Optical pointing system and related method

• US 8,830,170 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2012
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Inventors: Kao, Ming-Tsan, Huang, Chao-Chien, Liang, Chia-Cheun, Ko, Yi-Hsien
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US13/472,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20130050079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-158, 345/169, 348/734, 178/41.R
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0325 using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image

Abstract

An optical pointing system includes a plurality of light sources, an image receiver, and an analyzing unit. The plurality of light sources are disposed on multiple locations of an object and configured to provide light having distinct wavelengths. The image receiver is configured to detect optical signals of the plurality of light sources, thereby generating a plurality of corresponding images. The analyzing unit is configured to calculate a relative position or angle of the image receiver with respect to the object according to the images.

Claims

1. An optical pointing system, comprising:

a first light source disposed on a first location of an object and configured to provide a first light whose wavelength is within a first predetermined range;

a second light source disposed on a second location of the object and configured to provide a second light whose wavelength is within a second predetermined range different from the first predetermined range;

an image receiver comprising;

a first optical detector configured to detect optical signals of the first light source for generating a corresponding first image, the first optical detector including at least one pixel covered by a first optical coating for blocking light whose wavelength is not within the first predetermined range; and

a second optical detector configured to detect optical signals of the second light source for generating a corresponding second image, the second optical detector including at least one pixel covered by a second optical coating for blocking light whose wavelength is not within the second predetermined range; and

an analyzing unit configured to acquire a relative position of the image receiver with respect to the object according to at least the first image and the second image.

2. The optical pointing system of claim 1, further comprising:

an adjusting unit configured to adjust a first lighting period of the first light source and a second lighting period of the second light source.

3. The optical pointing system of claim 2, further comprising:

an ambient light detector configured to detect a background optical signal of the optical pointing system in operation and acquire the first and second lighting periods according to the background optical signal.

4. The optical pointing system of claim 2, wherein the image receiver is further configured to detect a background optical signal of the optical pointing system in operation and acquire the first and second lighting periods according to the background optical signal.

5. The optical pointing system of claim 1, wherein each of the first light source and the second light source is a visible light sources having a specific color or an infrared light source having a specific frequency.

6. The optical pointing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third light source disposed on a third location of the object and configured to provide a third light whose wavelength is within a third predetermined range different from the first predetermined range or the second predetermined range, wherein;

the image receiver further comprises a third optical detector configured to detect optical signals of the third light source for generating a corresponding third image, the third optical detector including at least one pixel covered by a third optical coating for blocking light whose wavelength is not within the third predetermined range; and

the analyzing unit is further configured to acquire the relative position of the image receiver with respect to the object according to the first image, the second image and the third image.

7. A method of performing optical pointing, comprising:

providing a first light whose wavelength is within a first predetermined range on a first location of an object;

providing a second light whose wavelength is within a second predetermined range different from the first predetermined range on a second location of the object;

a first optical detector of an image receiver detecting optical signals of the first light and blocking light whose wavelength is not within the first predetermined range for generating a corresponding first image;

a second optical detector of the image receiver detecting optical signals of the second light and blocking light whose wavelength is not within the second predetermined range for generating a corresponding second image; and

acquiring a relative position of the image receiver with respect to the object according to at least the first image and the second image.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

providing the first light having a first lighting period on the first location of the object; and

providing the second light having a second lighting period on the second location of the object.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

detecting a background optical signal; and

acquiring the first lighting period and the second lighting period according to the background optical signal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first lighting period and the second lighting period are different from a lighting period of the background optical signal.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

providing a third light whose wavelength is within a third predetermined range different from the first predetermined range or the second predetermined range on a third location of the object;

a third optical detector of the image receiver detecting optical signals of the third light and blocking light whose wavelength is not within the third predetermined range for generating a corresponding third image; and

acquiring the relative position of the image receiver with respect to the object according to the first image, the second image and the third image.