Optical navigation system having a filter-window to seal an enclosure thereof

• US 8,558,163 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2011
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Zarem, Harold
• Primary Examiner(s): Sohn, Seung C
• Application Number:
  US13/069,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20110248153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 250/216, 250/221, 345/163, 345/166
• US Class Current: 250/221
• 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

An optical navigation system and method are provided. In one embodiment, the system includes: (i) a coherent light source to emit light to illuminate a portion of a finger; and (ii) a detector to receive light reflected from the portion of the finger, the detector including a speckle-based sensor configured to sense movement of the finger relative to the detector based on changes in a complex interference pattern created by the light reflected from the portion of the finger. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. An optical navigation system comprising:

a coherent light source to emit light to illuminate a portion of a finger;

a window covering the light source so that light emitted from the light source is transmitted through the window to illuminate the portion of the finger; and

a detector to receive through the window light reflected from the portion of the finger, the detector including a speckle-based sensor configured to sense movement of the finger relative to the detector based on changes in a complex interference pattern created by the light reflected from the portion of the finger.

2. The optical navigation system of claim 1, wherein the window is a filter-window that is substantially transparent to a wavelength of light emitted by the coherent light source.

3. The optical navigation system of claim 2, wherein the filter-window comprises multiple layers including at least two filtering layers substantially non-transparent to light having wavelengths other than wavelengths of light emitted by the coherent light source.

4. The optical navigation system of claim 2, wherein the filter-window is substantially non-transparent to environmental light which may fall thereon in operation of the optical navigation system.

5. The optical navigation system of claim 2, wherein the filter-window and is substantially transparent to Infra-Red (IR) light, and is substantially non-transparent to light having shorter wavelengths.

6. The optical navigation system of claim 2, wherein the window comprises a plastic, glassine or crystalline material.

7. The optical navigation system of claim 1, wherein the speckle-based sensor comprises an array of photosensitive elements.

8. The optical navigation system of claim 1, wherein the speckle-based sensor comprises multiple arrays of photosensitive elements.

9. The optical navigation system of claim 8, further comprising multiple coherent light sources.

10. The optical navigation system of claim 1, wherein the coherent light source comprises a laser.

11. The optical navigation system of claim 1, wherein the detector is configured to sense movement of the finger when the finger is in contact with the window.

12. An optical navigation system comprising:

a coherent light source to emit light to illuminate a portion of a surface

a detector to receive light reflected from the portion of the surface, the detector including a speckle-based sensor configured to sense movement of the surface relative to the detector based on changes in a complex interference pattern created by the light reflected from the portion of the surface; and

a filter-window through which light reflected from the portion of the surface is transmitted to the detector, the filter-window comprising a first filter and a second filter substantially non-transparent to light having wavelengths other than a wavelength of light emitted from the light source.

13. The optical navigation system of claim 12, wherein the filter-window is substantially transparent to Infra-Red (IR) light, and is substantially non-transparent to light having shorter wavelengths.

14. The optical navigation system of claim 12, wherein the filter-window also covers the light source so that light emitted from the light source is transmitted through the window to illuminate the portion of the surface.

15. The optical navigation system of claim 12, wherein the first filter blocks light having wavelengths shorter than the wavelength of the light source.

16. The optical navigation system of claim 15, wherein the second filter blocks light having wavelengths longer than the wavelength of the light source.

17. The optical navigation system of claim 12, wherein the detector is configured to sense movement of the finger when the finger is in contact with the filter-window.

18. A method comprising:

illuminating through a window a portion of a finger touching the window using a coherent light source; and

detecting, at a detector, a complex interference pattern created by light reflected from the illuminated portion of the finger through the window; and

detecting movement of the finger relative to the detector based on changes in the detected complex interference pattern created by the light reflected from the illuminated portion of the finger.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the window is a filter-window, and wherein detecting at the detector the complex interference pattern created by light reflected from the illuminated portion of the finger comprises receiving light reflected from the portion of the finger to the detector through the filter-window comprising multiple layers including at least two filtering layers that are substantially non-transparent to light having wavelengths other than a wavelength of light emitted from the light source.