OPTICAL MOUSE

• US 20090102793A1
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: DePue, Mark, Bohn, David
• Application Number:
  US11/876,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20090102793A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/166
• 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 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

An optical mouse configured to track motion on a broad range of surfaces is disclosed. In one embodiment, an optical mouse includes a light source configured to emit light having a wavelength in or near a blue region of a visible light spectrum, an image sensor positioned relative to the light source such that light from a specular portion of a distribution of light reflected by the tracking surface is detected by the image sensor, and a controller configured to receive image data from the image sensor and to identify a tracking feature in the image data.

Claims

1. An optical mouse, comprising:

a light source configured to emit light having a wavelength in or near a blue region of a visible light spectrum toward a tracking surface;

an image sensor positioned relative to the light source such that light from a specular portion of a distribution of light from the light source and reflected by the tracking surface is detected by the image sensor; and

a controller configured to receive image data from the image sensor and to identify a tracking feature in the image data.

2. The optical mouse of claim 1, wherein the light source is configured to emit light comprising a wavelength within a range of 400 nm to 490 nm.

3. The optical mouse of claim 1, wherein the light source is configured to emit light of a wavelength that causes fluorescence or phosphorescence to be emitted by a brightness enhancer in the tracking surface.

4. The optical mouse of claim 3, wherein the light source is configured to form a beam of light having an angle of between 0 and 40 degrees with respect to the tracking surface normal.

5. The optical mouse of claim 1, wherein the image sensor is positioned to detect light in a range of 0 to +/−

20 degrees with respect to a specular axis.

6. The optical mouse of claim 1, wherein the optical mouse is a portable mouse.

7. The optical mouse of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a light-emitting diode configured to emit blue and/or white light.

8. The optical mouse of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a laser.

9. The optical mouse of claim 1, wherein the detector is a CMOS image sensor configured to have a high sensitivity to blue light.

10. An optical mouse comprising:

a light source configured to emit light in a range of 400-490 nm toward a tracking surface at an incident angle in a range of 0 to 40 degrees relative to the tracking surface;

an image sensor positioned to detect reflected light within an angle of 0 to 20 degrees with respect to a specular axis; and

a controller configured to locate a tracking feature in a plurality of time-sequenced images of the tracking surface, and track changes in a location of the tracking feature across the plurality of time-sequenced images of the tracking surface.

11. The optical mouse of claim 10, wherein the optical mouse is a portable optical mouse.

12. The optical mouse of claim 10, wherein the light source is configured to emit coherent light.

13. The optical mouse of claim 10, wherein the light source comprises an LED or OLED configured to emit blue or white light.

14. An optical mouse comprising:

a light source configured to emit coherent light in or near a blue region of the visible spectrum toward a tracking surface;

an image sensor positioned to detect reflected light within a specular portion of a distribution of reflected light; and

a controller configured to locate a tracking feature in a plurality of time-sequenced images of the tracking surface, and track changes in a location of the tracking feature across the plurality of time-sequenced images of the tracking surface.

15. The optical mouse of claim 14, wherein the mouse is a portable battery-powered mouse.

16. The optical mouse of claim 14, wherein the light source is configured to emit light comprising a wavelength in a range of 400 nm to 490 nm.

17. An optical mouse comprising:

a light source configured to emit incoherent light comprising wavelengths in or near a blue region of the visible spectrum toward a tracking surface;

an image sensor positioned to detect reflected light within a specular portion of a distribution of reflected light; and

a controller configured to locate a tracking feature in a plurality of time-sequenced images of the tracking surface, and track changes in a location of the tracking feature across the plurality of time-sequenced images of the tracking surface.

18. The optical mouse of claim 17, wherein the light source is configured to emit blue light.

19. The optical mouse of claim 17, wherein the light source is configured to emit white light.

20. The optical mouse of claim 17, wherein the light source is an LED.

21. The optical mouse of claim 17, wherein the light source is an OLED.

22. A method of tracking motion of an optical mouse, comprising:

directing an incident beam of light having a wavelength in or near a blue region of a visible light spectrum toward a tracking surface comprising an optical brightener;

detecting a plurality of time-sequenced images of the tracking surface with an image sensor by detecting light emitted by the optical brightener in response to the incident beam of light;

locating a tracking feature in the plurality of time-sequenced images of the tracking surface; and

tracking changes in location of the tracking feature across the plurality of time-sequenced images of the tracking surface.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein directing an incident beam of light toward a tracking surface comprises directing the incident beam of light toward a sheet of paper comprising a brightness enhancer.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein directing an incident beam of light toward the tracking surface comprises directing an incident beam of light with a wavelength in a range of 400 to 490 nm.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein detecting a plurality of time-sequenced images of the tracking surface comprises detecting light reflected from the surface at an angle in a range of 0 to +/−

20 degrees from a specular axis, and wherein directing the incident beam of light toward the tracking surface comprises directing the incident beam of light toward the tracking surface at an angle in a range of 0 to 40 degrees with respect to a tracking surface normal.