Pen type optical pointing device

• US 20060092145A1
• Filed: 10/27/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Perceptcom, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Perceptcom, Inc.
• Inventors: Kim, In-Gwang
• Application Number:
  US11/259,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20060092145A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a pen-type optical pointing device. The pen-type optical pointing device detects the moving direction and distance thereof in such a way as to radiate light onto a plane, detect an image of the plane and analyze the difference between a previous image and a current image. The pen-type optical pointing device includes a casing configured for a lower portion thereof to converge toward a central axis thereof, with an opening being provided at a lower end thereof; and an illumination device installed inside the casing, near the opening of the casing and on an acutely inclined side of the casing to have an illumination angle ranging from 15° to 60°. If the pen-type pointing device constructed as described above is employed, the lower-end portion thereof can be reduced while an illumination angle used in existing optical mice can be maintained, so that it is possible to provide a pen-type pointing device having the same size as an existing writing pen.

Claims

1. A pen-type optical pointing device, the pen-type optical pointing device detecting a moving direction and distance thereof in such a way as to radiate light onto a plane, detect an image of the plane and analyze a difference between a previous image and a current image, comprising:

a casing configured for a lower portion thereof to converge toward a central axis thereof, with an opening being provided at a lower end thereof; and

an illumination device installed inside the casing, near the opening of the casing and on an acutely inclined side of the casing to have an illumination angle ranging from 15°

to 60°

with respect to the vertical axis of the pointing device.

2. The pen-type optical pointing device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a convex, transparent cover that is mounted in the opening to come into contact with the plane.

3. The pen-type optical pointing device as set forth in claim 2, wherein the transparent cover is made of plastic.

4. The pen-type optical pointing device as set forth in claim 2, wherein the transparent cover is made of glass.

5. The pen-type optical pointing device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the illumination device is a chip Light Emitting Diode (LED).

6. The pen-type optical pointing device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the illumination device comprises a guide tube that guides illumination light.

7. The pen-type optical pointing device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the illumination device comprises an optical fiber that guides illumination light.

13. A mobile communication terminal equipped with the pen-type optical pointing device as set forth in claim 1.

14. The mobile communication terminal as set forth in claim 13, wherein the pointing device is installed at a location where a general antenna of the mobile communication terminal is installed.

15. The mobile communication terminal as set forth in claim 13, wherein the pointing device is connected to a main body of the mobile communication terminal through a hinge.

8. A pen-type optical pointing device, the pen-type optical pointing device detecting a moving direction and distance thereof in such a way as to radiate light onto a plane, detect an image of the plane and analyze a difference between a previous image and a current image, comprising:

a casing configured for a lower portion thereof to gradually converge toward a central axis thereof, with an opening being provided at a lower end thereof; and

a tip point configured to protrude through a portion of the opening located on a side toward which the pen-type pointing device is inclined, come into contact with the plane at a bottom thereof, radiate illumination light in a direction opposite to a direction in which the pen-type pointing device is inclined, and have an illumination angle ranging from 15°

to 60°

with respect to the central axis of the tip point.

9. The pen-type optical pointing device as set forth in claim 8, wherein the tip point contains a chip LED.

10. The pen-type optical pointing device as set forth in claim 8, wherein the tip point radiates illumination light through an inner optical fiber.

11. The pen-type optical pointing device as set forth in claim 8, wherein the tip point is formed of an optical guide.

12. The pen-type optical pointing device as set forth in claim 11, wherein the optical guide is provided with a reflective mirror that is inclined within an angular range from 15°

to 30°

.