Stabilized laser pointer

• US 20070023527A1
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies ECBU IP Singapore Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Harley, Jonah, Nishimura, Ken, Wenstrand, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,380,722 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.450
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/20 for imaging minute objects, e.g. light-pointer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/646 compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur in cameras, projectors or printers G03B2205/0007; image stabilisation in cameras peculiar to the presence or use of an electronic image sensor H04N23/68

Abstract

A pointing device having a laser in a handheld housing is disclosed. The laser generates a light beam that exits the housing. A beam steering assembly causes the light beam to move relative to the housing. The pointer includes a housing orientation sensor that measures the orientation of the housing. A controller operates the beam steering assembly to compensate for changes in the housing orientation. Embodiments based on housing orientation sensors constructed from a gyroscope and a camera are described. In addition to stabilizing the light beam location, embodiments in which the beam steering assembly also causes the light beam to execute a fixed pattern can also be constructed.

Claims

1. A pointing device comprising:

a handheld housing;

a laser that generates a light beam that exits said housing;

a beam steering assembly for causing said light beam to move relative to said housing;

a housing orientation sensor that measures the orientation of said housing; and

a controller that operates said beam steering assembly to compensate for changes in said housing orientation.

2. The pointing device of claim 1 wherein said housing orientation sensor comprises a filter for limiting said measurements to changes in said housing orientation that occur in less than a predetermined period of time.

3. The pointing device of claim 1 wherein said beam steering assembly causes said light beam to move angularly with respect to said handheld housing.

4. The pointing device of claim 1 wherein said beam steering assembly comprises a mirror assembly.

5. The pointing device of claim 1 further comprising a first input device, wherein said controller operates said beam steering assembly to compensate for said changes in said housing orientation in response to said first input device being actuated.

6. The pointing device of claim 5 wherein said first input device comprises a manually-actuated switch attached to said housing.

7. The pointing device of claim 1 wherein said housing orientation sensor comprises a gyroscope.

8. The pointing device of claim 1 wherein said housing orientation sensor comprises an image sensor.

9. The pointing device of claim 8 wherein said image sensor forms an image of a scene reflected from said mirror assembly, and wherein said controller executes a servo loop that reduces changes in said image when a first manually actuated input device is actuated.

10. The pointing device of claim 1 wherein said housing orientation sensor comprises an accelerometer.

11. The pointing device of claim 1 further comprising a second input device, said controller operating said beam steering assembly to cause said light beam to execute a predetermined pattern when said second input device is actuated.

12. The pointing device of claim 11 wherein said pattern comprises a straight line.

13. The pointing device of claim 11 wherein said pattern comprises a circle.

14. A method for operating a hand-held pointing device comprising:

providing a handheld housing comprising;

a laser that generates a light beam that exits said housing; and

a beam steering assembly for causing said light beam to move relative to said housing;

measuring the orientation of said housing; and

operating said beam steering assembly to compensate for changes in said orientation.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said beam steering assembly causes said light beam to move angularly with respect to said handheld housing.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein measuring said orientation is limited to measuring changes in said orientation that occur in less than a predetermined period of time.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising causing said light beam to execute a predetermined pattern in response to an input to said handheld device.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said pattern comprises a straight line.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said pattern comprises a circle.