Optical mouse with uniform level detection method

• US 20050231484A1
• Filed: 06/15/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Knee, Derek L., Gordon, Gary B., Hartlove, Jason T., Badyal, Rajeev
• Granted Patent: US 7,907,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/166
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0317 in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

Movement of an optical mouse may be tracked by providing a source of non-coherent light in a movable housing for illuminating a work surface at a low angle of incidence, providing a two dimensional array of photo detectors for producing arrays of data elements responsive to light reflected from surface irregularities on the illuminated work surface and providing circuitry for capturing a first array of data elements from the two dimensional array of photo detectors at a first time, for detecting a characteristic condition in the first array, for capturing a second array of data elements at a second time, and for tracking movement of the housing relative to the work surface by comparing at least some of the data elements of the first array with at least some of the data elements of the second array if the characteristic condition is not detected in the first array. Movement may be tracked by providing a source of non-coherent light in a movable housing for illuminating a work surface at a low angle of incidence, providing a two dimensional array of photo detectors for producing arrays of data elements responsive to light reflected from surface irregularities on the illuminated work surface and providing circuitry for tracking movement of the housing relative to the work surface by comparing light reflected from the surface irregularities at a first time with light reflected there from at a second time unless the light reflected at the first time does not include a characteristic condition.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A method of tracking movement of an optical mouse, comprising:

providing a source of non-coherent light in a movable housing for illuminating a work surface at a low angle of incidence;

providing a two dimensional array of photo detectors in the housing for producing arrays of data elements responsive to light reflected from surface irregularities on the illuminated work surface; and

providing circuitry in the movable housing

for capturing a first array of data elements from the two dimensional array of photo detectors at a first time,

for detecting a characteristic condition in the first array,

for capturing a second array of data elements from the two dimensional array of photo detectors at a second time, and

for tracking movement of the housing relative to the work surface by comparing at least some of the data elements of the first array with at least some of the data elements of the second array if the characteristic condition is not detected in the first array.

14. The invention of claim 13, wherein providing the circuitry further comprises:

providing circuitry

for capturing a third array of data elements from the two dimensional array of photo detectors at a third time if the characteristic condition is detected in the first array, and

for tracking movement of the housing relative to the work surface by comparing at least some of the data elements of the second array with at least some of the data elements of the third array.

15. The invention of claims 13 or 14 wherein the characteristic condition is related to the uniformity of at least a majority of the data elements of the first array.

16. The invention of claim 13 or 14 wherein the characteristic condition is related to a representation of a focused image in the data elements of the first array.

17. The invention of claim 13 or 14 wherein the characteristic condition is related to proximity of the movable housing to the work surface.

18. The invention of claim 13 or 14 wherein the characteristic condition is related to distinctness of image features of the surface irregularities in the data elements of the first array.

19. The invention of claim 13 or 14 wherein the characteristic condition is related to spreading out of image features of the surface irregularities in the data elements of the first array.

20. The invention of claims 13 or 14 wherein the angle of incidence is a grazing angle.

21. The invention of claims 13 or 14 wherein the angle of incidence is between about 5°

and about 20°

.

22. The invention of claims 13 or 14 wherein providing the circuitry further comprises:

providing circuitry for

capturing a fourth array of data elements from the two dimensional array of photo detectors at a fourth time if the characteristic condition is not detected in the data elements of the first array, and then

tracking movement of the housing relative to the work surface by comparing at least some of the data elements of the first array with at least some of the data elements of the fourth array.

23. A method of tracking movement of an optical mouse, comprising:

providing a source of non-coherent light in a movable housing for illuminating a work surface at a low angle of incidence;

providing a two dimensional array of photo detectors in the housing for producing arrays of data elements responsive to light reflected from surface irregularities on the illuminated work surface; and

providing circuitry in the movable housing for tracking movement of the housing relative to the work surface by comparing light reflected from the surface irregularities at a first time with light reflected there from at a second time unless the light reflected at the first time does not include a detectable image of highlights and shadows of the surface irregularities.

27. The invention of claims 23, 24, 25 or 26 wherein providing circuitry further comprises:

providing circuitry in the movable housing for thereafter tracking movement of the housing relative to the work surface by comparing light reflected from the surface irregularities at the first time with light reflected there from at a third time if movement of the housing was tracked by comparing light reflected at the first time with light reflected at the second time.

28. The invention of claims 23, 24, 25 or 26 wherein providing circuitry further comprises:

providing circuitry in the movable housing for thereafter tracking movement of the housing relative to the work surface by comparing light reflected from the surface irregularities at the second time with light reflected there from at a third time if movement of the housing was not tracked by comparing light reflected at the first time with light reflected at the second time.

29. The invention of claims 23, 24, 25 or 26 wherein the angle of incidence is between about 5°

and about 20°

.

24. A method of tracking movement of an optical mouse, comprising:

providing a source of non-coherent light in a movable housing for illuminating a work surface at a low angle of incidence;

providing a two dimensional array of photo detectors in the housing responsive to light reflected from surface irregularities on the illuminated work surface; and

providing circuitry in the movable housing for tracking movement of the housing relative to the work surface by comparing light reflected from the surface irregularities at a first time with light reflected there from at a second time unless light detected by at least a majority of the photo detectors at the first time is at least nearly uniform.

25. A method of tracking movement of an optical mouse, comprising:

providing a source of non-coherent light in a movable housing for illuminating a work surface at a low angle of incidence;

providing a two dimensional array of photo detectors in the housing responsive to light reflected from surface irregularities on the illuminated work surface; and

providing circuitry in the movable housing for tracking movement of the housing relative to the work surface by comparing light reflected from the surface irregularities at a first time with light reflected there from at a second time unless light detected by the photo detectors at the first time indicates that the housing is not suitably proximate the work surface.

26. A method of tracking movement of an optical mouse, comprising:

providing a source of non-coherent light in a movable housing for illuminating a work surface at a low angle of incidence;

providing a two dimensional array of photo detectors in the housing responsive to light reflected from surface irregularities on the illuminated work surface; and

providing circuitry in the movable housing for tracking movement of the housing relative to the work surface by comparing light reflected from the surface irregularities at a first time with light reflected there from at a second time unless light detected by the photo detectors at the first time does not represent a focused image of at least some of the surface irregularities.