Patent Application
20170102781
The present invention relates generally to human input devices for computing systems, and, more particularly, to a computer keyboard and mouse combo device.
A most popular way to move a cursor around on a computer display is to use a mouse, which functions by detecting two dimensional motions relative to its supporting surface. Physically, a mouse comprises an object held under one of a user's hands, with one or more buttons. Clicking or hovering (stopping movement while the cursor is within the bounds of an area) can select files, programs or actions from a list of names, or (in graphical interfaces) through small images called “icons” and other elements. For example, a text file might be represented by a picture of a paper notebook, and clicking while the cursor hovers over this icon might cause a text editing program to open the file in a window.
When mice have more than one button, software may assign different functions to each button. A primary button (leftmost button in a right-handed configuration) on the mouse, when clicked, will select items, and such click is generally called primary click. A secondary button (rightmost button in a right-handed configuration) on a mouse, when clicked, will bring up a menu of alternative actions applicable to that item, and such click is generally called secondary click.
A conventional keyboard can detect a pressing of any key thereof, but cannot detect mere touches on the keys. Here, the “touch” refers to a surface of the keyboard being contacted by an object regardless if the key is pressed or not. If the conventional keyboard is a tactile one, the key pressing results from the key being depressed. If the conventional keyboard is a surface one, such as Touch Cover for Microsoft Surface, the key pressing results from a force being applied on the key. As long as the key remains depressed in tactile keyboard or forced upon in surface keyboard, the key is pressed.
While conventional mice can be highly accurate pointing devices for computers, being a separate device the conventional mice have some short-comings, such as every time when a computer user wants to move a cursor, he or she has to move his or her hand away from the keyboard and to the mouse, and move the mouse as a physical object. It is not only less efficient but also may cause injury to the hand over an extended period of time of use.
As such, what is desired is a computer input device, particularly a pointing device that does not rely on moving any additional object other than the user's fingers.
The drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification are included to depict certain aspects of the invention. A clearer conception of the invention, and of the components and operation of systems provided with the invention, will become more readily apparent by referring to the exemplary, and therefore non-limiting, embodiments illustrated in the drawings, wherein like reference numbers (if they occur in more than one view) designate the same elements. The invention may be better understood by reference to one or more of these drawings in combination with the description presented herein.
The present invention relates to a computer input device utilizing a touch sensing device and a conventional keyboard to provide cursor input for the computer. A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the attached drawings.
Referring back to
In one embodiment, each of the cameras 323 and 325 includes a light source and a linear image sensor (not shown). Light reflectors are then placed at the left, bottom and right edge of the keyboard 105 (not shown). Both the cameras 323 and 325 and the light reflectors are mounted slightly above the surface of the keyboard 105, so that the light reflector is visible to the cameras 323 and 325. If the view is not blocked, the light source, through the reflectors, will create a bright straight line on the linear image sensor. In embodiments, the light source can be a light emitting diode (LED) emitting infrared light toward the light reflectors. The linear image sensor can be complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor.
In other embodiments, the camera 323 and 325 may not employ a light source, and instead rely on ambient light reflected by touching objects to detect their presence. In this case, light reflectors at the edges of the keyboard 105 will not be needed.
As shown in
If a single touch is detected in step 520, the keyboard-mouse operation further compares the size of the touch with a predetermined value in step 530. If the size of the touch is larger than the predetermined value, the input processor 430 will treat the touch as two adjacent ones and enter the keyboard-mouse operation into the keyboard mode in step 560. If the size of the touch is smaller than the predetermined value, the input processor will treat the touch as truly a single touch and enter the keyboard-mouse operation into a mouse mode in step 543. In one embodiment, the predetermined value is set at 18 millimeter, which is roughly the size of one finger. In other embodiments, the predetermined value can be field reset to a user preferred value.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in one or more specific examples, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.
