Pointing device with hand detection

• US 6,859,196 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2001
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Kehlstadt, Florian Max
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Application Number:
  US09/964,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20020093481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/158, 345/163, 345/165, 345/211, 345/212, 345/157, 345/173, 345/175, 341/20, 341/22, 341/33, 341/21, 400/472, 713/324, 713/322, 713/320, 713/301, 178/18.06
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3259 Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960775 Emitter-receiver or "fringe" type detection, i.e. one or more field emitting electrodes and corresponding one or more receiving electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An input device having a housing and electronic circuitry for detecting user inputs, and transmitting signals corresponding to those inputs to an electronic device, such as a computer. A sleep mode is provided for the electronic circuitry to conserve power. A hand detection circuit is provided for detecting the proximity of a user'"'"'s hand to the housing and producing a hand detect signal in response. The hand detect signal will awaken the input device from its sleep mode.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

a housing;

electronic circuitry for detecting user inputs and transmitting signals corresponding to said inputs to an electronic device;

a sleep-mode circuit, coupled to said electronic circuitry, for activating a reduced power operation of said electronic circuitry;

a capacitive hand detection circuit for detecting the proximity of a user'"'"'s hand to said housing and producing a hand detect signal; and

said sleep mode circuit being responsive to said hand detect signal to awaken said electronic circuitry from said reduced power operation;

wherein said hand detection circuit is mounted inside a ton of said housing, such that a portion of said housing insulates said user'"'"'s band from said capacitive hand detection circuit;

wherein said capacitive detection circuit comprises

first and second electrodes on said housing for capacitive connection with a user'"'"'s hand;

a first circuit, coupled to said first electrode, for determining an amount of time for charging of a capacitance connected to said first circuit; and

a second circuit, coupled to said second electrode, for determining an amount of time for discharging of a capacitance connected to said second circuit;

such that an internal virtual ground is produced between said first and second electrodes; and

wherein said first circuit comprises;

a comparator;

a controller coupled to an output of said comparator;

a voltage divider feedback circuit coupled between an output and a reference voltage input of said comparator;

a detection capacitor coupled between said first electrode and a signal input of said comparator; and

a switching circuit selectively coupling said signal input of said comparator to high and low voltage supplies.

2. An input device comprising:

a housing;

electronic circuitry for detecting user inputs and transmitting signals corresponding to said inputs to an electronic device; and

an optical hand detection circuit for optically detecting the proximity of a user'"'"'s hand to said housing and producing a hand detect signal;

a controller for turning on and off a light emitter, and providing said hand detection signal only after a predetermined number of on cycles provides a reflection to said detector above a threshold, wherein said controller further;

filters ambient light frequencies different from a frequency of said light emitter;

cycles said light emitter on and off at a first rate before a hand detection, and at a second rate after a hand detection; and

requires detection of a hand for a predetermined number of cycles before issuing said hand detect signal.

3. The input device of claim 2 wherein said controller removes said hand detect signal in the absence of a control input to said input device for a predetermined amount of time after a detection of a hand.

4. The input device of claim 2 wherein said input device is a mouse.

5. The input device of claim 2 further comprising:

a sleep-mode circuit, coupled to said electronic circuitry, for activating a reduced power operation of said electronic circuitry, said sleep mode circuit being responsive to said hand detect signal to awaken said electronic circuitry from said reduced power operation.