INPUT APPARATUS AND OPTICAL MOUSE FOR COMPUTER AND OPERATION METHOD THEREOF

• US 20090128490A1
• Filed: 10/07/2008
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ASUSTek Computer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ASUSTek Computer, Inc.
• Inventors: Pan, Yih-Chieh, Chang, Ling-Chen, Kuo, Chin-Chung
• Application Number:
  US12/247,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20090128490A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/161
• 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 3/0325 using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

An input apparatus for a computer system comprises an image object, a prime motion detector, and a receiver. The prime motion detector has an image detection unit, a G-sensor, a mouse module, a switch unit, and a micro control unit (MCU). The image detection unit is used for detecting the image object. The switch is coupled to the G-sensor, the image detection unit and the mouse module. By such means, the switch unit can select to transmit an output of the mouse module, or transmit outputs of the G-sensor and the image detection unit to the MCU according to a selection signal. The MCU encodes an output of the switch unit to generate a detecting data to the receiver, and the receiver transmits the detecting data to the computer system for operating the computer system.

Claims

1. An input apparatus for a computer system, comprising:

an image object;

a prime motion detector, including a first G-sensor, an image detection unit and an optical mouse module, the prime motion detector detecting its own movement state in a three-dimensional space or a two-dimensional plane, and outputting a first detecting data, wherein the image detection unit is used for detecting the image object; and

a receiver, coupled to the computer system via a transmission interface, for receiving the first detecting data via a wireless transmission path, so as to generate a corresponding computer operation data according to the first detecting data, and transmit the computer operation data to the computer system via the transmission interface.

2. The input apparatus for a computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the prime motion detector further comprises:

a plurality of first keys;

a first key-sensing unit, for detecting a state of each first key to output a corresponding input signal;

a switch unit, coupled to the image detection unit, the first G-sensor and the optical mouse module, respectively;

a first micro control unit (MCU), coupled to the first key-sensing unit and the switch unit, for encoding the input signal and an output of the switch unit to generate the first detecting data; and

a first wireless transmitting unit, coupled to the first MCU for receiving the first detecting data, and transmitting the first detecting data to the receiver via the wireless transmission path,

wherein the switch unit determines to transmit an output of the optical mouse module, or outputs of the image detection unit and the first G-sensor to the first MCU according to a selection signal.

3. The input apparatus for a computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises:

a wireless receiving unit, for receiving the first detecting data via the wireless transmission path;

a MCU, coupled to the wireless receiving unit for decoding the first detecting data and generating the computer operation data; and

an input/output interface unit, coupled to the computer system via the transmission interface, and coupled to the MCU, for transmitting the computer operation data to the computer system via the transmission interface.

4. The input apparatus for a computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmission interface comprises a universal serial bus (USB), an IEEE 1394, a serial interface, a parallel interface, and a PCMCIA.

5. The input apparatus for a computer system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an assistant motion detector having a second G-sensor, for detecting a movement state of the assistant motion detector in a three-dimensional space, and outputting a second detecting data.

6. The input apparatus for a computer system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the assistant motion detector further comprises:

a plurality of second keys;

a joystick;

a second key-sensing unit, for detecting a state of each second key and a state of the joystick, so as to output a corresponding second input signal;

a second MCU, coupled to the second key-sensing unit and the second G-sensor, respectively, for encoding the second input signal and an output of the second G-sensor to generate the second detecting data; and

a second wireless transmitting unit, coupled to the second MCU for receiving the second detecting data, and transmitting the second detecting data to the receiver via the wireless transmission path.

7. A multifunction optical mouse, adapted to a computer system, wherein the computer system having a receiver, the optical mouse comprising:

an image detection unit, for detecting an image object, and outputting a relative position data;

a G-sensor, for detecting a movement state of the optical mouse in a three-dimensional space, so as to output a G-sensing data on each coordinate axis in the three-dimensional space;

a mouse module, for detecting a movement state of the optical mouse on a plane, and outputting a plane coordinates data;

a switch unit, coupled to the image detection unit, the G-sensor and the mouse module, respectively, for outputting the plane coordinates data or the relative position data and the G-sensing data according to a selection signal;

a MCU, coupled to the switch unit, for encoding at least an input signal and an output of the switch unit to generate a first detecting data; and

a wireless transmitting unit, coupled to the MCU for receiving the first detecting data, and transmitting the first detecting data to the receiver via a wireless transmission path.

8. The multifunction optical mouse as claimed in claim 7, wherein when the selection signal is in a first state, the switch unit selects to transmit outputs of the image detection unit and the G-sensor to the MCU.

9. The multifunction optical mouse as claimed in claim 7, wherein when the MCU detects that within a predetermined time, and the G-sensing data on each coordinate axis in the three-dimensional space output from the G-sensor is maintained within a predetermined range, the MCU switches the selection signal to a second state, so that the switch unit selects to transmit the plane coordinates data to the MCU.

10. The multifunction optical mouse as claimed in claim 7, wherein when the MCU detects that the G-sensing data on a height-axis in the three-dimensional space output from the G-sensor is maintained within a predetermined range, the MCU switches the selection signal to the second state, so that the switch unit selects to transmit the plane coordinates data to the MCU.

11. The multifunction optical mouse as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a touch switch, the output terminal of the touch switch is coupled to the switch unit, wherein when the touch switch is disabled, the selection signal then is output in a first state, so that the switch unit selects to transmit the relative position data and the G-sensing data to the MCU,

when the touch switch is enabled, the selection signal is then output in a second state, so that the switch unit selects to transmit the plane coordinates data to the MCU.

12. The multifunction optical mouse as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a gate switch coupled to the switch unit, wherein when the gate switch is closed, the gate switch outputs the selection signal in a first state, so that the switch unit selects to transmit the relative position data and the G-sensing data to the MCU,

when the gate switch is opened, the gate switch outputs the selection signal in a second state, to that the switch unit selects to transmit the plane coordinates data to the MCU.

13. The multifunction optical mouse as claimed in claim 7, wherein the mouse module further comprises:

a light-emitting, for outputting a light beam with a predetermined wavelength;

an optical lens, disposed at an output terminal of the light-emitting source, and located at a transmission path of the light beam, for focusing the light beam having the predetermined wavelength; and

a light-sensing unit, having an output terminal coupled to an input terminal of the switch unit, for sensing a reflection light of the light beam having the predetermined wavelength, and outputting the plane coordinates data to the switch unit.

14. The multifunction optical mouse as claimed in claim 13, wherein when the light-sensing unit does not sense the reflection light of the light beam having the predetermined wavelength, the selection signal is in a first state, so that the switch unit selects to transmit the relative position data and the G-sensing data to the MCU,

when the light-sensing unit senses the reflection light of the light beam having the predetermined wavelength, the selection signal is in a second state, to that the switch unit selects to transmit the plane coordinates data to the MCU.

15. A method for operating a computer system, comprising:

detecting a movement state of an operation part in a three-dimensional space via a G-sensor, and generating a G-sensing data corresponding to each coordinate axis of the three-dimensional space;

detecting relative positions between a plurality of positioning light sources and the operation part to generate a relative position data;

detecting a movement state of the operation part in the two-dimensional plan to generate a plane coordinates data, when the operation part is determined to be only moved in a two-dimensional plane,; and

encoding the plane coordinates data, or encoding the G-sensing data and the relative position data to generate a detecting data for operating the computer system.

16. The method for operating a computer system as claimed in claim 15 further comprising:

transmitting the detecting data from the operation part to a receiver via a wireless transmission path; and

transmitting the detecting data from the receiver to a computer system via a transmission interface, so as to operate the computer system according to the detecting data.

17. The method for operating a computer system as claimed in claim 15, wherein steps of detecting whether the operation part is only moved on the two-dimensional plane comprise:

determining whether or not the G-sensing data of the operation part on each coordinate axis in the three-dimensional space is maintained within a predetermined range during a predetermined time;

determining the operation part is only moved on the two-dimensional plane, when the G-sensing data of the operation part on each coordinate axis in the three-dimensional space is maintained within the predetermined range during the predetermined time; and

determining the operation part is only moved in the three-dimensional plane, when the G-sensing data of the operation part on each coordinate axis in the three-dimensional space is not maintained within the predetermined range during the predetermined time.

18. The method for operating a computer system as claimed in claim 15, wherein steps of detecting whether the operation part is only moved on the two-dimensional plane comprise:

determining whether or not the G-sensing data of the operation part on a height-axis in the three-dimensional space is maintained within a predetermined range;

determining the operation part is only moved on the two-dimensional plane, when the G-sensing data of the operation part on the height-axis in the three-dimensional space is maintained within the predetermined range; and

determining the operation part is only moved in the three-dimensional plane, when the G-sensing data of the operation part on the height-axis in the three-dimensional space is not maintained within the predetermined range.

19. The method for operating a computer system as claimed in claim 15, wherein steps of detecting whether the operation part is only moved on the two-dimensional plane comprise:

providing a switch in the operation part; and

detecting a state of the switch, for determining whether or not the operation part is only moved on the two-dimensional plane.

20. The method for operating a computer system as claimed in claim 15 further comprising providing a light source for outputting a light beam having a predetermined wavelength, so as to detect a movement state of the operation part on the two-dimensional plane.