US 2014/0176441 A1Published application

Architecture for Variable Pressure Mouse

AssigneeDell Products L.P.

InventorsMark A. Casparian, Carlos L. Ross, Danae Sierra, Frank C. Azor, A. Fleming Seay

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Abstract

User input devices with variable pressure buttons are configured. A user may specify a range of pressure to be associated with a pressure level. In some embodiments, a user may also associate a command or other instruction to an application with an identity of a variable pressure button and a pressure level of the button. In some embodiments, the associations may be represented in a configuration profile. In further embodiments, a microcontroller for a mouse may translate signals from variable pressure buttons into pressure levels based upon the configuration file. In many embodiments, a user may associate a reporting rate with a variable pressure button. A legacy application may receive reports of the state of the variable pressure button at the associated reporting rate.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An information handling system comprising:

a user input device, including a variable pressure button (VPB);
an application;
a VPB-translation module;
and
a VPB configuration module to:
provide an application programming interface to the application and to provide a graphical user interface (GUI) to a user, to enable the user through the GUI to assign amounts of pressure applied to the VPB to pressure levels and to assign the pressure levels in combination with an identity of the VPB to commands or other inputs to the application;
create a configuration profile to represent the user assignments of pressure ranges to pressure levels and the user assignment of pressure levels to the commands or other inputs to the application;
provide to the application through the application programming interface information about the assignment by the user of pressure levels in combination with the identity of the VPB to commands or other inputs to the application;
and
provide the configuration profile to the VPB-translation module, wherein:
the VPB is to generate signals regarding amounts of pressure applied to the VPB;
and
the VPB-translation module is to translate the amounts of pressure into pressure levels as specified by the configuration profile and to broadcast the commands or other inputs corresponding to the pressure levels to the application.

10 more elements

An information handling system comprising:

a user input device including a variable pressure button (VPB);
a microcontroller (MCU) for the user input device, coupled to the user input device;
and
an application, wherein:
the VPB is to generate signals regarding amounts of pressure applied to the VPB;
and
the MCU is to translate the amounts of pressure into pressure levels;
to translate the pressure levels into events, the events including click rates, commands, macro-assignments, and hot-keys;
and to broadcast the events to the application.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/725,552Filed 21 Dec 2012
Published: 26 Jun 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G06F 3/038
Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor: control and interface…
G06F 3/03543
With detection of two-dimensional [2D] relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D…
G06F 3/0383
Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry: signal control means within the pointing device
G06F
Computing and data processing