Pressure sensitive scrollbar feature

Patent 5889236 Issued on March 30, 1999. Estimated Expiration Date:

November 13, 2015. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

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Inventors

Application

No. 558114 filed on 11/13/1995

US Classes:

178/18.01, Position coordinate determination for writing (e.g., writing digitizer pad, stylus, or circuitry)178/18.03, Writing digitizer pad178/18.06, Capacitive178/19.03, Capacitive or inductive stylus178/19.04, Pressure stylus345/157, Cursor mark position control device345/159Having variable cursor speed

Examiners

Primary: Shankar, Vijay

Attorney, Agent or Firm

D'Alessandro & Ritchie

Foreign Patent References

0 187 372 EP 12/13/1985
0 394 614 EP 10/13/1990
0 490 001 EP 06/13/1992
0 574 213 EP 12/13/1993
0 589 498 EP 03/13/1994
0 609 021 EP 08/13/1994
2 662 528 FR 05/13/1990
60-205625 JP 10/13/1985
62-126429 JP 06/13/1987
63-073415 JP 04/13/1988
2-040614 JP 02/13/1990
4-015725 JP 01/13/1992
6-139022 JP 05/13/1994
07 072 976 JP 03/13/1995
2 139 762 GB 11/13/1984
2 266 038 GB 10/13/1993
2 288 665 GB 04/13/1995
91/030309 WO 03/13/1991
91/05327 WO 04/13/1991
96/07966 WO 03/13/1996
96/11435 WO 04/13/1996
96/18179 WO 06/13/1996

International Classes

G08C 021/00
G09G 005/08

Abstract

A proximity sensor system includes a sensor matrix array having a characteristic capacitance on horizontal and vertical conductors connected to sensor pads. The capacitance changes as a function of the proximity of an object or objects to the sensor matrix. The change in capacitance of each node in both the X and Y directions of the matrix due to the approach of an object is converted to a set of voltages in the X and Y directions. These voltages are processed by circuitry to develop electrical signals representative of the centroid of the profile of the object, i.e, its position in the X and Y dimensions. Noise reduction and background level setting techniques inherently available in the architecture are employed.

Other References

"Double-Click Generation Method for Pen Operations", IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Nov. 1992, vol. 35, No. 6, p. 3
"Three-Axis Touch-Sensitive Pad", IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Jan. 1987, vol. 29, No. 8, pp. 3451-3453
Chun, et al., "A High-Performance Silicon Tactile Imager Based on a Capacitive Cell", IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Jul. 1985, vol. ED-32, No. 7, pp. 1196-1201
"Pressure-Sensitive Icons", IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Jun. 1990, vol. 33, No. 1B, pp. 277-278
"Scroll Control Box", IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Apr. 1993, vol. 36, No. 4, ppo. 399-403
Wilton, Microsoft Windows 3 Developer's Workshop, 1991, pp. 229-230
Tiburtius, "Transparente Folientastaturen", Fienwerktechnik & Messtechnik 97, No. 7, Munchen, DE, Jul. 1989, pp. 299-30