Optical input using internal reflection surfaces
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An optical navigation device, comprising:
- a radiation source capable of producing a beam of radiation;
a sensor for receiving an image; and
an optical element for identifying movement of a feature to thereby enable a control action to be carried out;
wherein the optical element comprises at least one biconic surface for directing radiation from the radiation source to at least one F-TIR surface, wherein the at least one biconic surface and the F-TIR surface are angled with respect to each other;
wherein the optical element comprises at least one additional planar surface for directing radiation from the F-TIR surface to the sensor, wherein the at least one additional planar surface and the F-TIR surface are angled with respect to each other;
wherein the radiation measured at the sensor is radiation which is totally internally reflected at the at least one biconic surface, the F-TIR surface, and the at least one additional planar surface;
wherein an imaged area of the F-TIR surface is stretched along a first direction corresponding to a direction of a longitudinal axis of the imaged area, and the image received on the sensor is compressed along the longitudinal axis; and
wherein radiation from the F-TIR surface is reflected off the at least one additional planar surface and focused on the sensor between a circle of least confusion and a position where spatial frequencies in a second direction appear sharper than spatial frequencies in said first direction.
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Abstract
An optical navigation device for a computer application includes a radiation source capable of producing a beam of radiation, a sensor for receiving an image, and an optical element for identifying movement of the feature to thereby enable a computer action to be carried out. The optical element is formed from a single piece and includes at least one frustrated total internal reflection (F-TIR) surface capable of affecting frustrated total internal reflection of the beam of radiation in the presence of the feature to thereby generate the image.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. An optical navigation device, comprising:
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a radiation source capable of producing a beam of radiation; a sensor for receiving an image; and an optical element for identifying movement of a feature to thereby enable a control action to be carried out; wherein the optical element comprises at least one biconic surface for directing radiation from the radiation source to at least one F-TIR surface, wherein the at least one biconic surface and the F-TIR surface are angled with respect to each other; wherein the optical element comprises at least one additional planar surface for directing radiation from the F-TIR surface to the sensor, wherein the at least one additional planar surface and the F-TIR surface are angled with respect to each other; wherein the radiation measured at the sensor is radiation which is totally internally reflected at the at least one biconic surface, the F-TIR surface, and the at least one additional planar surface; wherein an imaged area of the F-TIR surface is stretched along a first direction corresponding to a direction of a longitudinal axis of the imaged area, and the image received on the sensor is compressed along the longitudinal axis; and wherein radiation from the F-TIR surface is reflected off the at least one additional planar surface and focused on the sensor between a circle of least confusion and a position where spatial frequencies in a second direction appear sharper than spatial frequencies in said first direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A device, comprising:
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an optical navigation device, comprising; a radiation source capable of producing a beam of radiation; a sensor for receiving an image; an optical element for identifying movement of a feature to thereby enable a control action to be carried out; wherein the optical element is formed from a single piece construction and includes at least one frustrated total internal reflection (F-TIR) surface capable of causing frustrated total internal reflection of the beam of radiation in the presence of the feature to thereby generate the image which is capable of being translated into said control action; wherein the optical element comprises at least one biconic surface for directing radiation from the radiation source to the at least one F-TIR surface, wherein the at least one biconic surface and the at least one F-TIR surface are angled with respect to each other; wherein the optical element comprises at least one folded surface for directing radiation from the at least one F-TIR surface to the sensor, wherein the at least one folded surface and the at least one F-TIR surface are angled with respect to each other; and wherein the radiation measured at the sensor is radiation which is totally internally reflected at the at least one biconic surface, the at least one F-TIR surface and the at least one folded surface. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An optical device, comprising:
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a first surface adapted to receive an input beam of radiation; a second surface adapted to output an image; a third surface to which a feature to be detected is applied; an optical element having an outer surface defined at least in part by the first, second and third surfaces, the optical element further comprising; a) a frustrated total internal reflection (F-TIR) surface associated with the third surface; b) a first internal reflecting surface comprising a biconic surface adapted to reflect the input beam of radiation received at the first surface towards the frustrated total internal reflection (F-TIR) surface; and c) a second internal reflecting surface comprising a planar or folded surface adapted to reflect the image on frustrated total internal reflection (F-TIR) surface for output at the second surface. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification