There is provided an optical navigation device including an image sensor, a processing unit, a storage unit and an output unit. The image sensor is configured to successively capture images. The processing unit is configured to calculate a current displacement according to the images and to compare the current displacement or an accumulated displacement with a threshold so as to determine an outputted displacement. The storage unit is configured to save the accumulated displacement. The output unit is configured to output the outputted displacement with a report rate.

A virtualized peripheral driver and filter are installed at a kernel level of an Operating System (OS) on a host device. A new peripheral driver is installed on the host device and added to the peripheral device stack within the OS. Events generated from the user level of the OS are pushed through the stack for processing by a newly attached peripheral of the host device using the new peripheral driver. Events produced from the kernel for the peripheral are trapped by the filter when passing up through the stack to the user level of the OS and provided to the virtualized peripheral driver. The virtualized peripheral driver repackages, translates, and formats the events produced from the kernel as OS events expected by the OS for processing and the repacked, translated, and formatted events are processed by the OS.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides an input device with a mechanical wheel which includes a touch sensor. In one embodiment, the wheel is a thumbwheel that uses a magnetometer to detect rotation of a magnet inside the thumbwheel. The touch sensor in one embodiment is a cylindrical floating electrode which is capacitively coupled to a bridge electrode connected to a sensing circuit. The thumbwheel may be used for horizontal scrolling, zoom and other gestures.

Certain embodiments include a computer mouse including a housing having a bottom surface and a trackball disposed in the housing, where the bottom surface of the housing includes a first planar region, a second planar region, and a spine both common to and dividing the first and second planar regions. The first and second planar regions can be on different planes, where, when in operation, the computer mouse is configured to rest on a work surface, when the computer mouse is configured such that the first planar region of the bottom surface is parallel to the work surface, the computer mouse is tilted at a first angle relative to the work surface, and when the computer mouse is configured such that the second planar region of the bottom surface is parallel to the work surface, the computer mouse is tilted at a second angle relative to the work surface.

A method includes receiving a first input through a hands-based input device. A prompt is then output, and input responsive to the prompt may be received through either of a hands-based input device or a hands-free input device. Responsive to receiving a second input through a hands-free input device, a determination that the second input is responsive to the prompt may be made, an operation based on the second input may be performed, and cessation of the output of the prompt may occur.

A mouse with an adjustable angle includes an internal body coupled to an upper portion of the lower body in an inner space of the upper body, a plurality of angle adjusting bodies coupled to the upper portion of the lower body to surround the internal body or another angle adjusting body and having one end fixedly coupled to the lower body and the other end detachably coupled to the lower body, and an upper body formed above the lower body so as to surround an angle adjusting body formed at an outermost portion among the angle adjusting bodies and having one end fixedly coupled to the lower body and the other end detachably coupled to the lower body.

A computing device can include a processor; memory accessible by the processor; a base that includes a first platform at a first height and a second platform at a second height that differs from the first height; an arm operatively coupled to the base; and a display operatively coupled to the processor and operatively coupled to the arm.

A method of docking an accessory device includes, at the accessory device, receiving a first transmission energy for wireless charging from an electronic device; in accordance with receiving the first transmission energy: setting a timer, and entering a docked mode; and exiting the docked mode upon expiration of the timer.

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 trackball includes a ball, a housing including a recess arranged to receive at least part of the ball and means for urging the ball, without physical or direct contact, to remain in the recess, wherein the surface of the recess is fully sealed to form an impenetrable barrier such that foreign substances are prevented from entering the interior of the housing. This arrangement may make the trackball more hygienic to use and easier to clean than conventional trackballs.