Patent · US Expired

Computer pointing device

US5949354A · kind A · utility

29Cited by
17References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 12, 1998
Grant dateSep 7, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 12, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T74/20201
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention provides a computer pointing device which uses capacitors installed in various directions to generate pointing signals. The pointing device comprises a circuit board, a cap, and a detecting unit. The circuit board comprises a center point, a first conducting plate installed in a first direction and a second conducting plate installed in a second direction. The cap is movably installed above the center point of the circuit board. The bottom side of the cap has a top conducting plate which forms first and second capacitors with the first and second conducting plates separately. The detecting unit is electrically connected to the top, first and second conducting plates to detect the capacitance of the first and second capacitors and generate corresponding pointing signals to reflect the position of the cap in the first and second directions.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.