Abstract: A cursor control device horizontally positioned operating surface is mounted on a vertical shaft connected to a biaxial joint which is enclosed in the base of the device. The hand of the operator rests on the operating surface and tips it in any direction so the shaft follows the movement of his/her hand. The motion is interpreted as X and Y coordinates on a computer display screen. The coordinate information is digitized and sent to the main computer to display a cursor on the display screen.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a hybrid pointing device including an optical navigation module and a pointing module. The optical navigation module is configured to replace the conventional buttons of a convention pointing device, such as an optical mouse or a trackball mouse. The optical navigation module is configured to sense gestures of at least one object operated by a user to activate commands associated with particular programs running on the host. Since the optical navigation module is only configured to sense gestures of the object but not the movement of the hybrid pointing device relative to a surface, the resolution thereof is aimed to be sufficiently high enough for sensing gestures and no need to be relatively high.

Abstract: A 3D pointing device for use with a content delivery system is provided. The pointing device can operate in one of at least one of two modes: a first 3D or scrolling mode, and a second non-3D mode that can also be referred to as an up-down-left-right (UDLR) mode. The pointing device can include one or more directional sensors, to provide orientation and movement information. For either of the at least two modes, an optical finger navigation module is provided that can detect movement of a user's finger or object across its screen, and provides a predetermined threshold that must be exceeded before movement information is generated from the OFN module. The pointing device can generate scroll and UDLR commands based on the information from the orientation and movement sensors, as well as the OFN module, or can provide the information from the orientation and movement sensors to a user interface that can generate the appropriate scrolling or UDLR commands for use by the content delivery system.

Abstract: There is provided a hybrid pointing device including an optical navigation module, a pointing module and a switching module. The optical navigation module is configured to sense gestures of at least one object operated by a user to activate commands associated with particular programs running on the host. The pointing module is configured to detect a movement between the hybrid pointing device and a working surface. The switching module is configured to active the optical navigation module or the pointing module according to a deformation of a touch plate.

Abstract: A sensing mouse includes a base, an upper cover, a plurality of touch-sensitive members and a controlling unit. The base has a curvy surface. The base is sheltered by the upper cover. The touch-sensitive members are disposed on the curvy surface and in communication with the controlling unit. When one of the touch-sensitive members is contacted with a working surface, a moving direction of the cursor is determined by the controlling unit according to a touching signal from the pressed touch-sensitive member, and a displacement amount of the cursor is determined by the controlling unit according to a contact area between the pressed touch-sensitive member and the working surface.

Abstract: An N-screen computer display system is described that includes N panels having N screens capable of displaying a cursor. The system also includes a cursor repositioning component having N screen selectors associated with the N screens. Each of the N screen selectors can be activated to reposition the cursor such that if a particular one of the N screen selectors is activated, the cursor is repositioned to a location on a particular screen associated with the particular one of the N screen selectors. Also described is a cursor location identifier to identify the location of a cursor in a computer display system.

Abstract: There is provided an optical navigation device including an image sensor, a processing unit, a storage unit and an output unit. The image sensor is configured to successively capture images. The processing unit is configured to calculate a current displacement according to the images and to compare the current displacement or an accumulated displacement with a threshold so as to determine an outputted displacement. The storage unit is configured to save the accumulated displacement. The output unit is configured to output the outputted displacement with a report rate.

Abstract: An electronic picture frame and an image display method thereof are provided. In the electronic picture frame, a plurality of images are arranged and displayed on one side of a screen, and among the plurality of images, an image at a particular position is enlarged and displayed. Alternatively, a screen is divided into a plurality of sub-screens, so images stored in each of a plurality of storage areas can be displayed on a respective sub-screen. Accordingly, the images stored in the plurality of storage areas can be displayed on the electronic picture frame in diverse forms.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing haptic feedback to touch-sensitive input devices are disclosed. For example, one disclosed system includes an input device having a housing having an exterior surface; a touch-sensitive surface configured to transmit a contact signal indicating a contact with the touch-sensitive surface; a sensor disposed within the housing, the sensor configured to sense movement of the input device and to transmit a sensor signal indicating movement of the input device; an actuator disposed within the housing, the actuator configured to output a haptic effect based on an actuator signal, the actuator signal based at least in part on the contact signal.

Abstract: A touch system comprises overlapping coordinate input sub-regions defining a generally contiguous input surface. Each coordinate input sub-region generates pointer coordinate data in response to pointer contacts thereon. When a pointer contact is made on a region of a coordinate input sub-region that overlaps with an adjacent coordinate input sub-region, each overlapping coordinate input sub-region processes acquired images to derive pointer data and triangulates the position of the pointer using the derived pointer data. Thereafter, the triangulated positions generated by the overlapping coordinate input sub-regions are processed in accordance with defined logic thereby to determine the position of the pointer contact relative to the touch surface.

Abstract: An orthopedic cursor control device that supports a user's hand, or other controlling anatomy, in a functionally neutral posture. The device has a motion sensor housed in a base, a mound attached to the top of the base and an optional carpal support attached to the base. The surfaces of the base, mound and optional carpal support together support a user's hand, or other controlling anatomy, in the functionally neutral, or other appropriate, posture. The mound conforms to an interior portion of the user's hand when in a grasping configuration. An inner surface of the carpal support conforms to, and supports, the user's wrist in the functionally neutral posture. The carpal support extends beyond a distal end of the user's ulna bone when the user grasps the cursor control device. The functionally neutral posture has, at the distal end, the user's radial bone substantially vertically above their ulna bone.

Abstract: In embodiments of the present invention, in response to a command to turn off, a wireless mouse transmits a signal to a computer to deactivate, for example by going into a low power mode or by shutting down. A receiver connected to the computer receives the signal and instructs the computer to deactivate in response to the signal from the wireless mouse.

Abstract: Architecture for managing clutch height in an optical navigational device such as a computer mouse. In one embodiment for a mouse, a feature can be molded into the bottom case that limits the clutch height by occluding the reflected light to the image sensor when the device is lifted from the tracking surface. Tracking is disabled when the clutch height threshold is exceeded, and re-enabled when the device is brought under the distance clutch height threshold. The device includes firmware controlled algorithm adjustments to one or more correlation parameters. When employing a D-shaped aperture, a threshold can be placed on the z-axis height tracking distance using dimensional characteristics of the shaped aperture, such as a knife-edge (the straight portion of the “D” shaped aperture), to impose a shadow across the image sensor. The aperture can be custom designed to occlude a portion of the emitted light from an LED.

Abstract: A wireless input device configured for a computer device is provided. The wireless input device includes a main body and an extension base, wherein the main body has a control unit, an operating unit, a switch, and a first wireless transceiver unit, and the extension base has a processor, a memory unit, a second wireless transceiver unit, and a display. When the switch is triggered, the switch transmits a switch signal to the control unit, and the control unit, according to the operating signal, transmits an adjusting signal to the processor of the extension base in response to the switch signal via the first wireless transceiver unit and the second wireless transceiver unit. The processor changes the parameter(s) in the memory unit according to the adjusting signal and then the changed parameter(s) is stored in the memory unit.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a mobile terminal and a method for controlling the same, which provide a user with a frame-scale content playback progress status information from the related art time-scale content playback progress status information. As described above, the mobile terminal includes a touch screen configured to display a playback screen of a content including image, and a controller controlling operations associated to a playback of the content. Herein, the controller may detect whether or not a command for displaying a playback progress status of the content in one of a time scale and a frame scale is being inputted. And, when the command is inputted, the controller may switch and display the playback progress status of the content from the time scale to the frame scale, and vice versa.

Abstract: A wheel module for an input device includes a circuit board, a wheel swinging member, and a wheel. A plurality of switch elements are installed on the circuit board. These switch elements are arranged between the circuit board and the wheel swinging member. The wheel is disposed on the wheel swinging member. When the wheel is moved downwardly relative to the wheel swinging member by a specified distance, an operating mode of the wheel module is switched from a rotating mode to a swinging mode. When the wheel module is operated in the rotating mode, the wheel is rotatable relative to the wheel swinging member. When the wheel module is operated in the swinging mode and the wheel is tilted in a specified direction, the wheel swinging member is synchronously swung relative to the circuit board to trigger a corresponding switch element.

Abstract: Provided is a human interactive interface device having a functional turntable. The interface device includes a housing unit, an interface circuit, a sensor unit, and a control unit. The housing unit has at least a left key, a right key, a mouse wheel, and a turntable. The turntable is disposed around the mouse wheel. The interface circuit is connected electrically to the turntable for generating a dial signal in accordance to a dial position of the turntable. The senor unit is located on the lower surface of the housing, and captures an image signal according to a reflex formed on a contact surface. The control unit is connected electrically to the interface circuit and the sensor unit, and is used for adjusting a coordinate axis positioning angle or a coordinate vector ratio of the sensor unit according to the dial signal, and further calculates a displacement according to the image signal.

Abstract: A locus smoothing method processes a current estimated displacement according to a predetermined number of previous output smoothed displacements. The locus smoothing method includes the steps of: accumulating a predetermined number of previous output smoothed displacements to produce an accumulated displacement and recording a last output smoothed displacement; estimating a current estimated displacement; forming a digital filter according to the accumulated displacement, the last output smoothed displacement and the current estimated displacement; processing the current estimated displacement with the digital filter to produce a current smoothed displacement; and transmitting the current smoothed displacement to an image display. The present invention further provides a navigation device having smooth locus.

Abstract: An optical navigation system and method are provided. In one embodiment, the system includes: (i) a coherent light source to emit light to illuminate a portion of a finger; and (ii) a detector to receive light reflected from the portion of the finger, the detector including a speckle-based sensor configured to sense movement of the finger relative to the detector based on changes in a complex interference pattern created by the light reflected from the portion of the finger. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: An input device includes an operating unit that a user grasps and operates in a three-dimensional free space in order to remotely operate an information processing device; and a transmitting unit to transmit a signal for a first gesture in the free space of the operating unit to set a mode, and a signal for a second gesture in the free space of the operating unit which differs from the first gesture to execute processing in the mode set based on the first gesture.

Abstract: A retractable cable mouse includes a casing, a cable reel member, a connector, a sliding member, and an elastic element. The connector is coupled with the cable reel member and contacted with the sliding member. The elastic element is contacted with the sliding member and coupled with the casing. When the sliding member is moved to a first position, the connector is stored within the casing, and the sliding member is sustained against elastic element, so that the elastic element is compressed. When the sliding member is pulled out of the casing, the compressed elastic element provides an elastic force. In response to the elastic force, the sliding member is moved to a second position. Meanwhile, a perforation of the casing is blocked by sliding member, so that the external dust or foreign material fails to be introduced into the internal portion of the casing.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to facilitate the manipulation of medical images. In the context of a method, the position of a user's hand upon a touch sensitive input device may be determined. Determining the position may include detecting instances in which the user's hand is in either a first or second positions upon the touch sensitive input device. In the first position, the method may also include enabling a first image manipulation mode in which a first image manipulation operation is enabled and interpreting a first type of input to be directing the first image manipulation operation. However, in the second position, the method may include enabling a second image manipulation mode in which a second image manipulation operation is enabled and interpreting the first type of input to be directing the second image manipulation operation instead of the first image manipulation operation.

Abstract: A mouse structure includes a housing, a sliding apparatus, and a resilient device. The housing has upper and lower walls, an internal space, and an opening communicating with the internal space. The sliding apparatus slidably disposed in the housing has a base portion and a reacting portion having a cover and a bottom board. The resilient device is connected with and disposed between the cover and the bottom board. When the sliding apparatus is in a closed state, the cover is retained by the upper wall of the housing in the internal space, and the resilient device is compressed and deformed by the cover, while the reacting portion moves out of the housing, the resilient device is not compressed, and the cover is automatically pushed outwards by the resilient device so as to position the cover in place.

Abstract: An optical joystick is connected to a vibratory transducer such as a piezoelectric transducer, where the vibratory transducer produces vibration which may be perceived upon a surface of the optical joystick. The vibration is perceived primarily at the surface of the optical joystick, and not upon a case of the computing device, and is distinguishable from other vibrations which may be induced in the computing device. Vibrations are created to indicate scrolled items in a list, selected items, or navigation within certain displayed zones.

Abstract: A GUI interface, a method of programming a GUI interface, and an apparatus which enables functions of controls in the GUI to be activated by a movement to a control and then another subsequent movement related to that control. It may be defined more precisely below. A GUI in which, when a pointer 0 is immediately adjacent or passes over a control area 1, a procedure is initiated whereby subsequent movement of the pointer over a predetermined path area 3 generates a ‘click’ event which simulates direct clicking of the control 1 and moving outside the predetermined path area 3 prior to completion of the path 3 resets the control to as if the pointer has never started along the predetermined path area 3.

Abstract: A device for use with a computer system includes: an array of antennas for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals; a portable unit operating within radio frequency range of the array of antennas, wherein a location of the portable unit is estimated by the radio frequency signals transmitted from the portable unit to a processor device. The device also includes storage for storing user identification.

Abstract: A customer user input device such as a computer mouse is disclosed. A core module can house the sensor, micro-controller and RF modules (if any). It may or may not also house the microswitches and scroll wheel. The core module can accept inserts having differing or variable button configurations so that the user can customize the location of the buttons in accordance with the user's intentions.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of a mouse includes a main body, a pop-up mechanism received in the main body, and a cap. The shell defines a first through hole. The cap is fixed to the pop-up mechanism and received in the first through hole. The cap can be lifted up to protrude or be retracted in the body of the mouse via an external force, the lifting up and the retraction of the cap cause the shape of the hand gripping the mouse to change, preventing fatigue in the hand.

Abstract: The disclosure addresses a force sensor that is scalable in size and adaptable to a variety of form factors, including those suitable for use in an input device for a computer or other processing system, and in some cases including those of the configuration normally referred to as a computer mouse. The force sensor will include at least two structural members that are cooperatively attached one another as to be displaced from one another in response to a force acting upon one of the structural members. In some examples, the engagement between the two structural members will be specifically configured to allow such displacement in response to forces acting laterally on the force sensor. The force sensor will also include one or more sensing mechanisms to provide a measurement of the sensed deflection.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically adjusting a drive current to a light source during an optical navigation operation uses brightness characteristics of captured frames of image data to determine whether each of the frames of image data belongs to one of at least first and second types of frames of image data. The drive current is adjusted depending on counts of the frames of image data belonging to the first and second types of frames of image data.

Abstract: A mouse device is operable with a variable button-pressing force. The mouse device includes a mouse base, a mouse case, a button disposed on the mouse case, a pressing plate contacted with the button, and the sliding member contacted with the pressing plate. The sliding member is partially protruded out of the mouse base, and movable with respect to the mouse base. When the sliding member is moved to a first position and contacted with a first touching part of the pressing plate, the force required for pressing the button is equal to a first downward external force. Whereas, when the sliding member is moved to a second position and contacted with a second touching part of the pressing plate, the force required for pressing the button is equal to a second downward external force.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for state sharing. A change module detects a change of a configuration state for at least one of a base and a detachable device. A connection module detects a connection between the base and the detachable device. The detachable device provides a display and a network connection for the base if the base and detachable device are connected. A synchronize module synchronizes the configuration state of the detachable device with the configuration state of the base in response to detecting the connection and detecting the change of configuration state.

Abstract: An exemplary computer mouse includes a main body and a remote control. The main body includes a receiving cavity for receiving the remote control. The receiving cavity has two opposite sidewalls. Each of the two opposite sidewalls defines a first recess, a second recess, and a third recess. The first recess is located between the second recess and the third recess and is separated from the second recess and the third recess. The remote control includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall. Each of the first and second sidewalls of the remote control includes a first protruding post and a second protruding post. Each of the first protruding posts is latched in the corresponding second recess or the corresponding third recess to fix the remote control in the receiving cavity. Each of the second protruding posts slides in the corresponding first recess to make the remote control rotatable.

Abstract: An ambidextrous mouse is disclosed. The ambidextrous mouse is configured for both left and right handed use. The mouse may include right handed buttons on the front side of the mouse and left handed buttons on the back side of the mouse. The user may change the handedness of the mouse by rotating the mouse about a vertical axis of the mouse such that the left hand can use the left hand buttons and the right hand can use the right hand buttons. The mouse may include a handedness selection system for configuring the mouse for right handed or left handed use even though the mouse has the capability for both right and left hands.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of calibrating a position offset of a cursor on a screen such that, when a pointing device has already been moved to a position beyond the screen boundary, virtual coordinates of the pointing device are calculated and recorded to track the physical positions of the pointing device efficiently, and then the position offset between the pointing device and the cursor on the screen is compensated and corrected, so as for the user to greatly reduce the hassle of manually operating the pointing device for controlling cursor movement and thereby operate the cursor on the screen at will.

Abstract: Control of multiple functions of an electronic device is provided by using a single control element (102) including a switch body (312) adjustable between multiple switch positions, a primary actuator (302) with lateral (302b) and distal surface (302a) portions extending from the switch body and configured for adjusting the switch body between the switch positions, and a pressure sensor (314) operable via an activation force at the lateral surfaces of the primary actuator. A first function can be controlled responsive to motion of the primary actuator during an activation of the pressure sensor. Additionally, a second function can be controlled responsive to the motion of the primary actuator of the control element exclusive of the activation of the pressure sensor. Further, a third function can be controlled in responsive to activation of the pressure sensor for at least a first period of time exclusive of motion of the primary actuator.

Abstract: A foot operated mouse for use on a surface comprises a housing including a heel portion, a toe portion, a pivot member, and a sensor mechanism. The pivot member is configured and arranged to contact the surface and allow the housing to pivot between an operating position and a nonoperating position. The operating position is when the sensor mechanism is proximate the surface, and the nonoperating position is when the sensor mechanism is pivoted upward away from the surface.

Abstract: Different types of user inputs can be input by a user via a keyboard of an input device. These different types of user inputs include, for example, key strikes, multi-touch interactions, single finger motions, and/or mouse clicks. Touch information regarding the pressure applied to the keys of a pressure sensitive keyboard over time (or the contact area of the user input for other types of keyboards over time) is used to classify the intent of the user input as one of the various types of user inputs.

Abstract: Provided is a new type of virtual mouse driving method which is independent from individual skin color and capable of being implemented in general environments having a certain degree of disturbance. The virtual mouse driving method according to the invention in which a method of driving the virtual mouse is controlled by a change of hand shape includes an input step of receiving a plurality of images captured by an imaging camera at mutually different time points, a difference image extracting step of extracting a difference image among a plurality of images, and a virtual mouse driving step based on the extracted difference image.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of controlling a virtual object or instruction for a computing device comprising: detecting a user eye motion by a detecting device; generating a control signal in responsive to the user eye motion detection; controlling an object displayed on a display in responsive to the control signal to execute the instruction. The user eye motion is detected by CMOS or CCD.

Abstract: A methods and systems for use of an input device with a display system are disclosed. In an example embodiment, a projection device configured to project a displayed image is provided where the displayed image includes one or more selectable items. The projection system further includes an input device which may be movable in free space and may be configured to point to the selectable items. The input device may be enabled to provide a double-click input to effect one or more changes in a graphical user interface that corresponds with a selection of a particular one of the selectable items at which the input device is pointed. The double click input may be identified such that movement of the input device after initiation of the double-click input may be ignored by the graphical user interface until completion of the double click input.

Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for inputting a three-dimensional (3D) location. The method determines whether a control signal for moving a pointer existing at a point in a two-dimensional (2D) coordinate plane is a 3D movement signal for moving the pointer into a 3D space; and based on a result of the determination, the method selectively moves the pointer to a point in the 3D space existing in a direction perpendicular to the 2D coordinate plane, according to the control signal.

Abstract: Handling of touch events in a browser environment is disclosed. An example method includes, while a document is displayed on a touchscreen display of a device, detecting a touch event at the touchscreen display, and selectively processing the detected touch event using one of a default hander, a touch event handler, and a conversion to one or more mouse events, according to a touch event handling property defined for the document.

Abstract: A method in a KVM switch system for interacting with the user to switch computer ports using a touch panel device having a touch-sensitive screen is described. The system allows a user to accomplish port switching by “drawing” a symbol (such as an Arabic number) representing a port number on the touch screen, coupled with other actions, such as one or more touches of the screen, an action using another input device such as a mouse, keyboard, buttons, etc., to confirm the port number input.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an optical sensor. The optical sensor comprises a sensor for sensing a reflected light, an image capture device coupling with the sensor for reading the reflected light and calculating an average light intensity of the reflected light, a controller coupling with the image capture device for outputting a control signal based on the average light intensity, a driver coupling with the controller for receiving the control signal to output a drive current based on the control signal, and a light source coupling with the driver for receiving the drive current to generate a light.

Abstract: A communication protocol in a wireless network of a transceiver and a plurality of devices, in which at least one device is a bidirectional device, and in which one or more other devices can be unidirectional devices. The unidirectional device communicates with the transceiver in a unidirectional mode from the device to the transceiver and the bidirectional device communicates with the transceiver either in a bidirectional mode or in an unidirectional mode from the device to the transceiver. The communication protocol is configured to determine which transmission mode is to be used for each device. Various techniques are provided in order to optimize the time and energy spent to transmit information from one peer to the other.

Abstract: A method for simulating a mouse with a keyboard in a computer system includes detecting whether a key event occurs in a switch matrix of the keyboard of the computer system, determining whether the key event is related to a specific control key when the key event is detected, transforming a location of a switch in which the key event occurs into a pair of coordinates when the key event is not related to the specific control key and is a key-pressed event, calculating a pair of displacements between the latest two pairs of coordinates to obtain a movement data, and transmitting the movement data to a mouse driver of the computer system so that an operating system of the computer system is capable of receiving the movement data by the mouse driver, for controlling movement of a pointer shown on a screen of the computer system.

Abstract: The invention determines the location of multiple, simultaneous contact areas on a touch sensing region using a light source and several light detectors. The invention is robust against occlusion and many of the ambiguities that can arise with multiple, simultaneous contact areas. Generally, the light source is positioned such that light emanating the light source passes across the touch sensing region, and the light detector are positioned such that at least a portion of the light source is within the field of view of each light detector. The contact areas are determined by identifying positive fans corresponding to an angular sector of the field of view of a light detector in which the view of the light source is occluded and negative fans corresponding to an angular sector of the field of view of a light detector in which the view of the light source is not occluded. The positive fans and negative fans are then additively and subtractively combined, respectively, to determine the contact areas.

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.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an extraction method for multi-touch feature information and a recognition method for multi-touch gestures using the multi-touch feature information, and more specifically, to the extraction method for multi-touch feature information and recognition method for multi-touch gestures using the multi-touch feature information, wherein: multi-touch feature information, which does not depend on the number of touch points, is extracted; and the accuracy in gesture recognition is improved by using the extracted multi-touch feature information.