is no longer disposed on said curved surface.

6. The input device of claim 5 wherein said input device locks the cursor position upon detecting when the object is no longer disposed on said curved surface.

7. The input device of claim 6, further comprising a key wherein said curved surface is formed on said key.

8. The input device of claim 7 wherein said key is capable of being pressed between a first position and a second position, and wherein said input device has a button function activated when said key is in said first position and wherein said button function is not activated when said key is in said second position.

9. The input device of claim 7 wherein said key is part of said input device.

10. The input device of claim 1 wherein said input device further includes an illumination source and wherein said curved surface is capable of being illuminated with said illumination source.

11. The input device of claim 10 wherein said illumination source comprises at least one visible color.

12. The input device of claim 10 wherein said illumination source includes infrared illumination.

13. The input device of claim 10, further comprising:

a second illumination source for indicating a warning function on the curved surface.

14. An electronic device, comprising:

a screen capable of indicating cursor position;

a case attached to said screen;

the input device of claim 1 mounted to said case, wherein said input device is capable of manipulating said cursor position.

15. The electronic device of claim 14 wherein said input device is capable of being dismounted from said electronic device and wherein said input device is capable of operating as an optical mouse input device when dismounted from said electronic device.