Cordless retroreflective optical computer mouse

• US 6,111,563 A
• Filed: 10/27/1997
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stephen P. Hines
• Original Assignee: Stephen P. Hines
• Inventors: Hines, Stephen P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Henry N.
• Application Number:
  US08/958,631
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 345/163-166, 345/158, 345/169, 345/157
• US Class Current: 345/166
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0312 for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

An optical reflective mouse or other pointing device for computers which provide an optical signal. The mouse modifies, e.g., interrupts, the optical signal from the computer as a function of the mouse movement or operation of one or more control buttons.

The mouse reflects or retroreflects the modified optical signal to the computer as a computer control signal. The mouse employs retroreflectors, diffraction gratings, prisms, mirrors and other optical elements in combination with a mouse ball operator to complete the mouse. No electronics, radiation sources or batteries or any cable connection to the computer is required.

Claims

1. For use with a computer having a source of radiant optical energy and a detector for detecting returned modulated radiant optical energy as control signal,

a mouse comprising:

a housing;

an opening in said housing;

means defining an optical path for radiant energy entering the opening in said housing;

means for modulating optical radiant energy entering the opening in said housing of said mouse as a result of the manual operation of said mouse;

a retroreflector in said optical path for retroreflecting modulated optical radiant energy outward through the opening in said housing for control of the computer.

2. A mouse in accordance with claim 1 including means for receiving an optical signal comprising energy of at least two different distinguishable wavelengths of the optical spectrum;

means coupling said receiving means to said housing for modulating said different wavelengths of the optical spectrum responsive to manual operation of said mouse; and

said retroreflector operating to retroreflect modulated energy of different wavelengths of the optical spectrum as a signal representing manual operation of said mouse.

3. An optically retroreflective computer including means for receiving an optical signal comprising energy of at least two different distinguishable wavelengths of the optical spectrum;

means for housing said receiving means;

means coupling said receiving means to said housing for modulating said different wavelengths of the optical spectrum responsive to movement of said mouse; and

means for retroreflecting said modulated energy of different wavelengths of the optical spectrum as a signal representing movement of a mouse;

wherein said modulating means comprises means for interrupting the energy of different wavelengths of the optical spectrum as a function of mouse movement.

4. An optically retroreflective computer mouse including means for receiving an optical signal comprising energy of at least two different distinguishable wavelengths of the optical spectrum;

means for housing said receiving means;

means coupling said receiving means to said housing for modulating said different wavelengths of the optical spectrum responsive to movement of said mouse; and

means for retroreflecting said modulated energy of different wavelengths of the optical spectrum as a signal representing movement of a mouse;

wherein said receiving means comprises lens means for receiving incident radiant energy in said different wavelengths within a predetermined range of angles of incidence and for conveying said radiant energy to at least one preselected path within said housing toward said retroreflecting means.

5. An optically retroreflective computer mouse including means for receiving an optical signal comprising energy of at least two different distinguishable wavelengths of the optical spectrum;

means for housing said receiving means;

means coupling said receiving means to said housing for modulating said different wavelengths of the optical spectrum responsive to movement of said mouse; and

means for retroreflecting said modulated energy of different wavelengths of the optical spectrum as at least one signal representing movement of a mouse;

wherein said different wavelength modifying means including a light chopper wheel for each of at least two of the different wavelengths;

said light chopper wheels being located in the light paths of said different wavelengths and coupled to said housing to interrupt the retroreflected different wavelengths as a function of movement of said mouse.

6. An optically retro-reflective computer mouse in accordance with claim 5 including a respective retroreflector located in a light path within said housing for each of said different wavelengths interrupted by said light chopper wheels whereby the retroreflection of each different wavelength is interrupted and constitutes a control signal for a computer.

7. An optically retroreflective computer mouse in accordance with claim 5 wherein an additional different wavelength light paths is defined in said mouse including a retroreflector and a shutter for interrupting said additional different wavelength light path;

and

means for operating said shutter to provide an optical command signal from said mouse.

8. An optically retroreflective computer mouse in accordance with claim 7 wherein said means for operating said shutter comprises a manually operated button.

9. An optically retroreflective computer mouse including means for receiving an optical signal comprising energy of at least two different distinguishable wavelengths of the optical spectrum;

means for housing said receiving means;

means coupling said receiving means to said housing for modulating said different wavelengths of the optical spectrum responsive to movement of said mouse; and

means for retroreflecting said modulated energy of different wavelengths of the optical spectrum as a signal representing movement of a mouse;

wherein said receiving means includes means responsive to a broad band of received optical wavelengths and for separating the wavelengths into said at least two discrete wavelengths and for establishing different paths for each of said at least two discrete wavelengths for separate retroreflection within said housing.

10. A pointing-device controlled computer including a computer housing having an optical window therein, a source of optical radiation within said housing and radiating at least two discrete wavelengths through said window;

means for radiating the at least two discrete wavelengths through said window into a field accessible to a computer user;

an external mouse including means for receiving discrete wavelengths from within at least a portion of said field and for retroreflecting optical energy to said computer; and

means in said computer for detecting modified retroreflected optical radiation in at least one of said two discrete wavelengths, wherein the retroreflected optical radiation from the mouse constitutes a control signal for said computer.

11. A pointing-device controlled computer in accordance with claim 10 wherein said source of optical radiation includes a lamp producing substantially white light.

12. A pointing-device controlled computer in accordance with claim 10 wherein said source of optical radiation comprises a plurality of radiation sources, each producing a band of optical wavelengths which includes a different one of said discrete wavelengths.

13. A pointing-device controlled computer in accordance with claim 10 wherein said discrete wavelength radiation source comprises a series of LED'"'"'s.

14. A pointing-device controlled computer including a source of optical radiation including at least two discrete wavelengths;

means for radiating the at least two discrete wavelengths into a field accessible to a computer user;

means for detecting retroreflected discrete wavelengths in at least a portion of said field; and

means for detecting modified retroreflected optical radiation in at least one of said two discrete wavelengths, wherein the retroreflected optical radiation constitutes a control signal for said computer;

wherein said detecting means comprises a series of photodetectors, each responsive to a different one of said discrete wavelengths.

15. A pointing-device controlled computer in accordance with claim 14 wherein said photodetectors produce electrical signals corresponding to the modification of the radiated discrete wavelength from the reflected radiations wherein said electrical signal constitute the control signal for said computer.

18. A pointing device controlled computer in accordance with claim 15 wherein said pointing-device includes means exposed at the exterior of said pointing device for receiving optical radiation from said computer over an acceptance angle and for directing received radiation into an optically retroreflective path within said pointing device for modification of the radiation responsive to the movement of the pointing device and reradiation of the modified radiation within the acceptance angle of the pointing device.

19. A pointing device controlled computer in accordance with claim 15 wherein said pointing device includes optical means for separating each of the discrete wavelengths into different paths within the pointing device.

20. A pointing device controlled computer in accordance with claim 18 wherein said pointing device includes optical means of establishing at least two retroreflective optical paths within said pointing device for each of said discrete wavelengths, one each of said optical paths including means for modulating the optical radiation within their respective paths as a function of movement of said pointing device.

16. A pointing-device controlled computer including a source of optical radiation including at least two discrete wavelengths;

means for radiating the at least two discrete wavelengths into a field accessible to a computer user;

means for detecting reflected discrete wavelengths in at least a portion of said field; and

means for detecting modified retroreflected optical radiation in at least one of said two discrete wavelengths, wherein the retroreflected optical radiation constitutes a control signal for said computer;

including a pointing-device constituting an optically retroreflective mouse.

17. A pointing-device controlled computer including a source of optical radiation including at least two discrete wavelengths;

means for radiating the at least two discrete wavelengths into a field accessible to a computer user;

means for detecting retroreflected discrete wavelengths in at least a portion of said field; and

means for detecting modified retroreflected optical radiation in at least one of said two discrete wavelengths, wherein the reflected optical radiation constitutes a control signal for said computer;

including a pointing-device constituting a manually controllable housing enclosing optically retroreflecting means responsive to each of the discrete wavelength bands radiated by said computer;

means within said pointing device housing for modifying radiation from said computer; and

means for modulating retroreflection as a function of movement of said pointing device.

21. A cordless optical mouse for use on a support surface comprising:

a mouse housing;

at least one optical window in said housing for receiving incident optical energy;

a ball mounted in said housing with a portion exposed for rotation through contact with the supporting surface for the mouse;

a pair of optical shutters mounted for rotation responsive to rotation of the ball; and

an optical system within said housing for receiving optical energy entering said at least one window and for transmitting the received optical energy to said optical shutters and for reflecting and retransmitting optical energy out of said at least one window, which optical energy may be periodically modified by said optical shutters.

22. A cordless optical mouse in accordance with claim 21 wherein said pair of optical shutters comprise a pair of perforated disks each mounted on its own respective shaft and which is rotatable by contact with the ball.

23. A cordless optical mouse in accordance with claim 21 wherein said window includes a optical means defining the acceptance angle of the cordless optical mouse.

24. A cordless optical mouse in accordance with claim 21 including a pair of adjacent openings in said housing with a partially reflective mirror therebetween;

and

wherein said optical system includes means defining a first optical path for conveying optical energy arriving from either of said openings and conveying such optical energy to both of said optical shutters and for returning reflected optical energy to both of said openings responsive to reflection of incident optical energy encountering said optical shutters.

25. A cordless optical mouse in accordance with claim 21 wherein said optical shutters comprise rotatable perforated disks and said optical system transmits received optical energy through a multiplicity of openings in said optical shutters at substantially the same time to provide an indication of the direction of rotation of said shutters and said ball.

26. A cordless optical mouse in accordance with claim 21 wherein said optical shutters are mounted with substantially orthoginal axes of rotation.

27. A cordless optical mouse in accordance with claim 21 wherein said optical system employs retroreflectors positioned to receive and reflect optical energy passing through said optical shutters.

28. A cordless optical mouse in accordance with claim 21 wherein said optical system employs a diffraction grating for separating received optical radiation into a plurality of discrete readily distinguishable color bands;

and

said optical system includes means defining separate paths for said distinguishable color bands for effecting different return optical signals.

29. A cordless optical mouse in accordance with claim 21 wherein said optical system employs a prism positioned in said path for separating received optical radiation into a plurality of discrete readily identifiable color bands;

and

said optical system includes means defining separate paths for said identifiable color bands for effecting different return optical signals.

30. A cordless optical mouse in accordance with claim 21 including at least one manually operated button on said housing;

said button being operatively connected to a movable shutter;

said movable shutter being located in a discrete optical path in said mouse for interrupting radiation received in said opening whereby said manually controlled button constitutes a control signal source for said mouse.

31. A cordless optical mouse in accordance with claim 21 wherein said optical system defines a first optical path within said mouse housing for incident optical radiation past an optical shutter and an optical reflector and a different return path for reflected incident energy from said optical reflector to said opening.

32. A cordless optical mouse in accordance with claim 21 wherein said optical path is defined in part by a fiber optic conductor.

33. A cordless optical mouse in accordance with claim 21 wherein said optical system includes:

a pair of cylindrical reflectors positioned to receive wide angle light and reflect a substantially collimated beam of light;

said beam of light directed through said window.

34. A cordless optical mouse in accordance with claim 33 wherein said cylindrical reflectors are positioned at the exterior of said housing on opposite sides of the window in said housing.

35. A cordless optical mouse in accordance with claim 34 wherein one of said cylindrical reflectors is exposed to wide angled of received incident optical energy and said second cylindrical reflector reflects said optical energy and further reduce the wide angle of received incident optical energy to form an essentially collimated beam directed at said window of said housing.

36. A cordless optical computer mouse system comprising:

a computer including a source of optical radiation energy of predetermined spectrum and a receiver for detecting returned optical radiation energy in said predetermined spectrum;

said source of optical radiation energy and receiver for detecting returned optical radiation energy being positioned to radiate and receive optical radiation energy in a field accessible to the computer user; and

an optically retroreflective cordless mouse associated with said computer by being located in said field accessible to the computer user;

said mouse including a housing having an optical window in said housing, a ball for contacting a supporting surface for said mouse;

said mouse further including a retroreflective optical system within said mouse housing responsive to said mechanical movement indicative of movement of said ball to reflect the optical radiant energy received at said optical window;

said retroreflective optical system including means to modulate the incident optical radiant energy as a control signal for said computer.

37. A system in accordance with claim 36 wherein said computer source of optical radiation energy comprises an incandescent bulb producing generally white light and said mouse includes means for separating incident optical radiation from said computer into discrete bands of optical radiant energy and utilizes a plurality of said bands as individual control signals for said computer;

and

wherein the receiver of said computer includes means responding to said discrete bands as different control signals for said computer.

38. A computer system in accordance with claim 36 wherein said source of optical energy constitutes a plurality of discrete wavelength band radiators and said optical radiant energy receiver is responsive to said discrete wavelength band of said source.

39. In an optically retro-reflective mouse controlled computer system with an associated mouse for operation by a computer user, an ambidextrous optical retroreflective computer mouse comprising:

a manually operable housing for introducing control signals into its associated computer;

a rotatable ball mounted within said housing with a surface of the ball protruding from the housing to be movable relative the housing to introduce computer control signals;

said housing having a plurality of windows for receiving incident light energy from said computer

a retroreflective optical system within said mouse housing coupled to said rotatable ball to modify received optical energy as a function of movement of said rotatable ball; and

selector means for enabling either one of said windows for the introduction of incident optical energy into said retroreflective optical system.

40. A system in accordance with claim 39 wherein said selector means comprises a rotatable mirror pivotally secured within said housing for directing optical energy from one window into said retroreflective optical system while blocking the entrance of optical energy from the exterior of said housing into the retroreflective optical system within the housing arriving via any other housing window.

41. A system in accordance with claim 39 wherein said housing is designed to be left or right hand grasped includes a pair of windows in a region thereof normally exposed to the associated computer source of optical energy.