Proximity sensor device and method with keyboard emulation

• US 7,884,806 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2007
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Trent, Raymond Alexander Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu; Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZHOU, HONG
• Application Number:
  US11/748,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20080284736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,366 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-174
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A proximity sensor device and method is provided that facilitates improved device usability by providing a at least one control function prior to the specialized host software loading, and then switch to provide full range of functionality when the specialized host software has been loaded. In one embodiment, the proximity sensor device comprises a proximity sensor adapted to detect object presence and a controller configured to output simulated keyboard information and output object positional information. For example, when operating in a first mode prior to the specialized host software loading the controller outputs the simulated keyboard information that indicates a control function to a keyboard controller. Then, when operating in a second mode after the specialized host software has been loaded, the controller outputs object positional information to the keyboard controller. The object positional information can be used to provide a full range of user interface functions.

Claims

1. A user interface device, the user interface device comprising:

a proximity sensor, the proximity sensor adapted to detect object presence proximate a sensing region; and

a controller, the controller coupled to the proximity sensor, the controller configured to;

selectively operate in a first mode during startup of an associated computing device, before loading of driver software for the user interface device on the associated computing device, and operate in a second mode after loading of the driver software when directed to by the driver software;

output simulated keyboard information indicating a function responsive to a first detected object presence proximate the sensing region when operating in the first mode; and

output object positional information responsive to a second detected object presence proximate the sensing region when operating in the second mode.

2. The user interface device of claim 1 wherein the simulated keyboard information comprises a keyboard scan code indicating the function.

3. The user interface device of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to output the simulated keyboard information to a keyboard port on a keyboard controller, and wherein the controller is configured to output the object positional information to an auxiliary port on the keyboard controller.

4. The user interface device of claim 3 wherein the keyboard port comprises a first configurable multifunction port and wherein and the auxiliary port comprises a second configurable multifunction port.

5. The user interface device of claim 3 wherein the keyboard controller comprises a PS/2-compatible multiplexing keyboard controller.

6. The user interface device of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to output the simulated keyboard information to a dynamically configurable multifunction port on keyboard controller, and wherein the controller is configured to output the object positional information to the dynamically configurable multifunction port on the keyboard controller.

7. The user interface device of claim 1 wherein the sensing region includes a plurality of portions, and wherein the controller is configured to output the simulated keyboard information by outputting a scan code indicating a function corresponding to a portion of the sensing region in which the detected object presence occurs.

8. A user interface device for a computing device, the user interface device comprising:

a proximity sensor, the proximity sensor adapted to detect object presence proximate a sensing region, the sensing region including a plurality of portions; and

a sensor controller, the sensor controller coupled to the proximity sensor, the sensor controller configured to;

selectively operate in either a first mode and a second mode, wherein the sensor controller is configured to operate in the first mode during startup of the computing device, before loading of a driver software for the user interface device on the computing device, and wherein the sensor controller is configured to operate in the second mode after loading of the driver software;

associate a scan code in a plurality of scan codes to a corresponding portion in the plurality of portions in the sensing region, where each of the plurality of scan codes indicates a corresponding function on the electronic device;

generate the associated scan code responsive to detected object presence in the corresponding portion of the sensing region and output generated scan codes to a keyboard port on a keyboard controller in the computing device when the sensor controller operates in the first mode; and

generate object position data responsive to detected object presence proximate the sensing region when the sensor controller and output the generated object position data to an auxiliary port on the keyboard controller in the computing device when the controller operates in the second mode.

9. The user interface device of claim 8 wherein the keyboard controller includes a second keyboard port for coupling to a keyboard, and wherein the keyboard controller includes a second auxiliary port for coupling to a pointing device.

10. A method of indicating user interface results from a sensor adapted to detect object presence proximate a sensing region, the method comprising:

generating simulated keyboard information indicating a function responsive to a first detected object presence proximate the sensing region when operating in a first mode during startup of an associated computing device, before loading of a driver software for the sensor on the associated computing device;

outputting the simulated keyboard information to a keyboard controller when operating in the first mode;

switching from the first mode to a second mode in response to the loading of the driver software;

generating object position data responsive to a second detected object presence proximate the sensing region when the sensor controller operates in the second mode; and

outputting the object position data to the keyboard controller when operating in the second mode.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the simulated keyboard information comprises an IBM PC compatible keyboard scan code.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of outputting the simulated keyboard information to the keyboard controller when operating in the first mode comprises outputting to a keyboard port on the keyboard controller;

and wherein the step of outputting the object position data to the keyboard controller when operating in the second mode comprises outputting to an auxiliary port on the keyboard controller.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of outputting the simulated keyboard information to the keyboard controller when operating in the first mode comprises outputting to a dynamically configurable multifunction port on the keyboard controller;

and wherein the step of outputting the object position data to the keyboard controller when operating in the second mode comprises outputting to the dynamically configurable multifunction port on the keyboard controller.

14. A program product comprising:

a) a proximity sensor program, the proximity sensor program adapted to receive an indication of detected object presence proximate a sensing region in a proximity sensor device, the proximity sensor program further adapted to selectively operate in a first mode during startup of an associated computing device, before loading of a driver software for the user interface device on the associated computing device and operate in a second mode after loading of the driver software when directed to by the driver software, the proximity sensor program further adapted to output simulated keyboard information indicating a function responsive to a first detected object presence proximate the sensing region, the proximity sensor program further configured to output object positional information responsive to a second detected object presence proximate the sensing region; and

b) non-transitory computer-readable media bearing said proximity sensor program.

15. The program product of claim 14 wherein the simulated keyboard information comprises a keyboard scan code indicating the function.

16. The program product of claim 14 wherein the simulated keyboard information is outputted to a keyboard port on a keyboard controller, and wherein the object positional information is outputted to an auxiliary port on the keyboard controller.

17. The program product of claim 16 wherein the keyboard port comprises a first configurable multifunction port and wherein and the auxiliary port comprises a second configurable multifunction port.

18. The program product of claim 16 wherein the keyboard controller comprises a PS/2-compatible multiplexing keyboard controller.

19. The program product of claim 14 wherein the simulated keyboard information is outputted to a dynamically configurable multifunction port on keyboard controller, and wherein the object positional information is outputted to the dynamically configurable multifunction port on the keyboard controller.

20. The program product of claim 14 wherein the sensing region includes a plurality of portions, and wherein the proximity sensor program is configured to output the simulated keyboard information by outputting a scan code indicating a function corresponding to a portion of the sensing region in which the detected object presence occurs.

21. The program product of claim 14 wherein the proximity sensor program is further configured to selectively operate in either of a first mode and a second mode, and wherein the proximity sensor program is configured to output the simulated keyboard information indicating the function responsive to the first detected object presence proximate the sensing region when operating in the first mode, and wherein the proximity sensor program is configured to output the object positional information responsive to the second detected object presence proximate the sensing region when operating in the second mode.