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 at least one directions;
a solid-state touch sensor in said contour for detecting movement of said finger along said contour;
wherein said contour comprises a trench shaped to match a curve traced by a fingertip of said finger during a bending of said finger about a knuckle of said finger.
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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.
74 Citations
9 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 at least one directions; a solid-state touch sensor in said contour for detecting movement of said finger along said contour; wherein said contour comprises a trench shaped to match a curve traced by a fingertip of said finger during a bending of said finger about a knuckle of said finger.
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2. 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 at least one directions; a solid-state 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 said electrode, 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; and 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 (3, 4)
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5. 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 at least one directions; a solid-state touch sensor in said contour for detecting movement of said finger along said contour; a sensory feedback element for providing feedback to a user corresponding to an amount of movement of said finger in said contour; wherein said sensory feedback element comprises a plurality of tactile formations on a surface of said contour.
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6. A pointing device comprising:
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a housing; a pointing sensor, mounted in said housing, for providing a pointing signal; at least one electrode mounted on said housing; a circuit for detecting a contact with said electrode, including a first, capacitive element; a second element connected to said first, capacitive element; a comparison circuit, having an input node connected to said first 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 (7)
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8. A method of capacitively detecting movement of a finger across a plurality of electrodes on a pointing device, comprising:
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detecting, for each electrode, a first amount of time for a capacitance connected to said electrode to charge up from a low voltage to a first threshold; detecting, for each electrode, a second amount of time for said capacitance to discharge from a high voltage to a second threshold; and comparing said amounts of time to a calibration value corresponding to the absence of a finger on said electrodes; and
providing a pointing signal in response to said comparing. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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Specification