Patent ID: 6175359
Filing Date: 2001-01-16
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A pointing device comprising:a processor;a first voltage divider having first and second ends and having an output the potential of which is monotonically related to applied force in a first axis of the pointing device;a first source of excitation potential connected to the first voltage divider and switchable between first and second polarities thereof under control of the processor;a second voltage divider having first and second ends and having an output the potential of which is monotonically related to applied force in a second axis of the pointing device;a second source of excitation potential connected to the first voltage divider and switchable between first and second polarities thereof under control of the processor;the first and second sources of excitation potential each capable of being switched to a high-impedence state;a digital-to-analog converter controlled by the processor and having an analog output;an analog-to-digital converter receiving as its input signals indicative of the first voltage divider output, the second voltage divider output, and the digital-to-analog converter output.