System and method of adjusting mouse sensitivity
In one or more embodiments, a mouse for an information handling system has a plurality of force or tilt sensors. When a sensor detects a force or tilt value above a threshold value, a microcontroller unit (MCU) determines how fast the mouse is moving. If the mouse is moving above a threshold rate, the MCU determines the user is making a coarse movement and the MCU sends the mouse output to a processor for normal cursor adjustment. If the mouse is moving slower than a mouse speed threshold value, the MCU determines the user is trying to make a fine adjustment and the MCU adjusts the mouse sensitivity and sends the mouse output to the processor for fine cursor adjustment. The sensors may be in the bottom, sides or skirt of the mouse or a mousepad associated with the mouse.
1. A mouse for sending instructions to a processor for displaying a position of a cursor on a display of an information handling system, the mouse comprising:
a mouse position sensor;
a plurality of force sensors, a microcontroller unit (MCU) coupled to the plurality of force sensors; and
a memory medium coupled to the MCU, wherein the memory medium includes MCU instructions, which when executed by the MCU, cause the MCU to:
receive a first set of mouse position values from the mouse position sensor;
receive a second set of mouse position values from the mouse position sensor;
determine a distance moved by the mouse and a mouse position value rate of change between the first set of mouse position values and the second set of mouse position values;
receive a set of force sensor values from the plurality of force sensors;
compare the set of force sensor values with a force sensor threshold value stored in the MCU to determine an increase or a decrease in a sensitivity of the mouse; wherein:
if the set of force sensor values are less than the force sensor threshold value, the MCU instructions cause the MCU to:
determine a user is trying to make a coarse adjustment of the cursor on the display; and
send a first set of processor instructions to the processor such that movement of the mouse over the distance will cause the cursor to move a first corresponding distance on the display based on the decrease in the sensitivity of the mouse;
if the first set of force sensor values are greater than the force sensor threshold value and the mouse position value rate of change is less than a mouse speed threshold, the MCU instructions cause the MCU to:
determine the user is trying to make a fine adjustment of the cursor on the display; and
send a second set of processor instructions to the processor such that movement of the mouse over the distance will cause the cursor to move over a second corresponding distance on the display less than the first corresponding distance based on the increase in the sensitivity of the mouse.
2. The mouse of claim 1 , wherein:
if the mouse position value rate of change is less than the mouse speed threshold value, the MCU instructions, when executed by the MCU, cause the MCU to increase the dots per inch (DPI) of the mouse to increase the sensitivity of the mouse; and
if the mouse position value rate of change is greater than the mouse speed threshold, the MCU instructions, when executed by the MCU, cause the MCU to decrease the dots per inch (DPI) of the mouse to decrease the sensitivity of the mouse.
3. The mouse of claim 2 , wherein:
the plurality of force sensors are positioned on at least two sides of the mouse; and
the MCU instructions, when executed by the MCU, cause the MCU to:
determine the set of force sensor values comprise a force sensor value received from one force sensor;
determine the force sensor value received from the one force sensor is greater than the force sensor threshold value;
increase the sensitivity of the mouse based on the force sensor value received from the one force sensor; and
send the second set of processor instructions to the processor such that movement of the mouse over the distance will cause movement of the cursor over the second corresponding distance on the display.
4. The mouse of claim 2 , wherein:
the plurality of force sensors are positioned on at least two sides of the mouse; and
the MCU instructions, when executed by the MCU, cause the MCU to:
determine the set of force sensor values comprise force sensor values received from two force sensors of the plurality of force sensors;
determine the force sensor values received from the two force sensors are greater than the force sensor threshold value;
determine a force differential between the two force sensor values received from the two force sensors;
increase the sensitivity of the mouse based on the force differential; and
send the second set of processor instructions to the processor such that movement of the mouse over the distance will cause movement of the cursor over the second corresponding distance on the display.
5. The mouse of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of force sensors are positioned and configured for detecting a downward force on the mouse; and
the MCU instructions, when executed by the MCU, cause the MCU to:
determine the set of force sensor values comprises a force sensor value associated with the downward force;
determine the force sensor value is greater than the force sensor threshold value;
increase the sensitivity of the mouse based on the force sensor value associated with the downward force; and
send the second set of processor instructions to the processor such that movement of the mouse over the distance will cause movement of the cursor over the second corresponding distance on the display.
6. The mouse of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of force sensors are positioned on a bottom surface of the mouse; and
the MCU instructions, when executed by the MCU, cause the MCU to:
determine the set of force sensor values comprises a first force sensor value is received from a first force sensor;
determine the set of force sensor values comprises a second force sensor value is received from a second force sensor;
determine a force differential between the first force sensor value and the second force sensor value;
increase the sensitivity of the mouse based on the force differential between the first force sensor value and the second force sensor value; and
send the second set of processor instructions to the processor such that movement of the mouse over the distance will cause movement of the cursor over the second corresponding distance on the display.
7. An information handling system comprising:
a processor;
a display communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to display a cursor;
a mouse communicatively coupled to the processor, the mouse comprising:
a mouse position sensor;
a plurality of force sensors associated with the mouse, wherein each force sensor is configured for detecting a force value associated with the mouse; and
a microcontroller unit (MCU) communicatively coupled to the mouse position sensor, the plurality of force sensors and the processor; and
a memory medium coupled to the MCU, wherein the memory medium includes MCU instructions, which when executed by the MCU, cause the MCU to:
receive a first set of mouse position values from the mouse position sensor;
receive a second set of mouse position values from the mouse position sensor;
determine a distance moved by the mouse and a mouse position value rate of change based on the first set of mouse position values and the second set of mouse position values;
receive a set of force sensor values from the plurality of force sensors;
compare the set of force sensor values with a force sensor threshold value stored in the MCU to determine an increase or a decrease in a sensitivity of the mouse
wherein:
if the set of force sensor values are less than the force sensor threshold value, the MCU instructions cause the MCU to:
determine a user is trying to make a coarse adjustment of the cursor on the display; and
send a first set of processor instructions to the processor such that movement of the mouse over the distance will cause the cursor to move over a first corresponding distance on the display based on the decrease in the sensitivity of the mouse;
if the set of force sensor values are greater than the force sensor threshold value and the mouse position value rate of change is less than a mouse speed threshold, the MCU instructions cause the MCU to:
determine the user is trying to make a fine adjustment of the cursor on the display; and
send a second set of processor instructions to the processor such that movement of the mouse the distance will cause the cursor to move over a second corresponding distance on the display less than the first corresponding distance based on the increase in the sensitivity of the mouse.
8. The information handling system of claim 7 , wherein the MCU is configured to increase the dots per inch (DPI) of the mouse to increase the sensitivity of the mouse when the mouse position value rate of change is less than the mouse speed threshold and decrease the dots per inch (DPI) to decrease the sensitivity of the mouse of the mouse when the mouse position value rate of change is greater than the mouse speed threshold.
9. The information handling system of claim 8 , wherein:
the plurality of force sensors are positioned on at least two sides of the mouse; and
the MCU instructions, when executed by the MCU, cause the MCU to:
determine the set of force sensor values comprises a force sensor value received from one force sensor;
determine the force sensor value received from the one force sensor is greater than the force sensor threshold value;
increase the sensitivity of the mouse based on the force sensor value received from the one force sensor; and
send the second set of processor instructions to the processor such that movement of the mouse over the distance will cause movement of the cursor over the second corresponding distance on the display.
10. The information handling system of claim 7 , wherein:
the plurality of force sensors are positioned on at least two sides of the mouse and; and
the MCU instructions, when executed by the MCU, cause the MCU to:
determine the set of force sensor values comprises two force sensor values received from two force sensors of the plurality of force sensors;
determine the force sensor values received from the two force sensors are greater than the force sensor threshold value;
determine a force differential between the two force sensor values;
increase the dots per inch of the mouse based on the force differential; and
send the second set of instructions to the processor such that movement of the mouse over the distance will cause movement of the cursor over the second corresponding distance.
11. A method for adjusting mouse sensitivity for a mouse communicatively coupled to a processor coupled to a display, the method comprising:
receiving a first set of mouse position values from a mouse position sensor;
receiving a second set of mouse position values from the mouse position sensor;
determining a distance moved by the mouse and a mouse position rate of change based on the first set of mouse position values and the second set of mouse position values;
receiving, by a microcontroller unit (MCU) associated with the mouse, a set of force sensor values from the plurality of force sensors associated with the mouse;
comparing the set of force sensor values with a force sensor threshold value stored in the MCU to determine whether to increase or decrease a sensitivity of the mouse and;
communicating with the mouse position sensor to determine if the mouse position is changing;
if the mouse position value rate of change is greater than a mouse speed threshold, decreasing the sensitivity of the mouse and sending a first set of instructions to the processor such that movement of the mouse the distance results in the cursor moving a first corresponding distance on the display based on the decrease in the sensitivity of the mouse; and
if the mouse position rate of change is less than the mouse speed threshold and a force sensor value of the set of force sensor values exceeds the force sensor threshold value, increasing the sensitivity of the mouse and sending a second set of instructions to the processor such that movement of the mouse the distance results in the cursor moving a second corresponding distance on the display based on the increase in the sensitivity of the mouse.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the mouse speed threshold rate is zero.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising communicating haptic feedback to a user when the sensitivity of the mouse is increased or decreased.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of force sensors are in at least one of a side surface, a skirt, a bottom surface and a palm rest area of the mouse.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of force sensors are in a mousepad associated with the mouse.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
if the mouse position value rate of change is less than the mouse speed threshold value, the method comprises increasing the dots per inch (DPI) of the mouse; and
if the mouse position value rate of change is greater than the mouse speed threshold value, the method comprises decreasing the dots per inch (DPI) of the mouse.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the plurality of force sensors are positioned on at least two sides of the mouse; and
the method comprises:
determining the set of force sensor values comprises a force sensor value received from one force sensor;
determining the force sensor value received from the one force sensor is greater than the force sensor threshold value;
increasing the sensitivity of the mouse based on the force sensor value received from the one force sensor; and
sending the set of instructions to the processor such that movement of the mouse over the distance will cause movement of the cursor over the second corresponding distance.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the set of force sensors are positioned on at least two sides of the mouse; and
the method comprises:
determining the set of force sensor values comprises two force sensor values received from two force sensors;
determining the force sensor values received from the two force sensors are greater than the force sensor threshold value;
determining a force differential between the two force sensor values received from the two force sensors;
increasing the sensitivity of the mouse based on the force differential; and
sending the second set of processor instructions to the processor such that movement of the mouse over the distance will cause movement of the cursor over the second corresponding distance.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the plurality of force sensors are positioned in a bottom surface of the mouse and configured for detecting a downward force on the mouse; and
the method comprises:
determining the set of force sensor values comprises a force sensor value associated with the downward force;
determining the force sensor value associated with the downward force is greater than the force sensor threshold value;
increasing the sensitivity of the mouse based on the force sensor value associated with the downward force; and
sending the second set of processor instructions to the processor such that movement of the mouse over the distance will cause movement of the cursor over the second corresponding distance.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the set of force sensors are positioned on a bottom surface of the mouse; and
the method comprises:
determining the set of force sensor values comprises a first force sensor value received from a first force sensor;
determining the set of force sensor values comprises a second force sensor value received from a second force sensor;
determining a force differential between the first force sensor value and the second force sensor value;
increasing the sensitivity of the mouse based on the force differential; and
sending the set of instructions to the processor such that movement of the mouse over the distance will cause movement of the cursor over the second corresponding distance.