Touch-pad digital computer pointing-device
US5856822A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 27, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jan 5, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 27, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F3/04886
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A touch-pad digital computer pointing-device, for controlling a position of a cursor appearing on a display screen of a digital computer, senses and resolves respective locations within an active area at which concurrent multi-finger contacts occur. Multi-finger contacts with the active area activate or deactivate a drag-lock operating mode, computer power conservation, and other touch-pad operating characteristics such as the touch-pad's sensitivity to finger contact. The touch-pad also senses a velocity and direction for finger contact with the active area for use in transmitting data to the computer which effects continuous cursor movement across the computer's display screen in a direction fixed by the initial direction of contact movement across the active area. While there is no finger contact with the active area, the touch-pad monitors the active area and adjusts its operation to compensate for changes in the surrounding environment such as changes in temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.