Subsequently, modern OS capable to handle standard 5-button USB mouse won't see them. Despite it's a 4-button USB trackball, Kensington decided not to follow HID specification: only two lower buttons produce standard Left Click and Right Click signals, while upper pair of buttons are non-standard: in USB data packets (captured with Wireshark software) their codes are even transmitted at place different from primary ones. The desire to create totally innovative product has caused some drawbacks, too. Buttons are formed as flexible areas of single-piece upper cover.
Controller is Cypress CY7C63743, square switches don't have any marking but reportedly are E-Switch TL1140AF070Q.
#KENSINGTON TRACKBALLWORKS SOFTWARE SERIAL#
Each sensor have its own 24C02 serial EEPROM chip, so it would be an interesting challenge to find CPI setting byte in binary dump and adjust it, to make device more suitable for modern high-resolution systems. Both laser sensors are Avago ADNS-7550 with 400 to 2000 CPI resolution, but Kensington apparently haven't used them at some higher values. The ball is supported with 2mm synthetic ruby balls, fixed with screws. Common property of this line is still visible on #72327: soft plastic side inserts with flap and slot, having small strong magnets inside (two on each side), were intended to attach this trackball to the compatible peripheral devices: It was whole Kensington product range including keyboards, mice and some other devices. Nowadays this device is widely known as SlimBlade, but it isn't actually model name of this trackball.
#KENSINGTON TRACKBALLWORKS SOFTWARE DRIVER#
That corresponds to the naming convention in early versions of driver (written by Dritek System) located in "\Expert8\" subfolder with filenames ending with xx圎8. In their sketches there's evidence that it was originally referred to as a "Expert version 8" during development, continuing high-end Expert product line. Among other things, different color schemes were evaluated: There's some interesting information from designers who worked on this model: Steve Gelphman and Jon Corpuz. Obviously, this mechanism was Initially developed for existing Expert version 7 case, but advantages and new possibilities were greatly improved by creating completely new casing. Principle of operation is covered by US patent 8,502,781. But that device was mechanical with ball bearings, and I suppose it was not as easy to operate as #72327 with ruby gliding beads is. axis does not belong to Kensington: it was invented by Tektronix for its CAChe 3D trackball long before, and covered by US patent 4,952,919. Rest of data wasn't left unused: it provides third dimension of ball movement, Z axis - eliminating the need for dedicated physical control typically used for that purpose (scroll wheel, ring, or drum). The sensors used are standard laser mouse ones with two-dimensional output, but only single dimension per sensor is actually needed for pointer movement job here. The SlimBlade's ball is placed as low as possible: just about 1mm from underlying desk's surface.Īnother advantage of this design is also remarkable. In this design, the sensors should be located near equator of the ball, so nothing is mounted under it. To overcome this, very clever idea was implemented: two independent sensors, detecting X and Y parts of ball movement separately. In order to track correctly, optical sensor needs to be placed nearly under ball - and this requirement adds significant amount to the resulting device height.
The goal of creating the lowest possible profile was successfully achieved by quite elegant solution. Most advanced Kensington trackball, released in 2009 and still top-of-the-line for last decade. Product Name: Kensington Slimblade Trackball
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