Patent ID: 6084570
Filing Date: 2000-07-04
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A compact cursor controller comprising:a housing having an opening through the top thereof;a controller structure substantially disposed within said housing and having a puck that includes a puck protrusion extending through said opening and a first brush within said housing coupled to said puck and a second brush within said housing coupled to said puck;a printed circuit board disposed within said housing and coupled to said first brush and said second brush and configured to generate a first sensor signal in response to movement of said first brush on a first conductive strip and to generate a second sensor signal in response to movement of said second brush on a second conductive strip oriented perpendicular to said first conductive strip; anda processor coupled to said first conductive strip and said second conductive strip and configured to receive said first sensor signal and said second sensor signal to determine a position of said puck;wherein said first conductive strip includes a first sub-strip having a plurality of fingers laid on said printed circuit board and configured to contact said first brush and to generate a first binary sub-signal in response to movement of said first brush on said first sub-strip, and a second sub-strip having a plurality of fingers laid on said printed circuit board staggered in position with said first sub-strip fingers and configured to contact said first brush and to generate a second binary sub-signal in response to movement of said first brush on said second sub-strip wherein said first binary sub-signal and said second binary sub-signal create at least four possible position codes;wherein said second conductive strip includes a third sub-strip having a plurality of fingers laid on said printed circuit board and configured to contact said second brush and to generate a third binary sub-signal in response to movement of said second brush on said third sub-strip, and a fourth sub-strip having a plurality of fingers laid on said printed circuit board staggered in position with said third sub-strip fingers and configured to contact said second brush and to generate a fourth binary sub-signal in response to movement of said second brush on said fourth sub-strip wherein said third binary sub-signal and said fourth binary sub-signal create at least four possible position codes; andwherein said processor is configured to receive said first binary sub-signal and said second binary sub-signal and to determine a direction of movement of said first brush on said first conductive strip, and to receive said third binary sub-signal and said fourth binary sub-signal and to determine a direction of movement of said second brush on said second conductive strip.