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US 6,552,713 B1Granted
Optical pointing device
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorsAndrew L Van Brocklin, Glen A Oross, James F Bausch, Gregory J May
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electronic device has a case and a screen attached to the case. The screen indicates a cursor position. The electronic device further has an input device mounted to the case. The input device includes a curved surface for detecting an object disposed on the curved surface using a light path that transfers an image of the object to an optical sensor. The optical sensor detects the movement of the object across the curved surface and in response, the input device manipulates the cursor position.
Claims15
An electronic device, comprising:
- a case;
- a screen capable of indicating cursor position, said screen attached to said case;
- a keyboard formed from an array of individual keys;
- an input device disposed between at least two individual keys wherein said input device is T-shaped, said input device including:
- a curved surface for detecting an object disposed on said curved surface;
- an optical sensor for detecting movement of the object;
- a light path capable of transferring an image of the object to said optical sensor, wherein said input device is capable of manipulating said cursor position;
- and
- a software subroutine capable of manipulating the cursor position by emulating rotational inertia based on the movement of the object on said curved surface.
6 more elements
An input device, comprising:
- a curved surface for detecting an object disposed on said curved surface;
- an optical sensor for detecting movement of the object;
- a light path capable of transferring an image of the object to said optical sensor, wherein said input device is capable of manipulating a cursor position;
- and
- a software subroutine capable of manipulating the cursor position by emulating rotational inertia based on the movement of the object on said curved surface;
- wherein said input device is T-shaped and capable of being disposed between at least two individual keys of a keyboard.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.