Logitech, Inc.

Harthmuth Buczek

Marc A Bidiville

Javier Arreguit

Floris A Van Shaik

Denis O'Keeffe

Eric Raeber

Francedillaois Bauduin

Aldo Bussien

Fabien Droz-Dit-Busset

Bernard Steenis

Francois Bauduin

A dual-layer optical ball for use in a cursor control pointing device. The ball is illuminated by a light source that emits light signals at, at least, a first wavelength, the ball having an inner layer surface that is capable of diffusing a light signal and an outer layer having a substantially smooth surface that surrounds the inner layer. The outer layer is substantially transparent to light at the first frequency. The inner layer diffuses the light signals at different intensities depending upon an the area of the inner surface that is illuminated.

Dual layer optical ball for pointing device

A cursor control device for personal computers and workstations includes various embodiments, some of which include a patterned ball and some of which rely on other patterned surfaces, which recognizes changes in the position of the pattern relative to a sensor having an array of photosensitive elements. Circuitry associated with the sensor determines movement of the pattern across the array, and translates that movement into conventional cursor control signals supplied to a host system.

Pointing device utilizing a photodetector array

Pointing device utilizing a photodector array

Pointing device utilizing a photodetector array and controlled by a

A cursor control device for personal computers and workstations includes a randomly speckled ball illuminated with diffuse lighting. An image of at least a portion of the illuminated area of the speckled ball is focused by an optical element such as a diffractive optical element onto a photosensitive array. Logic associated with the photosensitive array determines movement of the ball across the array, and translates that movement into conventional cursor control signals supplied to a host system.

Cursor pointing device utilizing a photodetector array with target ball

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Marin-Epagnier, Switzerland

Harthmuth Buczek