Optoelectronic device for position and/or movement detection as well as the associated method

• US 7,456,815 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2002
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gerd Reime
• Original Assignee: Gerd Reime
• Inventors: Reime, Gerd
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shapiro; Leonid
• Application Number:
  US10/484,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20040217267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,331 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345173-175, 345/98, 345/55, 345204-205, 250/221
• US Class Current: 345/98
• 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 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

Optoelectronic device and method for detecting the position and/or movement of an object, the device and method include: a plurality of transmitters for emitting radiation, at least one receiver for receiving the radiation emitted by the transmitters and reflected back by the object or the radiation emitted from transmitters associated with the object, a plurality of mutually different radiation paths, which are formed between at least a part of the transmitters, the object and the receivers or between transmitters associated with the object and the receivers, a timing circuit for cycled switching of the transmitters of the different radiation paths, an evaluation device, which converts the signals received by the receivers for the different radiation paths into values for detection of the position and/or movement of the object along a line or in a surface, wherein for three-dimensional detection of the position and/or movement of the object, the timing circuit switches a plurality of, but at least a part of the transmitters and/or receivers in at least one further cycle such that the space, into which the transmitters emit, is illuminated nearly uniformly, and that the evaluation device determines a value for determination of the distance of the object from the line or surface on the basis of the radiation radiated or radiated back by the object during the further cycle.

Claims

1. Optoelectronic device for detecting the position and/or movement of an object, the device comprising:

a plurality of transmitters for emitting radiation, wherein each of said plurality of transmitters is disposable in at least one of a plurality of different groups of transmitters, said different groups being configured to emit radiation both simultaneously and/ time shifted,

at least one receiver configured to receive the radiation emitted by the transmitters and reflected back by the object or the radiation emitted from transmitters associated with the object, wherein the radiation is transmittable between any and each of the transmitters and any and each the at least one receiver;

a plurality of mutually different radiation paths, which are formed between at least a part of the transmitters, the object and the at least one receiver or between transmitters associated with the object and the at least one receiver,

a timing circuit for cycled switching of the transmitters of the different radiation paths,

an evaluation device, which converts the signals received by the at least one receiver for the different radiation paths into values for detection of the position and/or movement of the object along a line or in a surface,

wherein for three-dimensional detection of the position and/or movement of the object, the timing circuit switches the plurality of or at least a part of the transmitters and/or the at least one receiver in at least one further cycle such that the space, into which the transmitters emit, is illuminated nearly uniformly, and that the evaluation device determines a value for determination of a distance of the object from the line or surface on the basis of the radiation radiated or radiated back by the object during the further cycle.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one receiver and the transmitters lie in one plane.

3. Device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one receiver and the transmitters are disposed below an operating surface forming the surface, and that the transmitters and/or the at least one receiver emit into the space beyond the operating surface in a further cycle.

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein at least four transmitters are disposed in a cross-like arrangement, being operated alternately cycled crosswise for two-dimensional detection.

5. Device according to claim 1, wherein a further light source is disposed as transmitter in the vicinity of the at least one receiver so that the light of the further light source radiates into the receiver.

6. Device according to claim 1, wherein the radiation paths are light paths that are actuated alternately, and that the evaluation unit controls the power of the transmitters with a power control means essentially without delay such that a dc component without cycle-synchronous ac component is present at the receivers.

7. Device according to claim 1, wherein control elements are associated with the transmitters, which control elements have control voltages that are sampled and fed to a comparator for determination of a position value.

8. Device according to claim 1, wherein recognition elements are provided, which recognize the movement pattern when the surface is touched, and that storage means store a value of radiation emitted back as a reference value when the surface is touched.

9. Device according to claim 8, wherein comparison elements are provided, which determine the distance of the object from the surface by a comparison between the reference value and the current value.

10. Device according to claim 9, wherein a value occurring shortly before the object impinges upon the surface is stored as the reference value.

11. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device recognizes the approach of the object and effectively switches the position detection to be effective by changing the basic cycles.

12. Device according to claim 8, wherein the storage means stores the reference value and deletes it if a comparator determines that the current value falls below a given value or a value derived from the reference value.

13. Device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitters are disposed at the corners of the surface and the at least one receiver between the transmitters.

14. Device according to claim 13, wherein two respective transmitters disposed at adjacent corners of the surface together with the receivers located between them form a measurement unit, and that the transmitters and receivers lying opposite one another for determination of a respective value in x- or y-direction are operated alternately.

15. Device according to claim 1, wherein for determination of an x-value or a y-value of the position of the object in the surface, two receivers lying opposite one another relative to the surface are provided, which alternately supply measured values, which are averaged to determine the position.

16. Device according to claim 1, wherein identification fields that may be unequivocally assigned are formed in the surface and that on approach of the object to the identification field, recognition elements recognize the object and, depending on the identification field, reproduce a characteristic identification for the identification field and trigger a further function in the case where touching has occurred.

17. Device according to claim 1, wherein four light-emitting diodes illuminate the surface simultaneously and at least intermittently serve as receiver or compensating element.

18. Device according to claim 1, wherein the object is a body part, preferably a finger of a user, and that the surface is so small that the finger is essentially not shifted, but rolled for operation of an operating element.

19. Device according to claim 1, wherein the surface, which is of about equal size compared to a contact surface of the object, is round and arched.

20. Device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitters and the at least one receiver are disposed above the surface or radiate or receive light above the surface via light-conducting elements, wherein the medium separating the transmitters, receivers and the object is air or another medium, which the radiation may radiate through.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one receiver is a plurality of receivers.

22. Method for detecting the position and/or movement of an object optoelectronically with a device with

a plurality of transmitters for emitting radiation, wherein each of said plurality of transmitters is disposable in at least one of a plurality of different groups of transmitters, said different groups of transmitters being configured to emit radiation simultaneously and time shifted,

at least one receiver configured to receive the radiation emitted by the transmitters and reflected back by the object or the radiation emitted from transmitters associated with the object, wherein the radiation is transmittable between any and each of the transmitters and any and each the at least one receiver;

a plurality of mutually different radiation paths, which are formed between at least a part of the transmitters, the object and the at least one receiver or between transmitters associated with the object and the at least one receiver,

a timing circuit for cycled switching of the transmitters of the different radiation paths,

an evaluation device, which converts the signals received by the at least one receiver for the different radiation paths into values for detection of the position and/or movement of the object along a line or in a surface,

wherein for three-dimensional detection of the position and/or movement of the object, the timing circuit switches a plurality of, or at least a part of the transmitters and/or the at least one receiver in at least one further cycle such that the space, into which the transmitters emit, is illuminated nearly uniformly, and that the evaluation device determines a value for determination of a distance of the object from the line or surface on the basis of the radiation radiated or radiated back by the object during the further cycle.

23. Method according to claim 22, wherein the transmitters and/or the at least one receiver disposed below an operating surface forming the surface emit into the space beyond the operating surface in a further cycle.

24. Method according to claim 22, wherein at least four transmitters disposed in a cross-like arrangement are operated alternately cycled crosswise for two-dimensional detection.

25. Method according to claim 22, wherein in the further cycle a further light source as transmitter in the vicinity of the at least one receiver radiates light into the at least one receiver to compensate.

26. Method according to claim 22, wherein the radiation paths are light paths that are actuated alternately, and that the evaluation unit controls the power of the transmitters with a power control means essentially without delay such that a dc component without cycle-synchronous ac component is present at the at least one receiver.

27. Method according to claim 22, wherein for assessment of the position, control voltages are sampled at control elements associated with the respective transmitters and fed to a comparator for determination of the value.

28. Method according to claim 22, characterized in that recognition elements recognize the movement pattern when the surface is touched, and that storage means store the determined value of radiation emitted back as a reference value.

29. Method according to claim 28, wherein comparison elements determine the distance of the object from the surface by a comparison between the reference value and the current value.

30. Method according to claim 29, wherein a value occurring shortly before the object impinges upon the surface is stored as the reference value.

31. Method according to claim 22, wherein the device recognizes the approach of the object and effectively switches the position detection to be effective by changing the basic cycles.

32. Method according to claim 28, wherein the storage means stores the reference value and deletes it again if a comparator determines that the current value falls below a given value or a value derived from the reference value.

33. Method according to claim 22, wherein two respective transmitters disposed at adjacent corners of the surface together with the receivers located between them form a measurement unit, and that the transmitters and receivers lying opposite one another for determination of a respective value in x- or y-direction are operated alternately.

34. Method according to claim 22, wherein for determination of an x-value or a y-value of the position of the object in the surface, two receivers lying opposite one another relative to the surface alternately supply measured values, which are averaged to determine the position.

35. Method according to claim 22, wherein on approach of the object to at least one identification field that is unequivocally assigned and is formed in the surface, a recognition elements recognize the object and, depending on the identification field, reproduce a characteristic identification for the identification field and trigger a further function in the case where touching has occurred.

36. Method according to claim 22, wherein the object is a body part, preferably a finger of a user, and that the surface is so small that the finger is essentially not shifted, but rolled for operation of an operating element.

37. The method of claim 22, wherein said at least one receiver is a plurality of receivers.