Virtual Scroll Control for High-Speed Rotatable Input
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing input devices, such as mice with scroll wheels, limit scrolling speed due to mechanical constraints and cannot easily adjust resistance, making it difficult for users to scroll quickly or efficiently through large documents or applications.
Innovation Solution
An input device with a rotatable member, a virtual scroll controller, and a host interface block that selects virtual scroll states based on rotational velocity, allowing for adjustable resistance modes and enhanced scrolling speeds by generating virtual position counts for a computing device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a mechanical scroll wheel is used for scrolling, then the user can interact with the graphical interface, but the scrolling speed is limited by the mechanical constraints of the scroll wheel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical scroll wheel system with a virtual scrolling system that uses a rotatable member coupled to a virtual scroll controller. The controller generates virtual position counts based on rotational velocity and sends them to the computing device, eliminating the mechanical constraints that limited scrolling speed while maintaining the basic rotational input mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating parameters of the scrolling system by introducing multiple virtual scroll states with different output functions. Each state associates a different relationship between rotational velocity and output velocity, allowing the system to achieve higher scrolling speeds by selecting appropriate virtual states rather than being constrained by fixed mechanical properties.
2Speed
If the scroll wheel mechanical design is constrained by size and weight, then the device remains compact, but the maximum achievable angular velocity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the mechanical scroll wheel with a virtual scrolling implementation where a rotatable member connects to a virtual scroll controller. The controller computes virtual position counts from rotational velocity and transmits them digitally, removing the weight constraint that previously limited the scroll wheel's maximum angular velocity while enabling higher speeds through software-based control.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed mechanical scroll wheel design is used, then the device structure is simple, but the user cannot adjust scrolling resistance for different applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic adaptability by implementing multiple virtual scroll states that can be selected based on different applications or user preferences. The virtual scroll controller can switch between different output functions associated with each state, allowing scrolling resistance and velocity characteristics to be adjusted dynamically without changing the physical structure of the input device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables resistance adjustment by changing the software parameters of the virtual scroll controller rather than the mechanical structure. Different virtual scroll states associate different output functions that modify the relationship between rotational velocity and output velocity, providing adjustable scrolling characteristics for different applications while maintaining a simple fixed mechanical structure.
4Productivity
If the scroll wheel is designed for high speed scrolling, then scrolling performance improves, but the mechanical design becomes more complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach to achieving high-speed scrolling with a virtual scrolling system. Instead of designing a complex mechanical scroll wheel capable of high angular velocities, the system uses a simple rotatable member coupled to a virtual scroll controller that generates virtual position counts digitally, achieving high scrolling efficiency without increased manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves high scrolling efficiency through parameter changes in the virtual scroll controller's output functions rather than through complex mechanical design. By selecting different virtual scroll states with appropriate output functions, the system can optimize scrolling velocity and efficiency without requiring more complex or expensive mechanical components.
Data Source
AI summary
An input device (900) may include a rotatable member (952), a virtual scroll controller (912) and a host interface block (906). The virtual scroll controller (912) may be configured to select a virtual scroll state from a plurality of virtual scroll states based on a rotational velocity of the rotatable member (952). Each virtual scroll state may be associated with a respective output function. The virtual scroll controller (912) may be further configured to compute an output velocity according to the output function associated with the selected virtual scroll state. The virtual scroll controller (912) may be further configured to generate a virtual position count (928) based on the computed output velocity. The host interface block (906) may be configured to send the generated virtual position count (928) to a computing device connected to the input device (900).