Pressure and position sensing pointing devices and methods

摘要

Pointing devices and related methods are disclosed that generally involve manipulation of a cursor or other user interface component based on inputs from a user. In one embodiment, an image sensor captures an image of the underside of a transparent contact surface and determines whether an object (e.g., a user's finger) is present in the image. Cursor movement information comprising direction and velocity components can be calculated from a single image by equating the size of a detected object with a desired velocity and by equating the position of the detected object relative to a fixed reference point with a desired direction. Thus, detection of user motion is not required, nor is comparison of successive image frames relative to a time reference. As a result, a device having few or no moving parts can be provided while at the same time permitting continuous cursor motion without repetitive swiping by a user.

主权项

1. A pointing device for providing an output direction and an output velocity to a computer system to control a user interface of the computer system, comprising:
a contact surface mounted to a support; a camera positioned beneath the contact surface and configured to capture an image of a lower side of the contact surface and an object that is in contact with an upper side of the contact surface; a velocity calculation unit configured to calculate the output velocity based on a size of the object within the image; and a direction calculation unit configured to calculate the output direction based on a position of the object within the image; wherein the direction calculation unit calculates the output direction by comparing a position of a center point of the contact surface within the image to a position of a center point of the object within the image.