SYSTEM FOR DIRECTLY SENSING THE ORIENTATION OF A TRACK BALL

摘要

A track ball device includes a ball having a pattern of first conductive features and a socket into which the ball rotatably sits, the socket having a pattern of second conductive features. Also disclosed is a sensing array system for determining relative motion including a first substrate having a plurality of interstitially arranged electrodes provided thereon. A second substrate has a plurality of transfer electrodesprovided thereon. The first and second substrates are movable relative to each other, and the plurality of interstitially arranged electrodes selectively operate as driving electrodes for providing a plurality of signals to the sensing array and as collecting electrodes for collecting signals capacitively transferred from the driving electrodes by the transfer electrodes. The sensing array is useful in a battery operated track ball device, a mouse or other device that must be able to determine relative motion over two degrees of freedom.