Capacitive mouse

• US 7,817,135 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2005
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Gillespie, David W., Day, Shawn P., Errington, Andrew M., Shaw, Scott J., Trent, Raymond A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu; Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chow; Yuk
• Application Number:
  US11/253,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20060038783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,827 Days
• Field of Search: 345/158, 345/163, 345/157, 178/18, 340/365
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0312 for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473
• 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 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts

Abstract

A pointing device some or all of whose elements are made from capacitive sensors. Such elements may include a rotary motion detector which includes a rotating member and a plurality of fixed capacitive detecting members; a rolling ball with patterned conductive surface and a plurality of fixed capacitive detecting members; capacitive touch sensors or capacitive switches to serve as mouse buttons; and a scrolling wheel, knob, or touch surface built from capacitive sensors. The pointing device further includes a capacitance measuring circuit and processor to measure variations of capacitance on the various capacitive elements and to determine the movement of and other activations of the mouse.

Claims

1. A computer mouse configured to generate a first output for cursor control in response to computer mouse motion, the computer mouse comprising:

an enclosure, the enclosure including an external surface and a back surface opposite the external surface;

a flexible substrate, at least a first portion of flexible substrate affixed to the back surface of the enclosure;

an array of capacitive sensors mounted to the first portion of the flexible substrate; and

a processor mounted to the flexible substrate, the processor electrically coupled with the array of capacitive sensors, the processor configured to generate a second output for scrolling in response to object motion along the array of capacitive sensors.

2. The computer mouse of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the flexible substrate is mounted to the back surface with adhesive.

3. The computer mouse of claim 1 wherein the array of capacitive sensors is between the first portion of the flexible substrate and the back surface.

4. The computer mouse of claim 1 wherein the flexible substrate is between the array of capacitive sensors and the back surface.

5. The computer mouse of claim 1 wherein the array of capacitive sensors is formed of conductive ink.

6. The computer mouse of claim 1 wherein the enclosure includes a first region proximate the array of capacitive sensors that is relatively thinner compared to another portion of the enclosure adjacent to the first region.

7. The computer mouse of claim 1 wherein the external surface comprises a touch surface.

8. The computer mouse of claim 1 further comprising a conductive shield configured to isolate the array of capacitive sensors from interference.

9. The computer mouse of claim 1 wherein the array of capacitive sensors comprises a plurality of conductive plates arranged in one axis and configured to detect object motion along the one axis.

10. The computer mouse of claim 1 wherein the flexible substrate comprises a plastic material.

11. The computer mouse of claim 10 wherein the plastic material comprises polyester.

12. The computer mouse of claim 1 further comprising a backing affixed to the flexible substrate that stiffens the flexible substrate.

13. An input device configured to generate a first output in response to input device motion, the input device comprising:

an enclosure, the enclosure including an external surface and a back surface opposite the external surface;

a flexible substrate including a first portion affixed to the back surface, the flexible substrate further including a second portion spatially separate from the first portion, and wherein the flexible substrate includes a bent portion between the first portion and the second portion;

an array of capacitive sensors mounted to the first portion of the flexible substrate; and

a processor mounted to the second portion of flexible substrate, the processor electrically coupled with the array of capacitive sensors, the processor configured to generate a second output in response to object motion detected by the array of capacitive sensors.

14. The input device of claim 13 further comprising a conductive shield configured to isolate the array of capacitive sensors from interference.

15. The input device of claim 13 wherein the enclosure includes a first region proximate the array of capacitive sensors that is relatively thinner compared to another portion of the enclosure adjacent to the first region.

16. The input device of claim 13 further comprising a backing affixed to the flexible substrate that stiffens the flexible substrate.

17. The input device of claim 13 further comprising a plurality of conductors on the flexible substrate, the plurality of conductors coupled to the array of capacitive sensors and the processor.

18. The input device of claim 17 wherein the array of capacitive sensors and the plurality of conductors are disposed on a same side of the flexible substrate.

19. The input device of claim 17 wherein the array of capacitive sensors is disposed on a first side of the flexible substrate, and wherein the plurality of conductors are disposed on a second side of the flexible substrate.

20. The input device of claim 13 wherein the flexible substrate includes a second portion, and wherein the processor is mounted to the second portion of the flexible substrate, and wherein the flexible substrate is bent between the first portion and the second portion.

21. The computer mouse of claim 13 further comprising a second array of capacitive sensors arranged in a second axis, wherein the array of capacitive sensors and the second array of capacitive sensors are configured to detect object motion in two dimensions.

22. A computer mouse configured to generate a first output for cursor control in response to computer mouse motion, the computer mouse comprising:

an enclosure, the enclosure including a touch surface and a back surface opposite the touch surface;

a bendable circuit substrate mounted to the back surface;

a plurality of conductive plates mounted to the bendable circuit substrate, the plurality of conductive plates configured to capacitively detect object motion proximate the touch surface;

a plurality of conductors on the bendable circuit substrate, the plurality of conductors electrically coupled to the plurality of conductive plates;

a processor mounted to the bendable circuit substrate, the processor electrically coupled to the plurality of conductive plates through the plurality of conductors, the processor configured to generate a second output for scrolling in response to said object motion proximate the touch surface.

23. A computer mouse configured to generate a first output for cursor control in response to computer mouse motion, the computer mouse comprising:

an enclosure, the enclosure including an external surface;

a capacitive touch sensor embedded in the enclosure underneath the touch surface;

a processor, the processor in operative communication with the plurality of capacitive sensors , the processor configured to generate a second output for scrolling in response to object motion along the capacitive touch sensor.

24. A computer mouse configured to generate a first output for cursor control in response to computer mouse motion, the computer mouse comprising:

an enclosure, the enclosure defining an interior region and including an external surface and an opening in the enclosure;

a flexible substrate, the flexible substrate extending through the opening in the enclosure;

a plurality of conductive plates mounted to the flexible substrate outside the interior region, the plurality of conductive plates configured to capacitively detect object motion proximate the plurality of conductive plates;

a plurality of conductors on the flexible substrate, the plurality of conductors electrically coupled to the plurality of conductive plates; and

a processor mounted to the flexible substrate, the processor electrically coupled to the plurality of conductive plates through the plurality of conductors, the processor configured to generate a second output for scrolling in response to said object motion proximate the plurality of conductive plates.