Abstract: A pointing device is communicated with a computer system for controlling movement of a cursor shown on a display screen of the computer system. The pointing device includes a housing and a scroll wheel assembly. The housing has an opening therein. The scroll wheel assembly is positioned within the opening of the housing and a portion thereof protrudes away from the outer surface of the housing. The scroll wheel assembly includes a rotatable member, a soft member covering the rotatable member, and a sensing member arranged between the rotatable member and the soft member. The sensing member is actuated in response to deformation of the soft member when a lateral force is applied on the soft member, thereby controlling lateral movement of the cursor.

Abstract: Color adjusting apparatus and method for a light source. A reflector of a required color is added to a light source of a scan module, a plating film of the required color is formed on a lens, or the lens is dyed with the required color. Or alternatively, the color of the light source is directly changed into the required color. As a result, the inconsistent intensities for the light in the primary color, red, green and blue output from the charge-coupled device caused by different brightness of the light source, different wavelength transmission of the lens, and different light sensitivity of the charge-coupled device is improved.

Abstract: Color adjusting apparatus and method for a light source. A reflector of a required color is added to a light source of a scan module, a plating film of the required color is formed on a lens, or the lens is dyed with the required color. Or alternatively, the color of the light source is directly changed into the required color. As a result, the inconsistent intensities for the light in the primary color, red, green and blue output from the charge-coupled device caused by different brightness of the light source, different wavelength transmission of the lens, and different light sensitivity of the charge-coupled device is improved.

Abstract: A scanning apparatus includes a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL), a heating light source, a timer, a photosensor for detecting light that is emitted from the CCFL and the heating light source, and a controller for controlling operations of the scanning device. The warm-up time period of the CCFL exceeds that of the heating light source. After activation, the heating light source is capable of generating more heat than the CCFL, which induces more rapid heating of the CCFL. When the time period counted by the timer reaches a predetermined time, the controller turns off the heating light source and performs scanning using only the cold cathode fluorescent lamp.

Abstract: A pointing device is communicated with a computer system for controlling movement of a cursor shown on a display screen of the computer system. The pointing device includes a housing and a scroll wheel assembly. The housing has an opening therein. The scroll wheel assembly is positioned within the opening of the housing and a portion thereof protrudes away from the outer surface of the housing. The scroll wheel assembly includes a rotatable member, a soft member covering the rotatable member, and a sensing member arranged between the rotatable member and the soft member. The sensing member is actuated in response to deformation of the soft member when a lateral force is applied on the soft member, thereby controlling lateral movement of the cursor.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a row of first color sensors including a plurality of first color sensors for sensing first color light to generate a plurality of first sub-pixels and a row of second color sensors including a plurality of second color sensors for sensing second color light to generate a plurality of second sub-pixels. The distance between a first end of an effective sensing area of each first color sensor and a first end of an effective sensing area of a corresponding second color sensor in the linear direction of the image sensor is a first length greater than zero.

Abstract: A switching signal input device for use with an electronic apparatus is provided. The switching signal input device includes a switch part, an operating part and a resilience element, and is capable of performing four-directional switch control actions in response to the elastic forces generated from the resilience element on two planes perpendicular to each other.

Abstract: An optical pointer includes a housing, a movable plate, a manipulable member and a displacement detecting unit. The movable plate is disposed in the housing and has a recognizable pattern. The manipulable member is manipulated by a user to transmit the movable plate to effect two-dimensional movement inside the housing. The displacement detecting unit is disposed in the housing for optically detecting the recognizable pattern of the moveable plate, and generating a control signal indicative of a displacement of the movable plate according to detected image change of the recognizable pattern.

Abstract: By combining a sensing module having a lens and an image sensor with a carriage module having a mirror set, a reading device of a scanning apparatus is assembled. The sensing module further includes two channels at bilateral sides of the lens and two guiding slots disposed on external sides of the channels. The carriage module further includes two linear tracks corresponding to the channels and two bolt hole pedestals corresponding to the guiding slots. The sensing module is glided on the carriage module when the linear tracks are embedded in corresponding channels, thereby correcting the desired magnification.

Abstract: A focusing auxiliary device of an image-capturing apparatus includes a base and an extension rod. The base is arranged on the image-capturing apparatus. The extension rod is coupled to and movable relative to the base for sustaining against a supporting surface so as to keep the lens set of the image-capturing apparatus at a fixed distance from an object to be photographed. By marking graduations on the extension rod, the focusing distance from the image-capturing apparatus to the object can be realized at the same time.

Abstract: The optical module includes a sensing member, a main body and an adjustable mechanism. The sensing member includes an optical sensor. The main body guides an external light beam into the optical sensor. The adjustable mechanism is disposed at first edges of the sensing member and the main body for combining the sensing member with the main body and adjusting the relative distance or angle between the optical sensor and the external light beam. The adjustable mechanism includes a first adjustable element and a second adjustable element. The unit adjustable amount of the adjustable mechanism is equal to a difference between a first unit displacement of the first adjustable element and a second unit displacement of the second adjustable element.

Abstract: An illumination control device is used in an optical pointer to cooperate with an optical sensor module and a light-emitting device to emit proper illuminance of light. The illumination control device includes a microcontroller generating a supplemental current when the optical pointer is in a power-saving state; and a controlled current amplifier in communication with the microcontroller, the optical sensor module and the light-emitting device for providing an amplified current for the light-emitting device to emit light. The controlled current amplifier amplifies a synthesized current of a light-emitting current generated by the optical sensor module and the supplemental current generated by the microcontroller to obtain the amplified current when the optical pointer is in the power-saving state.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus with a laser-framing viewfinder includes a housing, a laser source installed inside the housing for generating a laser beam, a first lens installed inside the housing for diverging the laser beam, a framing mask for masking the laser beam diverged by the first lens to form a laser-framing viewfinder, and a camera lens installed in the housing for capturing an object in the laser-framing viewfinder.

Abstract: A plug adaptor assembly includes a plug member having an insert end formed with a plurality of terminals; an adaptor member having one end formed with a plug hole, a plurality of terminals disposed within the plug hole in the end, and a mounting portion; and a connecting cable having opposite ends respectively connected to a mounting end of the plug member and the other end of the adaptor member for establishing electrical connection between the terminals of the plug member and the terminals of the adaptor member. When required, the mounting end of the plug member can be disposed on the mounting portion of the adaptor member.

Abstract: A gear assembly of a laminating apparatus includes a fixed gear device and an adjustable gear device connected between a motor and the fixed gear. The adjustable gear device includes a transmission shaft driven by the motor to rotate, a movable gear sleeved on and slidable along the axial direction of the transmission shaft, and an urging device coupled to the movable gear. The movable gear engages with a fixed gear in an object laminating mode but disengages from the fixed gear in an object releasing mode. For disengaging the movable gear from the fixed gear, an external force is exerted to force the movable gear to move toward and sustain against the urging device, and for restoring the engagement of the movable gear with the fixed gear, the external force is released to have the urging device push the moveable gear back to the engaging position.

Abstract: A mechanism for confining a flat flexible cable of an image scanner in position is provided. The flat flexible cable is electrically connected between a circuit board and a carriage and bends differentially with the movement of the carriage relative to the circuit board under a scanning platform. The mechanism includes a confining member disposed between a first portion of the flat flexible cable and the scanning platform for isolating the flat flexible cable from the scanning platform. The confining member changes states and bends differentially with the movement of the carriage relative to the circuit board under the scanning platform, and has a bending resistance greater than that of the flat flexible cable. Accordingly, the confining member is kept at least a certain clearance from the scanning platform while confining the first portion of the flat flexible cable thereunder.

Abstract: A scanning module includes a main body and a sensor module. The sensor module includes a circuit board, a sensing element, an image sensor adjustable mechanism and four adjustable rods. By means of the image sensor adjustable mechanism and these four adjustable rods, the positions of the sensing element can be controlled in seven degrees of freedom.

Abstract: A digital image capturing apparatus includes a housing, a first hole installed on the front side of the housing for inputting light from the front, a second hole installed on the rear side of the housing for inputting light from the rear, a reflector module installed in the housing for reflecting the light input from the first hole or the second hole, a photosensor installed in the housing for sensing the light from the reflector module, and an image generating module installed in the housing for generating an image according to the light sensed by the photosensor.

Abstract: A laminating apparatus includes a roller, an electro-heating shaft, a power transmitting and resilient member and a power transmitting and securing member. The roller is in contact with a thin film, moves through the thin film to heat and laminate the thin film to a sheet material. The electro-heating shaft is wrapped by the roller, transforms electric energy into thermal energy to heat the thin film, and drives rotation of the roller to move through the thin film. The power transmitting and resilient member is in contact with an axial end surface of the electro-heating shaft in an axial direction of the electro-heating shaft for transmitting electricity from a power source to the electro-heating shaft. The power transmitting and securing member is coupled to the electro-heating shaft for compressing the power transmitting and resilient member therebetween, thereby continuously transmitting the electricity from the power source to the electro-heating shaft via the power transmitting and securing member.

Abstract: An apparatus for taking an electronic message from a user and actively notifying a receiver is disclosed. The apparatus includes a message input device for receiving the electronic message from the user, a message storing device for storing the electronic message therein, a message playing device for playing the electronic message, a vibration detector for detecting a certain level of vibration, a controller electrically connected to the message input device, the message storing device, the message playing device and the vibration detector, and a case accommodating the message input device, the message storing device, the message playing device, the vibration detector and the controller therein. The vibration detector sends out a trigger signal in response to the vibration, and the controller allows the electronic message to be read out from the message storing device and played by the message playing device in response to the trigger signal.