Optical mouse with stationary sensors

• US 7,046,231 B1
• Filed: 04/01/2003
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eric Ni
• Original Assignee: Eric Ni
• Inventors: Ni, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Sumati
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amadiz, Rodney
• Application Number:
  US10/405,862
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 345157-158, 345162-163, 345/165, 345168-169, 345/175
• US Class Current: 345/157
• 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

Abstract

A computer system featuring a wireless method for securing the system against unauthorized use and controlling cursor movement including a computer with a built in mouse area. The mouse area has a window of transparent medium and an LED and camera with photosensor array housed within the camera. The camera records images of surfaces of an object pressed against the outer surface of the transparent medium. In another embodiment the, object is a SMART card with circuitry communicating wirelessly with circuitry inside the computer.

Claims

1. A cursor control system for moving a cursor on a screen during a succession of cycles, said succession of cycles being a period during which said cursor is moved in incremental distances from an initial location to a final location, said system comprising:

a computer having

(a) monitor;

(b) a first memory;

(c) a second memory;

(d) a memory for storing an application program arranged to control a cursor on said monitor screen;

a transparent medium forming a part of a surface of said computer;

said transparent medium having an outside surface accessible for contact to a surface of an object to form an interface between said transparent medium and said object;

a camera enclosed, in said computer, having a field of view and comprising an array of photosensors wherein said array has integer 3n columns and integer 3n rows of photosensors;

an LED enclosed in said computer;

said LED arranged to illuminate said interface and form an image of said interface on said array of photosensors;

each photosensor has a location defined by a row coordinate x, and a column coordinate y;

said first and second memories each having an array of addresses wherein each address, i,j corresponds to location x y, in said photosensor array;

i and j are integers between 1 and 3n in said first memory for storing image signals of a current cycle;

i and j are integers between 1 and n in said second memory for storing image signals of a central cluster of image signals which represent a central region of said interface image determined during a most recent previous cycle;

said application program programmed to store current image signals, Σ

P′

_ij, at respective 9n² addresses i,j in the first memory during a current cycle replacing data stored during the previous cycle;

said application program programmed to form a plurality of correlation values, N_rs, wherein

N_rs=Σ

ⁿ_i=1Σ

ⁿ_j=1 (P_ij−

P′

_i+r,j+s)²

 

for addresses, r,s wherein r,s are integers and r,s are selected in an order according to a selection process;

said plurality of correlation numbers formed until integers r′

,s′

are determined where N<sub>r′

s′</sub>

=0 wherein r′

,s′

represent a new location of said central cluster during the current cycle;

said application program programmed to transfer the image signals

Σ

ⁿ_j=1Σ

ⁿ_i=nP<sub>i+r′

,j+s′</sub>

 

from respective addresses i+r′

,j+s′

in said first memory to addresses i,j in said second memory;

said process for selecting r,s being;

(i) beginning with r=0, and, for each r,

(ii) incrementing by 1 each value of s between −

r and r;

then

(iii) decrementing by 1 each value of r between r and −

r for s=r;

then

(iv) decrementing by 1 each value of s between r and −

r;

then

(v) incrementing by 1 each value of r between −

r and r.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said application program is arranged to compare an image signal from said object to an authorized signal stored in memory and permit operation of said system only when said signal is identical to said authorized signal.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a card being said object, having a first antenna and a card circuit including a processor, rectifier, memory and memory address stored in said memory;

said computer including a second antenna arranged to communicate with said first antenna on said card and arranged to radiate electromagnetic power to said first antenna enabling said rectifier to generate dc power to energize said card circuit whereby said memory address is communicated to said computer.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said memory address is an address of a file stored in said computer and said application program is programmed to run said file.