LOW-PROFILE POINTING STICK

• US 20150227217A1
• Filed: 02/13/2014
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fukumoto, Masaaki
• Granted Patent: US 9,874,945 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0205 Lever arrangements for operating keyboard cursor control keys in a joystick-like manner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks

Abstract

A low-profile, small-footprint gel-based pointing device is described herein. The gel-based pointing device described herein includes a gel-based body, a tactile surface affixed to a first side of the gel-based body, and a base surface affixed to a second side of the gel-based body that is opposite the first side. The tactile surface is configured to receive an input from a user and the base surface couples the gel-based body to a sensor surface. In at least one embodiment, the gel-based pointing device described herein further includes a sensor for receiving the gel-based pointing device and a detector for detecting changes in at least one of resistance, capacity, pressure, or lateral or vertical position of the gel-based pointing device.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A pointing device comprising:

a gel-based portion to interface with an optical lens and receive a user'"'"'s tactile interaction, the gel-based portion including;

a gel-based body that allows controlled displacement during the user'"'"'s tactile interaction and retains a default shape absent the user'"'"'s tactile interaction, wherein the gel-based body is at least partially transparent;

a tactile surface affixed to a first side of the gel-based body, the tactile surface configured to receive the user'"'"'s tactile interaction from a finger of the user that causes the controlled displacement of at least a portion of the gel-based body; and

a base surface affixed to a second side of the gel-based body that is opposite the first side, wherein the base surface is at least partially transparent and adheres the gel-based body to the optical lens; and

an optical sensor component that includes the optical lens and an image sensor, wherein the optical lens separates the base surface from the image sensor, the image sensor to detect the user'"'"'s tactile interaction by detecting relative displacement of the tactile surface.

22. The pointing device of claim 21, wherein the optical sensor component further comprises a processor in communication with the image sensor to measure displacement of the gel-based body in response to the user'"'"'s tactile interaction detected by the image sensor.

23. The pointing device of claim 22, wherein:

the image sensor is configured to perform acts including capturing a first image at a first time and a second image at a second time after the first time; and

the processor is configured to perform acts including;

comparing the first image and the second image; and

outputting one or more signals indicating direction and magnitude of a displacement of the gel-based body as determined by the comparing of the first image and the second image.

24. The pointing device of claim 23, wherein:

the tactile surface is at least partially transparent and the first image and the second image comprise a user'"'"'s fingerprint; and

the processor is further configured to perform acts including determining a user identity based at least in part on the user'"'"'s fingerprint.

25. The pointing device of claim 23, wherein:

the tactile surface is at least partially transparent and further comprises;

a transparent upper film; and

a patterned film located under the upper film; and

the first image comprises an image of the patterned film in a first location and the second image comprises an image of the patterned film in a second location.

26. The pointing device of claim 23, wherein the outputting the one or more signals further includes outputting a signal indicating a rotational displacement of the gel-based body as determined by the comparing of the first image and the second image.

27. The pointing device of claim 21, wherein the gel-based body further includes a support tether that limits an amount of the controlled displacement of the tactile surface relative to the base surface in at least a lateral direction.

28. The pointing device of claim 21, further comprising a housing coupled to the gel-based body, the housing including a recess that at least partially encloses the gel-based body, the housing including the tactile surface.

29. A pointing device comprising:

a gel-based body to provide controlled displacement during a user'"'"'s tactile interaction with the pointing device and to retain a default shape absent the user'"'"'s tactile interaction, wherein the gel-based body is at least partially transparent;

a tactile surface affixed to a first side of the gel-based body, the tactile surface configured to receive the user'"'"'s tactile interaction; and

a base surface affixed to a second side of the gel-based body that is opposite the first side, wherein the base surface is at least partially transparent and adheres the gel-based body to a surface associated with an optical sensor component.

30. The pointing device of claim 29, wherein the optical sensor component comprises:

an image sensor to capture movement of the tactile surface in response to the user'"'"'s tactile interaction, the image sensor in optical communication with the tactile surface and located on a side opposite the base surface, the image sensor performing acts including;

capturing a first image at a first time and a second image at a second time after the first time;

comparing the first image and the second image; and

outputting one or more signals indicating a displacement of the gel-based body as determined by the comparing of the first image and the second image; and

a processor to process the one or more signals to track displacement of the gel-based body in response to the user'"'"'s tactile interaction, the processor in communication with the image sensor.

31. The pointing device of claim 30, wherein the one or more signals indicate at least one direction, magnitude, or rotation of a displacement of the gel-based body as determined by the comparing of the first image and the second image.

32. The pointing device of claim 30, wherein the tactile surface is at least partially transparent and the first image comprises an image of a user'"'"'s fingerprint in a first location and the second image comprises an image of the user'"'"'s fingerprint in a second location.

33. The pointing device of claim 30, wherein the processor is further configured to perform acts including determining a user identity based at least in part on a user'"'"'s fingerprint.

34. The pointing device of claim 30, wherein the tactile surface is at least partially transparent and further comprises:

a transparent upper film; and

a patterned film located under the upper film.

35. The pointing device of claim 34, wherein the first image comprises an image of the patterned film in a first location and the second image comprises an image of the patterned film in a second location.

36. An apparatus comprising:

a gel-based body to provide displacement during a touch input and to retain a default shape absent the touch input, wherein the gel-based body is at least partially transparent;

a top surface coupled to a first side of the gel-based body, the top surface configured to receive the touch input from a user; and

a base surface coupled to a second side of the gel-based body that is opposite the first side, wherein the base surface couples the gel-based body to an optical lens and is at least partially transparent.

37. The apparatus as recited in claim 36, further comprising an image sensor to capture movement of the top surface in response to the touch input from the user, the image sensor in optical communication with the top surface and located on a side of the optical lens opposite the base surface, the image sensor performing acts including capturing a first image at a first time and a second image at a second time after the first time.

38. The apparatus as recited in claim 37, further comprising a processor in communication with the image sensor to measure displacement of the gel-based body in response to the touch input from the user detected by the image sensor, wherein measuring the displacement comprises:

comparing the first image and the second image; and

outputting one or more signals indicating at least one of direction, magnitude, or rotation of a displacement of the gel-based body as determined by the comparing of the first image and the second image.

39. The apparatus as recited in claim 38, wherein:

the top surface is at least partially transparent and the first image and the second image comprise a user'"'"'s fingerprint; and

the processor is further configured to perform acts including determining a user identity based at least in part on the user'"'"'s fingerprint.

40. The pointing device of claim 38, wherein:

the top surface is at least partially transparent and further comprises;

a transparent upper film; and

a patterned film located under the upper film; and

the first image comprises an image of the patterned film in a first location and the second image comprises an image of the patterned film in a second location.