System and method for optical navigation using a projected fringe technique
First Claim
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1. An optical navigation system for determining movement relative to a navigation terrain, said system comprising:
- an optical navigation device operable to generate two overlapping beams of coherent optical radiation, said two overlapping beams operable to generate a pattern of interference fringes, such that said two overlapping beams with said fringe pattern are operable to illuminate a surface portion of said navigation terrain;
a detector array operable to generate an output pattern of signals in response to an input optical image pattern; and
an imaging element disposed to image onto said detector array a portion of said navigation terrain surface illuminated with said two overlapping beams.
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Abstract
A method for determining relative movement between an optical navigation device and a navigation terrain includes generating two overlapping coherent optical beams, and generating a pattern of interference fringes between the two overlapping optical beams. The method further includes illuminating a surface portion of the navigation terrain with the pattern of interference fringes, imaging a fringe-illuminated surface portion, and generating a pattern of signals in response to the imaged fringe-illuminated surface portion.
37 Citations
31 Claims
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1. An optical navigation system for determining movement relative to a navigation terrain, said system comprising:
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an optical navigation device operable to generate two overlapping beams of coherent optical radiation, said two overlapping beams operable to generate a pattern of interference fringes, such that said two overlapping beams with said fringe pattern are operable to illuminate a surface portion of said navigation terrain;
a detector array operable to generate an output pattern of signals in response to an input optical image pattern; and
an imaging element disposed to image onto said detector array a portion of said navigation terrain surface illuminated with said two overlapping beams. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 31)
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16. A method for determining relative movement between an optical navigation device and a navigation terrain, said method comprising:
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generating two overlapping coherent optical beams;
generating a pattern of interference fringes between said two overlapping optical beams;
illuminating a surface portion of said navigation terrain with said pattern of interference fringes;
imaging a portion of said fringe-illuminated surface; and
generating a pattern of signals in response to said imaged fringe-illuminated surface portion. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A computer input pointer, said pointer comprising:
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means for emitting at least two beams of coherent light incident upon a surface at a non-zero angle to each other;
means for generating an image of an interference pattern on said surface created by said at least two beams;
means for relating said image to a topography of said surface; and
means for determining movement of said pointer relative to said surface by comparing successive images from said image generating means. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification