System and method for performing optical navigation using scattered light
First Claim
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1. A system for performing optical navigation, the system comprising;
- a light source positioned to emit an illumination beam of light along a first optical axis onto a target surface at a nonzero angle of incidence with respect to the normal to the target surface to produce a specularly reflected beam of light along a second optical axis from the target surface and to produce scattered light along a third optical axis from the target surface;
an image sensor array positioned to receive the scattered light from the target surface about the third optical axis, the third optical axis being offset by a predefined angle from the second optical axis of the specularly reflected beam of light, the third optical axis being positioned at a nonzero angle with respect to the normal to the target surface, the image sensor array being further positioned such that most or all of the specularly reflected beam of light does not strike the image sensor array, the image sensor array being configured to produce frames of image data from the received scattered light, the image sensor array being positioned to receive the scattered light about the third optical axis, where the third optical axis is offset by the predefined angle of five to twenty-five degrees from the second optical axis; and
a processor operably connected to the image sensor array to receive and correlate the frames of image data to estimate displacement with respect to the target surface when the target surface is a glass-like surface with small perturbations that produces the scattered light at angles near the third optical axis.
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Abstract
A system and method for performing optical navigation uses scattered light to produce frames of image data to estimate displacement with respect to a target surface. The scattered light is produced from an illumination beam of light emitted along a first optical axis onto the target surface. The illumination beam of light also produces a specularly reflected beam of light along a second optical axis. The scattered light about a third optical axis, which is offset by a predefined angle with respect to the second optical axis, is received at an image sensor array to produce the frames of image.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for performing optical navigation, the system comprising;
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a light source positioned to emit an illumination beam of light along a first optical axis onto a target surface at a nonzero angle of incidence with respect to the normal to the target surface to produce a specularly reflected beam of light along a second optical axis from the target surface and to produce scattered light along a third optical axis from the target surface; an image sensor array positioned to receive the scattered light from the target surface about the third optical axis, the third optical axis being offset by a predefined angle from the second optical axis of the specularly reflected beam of light, the third optical axis being positioned at a nonzero angle with respect to the normal to the target surface, the image sensor array being further positioned such that most or all of the specularly reflected beam of light does not strike the image sensor array, the image sensor array being configured to produce frames of image data from the received scattered light, the image sensor array being positioned to receive the scattered light about the third optical axis, where the third optical axis is offset by the predefined angle of five to twenty-five degrees from the second optical axis; and a processor operably connected to the image sensor array to receive and correlate the frames of image data to estimate displacement with respect to the target surface when the target surface is a glass-like surface with small perturbations that produces the scattered light at angles near the third optical axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for performing optical navigation, the system comprising;
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a light source positioned to emit an illumination beam of light along a first optical axis onto a target surface at a nonzero angle of incidence with respect to the normal to the target surface to produce a specularly reflected beam of light along a second optical axis from the target surface and to produce scattered light along a third optical axis from the target surface; an image sensor with an array of photosensitive elements positioned to receive the scattered light from the target surface about the third optical axis at the array of photosensitive elements, the third optical axis being offset by a predefined angle from the second optical axis of the specularly reflected beam of light, the third optical axis being positioned at a nonzero angle with respect to the normal to the target surface, the image sensor being further positioned such that most or all of the specularly reflected beam of light does not strike the array of photosensitive elements, the image sensor being configured to produce frames of image data from the received scattered light; collection optics positioned between the target surface and the image sensor to optically manipulate the scattered light about the third optical axis onto the array of photosensitive elements, the image sensor being positioned to receive the scattered light about the third optical axis from the collection optics at the array of photosensitive elements, where the third optical axis is offset by the predefined angle of five to twenty-five degrees from the second optical axis; and a processor operably connected to the image sensor to receive and correlate the frames of image data to estimate displacement with respect to the target surface when the target surface is a glass-like surface with small perturbations that produces the scattered light at angles near the third optical axis. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for performing optical navigation, the method comprising:
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emitting an illumination beam of light along a first optical axis onto a target surface at a nonzero angle of incidence with respect to the normal to the target surface to produce a specularly reflected beam of light along a second optical axis from the target surface and to produce scattered light along a third optical axis from the target surface; receiving the scattered light from the target surface about the third optical axis at an image sensor array that is positioned such that most or all of the specularly reflected beam of light does not strike the image sensor array, the third optical axis being offset by a predefined angle from the second optical axis of the specularly reflected beam of light, the third optical axis being positioned at a nonzero angle with respect to the normal to the target surface and wherein the predefined angle is five to twenty-five degrees; and accumulating electrical signals at the image sensor array to produce frames of image data in response to the received scattered light to estimate displacement with respect to the target surface when the target surface is a glass-like surface with small perturbations that produces the scattered light at angles near the third optical axis. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification