Capacitive mouse
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A device comprising:
- an enclosure, the enclosure including an external surface and a back surface opposite the external surface;
a flexible substrate including a first portion affixed to the back surface, a second portion spatially separate from the first portion, and a bendable portion between the first portion and the second portion;
an array of capacitive sensors on the first portion of the flexible substrate, the array of capacitive sensors configured to sense objects proximate the external surface; and
a processor mounted to the second portion of the flexible substrate, the processor electrically coupled to the array of capacitive sensors, the processor configured to generate an output in response to object motion capacitively detected by the array of capacitive sensors.
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Accused Products
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.
84 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
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an enclosure, the enclosure including an external surface and a back surface opposite the external surface; a flexible substrate including a first portion affixed to the back surface, a second portion spatially separate from the first portion, and a bendable portion between the first portion and the second portion; an array of capacitive sensors on the first portion of the flexible substrate, the array of capacitive sensors configured to sense objects proximate the external surface; and a processor mounted to the second portion of the flexible substrate, the processor electrically coupled to the array of capacitive sensors, the processor configured to generate an output in response to object motion capacitively detected by the array of capacitive sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A device comprising:
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an enclosure, the enclosure including an external surface and a back surface opposite the external surface, wherein the external surface comprises a touch surface; a flexible substrate including a first portion affixed to the back surface by adhesive, a second portion spatially separate from the first portion, and a bent portion between the first portion and the second portion; an array of capacitive sensors on the first portion of the flexible substrate, the array of capacitive sensors configured to sense objects proximate the touch surface in two dimensions; and a processor mounted to the second portion of the flexible substrate, the processor electrically coupled with the array of capacitive sensors, the processor configured to generate an output in response to object motion capacitively detected by the array of capacitive sensors. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method of providing an output using a capacitive device comprising an enclosure, the enclosure including an external surface and a back surface opposite the external surface, a flexible substrate including a first portion affixed to the back surface, a second portion spatially separate from the first portion, and a bent portion between the first portion and the second portion, an array of capacitive sensors on the first portion of the flexible substrate configured to sense objects proximate the external surface, and a processor mounted to the second portion of the flexible substrate, the method comprising:
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operating the array of capacitive sensors to obtain signals; determining motion of an object proximate to the external surface using the signals; causing scrolling in response the object moving along a first axis; causing continued scrolling in response to the object lifting from the external surface with a substantially non-zero speed along the first axis; and not causing continued scrolling in response the object lifting from the external surface with a substantially zero speed along the first axis. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification