Cursor pointing device utilizing a photodetector array with target ball having randomly distributed speckles
US5288993A · kind A · utility
188Cited by
1References
1Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 5, 1992 |
| Grant date | Feb 22, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 5, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F3/0383
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A cursor control device for personal computers and workstations includes a randomly speckled ball illuminated with diffuse lighting. An image of at least a portion of the illuminated area of the speckled ball is focused by an optical element such as a diffractive optical element onto a photosensitive array. Logic associated with the photosensitive array determines movement of the ball across the array, and translates that movement into conventional cursor control signals supplied to a host system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.