Method and apparatus for generating a control signal
First Claim
1. An apparatus for generating a control signal for controlling movement of a first object, the control signal corresponding to movement of a second object in contact with a first surface, comprising:
- a platen comprising the first surface, the platen being characterized by a critical angle beyond which light incident upon the first surface is not transmitted;
a source of electromagnetic radiation for emitting electromagnetic radiation through the platen which is diffused by the second object;
a lens for transmitting a portion of the electromagnetic radiation beyond the critical angle;
a single detector having a plurality of adjacent sectors for receiving the portion of the electromagnetic radiation and generating charge in response thereto; and
conversion circuitry for converting the charge generated in the detector to the control signal, the control signal representing a speed and a direction of movement of the first object, the speed and direction of movement corresponding to a relationship between charge generated in each of the plurality of sectors.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for generating a control signal which corresponds to movement of an object in contact with a first surface are described. The apparatus includes a platen having the first surface. The platen is characterized by a critical angle beyond which light incident upon the first surface is not transmitted. A source of electromagnetic radiation emits electromagnetic radiation through the platen thereby illuminating the object. A detector having a plurality of sectors receives a portion of the electromagnetic radiation diffused by the object and transmitted through the platen beyond the critical angle. The sectors of the detector accumulate charge in response to the incident electromagnetic radiation. Conversion circuitry then converts the charge accumulated in the detector to the control signal, which in a specific embodiment is for controlling the movement of a pointer on a display.
264 Citations
42 Claims
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1. An apparatus for generating a control signal for controlling movement of a first object, the control signal corresponding to movement of a second object in contact with a first surface, comprising:
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a platen comprising the first surface, the platen being characterized by a critical angle beyond which light incident upon the first surface is not transmitted; a source of electromagnetic radiation for emitting electromagnetic radiation through the platen which is diffused by the second object; a lens for transmitting a portion of the electromagnetic radiation beyond the critical angle; a single detector having a plurality of adjacent sectors for receiving the portion of the electromagnetic radiation and generating charge in response thereto; and conversion circuitry for converting the charge generated in the detector to the control signal, the control signal representing a speed and a direction of movement of the first object, the speed and direction of movement corresponding to a relationship between charge generated in each of the plurality of sectors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for generating a control signal for controlling movement of a first object, the control signal corresponding to movement of a second object in contact with a first surface of a platen, the platen being characterized by a critical angle beyond which light incident upon the first surface is not transmitted, the method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting electromagnetic radiation through the platen which is diffused by the second object; transmitting a portion of the electromagnetic radiation beyond the critical angle using a lens; receiving the portion of the electromagnetic radiation with a single detector having a plurality of adjacent sectors, the sectors of the detector generating charge in response to the portion of the electromagnetic radiation; and converting the charge generated in the sectors of the detector to the control signal, the control signal representing a speed and a direction of movement of the first object, the speed and direction of movement corresponding to a relationship between charge generated in each of the plurality of sectors. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of manufacturing a control device comprising a plastic housing having a detector mounting surface with an image plane associated therewith and a platen surface with an object plane associated therewith, the object and image planes being fixed with respect to each other, the control device also comprising an optical element, there being an optical path between the object plane and the image plane which is defined in part by the optical element, the method comprising the steps of:
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affixing a detector to the detector mounting surface; affixing the optical element to the plastic housing with an epoxy; before the epoxy hardens, moving the optical element, thereby adjusting the optical path to cause an image of a test pattern at the object plane to come into focus at the image plane; and hardening the epoxy to fix the optical element with respect to the plastic housing. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification