The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 06, 2025
Filed:
Mar. 30, 2023
Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);
Paul X. Wang, Cupertino, CA (US);
Benjamin G. Jackson, Piedmont, CA (US);
Richard G. Huizar, San Diego, CA (US);
Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);
Abstract
An electronic pointing device such as a computer mouse may be used in gathering user input from a user. The electronic pointing device may be provided with a light source that illuminates a portion of a surface that is overlapped by the mouse and a light sensor configured to monitor movement of the electronic pointing device across the surface based on reflected light from the illuminated portion. The electronic pointing device may have an array of sensors on a housing sidewall configured to gather information on the location of a finger of the user in an area that is laterally adjacent to the electronic pointing device. The sensors may be optical sensors based on light-sources such as light-emitting diodes or lasers and light detectors. Capacitive sensors may also be used in gathering user finger input in the area laterally adjacent to the electronic pointing device.