Optical mouse with uniform level detection

• US 7,791,590 B1
• Filed: 06/08/2005
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies ECBU IP Singapore Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Badyal, Rajeev, Knee, Derek L., Gordon, Gary B., Hartlove, Jason T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar; Srilakshmi K
• Application Number:
  US11/147,838
• Time in Patent Office: 1,917 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 250/221, 250/208.1, 348/169, 348/170, 382/103, 382/236
• US Class Current: 345/166
• 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
• 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 3/0346 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 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

An optical mouse includes a housing movable across a work surface with a source of non-coherent light in the movable housing for illuminating the work surface at a low or grazing angle of incidence, and may include a two dimensional array of photodetectors, each of which may produce an output in response to light reflected from surface irregularities on the illuminated work surface. The housing may include a memory for storing the photodetector outputs captured at one or more times. Circuitry in the housing may track movement of the housing relative to the work surface by comparing at least some of the photo detector outputs captured at a first time with at least some of the photo detector outputs captured at a second time depending upon whether a characteristic condition in the photo detector outputs, such as uniformity, is detected. The circuitry may track movement of the housing by comparing light reflected from the surface irregularities a first time with light reflected there from at a second time unless a detectable image is not included therein.

Claims

1. An optical mouse for controlling the position of a pointer on a screen, the optical mouse comprising:

a housing movable across a work surface;

a source of light in the movable housing for illuminating the work surface;

a two dimensional array of photo detectors in the housing, each of the photo detectors producing an output representing light received by the photo detectors; and

circuitry in the housing to track movement of the housing relative to the work surface by comparing data derived from at least some of the photo detector outputs captured at a first time with data derived from at least some of the photo detector outputs captured at a second time, wherein the circuitry determines if the optical mouse is airborne by evaluating data derived from at least some of the photo detector outputs and suppresses motion signals to a computer if it is determined that the optical mouse is airborne.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the work surface is illuminated at a low angle of incidence by the source of light.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the source of light is a source of non-coherent light.

4. An optical mouse for controlling the position of a pointer on a screen, the optical mouse comprising:

a housing movable across a work surface;

a source of light in the movable housing for illuminating the work surface;

a two dimensional array of photo detectors in the housing, each of the photo detectors producing an output representing light received by the photo detectors; and

circuitry in the housing to track movement of the housing relative to the work surface by comparing data derived from at least some of the photo detector outputs captured at a first time with data derived from at least some of the photo detector outputs captured at a second time, wherein the circuitry determines if the optical mouse is suitably proximate to the work surface by evaluating data derived from at least some of the photo detector outputs and triggers a hold feature if it is determined that the optical mouse is not suitably proximate the work surface, wherein during the hold feature, sending of motion signals to a computer is suspended.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein the work surface is illuminated at a low angle of incidence by the source of light.

6. The invention of claim 4 wherein the source of light is a source of non-coherent light.

7. An optical mouse for controlling the position of a pointer on a screen, the optical mouse comprising:

a housing movable across a work surface;

a source of light in the movable housing for illuminating the work surface;

a two dimensional array of photo detectors in the housing, each of the photo detectors producing an output representing light received by the photo detectors; and

circuitry in the housing to track movement of the housing relative to the work surface by comparing data derived from at least some of the photo detector outputs captured at a first time with data derived from at least some of the photo detector outputs captured at a second time, wherein the circuitry determines if the optical mouse has been lifted from the work surface by evaluating data derived from at least some of the photo detector outputs and triggers a hold feature if it is determined that the optical mouse has been lifted from the work surface, wherein during the hold feature, sending of motion signals to a computer is suspended.