Pointing stick with increased sensitivity
AssigneeDarfon Electronics Corp.
InventorWei-Ting Chen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pointing stick includes a substrate, an input pillar set vertically on the substrate, and at least one strain gauge for sensing pressure and producing pointing signals corresponding to the pressure. A portion of the strain gauge is set between the input pillar and the substrate. The strain gauge includes a first pressure resistor set on an upper surface of the substrate. A first electrode and a second electrode are electrically connected to the first pressure resistor. The first electrode and the second electrode form a loop to let current pass through the first pressure resistor. The first electrode and the second electrode are separated by a gap with a predetermined distance in a pressing direction, which is perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.
Claims13
A pointing stick comprising:
- a substrate;
- an input pillar set vertically on the substrate;
- and
- at least one strain gauge, a portion of the strain gauge set between the input pillar and the substrate, the strain gauge sensing pressure and producing pointing signals that correspond to the pressure, the strain gauge comprising:
- a first pressure resistor set on an upper surface of the substrate, the first pressure resistor distorting under the pressure, the distortion changing the resistance of the first pressure resistor according to the pressure;
- a first electrode and a second electrode electrically connected to the first pressure resistor, the first electrode and the second electrode forming a loop to let current pass through the first pressure resistor, the first electrode and the second electrode being separated by a gap with a predetermined distance in a pressing direction, the pressing direction being perpendicular to the surface of the substrate;
- wherein by applying a force on the input pillar, the pressure is produced along the pressing direction on the first pressure resistor, the pressure distorting the first pressure resistor along the pressing direction, and the strain gauge produces pointing signals that correspond to the pressure.
A pointing stick comprising:
- a base with a hole;
- a pole with a lower surface set within the hole;
- at least one strain gauge used to sense pressure and produce corresponding pointing signals, a portion of the strain gauge installed between the lower surface and the hole, the strain gauge comprising:
- a first pressure resistor installed on the lower surface, the first pressure resistor distorting under the pressure, the distortion changing the resistance of the first pressure resistor according to the pressure;
- a first electrode and a second electrode electrically connected to the first pressure resistor, the first electrode and the second electrode forming a loop to let current pass through the first pressure resistor, the first electrode and the second electrode being separated by a gap with a predetermined distance in a pressing direction, the pressing direction being perpendicular to the surface of the strain gauge;
- wherein the lower surface of the pole produces a pressure that pushes on the first pressure resistor along the pressing direction, causing the first pressure resistor to distort, and the strain gauge produces the corresponding pointing signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.