Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

James Charles Marshall

Summer L Schneider

Ralf Groene

Hua Wang

Timothy Carlyle Shaw

David R Perek

Kabir Siddiqui

Karsten Aagaard

Paul Henry Dietz

Thomas Charles Oliver

Eric Joseph Wahl

Carl Edward Picciotto

Flavio Protasio Ribeiro

Edward Charles Giaimo, Iii

Panos Costa Panay

Christopher Harry Stoumbos

Brian Cox

Carlos Manzanedo

Nathan C Sherman

Mark William Casebolt

James Alec Ishihara

Todd David Pleake

Christopher Mark Dreher

Glen C Larsen

Matthew David Mickelson

Sharon Drasnin

David Michael Lane

Joel Lawrence Pelley

Rob Huala

Christopher Andrew Whitman

David Carter Vandervoort

Daniel M Sangster

Robert D Young

Gene Robert Obie

Moshe Randall Lutz

Jim Tom Belesiu

Darryl I Jensen

Scott Mail

Aric Ahkeel Fitz-Coy

Mark R Lee

Anthony Ernest Hillyerd

Gino S Garcia

Harold F Mantooth

Camilo Leon

Hiroo Umeno

Michael A Schwager

Chun Beng Goh

Andrew N Cady

Dennis J Mathias

James H Wise

Robbie Edgar

Michael Schweers

Mark J Seilstad

Stephan Alexander Cummings

Joseph Kagume Ngari

Jeremiah M Pope

Bradley R Martin

Van Winston Oler

Christian Carl Gadke

Matthew G Pedersen

Xuezhong Wu

Hakon Strande

Francie Judith Zant

Jose R Sousa

David Neff

Glennis E Covington

Richard Peter Spooner

Brad Fosdick

Darryl L Jensen

Iii Edward C Giaimo

Davie M Lane

Darryl Jensen

Jamesh Wise

Rajesh Manohar Dighde

Shane Aaron Sykes

Scott K Gibson

Scott Mitchel Mail

Jay Scott Kassels

Matthew G Pederson

Iii David Otto Whitt

Anthony Christian Reed

Bernard Maurice Schultz

David Otto Iii Whitt

Edward C Giaimo Iii

Robyn Rebecca Reed Mclaughlin

Edward C Iii Giaimo

Inadvertent input control techniques are described. In one or more implementations, techniques are described that leverage force to determine a likelihood that a user intended to provide an input, e.g., a selection input (e.g., a 'click'), gesture, lift off, and so forth. This is usable to identify taps, hovers, continuation of movement of a drag operation, and so on. Implementations are also discussed that leverage an n-manifold in the product space of contact size and signal strength that is usable to define a likelihood of whether a contact includes an application of force. A variety of other examples are also described, including cursor stability techniques that leverage force in order to control movement of a cursor.

Force sensing and inadvertent input control of an input device

Input device configurations are described. In one or more implementations, an input device includes a sensor substrate having one or more conductors and a flexible contact layer spaced apart from the sensor substrate. The flexible contact layer is configured to flex to contact the sensor substrate to initiate an input of a computing device. In one or more implementations, an input device includes a capacitive sensor assembly arranged in an array that is configured to detect a location of an object that is proximal to a respective capacitive sensor of the capacitive sensor assembly and a pressure sensitive sensor assembly including a plurality of pressure sensitive sensor nodes that are configured to detect an amount of pressure applied by the object against a respective pressure sensitive sensor node of the pressure sensitive sensor assembly.

Input device configuration having capacitive and pressure sensors

Force inputs and cursor control

Input device configurations are described. In implementations, an input device includes a sensor substrate having a capacitive sensor to detect proximity of an object that contacts the input device. The input device also includes a flexible contact layer spaced apart from the sensor substrate, where the flexible contact layer is implemented to flex and contact the sensor substrate responsive to pressure applied by the object to initiate an input to a computing device. The flexible contact layer can include a force concentrator pad that is designed to cause pressure to be channeled through the force concentrator pad to cause the flexible contact layer to contact the sensor substrate to initiate the input.

Input device sensor configuration

Input device configurations are described. In one or more implementations, an input device includes a sensor substrate having one or more conductors and a flexible contact layer spaced apart from the sensor substrate. The flexible contact layer is configured to flex to contact the sensor substrate to initiate an input of a computing device. The flexible contact layer includes a force concentrator pad that is configured to cause pressure to be channeled through the force concentrator pad to cause the flexible contact layer to contact the sensor substrate to initiate the input. In one or more implementations, an input device includes a capacitive sensor assembly arranged in an array that is configured to detect a location of an object that is proximal to a respective capacitive sensor of the capacitive sensor assembly and a pressure sensitive sensor assembly including a plurality of pressure sensitive sensor nodes that are configured to detect an amount of pressure applied by the object against a respective pressure sensitive sensor node of the pressure sensitive sensor assembly.

Input device configurations are described. In one or more implementations, an input device includes a sensor substrate having one or more conductors and a flexible contact layer spaced apart from the sensor substrate. The flexible contact layer is configured to flex to contact the sensor substrate to initiate an input of a computing device. The flexible contact layer includes a force concentrator pad that is configured to cause pressure to be channeled through the force concentrator pad to cause the flexible contact layer to contact the sensor substrate to initiate the input.

Embodiments of software-supervised pairing processes are provided. The processes enable a user to pair a mouse and keyboard with a Bluetooth transceiver without having to use a second mouse and keyboard. At least two separate processes are provided, including a long transition for initial pairing or re-pairing and a short transition for re-establishing a connection after devices have already been paired.

Systems and methods for pairing bluetooth devices

Accessory device authentication techniques are described. In one or more embodiments, connection of an accessory device to a host computing device is detected. Responsive to the detection, an authentication sequence may occur to verify an identity and/or capabilities of the accessory device. Upon successful authentication of the accessory device, the host device may authorize the accessory device for power exchange interactions with the host device. The host device may then draw supplemental power from a power source associated with the authorized accessory device, such as a battery or power adapter. The host device may also enable the accessory device to obtain and use power supplied by the host device in some scenarios. Power exchange between a host device and an authorized accessory may be managed in accordance with capabilities of the accessory device that are identified during authentication.

Accessory device authentication

A system and method for reducing power consumption of a wireless input device is disclosed. The input device may convert between a high power state and a low power state. In the high power state, a transmitter and light sources are activated, whereas both the transmitter and the light sources are deactivated in the low power state. Following a period of inactivity in which neither a key sensor for activatable keys nor a presence sensor for the user transmit input, the input device may convert from the high power state to the low power state to conserve energy. When the presence sensor detects the presence of the user, however, the input converts to the high power state wherein the transmitter and the light sources are activated.

Input device having a presence sensor

The convenient recharging of a charge storage device is disclosed. In one embodiment, a system comprises a portable device accessory with a charge storage device holding mechanism and a recharging circuit. The system also comprises a portable device with an interface at which the portable device and the portable device accessory are connectable. A charge storage device-switching mechanism is disposed within the portable device accessory or the portable device. The charge storage device-switching mechanism is actuatable to switch a first charge storage device in the portable device with a second charge storage device in the charge storage device holding mechanism of the portable device accessory by mechanically connecting and/or disconnecting the portable device from the portable device accessory.

Convenient recharging of a charge storage device

A computer input device controller dynamically adjusts the rate at which an illumination source is activated, and may also adjust the rate at which other optical tracking system components are activated. As the velocity of optical tracking system movement relative to a tracked surface increases, the controller increases the activation rate(s). As the velocity of relative movement decreases, the controller decreases the activation rate(s). Future displacements of a tracking system relative to a tracked surface are also estimated. In particular, relative tracking system/tracked surface velocity is calculated based on a series of images. Relative displacement is then estimated based on the calculated velocity.

Dynamically adjusting operation of one or more sensors of a computer input device

Circuitry for reliably regulating the current driving a laser diode or other current-driven load is described. In particular, a dual-current driver circuit is described that uses both a current source circuit and a current sink circuit. The current source circuit and the current sink circuit may each independently control the laser diode drive current within a desired operating tolerance. The current driving the laser diode will be maintained within tolerance despite the failure of either the current source circuit or the current sink circuit. This is because the current source circuit and the current sink circuit are combined with the laser diode in series, such that the current driving the laser diode will be controlled at the lower of the two currents driven by the current source circuit and the current sink circuit.

Dual current control for laser diode driver circuit

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Puyallup, WA, United States of America

James Charles Marshall