Smart Scroll Controller for Input Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional computer mouse scroll wheels fail to provide a cost-efficient and ergonomic solution for achieving smart scrolling behavior, as they often require multiple clicks for precise navigation and long-distance scrolling, leading to inefficiency and user fatigue.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that senses elapsed time between scroll pulses to differentiate between single and fast scrolls, issuing appropriate scroll commands based on stored values and time spans, allowing for both precise and rapid scrolling without additional hardware or software on the host computer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a conventional scroll wheel is used for long-distance scrolling, then the user can navigate through large distances, but the user must turn the wheel numerous times which is inconvenient and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The scroll wheel dynamically changes its operational mode based on rotation speed. When rotated slowly, it provides precise click-to-click scrolling. When rotated rapidly, it transitions to free-spin mode for fast scrolling, automatically adapting to user intent without manual mode switching
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the scrolling parameter (scroll amount per wheel rotation) based on the detected rotation speed. Fast rotation triggers a parameter change that enables covering larger distances per rotation, while slow rotation maintains precise incremental scrolling
2Measurement precision
If a conventional scroll wheel is used for precise positioning, then the user can navigate to specific locations, but the user must perform multiple discrete turning actions which reduces efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The scroll wheel provides different operational characteristics based on rotation speed. Slow rotation enables precise click-to-click positioning, while fast rotation enables rapid traversal. The system dynamically adapts to maintain both precision and efficiency depending on user input speed
Solution Approach 2:
The scroll wheel generates periodic scroll events during rotation. The frequency and magnitude of these events are modulated based on rotation speed, allowing precise incremental scrolling at low speeds and rapid periodic scrolling at high speeds
3Speed
If a free-spin mode is implemented for fast scrolling, then long-distance navigation is efficient, but the device complexity increases due to ratcheting mechanisms and motors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical free-spin mechanisms (ratchets, motors, cams) with a software-based solution. The scroll wheel remains mechanically simple, but a controller detects rotation speed and generates appropriate scroll events, achieving free-spin functionality through software rather than complex mechanics
Solution Approach 2:
A controller acts as an intermediary between the simple mechanical scroll wheel and the computer system. It detects rotation speed and translates it into appropriate scroll commands, mediating between the simple mechanical input and the complex scrolling behavior without requiring complex mechanical components
4Adaptability or versatility
If manual or automatic mode switching is implemented between free-spin and click-to-click modes, then both scrolling modes are available, but the user experience is degraded due to attention switching and decision-making
Solution Approach 1:
The scroll wheel automatically determines the appropriate scrolling mode based on the user's rotation speed without requiring manual intervention. The system self-adjusts between precise and fast scrolling modes, eliminating the need for user decisions or attention switching
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 2
AI summary
An input system comprises a human machine interface device comprising a scroll device adapted to feed scroll pulses to a controller residing in the human machine interface device, for scrolling through contents on a display of a host computer. The controller is adapted and programmed to communicate with the host computer and adapted and programmed to sense, in a sequence of scroll pulses, elapsed time spans between each of a plurality of the scroll pulses resulting from a user operating a scroll device being a part of a human-machine interface device which is adapted to communicate with the host computer, and a direction of the operation of the scroll device by the user. The controller is further adapted and programmed to, upon sensing elapsed time spans following a first scroll pulse until a subsequent scroll pulse is sensed, carry out the following: identifying a 'single scroll' or a 'fast scroll', depending on the elapsed time between subsequent scroll pulses; upon identifying a 'single scroll', issuing a single scroll event by a controller residing in the human machine interface device to initiate a single scroll command in the host computer; the controller is also adapted and programmed to upon identifying a 'fast scroll', issuing a number of single scroll events by the controller of the human-machine interface device to initiate a respective number of scroll commands in the host computer with predetermined time spans between subsequent scroll events; wherein the number of single scroll events is based on a value stored in the human-machine interface device, and wherein the predetermined time spans between subsequent scroll events being defined by a function or table of time span values stored in the human-machine interface device, and, upon sensing a scroll pulse having a reversed direction of the operation of the scroll device or an operation of an input sensor of the human-machine interface device while issuing the number of single scroll events, immediately ceasing to issue any further single scroll events of the number of single scroll events by the controller of the human-machine interface device.