Dual pointing device used to control a cursor having absolute and relative pointing devices

• US 6,983,336 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Shoji, Kikuchi, Yoshiyuki, Itoh, Akihisa, Miura, Kouichi
• Primary Examiner(s): PEYTON, TAMMARA R
• Application Number:
  US10/726,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20040123001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 710/72, 710/73, 710/305, 710/16, 710/12, 710/15, 710/38, 345/73, 345/146, 345/156, 345/163, 345/168, 345/173, 345/768
• US Class Current: 710/16
• 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 1/169 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 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A personal computer system enables simultaneous use of a relative-coordinate-mode input device and an absolute-coordinate-mode input device, thereby allowing correct input of absolute coordinate data, such as for characters. A pad-type first input device and a stick-type second input device are provided for a notebook computer. The first input device outputs both absolute coordinate data and relative coordinate data. The second input device outputs only relative coordinate data. When the absolute coordinate data is output, the relative coordinate data format is converted into the same format as the absolute coordinate data, and ID information for distinguishing the relative coordinate data from the absolute coordinate data is added to part of the relative coordinate data format.

Claims

1. A personal computer system comprising:

a plurality of different types of coordinate input devices;

an output means for outputting a signal from each of said coordinate input devices, the output means configured to embed an identifier in the signal that identifies one of the coordinate input devices; and

a processing means for alternating between the signals from said coordinate input devices as the signals are transmitted to the output means, said signals consisting of a first and a second data stream of at least three bytes or six bytes;

a buffer coupled to the processing means that receives data from the first input device and the second input device such that the coordinate input devices may be used simultaneously.

2. A personal computer system comprising:

a first input device;

a second input device, said second input device performing a detecting operation in a manner differing from said first input device; and

an output device configured to send an output signal from said first input device or said second input device or from said first input device and from said second input device in at least a three byte data stream or a six byte data stream, whereby said output device combines signals received from the first input device and the second input device in an alternating sequence wherein the first input device comprises a touch pad comprising an absolute pointing device and a relative pointing device.

3. A personal computer system according to claim 2, wherein said first input device outputs absolute coordinate data and/or relative coordinate data, and said second input device outputs relative coordinate data.

4. A personal computer system according to claim 2, wherein said first input device is a pad-type input device disposed closer to an operator than said keyboard input device, and said second input device is a stick-type input device disposed between keys of said keyboard input device.

5. A personal computer system comprising:

a first input device;

a second input device that differs from the first input device;

an output means for outputting operation signals from said first input device and from said second input device in a variable length signal format;

a processing unit that alternately selects operational signals from said first input device and from second input device in response to an operation of said first input device and said second input device;

a buffer coupled to the processing unit that receives relative data from the first input device and the second input device;

wherein said output means adds an identifier to a selected portion of the operational signal that distinguishes the input devices;

wherein said first input device outputs variable information on X, Y, and Z three-dimensional coordinates, and said second input device outputs variable information on X and Y two-dimensional coordinates, and when said second device is used, said identifier is added to a Z-information field of the signal format output from said output device; and

wherein said output device generates six-byte absolute coordinate data and supplies it to said processing unit in response to the variable information on the X, Y, and Z three-dimensional coordinates supplied from the first input device, and said output device converts at least three-byte displacement data into six-byte data in response to the variable information on the X and Y two-dimensional coordinates supplied from the second input device, and said identifier is added to a Z-information field of the converted six-byte data.

6. A personal computer system according to claim 5, wherein individual byte fields of the six-byte data supplied from said output device to said processing unit respectively indicate said identifier, X count information, X count and button information, Y count and button information, Y count information, and Z count information, and wherein the Z-count information becomes variable in accordance with an operation of said first input device in response to the variable information supplied from said first input device, and the Z-count information becomes fixed in response to the variable information supplied from said second input device.

7. A personal computer system comprising:

a first input device;

a second input device that differs from the first input device;

an output means for outputting operation signals from said first input device and from said second input device in a variable length signal format;

a processing unit that alternately selects operational signals from said first input device and from second input device in response to an operation of said first input device and said second input device;

a buffer coupled to the processing unit that receives relative data from the first input device and the second input device;

wherein said output means adds an identifier to a selected portion of the operational signal that distinguishes the input devices; and

wherein said output device comprises a switching portion for switching between a path for converting the variable information obtained from said second input device into the six-byte and a path for outputting the variable information as at least a three-byte data.

8. An input device comprising:

an input/output port;

a first pointing device coupled to an input of the input/output port; and

a second pointing device coupled directly to the input of the input/output port;

wherein the input/output port has a single output channel through which data is transferred from the first pointing device and the second pointing device to a driver that resides on a host; and

wherein said first pointing device and said second pointing device can transmit a fixed length data stream of at least three bytes and at least one of said first pointing device and said second pointing device can transmit a fixed length data stream of six bytes.

9. The input device of claim 8 wherein the first pointing device comprises a touch pad.

10. The input device of claim 8 wherein the second pointing device comprises a pointing stick and wherein said first and said second pointing devices transmit data in a predetermined bit sequence.

11. The input device of claim 9 wherein the second pointing device comprises a pointing stick.

12. The input device of claim 11 wherein the input/output port comprises a controller for selecting an output from the touch pad and the pointing stick at a rate that allows a user to control an on-screen movement of a cursor through the touch pad and the pointing stick simultaneously.

13. The input device of claim 8 wherein the input device comprises a dual pointing device, the first pointing device comprises a first relative pointing device integrated with an absolute pointing device, and the second pointing device comprises a second relative pointing device.

14. The input device of claim 13 wherein the second pointing device further comprises a format converter configured to send identifying data to the driver that distinguishes the first pointing device from the second pointing device.

15. The input device of claim 8 wherein the first pointing device is directly coupled to the second pointing device.

16. The input device of claim 8 wherein the single output channel is a serial port capable of sending and receiving data from a processor.

17. A dual pointing device used to control a cursor in a computer comprising:

a port;

a format logic coupled to the port, the format logic configured to transmit a data stream in lengths of three and more bytes;

a touch pad comprising a first relative pointing device and an absolute pointing device coupled to the format logic;

a stick comprising a second relative pointing device coupled to the format logic; and

the first relative pointing device and the second relative pointing device each comprising a cursor control device in which a movement of a cursor on the screen correlates to a movement detected by the first relative pointing device or the second relative pointing device;

wherein the format logic is configured to embed identifying data in the data stream in response to a command received from the computer, the identifying data distinguishing the stick from the touch pad, and the port comprise a single channel through which data is transmitted to the computer; and

wherein the format logic is configured to transmit data in fixed lengths of at least three and six bytes.

18. A dual pointing device used to control a cursor in a computer comprising:

a port;

a format logic coupled to the port, the format logic configured to transmit a data stream in lengths of three and more bytes;

a touch pad comprising a first relative pointing device and an absolute pointing device coupled to the format logic;

a stick comprising a second relative pointing device coupled to the format logic; and

the first relative pointing device and the second relative pointing device each comprising a cursor control device in which a movement of a cursor on the screen correlates to a movement detected by the first relative pointing device or the second relative pointing device;

wherein the format logic is configured to embed identifying data in the data stream in response to a command received from the computer, the identifying data distinguishing the stick from the touch pad, and the port comprise a single channel through which data is transmitted to the computer;

wherein the format logic is coupled to a buffer that stores relative data temporarily before transferring the relative data in lengths of three or more bytes to the computer; and

wherein the format logic is coupled to a second buffer that stores absolute data temporarily before transferring the absolute data to the computer.

19. A dual pointing device used to control a cursor in a computer comprising:

a port;

a format logic coupled to the port, the format logic configured to transmit a data stream in lengths of three and more bytes;

a touch pad comprising a first relative pointing device and an absolute pointing device coupled to the format logic;

a stick comprising a second relative pointing device coupled to the format logic; and

the first relative pointing device and the second relative pointing device each comprising a cursor control device in which a movement of a cursor on the screen correlates to a movement detected by the first relative pointing device or the second relative pointing device;

wherein the format logic is configured to embed identifying data in the data stream in response to a command received from the computer, the identifying data distinguishing the stick from the touch pad, and the port comprise a single channel through which data is transmitted to the computer;

wherein the format logic is coupled to a buffer that stores relative data temporarily before transferring the relative data in lengths of three or more bytes to the computer; and

wherein the buffer delivers data in fixed lengths of at least three bytes or six bytes in response to an output from a switch controller.

20. A method of processing data transmitted from a plurality of relative pointing devices integrated within a computer, comprising:

detecting a first movement on one of a plurality of relative pointing devices and generating a first data stream associated with an on-screen movement of a cursor on a display of a computer;

detecting a second movement on a touch pad, the touch pad comprising a relative pointing device and an absolute pointing device;

monitoring a port coupled to a device driver resident to the computer;

embedding identifying data in the first data stream that identifies at least one of the plurality of relative pointing devices;

transferring the first data stream in lengths of three or more bytes to the computer through the port;

identifying the source of the first data stream when the identifying data is decoded;

detecting a second movement detected by an absolute pointing device to a second data stream associated with an on-screen position of the cursor on the display of the computer; and

transferring the first and the second data streams in lengths of at least three bytes or six bytes to the computer through the serial port.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising identifying the source of the second data stream when the identifying data is decoded.

22. A computer including a host coupled to a display screen and an operating system comprising:

a touch pad comprising a first relative pointing device and an absolute pointing device;

a stick comprising a second relative pointing device;

the touch pad and the stick each outputting operation signals to control a movement of the cursor on the display screen, wherein the touch pad outputs signals in a first format when operated as an absolute pointing device and a second format when operated as a relative pointing device;

a format converter coupled to the touchpad and the stick, wherein the format converter receives the operation signals and outputs a data stream of operation signals in the same format for the touchpad and for the stick, wherein the same format is one of the first format or the second format and wherein the format converter embeds identifying data in the data stream that distinguishes the stick from the touchpad;

a port providing a single channel through which data from the format converter is transmitted to the host; and

a mouse connected to the host;

the host including a device driver, the device driver receiving the converted operation signals in the same format from the touchpad and the stick and receiving operation signals from the mouse, the device driver serving as a single device driver for shared processing of signals from both the touchpad and stick and from the mouse;

wherein the signals processed by the device driver undergoes further processing by the operating system to control cursor movement on the display screen.

23. An input device comprising:

an input/output port;

a first pointing device coupled to an input of the input/output port; and

a second pointing device coupled to the input of the input/output port;

wherein the input/output port has a single output channel through which data is transferred from the first pointing device and the second pointing device to a driver that resides on a host; and

wherein said first pointing device and said second pointing device can transmit a fixed length data stream of at least three bytes and at least one of said first pointing device and said second pointing device can transmit a fixed length data stream of six bytes.