Programmable lift response for an optical navigation device

• US 20060187208A1
• Filed: 02/24/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies ECBU IP Singapore Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wenstrand, John S., Moyer, Vincent C., Grewal, Roopinder S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,081,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/166
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

An optical pointing device comprising an optical navigation sensor and an adjustment module for adjusting an operational height of the optical navigation sensor is provided in one embodiment. In another embodiment, an optical pointing device comprising a housing and an optical navigation sensor contained in the housing is provided where the optical navigation sensor is configured to provide movement information to a processing system to cause a pointer to continue moving in response to detecting that the housing has been lifted from a navigation surface.

Claims

1. An optical pointing device comprising:

an optical navigation system; and

an adjustment module for adjusting an operational height of the optical navigation system.

2. The optical pointing device of claim 1 wherein the adjustment module includes an adjustment mechanism and a mechanical connection to the optical navigation system.

3. The optical pointing device of claim 2 further comprising:

a housing that includes the optical navigation system; and

wherein the adjustment module is configured to adjust the optical navigation system relative to the housing.

4. The optical pointing device of claim 1 wherein the adjustment module includes at least one navigation parameter.

5. The optical pointing device of claim 4 wherein the navigation parameter is received by the optical navigation system from a processing system.

6. The optical pointing device of claim 4 wherein the navigation parameter is associated with a measure of surface navigability.

7. A method performed by an optical navigation sensor in an optical pointing device, the method comprising:

receiving a navigation parameter; and

adjusting an operational height of the optical pointing device using the navigation parameter.

8. The method of claim 7 comprising:

receiving the navigational parameter from a user.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

increasing the operational height of the optical pointing device using the navigation parameter.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

decreasing the operational height of the optical pointing device using the navigation parameter.

11. A program product executable by a processing system for causing the processing system to:

receive a calibration selection from a user;

prompt the user to adjust an optical navigation device coupled to the processing system;

perform a calibration to generate at least one navigation parameter configured to adjust an operation height of the optical navigation device; and

provide the navigation parameter to the optical navigation device.

12. The program product of claim 11 wherein the program product is executable by the processing system for causing the processing system to:

receive a user input associated with the navigation parameter; and

adjust the navigation parameter prior to providing the navigation parameter to the optical navigation device.

13. The program product of claim 11 wherein the navigation parameter is configured to adjust the operational height of the optical pointing device.

14. The program product of claim 13 wherein the navigation parameter is configured to increase the operational height of the optical pointing device.

15. The program product of claim 13 wherein the navigation parameter is configured to decrease the operational height of the optical pointing device.

16. A method performed by an optical navigation sensor, the method comprising:

detecting a lift between an optical pointing device that includes the optical navigation sensor and a navigation surface; and

providing movement information to a processing system to cause a pointer to continue moving in response to detecting the lift.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

providing the movement information to the processing system to cause the pointer to continue moving according to a linear decay function.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

providing the movement information to the processing system to cause the pointer to continue moving according to an exponential decay function.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

providing the movement information to the processing system to cause the pointer to continue moving during the lift.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

providing the movement information to the processing system to cause the pointer to continue moving according to at least one parameter input by a user.

21. An optical pointing device comprising:

a housing; and

an optical navigation sensor contained in the housing;

wherein the optical navigation sensor is configured to provide movement information to a processing system to cause a pointer to continue moving in response to detecting that the housing has been lifted from a navigation surface.

22. The optical pointing device of claim 21 wherein the optical navigation sensor is configured to provide the movement information to the processing system to cause the pointer to continue moving according to a function of time.

23. The optical pointing device of claim 21 wherein the optical navigation sensor is configured to provide the movement information to the processing system to cause the pointer to continue moving while the optical pointing device is lifted.

24. The optical pointing device of claim 21 wherein the optical navigation sensor is configured to provide the movement information to the processing system to cause the pointer to continue moving according to at least one parameter input by a user.