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:
Oct. 31, 1995
Filed:
Jan. 29, 1993
Robert A Boie, Westfield, NJ (US);
Laurence W Ruedisueli, Berkeley Heights, NJ (US);
Eric R Wagner, South Plainfield, NJ (US);
AT&T IPM Corp., Coral Gables, FL (US);
Abstract
A computer input device for use as a computer mouse or keyboard comprises a thin, insulating surface covering an array of electrodes. Such electrodes are arranged in a grid pattern and can be connected in columns and rows. Each column and row is connected to circuitry for measuring the capacitance seen by each column and row. The position of an object, such as a finger or handheld stylus, with respect to the array is determined from the centroid of such capacitance values, which is calculated in a microcontroller. For applications in which the input device is used as a mouse, the microcontroller forwards position change information to the computer. For applications in which the input device is used as a keyboard, the microcomputer identifies a key from the position of the touching object and forwards such key identity to the computer.