User interface device having capacitive trackball assembly
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a user interface device comprising a capacitive trackball assembly having;
a conductive trackball; and
a continuous conductive plate proximate to a surface of the conductive trackball that forms an annular ring around the conductive trackball;
wherein the user interface device is to transmit a user command responsive to an effective capacitance of the capacitive trackball assembly resulting from a user contact with the conductive trackball, the user command selected from a plurality of user commands based on a relationship between the effective capacitance of the capacitive trackball assembly and a plurality of threshold levels, each threshold level representing a corresponding number of user contact points with the capacitive trackball assembly, andwherein the user interface determines the number of user contacts points on the trackball, along with a concurrent sensed rotation vector of the trackball, to identify the user command intended by the user from the plurality of user commands.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A user interface device (100) includes a capacitive trackball assembly (108) having a conductive trackball (110) and one or more conductive plates (210, 310, 410, 510, 610) proximate to a surface of the conductive trackball (110), thereby enabling the conductive trackball assembly (108) to operate as a capacitive touch sensor. Each user contact point with the conductive trackball (110) modifies the effective capacitance of the conductive trackball assembly (108). The user interface device (100) senses the effective capacitance of the conductive trackball assembly (108) to discern the number of user contact points on the conductive trackball (110) and uses this information, along with other parameters, such as a concurrent sensed rotation vector of the conductive trackball (110), to identify a user command intended by the user. The identified user command may be transmitted to a controlled system (740) to effectuate or modify an operation at the controlled system (740).
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a user interface device comprising a capacitive trackball assembly having; a conductive trackball; and a continuous conductive plate proximate to a surface of the conductive trackball that forms an annular ring around the conductive trackball; wherein the user interface device is to transmit a user command responsive to an effective capacitance of the capacitive trackball assembly resulting from a user contact with the conductive trackball, the user command selected from a plurality of user commands based on a relationship between the effective capacitance of the capacitive trackball assembly and a plurality of threshold levels, each threshold level representing a corresponding number of user contact points with the capacitive trackball assembly, and wherein the user interface determines the number of user contacts points on the trackball, along with a concurrent sensed rotation vector of the trackball, to identify the user command intended by the user from the plurality of user commands. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A user interface device comprising:
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a capacitive trackball assembly having; a conductive trackball; and a continuous conductive plate proximate to a surface of the conductive trackball that forms an annular ring around the conductive trackball; a capacitive sense circuit coupled to the capacitive trackball assembly, the capacitive sense circuit to detect an effective capacitance of the capacitive trackball assembly, with the number of user contact points on the trackball to change the effective capacitance; and a command controller coupled to the capacitive sense circuit, the command controller to select a user command from a plurality of user commands based on a relationship between the effective capacitance and a plurality of threshold levels, each threshold level representing a corresponding non-zero number of user contact points with the capacitive trackball assembly, the command controller to determine the number of user contact points on the trackball, along with a concurrent sensed rotation vector of the trackball from a rotation sensor, to identify the user command intended by the user from the plurality of user commands. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method comprising:
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determining an effective capacitance of a capacitive trackball assembly of a user interface device resulting from a user contact with a conductive trackball, the capacitive trackball assembly comprising the conductive trackball and a continuous conductive plate proximate to a surface of the conductive trackball that forms an annular ring around the conductive trackball; determining a non-zero number of user contact points in contact with the conductive trackball based on the effective capacitance; and determining the number of user contact points on the trackball, along with a concurrent sensed rotation vector of the trackball, to identify the user command intended by the user from the plurality of user commands. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification