INTERACTIVE POINTING DEVICE CAPABLE OF SWITCHING CAPTURE RANGES AND METHOD FOR SWITCHING CAPTURE RANGES FOR USE IN INTERACTIVE POINTING DEVICE

• US 20120001848A1
• Filed: 09/16/2010
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Inventors: Lu, Chih Hung, Hsu, En Feng, Kao, Ming Tsan, Chen, Hsin Chia, Huang, Chao Chien, Lin, Cho Yi, Chien, Shih Chi
• Granted Patent: US 9,223,386 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3259 Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An interactive pointing device capable of switching capture ranges includes an image capturing element and a processing unit. The image capturing element operates in a first capture range or a second capture range. The image capturing element is used for capturing a light source, and outputting an image signal. When a distance from the interactive pointing device to the light source is smaller than a reference value, the processing unit controls the image capturing element to detect the light source with the first capture range, and the processing unit converts the image signal into a first coordinate data. When the distance is greater than the reference value, the processing unit controls the image capturing element to detect the light source with the second capture range, and the processing unit converts the image signal into a second coordinate data.

Claims

1. An interactive pointing device capable of switching capture ranges, comprising:

an image capturing element, capable of operating in a first capture range or a second capture range, for capturing a light source, and outputting an image signal; and

a processing unit, wherein when a distance from the interactive pointing device to the light source is smaller than a reference value, the processing unit controls the image capturing element to detect the light source with the first capture range, and the processing unit converts the image signal into a first coordinate data, and when the distance is greater than the reference value, the processing unit controls the image capturing element to detect the light source with the second capture range, and the processing unit converts the image signal into a second coordinate data.

2. The interactive pointing device capable of switching capture ranges according to claim 1, wherein the first capture range comprises the second capture range.

3. The interactive pointing device capable of switching capture ranges according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit determines the distance from the interactive pointing device to the light source according to a size of the light source in the image signal.

4. The interactive pointing device capable of switching capture ranges according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit determines the distance from the interactive pointing device to the light source according to a time of arrival of the light source at the image capturing element.

5. The interactive pointing device capable of switching capture ranges according to claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a first point light source and a second point light source, and the processing unit determines the distance from the interactive pointing device to the light source according to a spacing between the first point light source and the second point light source in the image signal.

6. The interactive pointing device capable of switching capture ranges according to claim 1, wherein when the distance is smaller than the reference value, the processing unit samples the image signal of the image capturing element at a first sampling frequency, and when the distance is greater than the reference value, the processing unit samples the image signal of the image capturing element at a second sampling frequency, wherein the first sampling frequency is smaller than the second sampling frequency.

7. The interactive pointing device capable of switching capture ranges according to claim 1, further comprising a signal sending element, for transmitting the first coordinate data or the second coordinate data.

8. The interactive pointing device capable of switching capture ranges according to claim 7, wherein the signal sending element is compatible with a Bluetooth transmission standard.

9. The interactive pointing device capable of switching capture ranges according to claim 1, wherein the image capturing element and the processing unit are integrated in a single chip.

10. The interactive pointing device capable of switching capture ranges according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit compares the image signals output by the image capturing element at different time points, so as to calculate the first coordinate data or the second coordinate data.

11. The interactive pointing device capable of switching capture ranges according to claim 1, wherein the image capturing element is a charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS).

12. A method for switching capture ranges for use in an interactive pointing device, comprising:

providing an image capturing element and a processing unit;

detecting a light source and outputting an image signal by using the image capturing element;

obtaining a distance from the light source to the interactive pointing device; and

when the distance is smaller than a reference value, controlling the image capturing element to operate with a first capture range to detect the light source, and converting the image signal into a first coordinate data by the processing unit, and when the distance is greater than the reference value, controlling the image capturing element to operate with a second capture range to detect the light source, and converting the image signal into a second coordinate data by the processing unit.

13. The method for switching capture ranges according to claim 12, wherein the first capture range comprises the second capture range.

14. The method for switching capture ranges according to claim 12, wherein in the step of obtaining the distance from the light source to the interactive pointing device, the distance from the interactive pointing device to the light source is determined according to a size of the light source in the image signal.

15. The method for switching capture ranges according to claim 12, wherein in the step of obtaining the distance from the light source to the interactive pointing device, the distance from the interactive pointing device to the light source is determined according to a time of arrival of the light source at the image capturing element.

16. The method for switching capture ranges according to claim 12, wherein the light source comprises a first point light source and a second point light source, and in the step of obtaining the distance from the light source to the interactive pointing device, the distance from the interactive pointing device to the light source is determined according to a spacing between the first point light source and the second point light source in the image signal.

17. The method for switching capture ranges according to claim 12, wherein when the distance is smaller than the reference value, the image signal of the image capturing element is sampled at a first sampling frequency, and when the distance is greater than the reference value, the image signal of the image capturing element is sampled at a second sampling frequency, wherein the first sampling frequency is smaller than the second sampling frequency.

18. The method for switching capture ranges according to claim 12, further comprising transmitting the first coordinate data or the second coordinate data.

19. The method for switching capture ranges according to claim 12, wherein the processing unit compares the image signals output by the image capturing element at different time points, so as to calculate the first coordinate data or the second coordinate data.