Capacitive mouse

• US 20060038783A1
• Filed: 10/18/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 7,817,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 capacitive touch sensor mounted to the back surface; and

a processor, the processor electrically coupled with the capacitive touch sensor, the processor configured to generate a second output for scrolling in response to object motion along the capacitive touch sensor.

2. The computer mouse of claim 1 wherein the capacitive touch sensor is mounted to the back surface with adhesive.

3. The computer mouse of claim 1 wherein the capacitive touch sensor is mounted to the back surface with a substrate.

4. The computer mouse of claim 3 wherein the substrate is between the capacitive touch sensor and the back surface.

5. The computer mouse of claim 1 wherein the capacitive touch sensor is formed of conductive ink applied to the back surface.

6. The computer mouse of claim 1 wherein the enclosure includes a first region proximate the capacitive touch sensor 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 wherein the capacitive touch sensor comprises at least one conductive plate.

9. The computer mouse of claim 1 wherein the capacitive touch sensor comprises at least one conductive plate attached to a substrate.

10. The computer mouse of claim 9 wherein the substrate comprises a flexible circuit substrate.

11. The computer mouse of claim 9 wherein the substrate is disposed between the at least one conductive plate and the back surface.

12. The computer mouse of claim 9 wherein the at least one conductive plate is disposed between the substrate and the back surface.

13. The computer mouse of claim 9 wherein the substrate includes an adhesive.

14. The computer mouse of claim 9 further comprising a plurality of conductors on the substrate, the plurality of conductors coupled to the at least one conductive plate and the processor and configured to provide communication between the at least one conductive plate and the processor.

15. The computer mouse of claim 9 wherein the substrate comprises a plastic material.

16. The computer mouse of claim 15 wherein the plastic material comprises polyester.

17. The computer mouse of claim 9 further comprising a backing affixed to the substrate.

18. The computer mouse of claim 9 wherein the at least one conductive plate comprises a plurality of conductive plates arranged in one axis to detect the object motion along the one axis.

19. The computer mouse of claim 18 wherein the at least one conductive plate further comprises a second plurality of conductive plates arranged in a second axis to detect the object motion along the second axis.

20. The computer mouse of claim 9 wherein the at least one conductive plate comprises a two-dimensional matrix of conductive plates.

21. 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 capacitive touch sensor mounted to the back surface; and

a processor, the processor in electrically coupled with the capacitive touch sensor, the processor configured to generate a second output in response to object motion along the capacitive touch sensor.

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 circuit substrate mounted to the back surface;

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

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

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

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

a processor, 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.