Movement detection device capable of detecting three-dimensional motions

• US 9,274,051 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2013
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Inventors: Hsu, En Feng
• Primary Examiner(s): Legasse, Jr., Francis M
• Application Number:
  US14/109,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20140151537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/55 Specular reflectivity
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/58 Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport

Abstract

The present invention relates to a movement detection device for detecting a movement of an object in a space range. The movement detection device includes a light source, a light guiding element, at least two light sensing elements and a processing unit. The light sensing elements have an offset therebetween along a first direction such that the object, when moving in the space range, reflects the light from the light source sequentially to the light sensing elements through the light guiding element. The processing unit identifies the movement of the object along the first direction according to a sequence that the light sensing elements detect the light reflected by the object.

Claims

1. A movement detection device configured to detect a movement of an object in a space range, the movement detection device comprising:

a light source configured to emit light along an optical axis;

a light guiding element;

at least two light sensing elements laid out on a surface of a same substrate and having an offset therebetween along a first direction such that the object, when moving in the space range, reflects the light from the light source sequentially to the light sensing elements through the light guiding element; and

a processing unit configured to

identify the movement of the object along the first direction according to a sequence in which the light sensing elements detect light reflected by the object,

identify a motion of the object along the optical axis according to an intensity variation of the light reflected by the object and detected by the light sensing elements, and

identify a single click when the intensity variation detected within a predetermined time interval changes from dark to bright once and from bright to dark once.

2. The movement detection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light guiding element is a lens or an element having a pinhole.

3. The movement detection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the light source is configured to emit the light at an emission angle, and

the space range is determined according to the emission angle, a layout of the light sensing elements and a space relationship between the light source and the light guiding element.

4. The movement detection device as claimed in claim 1, comprising a first light sensing element, a second light sensing element and a third light sensing element, the first light sensing element and the second light sensing element having no offset therebetween along a first direction and having an offset therebetween along a second direction, the first light sensing element and the second light sensing element respectively having an offset along the first direction and the second direction with respect to the third light sensing element, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

5. The movement detection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to identify the motion of the object according to a number of times that the object appears in the space range within a predetermined time interval.

6. The movement detection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to identify a double click when the intensity variation detected within another predetermined time interval changes from dark to bright and from bright to dark twice.

7. The movement detection device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the processing unit is configured to identify the movement of the object along the first direction and the second direction according to a sequence in which the first light sensing element, the second light sensing element and the third light sensing element detect the light reflected by the object.

8. The movement detection device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the space range is a three-dimensional space defined by the first direction, the second direction and the optical axis.

9. A movement detection device configured to detect a movement of an object in a space range, the movement detection device comprising:

a light source configured to emit light along an optical axis;

a light guiding element;

at least two light sensing elements laid out on a surface of a same substrate and having an offset therebetween along a first direction such that the object, when moving in the space range, reflects the light from the light source sequentially to the light sensing elements through the light guiding element; and

a processing unit configured to

identify the movement of the object along the first direction according to a sequence in which the light sensing elements detect light reflected by the object,

identify a motion of the object along the optical axis according to an intensity variation of the light reflected by the object and detected by the light sensing elements, and

identify a double click when the intensity variation detected within a predetermined time interval changes from dark to bright and from bright to dark twice.

10. The movement detection device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the light guiding element is a lens or an element having a pinhole.

11. The movement detection device as claimed in claim 9, wherein

the light source is configured to emit the light at an emission angle, and

the space range is determined according to the emission angle, a layout of the light sensing elements and a space relationship between the light source and the light guiding element.

12. The movement detection device as claimed in claim 9, comprising a first light sensing element, a second light sensing element and a third light sensing element, the first light sensing element and the second light sensing element having no offset therebetween along a first direction and having an offset therebetween along a second direction, the first light sensing element and the second light sensing element respectively having an offset along the first direction and the second direction with respect to the third light sensing element, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

13. The movement detection device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the processing unit is configured to identify the movement of the object along the first direction and the second direction according to a sequence in which the first light sensing element, the second light sensing element and the third light sensing element detect the light reflected by the object.

14. The movement detection device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the space range is a three-dimensional space defined by the first direction, the second direction and the optical axis.