TriTech mouse controller addresses touch-pad mouse applications.

MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 19, 1997--Thanks to a new chip from TriTech Microelectronics Inc., there's more than one way to move a mouse.

TriTech's TR88L811 touchpad mouse controller offers a solid-state alternative to the common mechanical mouse, with a highly integrated solution particularly well suited for portable computing devices.

Designed for resistive touchpad technology, the TR88L811 also offers a significant advantage over today's conventional capacitive-type touch pad mouse solutions, namely the ability to use both one's finger for cursor control, or a simple plastic pen stylus to capture handwriting or graphics.

Now a user can type a letter using the touchpad mouse to initiate normal menu-driven commands then switch to pen-mode and add a signature or annotate sections for emphasis.

The TR88L811 controller contains all the circuitry necessary to drive a four-wire resistive touchpad, detect and digitize the touch coordinates, filter extraneous noise, and output serial data. Users may choose either MS Mouse format or "absolute coordinate" mode (for graphical capture).

In Mouse mode, the TR88L811 operates with standard MS Mouse drivers, thus no special programming is needed.

The TR88L811 has input pins for mechanical mouse buttons, but can also internally translate a "tap" or "double-tap" on the pad into the corresponding click and double-click actions of a standard mouse button. Drag action can also be initiated though either a double tap and slide motion on the pad or with the conventional mechanical button.

In addition, the TR88L811 implements an "Auto Cursor Motion" function, allowing a user to extend a move or drag operation over long distances across the PC display. ACM eliminates the need for the user to make multiple slide motions across the touchpad to move the cursor or selected object.

In absolute coordinate mode, the TR88L811 delivers 200 coordinate pairs per second (CPPS) using a 1.8432 MHz timing reference. Capture rates increase linearly with reference frequency. The internal 10-bit ADC provides more than 1,000 points of resolution per axis over the touch surface, making it suitable for capturing detailed graphical information such as handwriting.

Along with touchpad mouse applications, the TR88L811 is also suited for CRT and LCD touchscreen overlays (common in point-of-sale devices and information kiosks) as well as PDAs and electronic organizers.

The TR88L811 operates from a 3.3V supply, and draws only 2mA when active. An automatic power down mode is initiated (reducing current to less than 2 uA) if the controller detects no pad activity for more than three seconds. A manual power down feature is also included. The device is compatible with digitizer film resistance ranging from 300 to 10,000 ohms.

The TR88L811 is available in a small, plastic surface mount package, at a unit cost of $3 in 1,000-piece quantities. An evaluation system, complete with touch pad, is available for $250.

TriTech Microelectronics Inc. designs and markets innovative mixed-signal ASICs, multimedia and communications integrated circuits for personal computers, consumer electronics, and communications products. Formed in 1990, TriTech is based in Singapore, with subsidiaries in the U.S., UK, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan.

TriTech is owned by Singapore Technologies Semiconductors, a business unit of Singapore Technologies. Additional information about TriTech is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.tritechmicro.com .

CONTACT: Maestro Public Relations 

Barbara Kalkis, 408/996-9975

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