Computer input device for automatically scrolling

• US 8,217,896 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2010
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KYE Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: KYE Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Zeng, Yu-Wen, Wang, Yu-Qi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Prabodh M
• Application Number:
  US12/946,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20110057882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 178/18.01, 178/19.01, 356/28, 341/22
• US Class Current: 345/166
• 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 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

A computer input device includes a body and a trace-detecting module coupled to the body. The body has a micro control unit (MCU), and the trace-detecting module has at least a light pervious area, and a trace-detecting unit. The trace-detecting unit further has at least a light source and a sensor. The sensor senses a reflected light beam caused by movement of a user'"'"'s digit movement on the light pervious area at a velocity which can be sensed by the sensor. If the velocity exceeds a threshold stored in the MCU, the MCU executes automatically scrolling.

Claims

1. A computer input device, comprising:

a body and a movement-detecting module coupled to the body, said movement-detecting module being a trace-detecting module that measures the velocity of a moving object,

wherein when the velocity exceeds a predetermined threshold, the movement-detecting module generates a signal that causes automatic scrolling,

wherein the body has a micro control unit, and the trace-detecting module has at least a light pervious area and a trace-detecting unit;

the trace-detecting unit further having at least a light source, and a sensor; and

wherein the light source projects a light beam to the light pervious area, and the sensor detects a reflected light beam;

a velocity of the object on the light pervious area being sensed by the sensor.

2. The computer input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the velocity is less than the predetermined threshold, the trace-detecting module generates a scrolling signal based on the detected velocity.

3. The computer input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the object is a user'"'"'s digit.

4. The computer input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light pervious area is a lens opposing to the sensor.

5. The computer input device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lens is a convex lens.

6. The computer input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor is an image sensor or a radiation sensor for sensing variation of the reflected light beam from the digit'"'"'s movement.

7. The computer input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a negative movement of the user'"'"'s digit stops the automatically scrolling.

8. The computer input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of buttons click stops the automatically scrolling.

9. The computer input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said movement-detecting module is arranged to detect movement of a scroll wheel.

10. A method for scrolling an application on a computer display by a computer input device, comprising the steps of:

detecting a velocity of an object; and

if the velocity exceeds a predetermined threshold, executing an automatic scrolling, wherein the computer input device has at least a light pervious area, a light source and a sensor for detecting the velocity, and a micro control unit that stores the predetermined threshold and compares it with detected velocity.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the step of, when the velocity does not exceed the predetermined threshold, generating a scrolling signal based on the detected velocity.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the object is a user'"'"'s finger.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein a negative movement of the user'"'"'s digit stops the automatically scrolling.

14. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein a button click of the computer input device stops the automatically scrolling.

15. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of detecting the velocity of an object comprises the step of detecting movement of a scroll wheel.

16. A method for scrolling an application on a computer display by a computer input device, comprising the steps of:

detecting a velocity of an object; and

if the velocity exceeds a predetermined threshold, executing an automatic scrolling,

wherein the velocity is determined by the variation of a reflected light beam from the object'"'"'s movement.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the object is a user'"'"'s finger.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein a negative movement of the user'"'"'s digit stops the automatically scrolling.

19. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein a button click of the computer input device stops the automatically scrolling.

20. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the step of detecting the velocity of an object comprises the step of detecting movement of a scroll wheel.

21. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising the step of, when the velocity does not exceed the predetermined threshold, generating a scrolling signal based on the detected velocity.