Pointing device with solid-state roller
First Claim
1. A pointing device comprising:
- a housing for supporting a user'"'"'s hand;
a pointing sensor, mounted in said housing, for providing a pointing signal;
a contour on said housing for receiving a finger of said user, said contour having curvature in two directions; and
a solid-state scrolling touch sensor in said contour for detecting movement of said finger along said contour;
wherein said touch sensor includes at least two electrodes, and further comprising;
a circuit for detecting a contact with an electrode of the at least two electrodes, including a first, capacitive element;
a second element connected to said capacitive element;
a comparison circuit, having an input node connected to said capacitive and second elements, for comparing a voltage at said input node to a threshold voltage;
a clamp-high circuit, connected to said node, for clamping said node high in response to a clamp-high control signal;
a clamp-low circuit, connected to said input node, for clamping said node low in response to a clamp-low control signal;
a controller, connected to an output of said comparison circuit, to said clamp-high circuit and to said clamp low circuit, for providing said clamp-high and clamp-low control signals and generating an output signal in response to measuring an amount of time between transitions of said output of said comparison circuit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A solid-state roller on a pointing device with enhanced features. The solid-state design described herein allows the sensor to be placed on any shape of surface, such as one that has curvature in two directions. In one embodiment, a trench or downward curve contains sensors for detecting finger movement. The user'"'"'s finger can thus bend about a knuckle in a curved motion to activate the sensor, requiring little or no movement of the finger up and down. The solid-state sensors can be of one of a number of designs. In one embodiment, multiple electrodes are contacted by a finger as it moves. Each electrode is coupled to a capacitive detection circuit, for detecting the change in capacitance as the electrode is contacted by the finger.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A pointing device comprising:
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a housing for supporting a user'"'"'s hand; a pointing sensor, mounted in said housing, for providing a pointing signal; a contour on said housing for receiving a finger of said user, said contour having curvature in two directions; and a solid-state scrolling touch sensor in said contour for detecting movement of said finger along said contour; wherein said touch sensor includes at least two electrodes, and further comprising; a circuit for detecting a contact with an electrode of the at least two electrodes, including a first, capacitive element; a second element connected to said capacitive element; a comparison circuit, having an input node connected to said capacitive and second elements, for comparing a voltage at said input node to a threshold voltage; a clamp-high circuit, connected to said node, for clamping said node high in response to a clamp-high control signal; a clamp-low circuit, connected to said input node, for clamping said node low in response to a clamp-low control signal; a controller, connected to an output of said comparison circuit, to said clamp-high circuit and to said clamp low circuit, for providing said clamp-high and clamp-low control signals and generating an output signal in response to measuring an amount of time between transitions of said output of said comparison circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 27)
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10. A pointing device comprising:
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a housing; a pointing sensor, mounted in said housing, for providing a pointing signal; a plurality of discrete electrodes mounted on said housing to detect movement of a finger, wherein a first electrode, included in the plurality of electrodes, is electrically connected to a second electrode included in the plurality of electrodes, with a third electrode, included in the plurality of electrodes, is not electrically connected to said first and second electrodes, said third electrode being mounted where a finger will contact said third electrode in between contacting said first and second electrodes; and a circuit, connected to said electrodes, for detecting contact of said finger with said electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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11. A pointing device for use by a user, wherein the user'"'"'s body provides a ground contact through the user'"'"'s finger, the pointing device comprising:
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a housing for supporting the user'"'"'s hand; a pointing sensor, mounted in said housing, for providing a pointing signal; a stationary scrolling sensor mounted on said housing, said scrolling sensor providing a scrolling command in response to a movement of the user'"'"'s finger across said stationary sensor, and continuing to provide said scrolling command in response to said finger reaching one end of said stationary scrolling sensor without lifting off; wherein said stationary scrolling sensor detects movement of the user'"'"'s finger using a capacitive sensing circuit comprising a sense capacitor, wherein direct galvanic contact by the user'"'"'s finger causes the capacitive detection circuit to connect to ground through the user'"'"'s body; wherein said stationary scrolling sensor includes; a plurality of discrete electrodes mounted in said housing to detect movement of a finger, wherein at least a first electrode is electrically connected to a second electrode, with a third electrode not connected to said first and second electrodes, said third electrode being mounted where a finger will contact said third electrode in between contacting said first and second electrodes; and a circuit, connected to said electrodes, for detecting contact of said finger with said electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A pointing device for use by a user, wherein the user'"'"'s body provides a ground contact through the user'"'"'s finger, the pointing device comprising:
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a housing for supporting the user'"'"'s hand; a pointing sensor, mounted in said housing, for providing a pointing signal; a stationary scrolling sensor mounted on said housing, said scrolling sensor providing a scrolling command in response to a movement of the user'"'"'s finger across said stationary sensor, and continuing to provide said scrolling command in response to said finger reaching one end of said stationary scrolling sensor without lifting off; wherein said stationary scrolling sensor detects movement of the user'"'"'s finger using a capacitive sensing circuit comprising a sense capacitor, wherein direct galvanic contact by the user'"'"'s finger causes the capacitive detection circuit to connect to ground through the user'"'"'s body; and wherein said stationary scrolling sensor includes a plurality of discrete electrodes mounted in said housing to detect movement of a finger, wherein the capacitive detection circuit, connected to said electrodes, for detecting contact of said finger with said electrodes, includes;
a first, capacitive element, a second element connected to said capacitive element, and a comparison circuit, having an input node connected to said first capacitive element and the second element, for comparing a voltage at said input node to a threshold voltage. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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Specification