Abstract: The present invention provides a wireless radio frequency ("RF") communications interface between peripherals and the host personal computer or workstation. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a wireless electronic mouse which uses an RF transmitter to transmit information unidirectionally to a receiver which is coupled to a host computer. This arrangement eliminates the need for a cable connection between the mouse and the receiver, while at the same time permitting continuous communication therebetween. The present invention also provides a method and apparatus to allow the receiver to differentiate between multiple RF wireless mice operating within the same transmission zone by a combination of providing a unique identification code to each transmitting mouse and allowing the user to choose from a plurality of transmission channels. The receiver then automatically switches to the channel selected by the user.

Abstract: An area imaging device comprises an area image sensor and means to adjust the vertical and horizontal clocking rate used to transfer pixels from an array of photo-sensors to a serial output of the area image sensor. The non-uniform clocking rates of the present invention reduce the amount of memory necessary to implement pan and zoom features by effectively separating image and non-image pixels during scanning. This also allows images collected in one format to be displayed on a display device designed for a second format. For each image scan, the area image sensor is divided into active, recovery, and inactive regions according to whether the pixels within the region are displayed, adjacent to displayed pixels, or neither adjacent to image pixels nor displayed, respectively. Rows of pixels are transferred to a horizontal shift register at a vertical scanning rate which is increased for rows that include no image pixels.

Abstract: A cursor control device for personal computers and workstations includes various embodiments, some of which include a patterned ball and some of which rely on other patterned surfaces, which recognizes changes in the position of the pattern relative to a sensor having an array of photosensitive elements. Circuitry associated with the sensor determines movement of the pattern across the array, and translates that movement into conventional cursor control signals supplied to a host system.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for detecting an operative coupling between one or more fingers or other appropriate objects and a touch pad includes processes for detection of multiple maxima with intermediate minima in appropriate sequences to emulate the operations of cursor control and button actuations in a pointing and control device.

Abstract: A system to jump a pointer to a scroll box and lock the pointer to an elevator of the scroll box comprises a pointing device subsystem, a menu subsystem, a jump subsystem, and a lock subsystem. The pointing device subsystem is coupled to each of the menu subsystem, the jump subsystem, and the lock subsystem. In addition, the jump subsystem is coupled to the menu subsystem and the lock subsystem. The pointing device subsystem uses its pointer to select a button for horizontal or vertical scrolling from a pop-up box menu displayed by the menu subsystem. After the button is selected, the jump subsystem jumps the pointer from the button to an elevator bar of the selected scroll box. The lock subsystem locks the pointer to the elevator bar of the scroll box. The pointer may now be moved along the directions permitted by the scroll box so that the screens of the computer application scroll in such a direction.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for determining small variations in capacitance, typically in a capacitive touch sensing device, includes a reference signal of a first frequency and a sample signal of a second frequency. The reference and sample signals are mixed and filtered to isolate the beat frequency therebetween, which is then measured to provide an indication of the variation in the sample frequency. The measurement can then be manipulated by a microprocessor or microcontroller to provide desired control signals. The apparatus is susceptible of digital implementation and single chip implementation.

Abstract: A pointer or mouse device which can provide an input for a viewpoint or cursor on a computer display without being physically moved across a surface or through space is disclosed. The pointer is mounted on a pedestal which is fixed. The pointer can rotate to change the direction in which it is pointing while on the pedestal. An extended movement button on the pointer provides a control signal to the computer to cause the viewpoint or cursor on the screen to move in the direction indicated by the direction the pointer is pointed at that time. Thus, the viewpoint or cursor can be moved without physically moving the pointer device. Instead, the pointer is simply rotated to the direction desired for movement and the extended movement button is pressed. A continue button may also be included to cause the viewpoint or cursor to continue rotating in the same way as when the button was pushed, without the user having to continue turning the pointer.

Abstract: A method for generating quasi-sinusoidal signals includes illuminating an object capable of diffusely scattering Eight, focusing a portion of the scattered light on a multi-element sensor to form an image, and matching the image size to the size of the sensor elements.

Abstract: The present invention provides a combination of first providing a coarse adjustment by varying the emitter power and duration of the emitter/detector exposure time, and then providing a fine adjustment by storing a correction value for each photodetector element. The adjustment for each photodetector corrects not only for the range, but also for the offset, providing two correction values. In a preferred embodiment, the low and high voltage reference levels for an analog to digital converter are adjusted and stored for each photodetector for each color.

Abstract: A cursor control device for personal computers and workstations includes various embodiments, some of which include a patterned ball and some of which rely on other patterned surfaces, which recognizes changes in the position of the pattern relative to a sensor having an array of photosensitive elements. Circuitry associated with the sensor determines movement of the pattern across the array, and translates that movement into conventional cursor control signals supplied to a host system.

Abstract: A pointing device including a ball engaging one or more shaft encoders, each shaft encoder having an encoding wheel, including a monolithic photosensitive array for detecting light pulses representative of rotary movement of the ball. The photosensitive array provides a plurality of resolutions and permits accurate tracking of rotary movement of the ball without need for a mask. Comparator and latch means operate on the output of the array and provides digital hysteresis.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically merging multiple image portions to produce a single image. Image portions are produced, such as by a hand-held scanner, with overlapping areas. The overlapping area of a first image portion is examined to determine a distinguishing feature. The overlapping area of the second image portion is then searched to locate the corresponding feature. The differences in alignment of the two features, such as rotation, expansion or compression, are then determined. One of the image portions is then rotated, compressed or expanded in the amount necessary to align the two images. The two images are then merged by eliminating the overlapping portion of one of the images.

Abstract: A cursor control device for personal computers and workstations includes various embodiments, some of which include a patterned ball and some of which rely on other patterned surfaces, which recognizes changes in the position of the pattern relative to a sensor having an array of photosensitive elements. Circuitry associated with the sensor determines movement of the pattern across the array, and translates that movement into conventional cursor control signals supplied to a host system.

Abstract: An improved track ball which can be conveniently manipulated with a single hand is disclosed. The track ball protrudes through a circular opening in a housing, with the top edge of the housing having a rounded switch. The switch can thus be manipulated with the fingers while the palm or thumb of the hand is manipulating the track ball. The housing is mounted at an angle to the side of a computer keyboard, providing for easy access. The track ball housing can be rotated to any continuous angle through two angles of rotation by the user. A tetrahedron support arrangement holds the ball in place at any angle. The same housing can be used for either the right or left sides of a keyboard by simply switching the activating point on the switch. An encoder wheel is attached by a shaft to the ball and has a number of slots extending from its center to its edge. The slots are rectangular in shape, and do not have edges along radial lines as in the prior art encoder wheels.

Abstract: A hand-held digital camera including a CCD for receiving an image and converting the image to a digital file of image data, a memory for storing the image data, a communication port for communicating between the hand-held digital camera and a digital computer, and a user interface for receiving input commands from the user. The user interface includes a LCD and a plurality of switches for permitting the user to communicate with the camera intuitively. A host interface facilitates the transfer of commands and data between the digital camera and the host computer via a communication link and permits a user to operate the digital camera remotely from the host computer. The LCD includes function icons which the user can cycle among using one of the switches. The LCD also includes option icons for certain of the function icons, which the user can cycle among using a second switch.

Abstract: A rigid cylindrical roller for use in portable optical scanners. The roller includes a thinned midsection and a plurality of grooves. A plurality of compressible, surface gripping rings are fitted onto the plurality of grooves. Each surface gripping ring is held relatively immobile with respect to one another as well as to the roller. In one embodiment, the roller, the grooves, and the compressible rings are dimensioned such that in use, the surface-gripping rings are compressed inside the grooves at the points of rolling contact, permitting both the roller and the rings to come into contact with the scanned surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hand held scanner with a motorized drive capability. The motorized drive employs a clutchless motor system. In manual operation, the scanner operates as a standard non-motorized scanner in which the user can neither see nor feel any effects of the motor system. In the motorized mode, a worm gear mounted on the motor's drive shaft causes the drive gear/friction wheel assembly to engage the drive rollers.

Abstract: Disclosed is electromagnetic transducer (10) that does not require complex analog to digital, digital to analog converters, microprocessors or large memory circuitry. The transducer has a helical tablet coil (22) with tap nodes (24) spaced between its end extremities (26). In one configuration, an oscillator (42) drives the tablet coil for simultaneously producing oppositely directed currents on opposite sides of selected taps, creating a moving fringing field (34) that is compatible with modern graphic display tablet technology. A control circuit (40) of the transducer has a closed-loop integrator (82, 106) for detecting the centroid of a received stylus signal (AC) from a stylus coil (36). Analog and digital versions of the integrator are disclosed.