Inertial input apparatus and method with optical motion state detection

• US 20080030458A1
• Filed: 08/07/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Inventors: Grot, Annette C., Helbing, Rene
• Application Number:
  US11/500,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20080030458A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 3/03544 having dual sensing arrangement, e.g. two balls or two coils used to track rotation of the pointing device

Abstract

An apparatus includes an inertia sensing system, an optical motion sensing system, and a processing system. The inertia sensing system generates inertial data indicative of movement in relation to an inertial reference frame. The optical motion sensing system generates optical data from received light. The processing system determines movement measures from the inertial data. The processing system also select one of an in-motion output state and a motionless output state based on the optical data. During the in-motion output state, the processing system produces an output corresponding to the movement measures. During the motionless output state, the processing system produces an output indicative of zero motion regardless of the inertial data.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an inertia sensing system operable to generate inertial data indicative of movement in relation to an inertial reference frame;

an optical motion sensing system operable to generate optical data from received light; and

a processing system operable to determine movement measures from the inertial data and to select one of an in-motion output state and a motionless output state based on the optical data, wherein, during the in-motion output state, the processing system produces an output corresponding to the movement measures and, during the motionless output state, the processing system produces an output indicative of zero motion regardless of the inertial data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inertial sensing system comprises at least one accelerometer operable to produce a respective accelerator output, and the processing system is operable to determine at least some of the motion measures from the accelerator output.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processing system is operable to determine from the accelerator output measures of static tilt in relation to the inertial reference frame, and the processing system is operable to determine at least some of the motion measures from the accelerometer output and the measures of static tilt.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the inertia sensing system comprises at least one angular rate sensor operable to produce a respective angular rate sensor output.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processing system is operable to determine measures of dynamic tilt from the angular rate sensor output and the processing system is operable to determine at least some of the motion measures from the accelerometer output and the measures of dynamic tilt.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a housing containing the inertia sensing system and the optical motion sensing system, and comprising a bottom side configured to slide over a surface of an object.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the optical motion sensing system generates the optical data in response to light received from the bottom side of the housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising an illumination system in the housing and operable to direct a light beam out from the bottom side of the housing, wherein the optical motion sensing system is operable to generate the optical data from at least a portion of the light beam reflecting off the object s surface when the bottom side of the housing is adjacent the object surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the optical motion sensing system comprises a light sensor and an optical focusing system operable to focus at least a portion of the light beam reflecting off the object surface onto the light sensor when the bottom side of the housing is adjacent the object surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the housing additionally comprises an optical input side different from the bottom side, and the optical motion sensing system is operable to generate the optical data in response to the light received from the optical input side of the housing.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the optical motion sensing system comprises a light sensor and an optical focusing system operable to focus light from a remote distance onto the light sensor.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising an optical lift detection system operable to generate a lift detection output from light reflecting off the object surface, wherein the processing system is operable to select one of the in-motion output state and the motionless output state from the lift detection output.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical motion sensing system is operable to capture images of the received light, and the processing system is operable to select one of the in-motion output state and the motionless output state based on differences between the of ones of the captured images.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processing system selects the motionless output state in response to a determination that differences between ones of the captured images fail to meet at least one difference threshold, and the processing system selects the in-motion output state in response to a determination that the differences between ones of the captured images meet the at least one difference threshold.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing system is operable to:

determine successive intensity measures from the optical data generated over time, determine average intensity measures from sets of ones of the successive intensity measures; and

select one of the in-motion output state and the motionless output state based on a comparison of a respective one of the intensity measures to a respective one of the average intensity measures.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing system selects one of the in-motion output state and the motionless output state based on a thresholding of a ratio between a respective one of the intensity measures and a respective one of the average intensity measures.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing system selects one of the in-motion output state and the motionless output state based on a thresholding of a difference between a respective one of the intensity measures and a respective one of the average intensity measures.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

inertia sensing means operable to generate inertial data indicative of movement in relation to an inertial reference frame;

optical motion sensing means operable to generate optical data from received light; and

processing means operable to determine movement measures from the inertial data and to select one of an in-motion output state and a motionless output state based on the optical data, wherein, during the in-motion output state, the processing system produces an output corresponding to the movement measures and, during the motionless output state, the processing system produces an output indicative of zero motion regardless of the inertial data.

19. A method, comprising:

generating inertial data indicative of movement in relation to an inertial reference frame;

generating optical data from received light;

determining movement measures from the inertial data;

selecting one of an in-motion output state and a motionless output state based on the optical data;

during the in-motion output state, producing an output corresponding to the movement measures; and

during the motionless output state, producing an output indicative of zero motion regardless of the inertial data.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising determining measures of static tilt in relation to the inertial reference frame during the motionless output state, wherein the determining of the movement measures comprises determining at least some of the motion measures based on the measures of static tilt.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising determining measures of dynamic tilt, wherein the determining of the movement measures comprises determining at least some of the motion measures based on the measures of dynamic tilt.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the generating of optical data comprises capturing images of the received light, and the selecting comprises selecting one of the in-motion output state and the motionless output state based on differences between the of ones of the captured images.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising determining successive intensity measures from the optical data generated over time, and determining average intensity measures from sets of ones of the successive intensity measures,

wherein the selecting comprises selecting one of the in-motion output state and the motionless output state based on a comparison of a respective one of the intensity measures to a respective one of the average intensity measures.