Ultra-slim Scrollwheel Input Device for Portables from Avago

Avago's new scrollwheel device incorporates an integrated five-way tactile switch in a compact ultra-slim package to provide easy directional navigation, menu scrolling and function selection. This new input device from Avago is the thinnest in the industry at 1.95 mm by 18.5 mm diameter and can easily fit in handheld device designs where space is limited.

Avago's AMRX-1500 combines a scrollwheel with tactile left, right, up and down navigation switches and a center select button to enhance user experience. The AMRX-1500 incorporates Avago's patented reflective optical technology that detects the direction and speed of the rotational movement of the rotary dial. This input device solution simplifies continuous scrolling and navigation of long lists or menus with the use of only one hand - making it an ideal solution for portable handheld devices. In addition to improved navigation and aesthetics, the small footprint requirements of the AMRX-1500 will allow room for larger display screens in portable designs.

With the demand for mobile music projected to grow rapidly from 20 percent of total phone shipments in 2006 to 50 percent by 2009, a mobile phone with integrated music player capability has become an extremely popular feature. Today's users often complain about the difficulty of navigating long play lists with the conventional rocker switches used in today's phones and music players. With the ease of variable speed control, Avago's scrollwheel is an ideal replacement for those switches, and its integrated illumination ring offers a more visually attractive addition to a front panel.

The Avago AMRX-1500 scrollwheel device is built around Avago's reliable reflective optical technology. The horizontal scrollwheel provides a two-channel quadrature output, with resolution of 45 cycles per revolution (CPR). It operates from a single 2.4 V to 3.3 V supply, and provides a single-ended 1.8 V CMOS logic compatible output. It is easy to assemble, featuring plug-and-play connectivity through a flexible printed-circuit board, and requiring no signal adjustment. To maximize battery life, the device features a power-down mode in which it draws only 4 µA. The Avago AMRX-1500 is RoHS-compliant and lead-free.