Disclosure is related to an optical sensor array apparatus. According to one embodiment of the invention, multiple sensor pixels are arranged as an array and forming a sensor array. Every comparator circuit is connected to one sensor pixel so as to calculate its energy state. A light source such as laser is installed in the apparatus. A control circuit is provided to recognize the sensor pixels' energy states for determining the spatial interference difference made by the reflected ray. The sensor array apparatus may be adapted to various surfaces since the light intensity and exposure time is able to be modulated as a compensation mechanism.

This invention is an ergonomic computer mouse. The computer mouse body has a unique design in shape that may change the way for people to use a computer mouse. It is designed to be handheld by ring finger, little finger, and the hand part between thumb and index finger with a grip handle. A rear extrusion is smoothly curved and is designed to create a curved support area for the hand part between thumb and index finger. A trackball is confined in the body with a spherical housing and partially exposed on right side and left side of the body. The trackball is arranged near the middle of the body and above the grip handle so that thumb can reach it and operate it in its natural posture. A trackball cover is designed to separate the trackball and hand palm. Two click buttons and scroll wheel are arranged vertically on the fore edge of the body so that index finger and middle finger can naturally reach and operate them. A finger guard ring is designed to help adjusting the body's location in a hand palm with ring finger and little finger. A curved top edge and a front extrusion are designed to make the body shape look aesthetic. Two spherical extrusions on each side of the body are designed to provide 3-points support together with trackball on a flat surface. People can hold and use the mouse at any desired orientation without a flat surface and can use either right hand or left hand to operate it. It can also be used on a flat desk surface (even on a transparent flat surface) as people use a regular computer mouse. It allows people to take a comfortable desired posture to operate the computer mouse and allows people to change hand to operate it. As a result it can reduce discomfort, pain, and fatigue injury on a user's hand, arm, and shoulder when the user works on a computer with this invention.

There is provided an image display system including a navigation device and an inertial unit. The navigation device outputs displacements at a report rate. The inertial unit may provide an inertial displacement for continuously controlling a cursor motion after the displacements decrease to zero.

Input devices having a deformable membrane and methods of their use are disclosed. In one embodiment, an input device includes a body, a deformable membrane coupled to the body such that the body and the deformable membrane define an enclosure filled with a medium, and an internal sensor disposed within the enclosure, the internal sensor having a field of view configured to be directed through the medium and toward a bottom surface of the deformable membrane. The input device further includes a controller configured to receive an output signal from the internal sensor corresponding to a deformation in the deformable membrane, determine a gesture based on the output signal from the internal, and provide a gesture signal corresponding to the gesture.

An autoclavable human interface device is described. The autoclavable human interface device can include a first component constructed of a first material exposable to autoclave conditions without damage caused to the first component. The autoclavable human interface device can include a second component constructed of a second material that is susceptible to damage under the autoclave conditions. The autoclavable human interface device can include a component coating on the second component. The component coating can be exposable to the autoclave conditions without allowing damage to the second component.

A method and system for processing control commands in a computer-graphics (CG) environment includes displaying a CG environment according to a current view setting. A first user command generated from user interaction with a touch-enabled first input device is received. The command defines an adjustment to the current view setting. The displaying of the CG environment is adjusted in accordance with the view adjustment defined by the first user command. A second user command generated from user interaction with a second input device other than the touch-enabled first input device is received. The second user command defines a CG creation/editing action within the CG environment. The application of the CG creation/editing action defined by the second user command is then displayed. The first and second input devices may be physically separate and the first and second user commands may be logically separate.

An input device comprises a depressible element with two switches including a first switch configured to generate a first signal when the depressible element is depressed by a threshold distance and a second switch configured to generate a second signal indicating when the depressible element is depressed by the threshold distance and the second switch is in an active state. One or more processors may be configured to receive the first signal from the first switch; configure the second switch to change from an inactive state to an active state in response to receiving the first signal; receive the second signal from the second switch in the active state; determine whether the second signal indicates that the depressible element is depressed by the threshold distance; and generate event data confirming that the depressible element is depressed by the threshold distance in response to receiving the second signal.

A portable device (e.g., a wireless device such as a cell phone) is provided with a flexible keyboard and a flexible display screen. Such flexible components may be stored in the housing of the portable device when not in use. The flexible display screen and flexible keyboard may be expanded from the housing when the flexible components are utilized by a user. Non-flexible display and input components may be provided on the exterior of the portable device such that the device may be used, in some form, while the flexible components are stored. In one embodiment, a portion of the flexible display (or flexible keyboard) may be utilized when the flexible display (or flexible keyboard) is stored in said first housing.

A wireless input device includes an information receiving terminal and an information outputting terminal. The information receiving terminal generates a first-portion key. The information outputting terminal receives the first-portion key and generating a second-portion key. An original information is converted into an encrypted information by the information outputting terminal according to the first-portion key, the second-portion key and an encryption algorithm. The encrypted information and the second-portion key are transmitted from the information outputting terminal to the information receiving terminal. The encrypted information is restored to the original information by the information receiving terminal according to the first-portion key, the second-portion key and an encryption algorithm.

A handheld electronic device is described for controlling three-dimensional content displayed in a user interface of a computing device. The handheld electronic device may include an electromagnetic sensing system for detecting a pose of the handheld electronic device in three-dimensional space and at least one communication module to trigger transmission of the commands to manipulate three-dimensional content displayed in the computing device based on detected changes in the pose of the handheld electronic device.