n00b looking for help on interfacing with trackpad

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) Hardware Interfacing
1

Hey guys, forum n00b here, just started working with arduino for a masters project and I need to connect a laptop touchpad to the arduino.

I've hooked up what I think is the right pinout, but when I try the trackpad example sketch that comes with the trackpad library, I don't get any data and the touchpad seems to be generating a bit of heat, can anyone help me with my problem?

Here is a shot of the back of the trackpad, my suspected pinouts and other info:
SUSPECTED PINOUT:

+---+----+---+---+---+---+---+---+
|+5v|data|clck|---|---|gnd|---|---|
+---+----+----+---+---+---+---+---+

The trackpad is a Synaptics TM41PNG301

Here are pics of my trackpad and the pinout wire:

Would love some help on this one, I'm getting desparate as deadlines are looming! [smiley=cry.gif]

2

Is it the software mentioned in :-
http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1216315637/2

and the touchpad seems to be generating a bit of heat,

That is not good and suggests that the power connections are wrong, I hope you haven't fried it already. I can see from the data that it look a good guess but how much voltage are you feeding it?

I did notice from a web search that it has a USB cable connected to it. If so then it might be that it has the USB logic inside that chip and you won't be able to easily interface it to the arduino.

3

Thanks for the help

It came with another board, which had the buttons on it which had a 'ps-2' written on it somewhere, so I thought it might be ps-2. standard +
5v, as per the protocol, as the project consists of me building my own controller, I'm considering buying a ps-2 cable desktop touchpad and de-casing it, might be a bit nicer to work with!

edit: oh its the trackpad library from the playground:
http://www.arduino.cc/playground/Main/Trackpad

edit edit: Looking at this one, do you think (judging from cable) that this uses ps/2:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Touchpad-Mouse-and-Buttons-Toshiba-Tecra-S1-/220618794371?pt=UK_Computing_LaptopAccess_RL&hash=item335de7a583

4

Ok so different touchpad, same problem!

This time is a synaptics TM61 PUG6G383

Same problem, no data sent to serial from arduino! tx led doesnt blink.

This one has 8 wires, which according to synaptics manual should be
5v data clk x x gnd x x

any help?

5

tx led doesnt blink.

The TX LED is controlled by the PC not the arduino. The TX and RX LEDs are simple GPIO lines that are controlled by the driver software in the PC when there is data activity. Lack of blinking does not indicate the arduino is not receiving or sending serial data.