Touchpad providing screen cursor/pointer movement control
US6392636B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 22, 1998 |
| Grant date | May 21, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 22, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2203/0338
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A plurality N of capacitance sensing cells are arranged in a row/column array top to cooperate with a fingertip and produce an output signal that controls the movement of a cursor/pointer across a display screen. The output of each individual sensing cell is connected to the corresponding individual node of a resistor array that has N nodes arranged in a similar row/column array. A centroid output of the resistor nodes in row configuration provides an output signal for control of cursor movement in a row direction. A centroid output of the resistor nodes in column configuration provides an output signal for control of cursor movement in an orthogonal column direction. A mass signal output of the row/column resistor mode array provides a switch on/off signal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.