Method of accelerating scrolling input and mouse

• US 10,795,565 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2018
• Issued: 10/06/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Darfon Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Darfon Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Xi-Sheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Ell, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US16/031,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20190018561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses a method of accelerating scrolling input and a mouse using the method. The mouse detects a scrolling operation through a scrolling input receiving device thereof and determines whether a trigger condition is satisfied. If the trigger condition is satisfied, the mouse operates in an accelerating output state and outputs a scrolling count value in accordance with the corresponding predetermined accelerating output relation.

Claims

1. A method of accelerating scrolling input applicable to a mouse, the mouse including a scrolling input receiving device and having an initial output state, a first accelerating output state, and a second accelerating output state, in which the first accelerating output state corresponds to a first predetermined scrolling output relation with a first cubic function between a first time input and a first aggregated count output, and the second accelerating output state corresponds to a second predetermined scrolling output relation with a second cubic function between a second time input and a second aggregated count output, the method of accelerating scrolling input comprising:

(a) the mouse detecting a scrolling operation performed on the scrolling input receiving device using the scrolling input receiving device;

(b) the mouse generating an aggregated count value using the scrolling input receiving device by aggregating the scrolling count of the scrolling operation during a preset time interval, and

(c) in response to a determination that the aggregated count value is greater than a predetermined value, performing the following steps;

in response to the mouse operating in the initial output state, the mouse switches to the first accelerating output state and outputs a first scrolling count value according to the first predetermined scrolling output relation, wherein the first time input is a duration of time since the mouse switches to the first accelerating output state, and the first scrolling count value is outputted based on the first aggregated count output at a corresponding first time input;

in response to the mouse operating in the first accelerating output state, the mouse switches to the second accelerating output state and outputs a second scrolling count value according to the second predetermined scrolling output relation, wherein the second time input is a duration of time since the mouse switches to the second accelerating output state, and the second scrolling count value is outputted based on the second aggregated count output at a corresponding second time input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further includes:

in response to the mouse operating in the second accelerating output state, the mouse stays in the second accelerating output state and outputs a scrolling count value according to the second predetermined scrolling output relation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mouse has a third accelerating output state, the third accelerating output state corresponding to a third predetermined scrolling output relation between time input and aggregated count output, in which step (c) further includes:

in response to the mouse operating in the second accelerating output state, the mouse switches to the third accelerating output state and outputs a scrolling count value according to the third predetermined scrolling output relation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein step (c) further includes:

in response to the mouse operating in the third accelerating output state, the mouse stays in the third accelerating output state and outputs a scrolling count value according to the third predetermined scrolling output relation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mouse has at least one further accelerating output state of progressively higher accelerating rates, each corresponding to a predetermined scrolling output relation between time input and aggregated count output, wherein step (c) further includes:

in response to the mouse operating in the second accelerating output state, the mouse switches to the first one of the at least one further accelerating output states and outputs a scrolling count value according to the predetermined scrolling output relation corresponding to the first further accelerating output state.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein step (c) further includes:

in response to the mouse operating in one of the further accelerating output states but not in the last one thereof, the mouse switches to the next further accelerating output state and outputs a scrolling count value according to the predetermined scrolling output relation corresponding to said next further accelerating output relation; and

in response to the mouse operating in the last one of the at least one further accelerating output states, the mouse stays in the last further accelerating output state and outputs a scrolling count value according to the predetermined scrolling output relation corresponding to the last further accelerating output state.

7. The method of claim 1, further including:

in response to the mouse determining that the aggregated count value does not exceed the predetermined value and the mouse operates in the first accelerating output state or the second accelerating output state, the mouse switches to the initial output state.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first aggregated count output with respect to the first time input of the first predetermined scrolling output relation defines a first initial output rate, and the second aggregated count output with respect to the second time input of the second predetermined scrolling output relation defines a second initial output rate, in which the second initial output rate is greater than the first initial output rate.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the rate of change of the first aggregated count output with respect to the first time input of the first predetermined scrolling output relation over a duration of time since the mouse switches to the first accelerating output state decreases progressively.

10. A mouse, comprising:

a scrolling input receiving device;

an output interface; and

a microcontroller electrically connected to the scrolling input receiving device and the output interface respectively, the microcontroller having an initial output state, a first accelerating output state, and a second accelerating output state, in which a first predetermined scrolling output relation with a first cubic function between a first time input and a first aggregated count output corresponding to the first accelerating output state and a second predetermined scrolling output relation with a second cubic function between a second time input and a second aggregated count output corresponding to the second accelerating output state are stored in the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller detects a scrolling operation performed on the scrolling input receiving device using the scrolling input receiving device and generates an aggregated count value using the scrolling input receiving device by aggregating the scrolling count of the scrolling operation during a preset time interval;

when the microcontroller determines that the aggregated count value is greater than a predetermined value and the microcontroller operates in the initial output state, the microcontroller switches to the first accelerating output state and outputs a first scrolling count value according to the first predetermined scrolling output relation via the output interface;

when the microcontroller determines that the aggregated count value is greater than the predetermined value and the microcontroller operates in the first accelerating output state, the microcontroller switches to the second accelerating output state and outputs a second scrolling count value according to the second predetermined scrolling output relation via the output interface,

wherein the first time input is a duration of time since the mouse switches to the first accelerating output state, and the first scrolling count value is outputted based on the first aggregated count output at a corresponding first time input,

wherein the second time input is a duration of time since the mouse switches to the second accelerating output state, and the second scrolling count value is outputted based on the second aggregated count output at a corresponding second time input.

11. The mouse of claim 10, wherein when the microcontroller determines that the aggregated count value is greater than the predetermined value and the microcontroller operates in the second accelerating output state, the microcontroller stays in the second accelerating output state and outputs a scrolling count value according to the second predetermined scrolling output relation via the output interface.

12. The mouse of claim 10, wherein the microcontroller has a third accelerating output state and stores a third predetermined scrolling output relation between time input and aggregated count output corresponding to the third accelerating output state, and when the microcontroller determines that the aggregated count value is greater than the predetermined value and the microcontroller operates in the second accelerating output state, the microcontroller switches to the third accelerating output states and outputs a scrolling count value according to the third predetermined scrolling output relation via the output interface.

13. The mouse of claim 12, wherein when the microcontroller determines that the aggregated count value is greater than the predetermined value and the microcontroller operates in the third accelerating output state, the microcontroller stays in the third accelerating output state and outputs a scrolling count value according to the third predetermined scrolling output relation.

14. The mouse of claim 10, wherein the microcontroller has at least one further accelerating output state of progressively higher accelerating rates, each corresponding to a predetermined scrolling output relation between time input and aggregated count output stored in the microcontroller, and when the microcontroller determines that the aggregated count value is greater than the predetermined value and the microcontroller operates in the second accelerating output state, the microcontroller switches to the first one of the at least one further accelerating output states and outputs a scrolling count value according to the predetermined scrolling output relation corresponding to the first further accelerating output state via the output interface.

15. The mouse of claim 14, wherein when the microcontroller determines that the aggregated count value is greater than the predetermined value and the microcontroller operates in one of the further accelerating output states but not in the last one thereof, the microcontroller switches to the next further accelerating output state and outputs a scrolling count value according to the predetermined scrolling output relation corresponding to said next further accelerating output relation via the output interface, and when the microcontroller determines that the aggregated count value is greater than the predetermined value and the microcontroller operates in the last one of the further accelerating output states, the microcontroller stays in the last further accelerating output state and outputs a scrolling count value according to the predetermined scrolling output relation corresponding to the last further accelerating output state via the output interface.

16. The mouse of claim 10, wherein when the microcontroller determines that the aggregated count value does not exceed the predetermined value and the microcontroller operates in the first accelerating output state or the second accelerating output state, the microcontroller switches to the initial output state.

17. The mouse of claim 10, wherein the first aggregated count output with respect to the first time input of the first predetermined scrolling output relation defines a first initial output rate, and the second aggregated count output with respect to the second time input of the second predetermined scrolling output relation defines a second initial output rate, in which the second initial output rate is greater than the first initial output rate.

18. The mouse of claim 10, wherein the rate of change of the first aggregated count output with respect to the first time input over a duration of time since the mouse switches to the first accelerating output state decreases progressively.

19. A method of accelerating scrolling input applicable to a mouse, the mouse including a scrolling input receiving device and having an initial output state, a first accelerating output state, and a second accelerating output state, in which when the mouse operates in the initial output state, the mouse outputs a scrolling count value in direct proportion with the scrolling amount received by the scrolling input receiving device;

when the mouse operates in the first accelerating output state, the mouse outputs a first scrolling count value according to the first predetermined scrolling output relation with a first cubic function between a first time input and a first aggregated count output;

when the mouse operates in the second accelerating output state, the mouse outputs a second scrolling count value according to the second predetermined scrolling output relation with a second cubic function between a second time input and a second aggregated count output, the method of accelerating rolling output including the following steps;

(a) determining whether a first scrolling operation received by the scrolling input receiving device satisfies a trigger condition;

(b) when it is determined that the first scrolling operation does not satisfy the trigger condition, the mouse stays in the initial output state; and

(c) in response to the first scrolling operation satisfying the trigger condition, performing the following steps;

(c1) in response to determining that the mouse is operating in the initial output state before the first scrolling operation is performed, the mouse enters the first accelerating output state and stays therein for a first predetermined time interval;

(c2) in response to the mouse detecting a second scrolling operation satisfying the trigger condition before the first predetermined time interval ends, the mouse enters the second accelerating output state and stays therein for a second predetermined time interval; and

(c3) in response to the mouse not detecting the second scrolling operation satisfying the trigger condition before the first predetermined time interval ends, the mouse resumes the initial output state when the first predetermined time interval ends,

wherein the first time input is a duration of time since the mouse switches to the first accelerating output state, and the first scrolling count value is outputted based on the first aggregated count output at a corresponding first time input,

wherein the second time input is a duration of time since the mouse switches to the second accelerating output state, and the second scrolling count value is outputted based on the second aggregated count output at a corresponding second time input.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein step (c) further includes:

(c4) in response to the mouse detecting a third scrolling operation satisfying the trigger condition before the second predetermined time interval ends, the mouse re-enters the second accelerating output state and stays therein for the second predetermined time interval; and

(c5) in response to the mouse not detecting the third scrolling operation satisfying the trigger condition before the second predetermined time interval ends, the mouse resumes the initial output state when the second predetermined time interval ends.

21. A method of accelerating scrolling input applicable to a mouse, the mouse including a scrolling input receiving device and having an initial output state, a first accelerating output state, and a second accelerating output state, in which the first accelerating output state corresponds to a first predetermined scrolling output relation, and the second accelerating output state corresponds to a second predetermined scrolling output relation, the method of accelerating scrolling input comprising:

(a) the mouse detecting a scrolling operation performed on the scrolling input receiving device using the scrolling input receiving device;

(b) the mouse generating an aggregated count value using the scrolling input receiving device by aggregating the scrolling count of the scrolling operation during a preset time interval, and

(c) in response to a determination that the aggregated count value is greater than a predetermined value, performing the following steps;

in response to the mouse operating in the initial output state, the mouse switches to the first accelerating output state and outputs a first scrolling count value according to the first predetermined scrolling output relation, wherein the first predetermined scrolling output relation corresponds to a first cubic functional curve of a first aggregated count output associated with a first predetermined time interval, the first scrolling count value is outputted based on the first aggregated count output at a corresponding time point of the first predetermined time interval;

in response to the mouse operating in the first accelerating output state, the mouse switches to the second accelerating output state and outputs a second scrolling count value according to the second predetermined scrolling output relation, wherein the second predetermined scrolling output relation corresponds to a second cubic functional curve of a second aggregated count output associated with a second predetermined time interval, the second scrolling count value is outputted based on the second aggregated count output at a corresponding time point of the second predetermined time interval.