Position tracking sensor of optical mouse and method of controlling the same

• US 20050264534A1
• Filed: 11/18/2004
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Discovery Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ATLab, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Woo-Seok
• Granted Patent: US 7,612,764 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/166
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• 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

Abstract

Disclosure is a position tracking sensor of an optical mouse and method of controlling the same. The position tracking sensor comprises an image sensor for receiving light inputted from exterior of the optical mouse to detect an image and outputting image information on the detected image, and a controller for determining whether the optical mouse is spaced apart from a worktable using the image information and turning off a light source when it is determined that the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable. Thus, it is possible not only to prevent malfunction of the optical mouse resulting from the image detected by external light when the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable, but also to prevent the light source from being unnecessarily turned on and the resulting undesired consumption of electrical power.

Claims

1. A position tracking sensor of an optical mouse, comprising:

an image sensor for receiving light inputted from exterior of the optical mouse to detect an image and outputting image information on the detected image;

a controller for determining whether the optical mouse is spaced apart from a worktable using the image information and turning off a light source when it is determined that the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable.

2. The position tracking sensor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller includes:

an active state where the light source is maintained in an On state during most of time and a value of movement is calculated using the image information, and an inactive state where the light source is maintained in an Off state during most of time and the light source is intermittently turned on to determine whether the optical mouse moves or not; and

a function of converting the active state into the inactive state when it is determined that the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable using the image information in the active state.

3. The position tracking sensor as set forth in claim 2, wherein the controller includes a function of intermittently performing operation for a first sensing mode which determines whether the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable by turning off the light source in the active state and then measuring light intensity of the image information.

4. The position tracking sensor as set forth in claim 3, wherein the controller allows a user to set a point of time to perform the first sensing mode operation.

5. The position tracking sensor as set forth in claim 2, wherein the controller allows a user to set a point of time to be converted into the inactive state.

6. The position tracking sensor as set forth in claim 2, wherein the controller further includes a function of intermittently performing operation for a second sensing mode determining whether the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable by turning off the light source in the inactive state and then measuring light intensity of the image information.

7. The position tracking sensor as set forth in claim 6, wherein the controller allows a user to set a point of time to perform the second sensing mode operation.

8. The position tracking sensor as set forth in claim 6, wherein the controller further includes a function of maintaining the light source in the Off state until the second sensing mode operation is performed again when it is determined that the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable by the second sensing mode operation in the inactive state.

9. The position tracking sensor as set forth in claim 2, wherein the controller further includes a function of intermittently performing operation for a third sensing mode determining whether the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable by turning on the light source in the inactive state and then measuring light intensity of the image information.

10. The position tracking sensor as set forth in claim 9, wherein the controller allows a user to set a point of time to perform the third sensing mode operation.

11. The position tracking sensor as set forth in claim 9, wherein the controller further includes a function of maintaining the light source in the Off state for a predetermined time when it is determined that the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable by the third sensing mode operation.

12. The position tracking sensor as set forth in claim 11, wherein the predetermined time can be set by a user.

13. The position tracking sensor as set forth in claim 2, wherein the controller further includes:

a function of maintaining the light source in the Off state for a first predetermined time when it is determined that the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable using the image information after the light source is turned off in the inactive state; and

a function of maintaining the light source in the Off state for a second predetermined time when it is determined that the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable using the image information after the light source is turned on in the inactive state.

14. The position tracking sensor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller:

has an active state and an inactive state, the active state maintaining the light source in an On state and calculating a movement value using the image information, and the inactive state maintaining the light source in an Off state and intermittently turning on the light source to determine whether the optical mouse moves or not; and

converts the active state into the inactive state when it is determined that the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable using the image information in the active state, and maintains the light source in the Off state for a predetermined time when it is determined that the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable using the image information in the inactive state.

15. A method of controlling a position tracking sensor of an optical mouse, the method comprising the steps of:

a) turning on a light source to detect an image of a worktable and calculating a movement value from the detected image; and

b) turning off the light source when it is determined that the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable using the detected image.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15, wherein the step b) includes:

a first sensing step of turning off the light source and measuring light intensity of the detected image to determine whether the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable in an active state where the light source is maintained in an On state during most of time and the movement value is calculated; and

a converting step of converting the active state into an inactive state, where the light source is maintained in an Off state during most of time and the light source is intermittently turned on to determine whether the optical mouse moves or not, when it is determined that the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable in the first sensing step.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the step b) further includes:

a second sensing step of turning off the light source in the inactive state, and measuring the light intensity of the detected image to determine whether the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable; and

a sleeping step of maintaining the light source in the Off state for a predetermined time when it is determined that the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable in the second sensing step.

18. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the step b) further includes:

a third sensing step of turning on the light source in the inactive state, and measuring the light intensity of the detected image to determine whether the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable; and

a long-time sleeping step of maintaining the light source in the Off state for a predetermined time when it is determined that the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable in the third sensing step.

19. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the step b) further includes:

a second sensing step of turning off the light source in the inactive state, and measuring the light intensity of the detected image to determine whether the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable;

a sleeping step of maintaining the light source in the Off state for a first predetermined time when it is determined that the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable in the second sensing step;

a third sensing step of turning on the light source in the inactive state, and measuring the light intensity of the detected image to determine whether the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable; and

a long-time sleeping step of maintaining the light source in the Off state for a second predetermined time when it is determined that the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable in the third sensing step.

20. The method as set forth in claim 15, wherein the step b) includes:

an action sensing step of measuring light intensity of the detected image to determine whether the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable in an active state where the light source is maintained in an On state and the movement value is calculated;

a converting step of converting the active state into an inactive state, where the light source is maintained in an Off state during most of time and the light source is intermittently turned on to determine whether the optical mouse moves or not, when it is determined that the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable in the first sensing step;

an inaction sensing step of measuring the light intensity of the detected image to determine whether the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable in the inactive state; and

a sleeping step of maintaining the light source in the Off state for a predetermined time when it is determined that the optical mouse is spaced apart from the worktable in the inaction sensing step.