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Class 345/166 - Optical detector


Subclass of Class 345 - Computer graphics processing and selective visual display systems
Definition: Subject matter wherein the mouse includes photosensors for
No. of patents: 530
Last issue date: 05/15/2012


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NumberTitleIssue Date
6933919Pointing device with storage
A computer pointing device employs memory for the storage of data allowing information to be copied from one computer to another without the need for a network or removable media such as a floppy disk. In a first aspect, the pointing device may be linked to multiple...
08/23/2005
6934037System and method for optical navigation using a projected fringe technique
A method for determining relative movement between an optical navigation device and a navigation terrain includes generating two overlapping coherent optical beams, and generating a pattern of interference fringes between the two overlapping optical beams. The metho...
08/23/2005
6927759Optical mouse with uniform light projection
An optical mouse includes a bottom casing, a top cover mounted to the bottom casing to define an interior space. A circuit board and a lens set are located in the interior space. The bottom casing has an opening. A detecting device is mounted to the circuit board. A...
08/09/2005
6927758Optical detection system, device, and method utilizing optical matching
An optical detection system and method detects movement of an optical pointing device in a data processing environment. The system works with any surface than can diffusely scatter a collimated beam from a coherent light source. Specifically, the system comprises a ...
08/09/2005
6915103System for enhancing books with special paper
A system for enhancement of books or other reading material includes an item of reading material, printed on a substrate having a substantially invisible, machine-readable coordinate grid. A pointing device is configured to detect the coordinate grid on the substrat...
07/05/2005
69067003D controller with vibration
A hand operated controller or converter structured for allowing hand inputs to be converted or translated into electrical outputs, the controller structured with a plate or platform moveable relative to a base or housing about two mutually perpendicular axes general...
06/14/2005
6906699Input unit, method for using the same and input system
An input unit has a mouse function and at least one inputting function. The input unit comprises image-recording means (8) which record images. These images are used for providing both the mouse function and the inputting function. The images are processed in...
06/14/2005
6903721Method and apparatus for compensating for position slip in interface devices
Method and apparatus for compensating for position slip in interface devices that may occur between a manipulandum and a sensor of the device due to a mechanical transmission. A device position delta is determined from a sensed position of a manipulandum of an inter...
06/07/2005
6903726Method and system for determining positions on a document
The invention comprises an information carrier on which the position of a measuring point (37, 41) may be determined using a mobile readout device, as well as an attendant method of determining a position wherein the information carrier features a surface ont...
06/07/2005
6900793High resolution input detection
A method and system for determining the position of a movable member in an electronic input device within a predefined resolution. Two offset signals indicate the position of the movable member. The time required for each signal to cross a threshold level is measure...
05/31/2005
6894662Photoelectric switch
A multifunctional photoelectric switch comprises a display section for displaying a first display information and a second display information. The first display information includes a plurality of items concerning a threshold value and the second display informatio...
05/17/2005
6879316Pointing device with pressure sensitive resistor
An input device with a pressure-sensitive element using a pressure sensing resistor. A solid elastomeric material is mounted over the pressure sensing resistor to transfer a force from the user's finger to the pressure sensitive resistor without visible deformation ...
04/12/2005
6864880Device and method for communication
A product for electronic transmission of handwritten information, a user unit for recording and sending the information, and a computer program for controlling a user unit are disclosed. The product may include at least one writing area for the handwritten informati...
03/08/2005
6859199Method and apparatus for determining relative movement in an optical mouse using feature extraction
A method of determining a movement vector between two images is disclosed. The method comprises capturing a first image using a sensor array. Next, a first feature set is extracted from the first image. A second image subsequent in time from the first image is captu...
02/22/2005
6853366Articulator and optical detection cursor positioning device
A cursor positioning device that can be sealed if the environment requires sealing, that can withstand harsh use, and can position the cursor easily and quickly. In operation the where the operator places their fingers on the positioning articulator and rocks or sli...
02/08/2005
6847353Multiple sensor device and method
A system, method, and method of manufacturing directed to an optical device with increased accuracy in tracking ability. The increased accuracy can be achieved by using a multiple sensor system. A second sensor is added to the optical device. The second sensor incre...
01/25/2005
6847356Coordinate input device and its control method, and computer readable memory
A device has a projection type image display unit which has a projection lens and generates a coordinate input screen, and linear sensors for sensing an image of a beam spot, and computes a coordinate value corresponding to the beam spot on the basis of information ...
01/25/2005
6844873Reverse cantilever assembly for input devices
A computer pointing device, such as a mouse or trackball, includes a reverse cantilever button assembly to match strength-related variations in user hand size. In one embodiment a button assembly is built with two cantilever beams, the fulcrums for each beam being a...
01/18/2005
6833825Apparatus for remotely controlling a digital processing system
According to one aspect of the invention an apparatus is provided for remotely controlling a digital processing system, comprising a housing, a scrolling detector, a cursor positioning detector, and a transmitter. The housing has a wall having an outer scrolling sur...
12/21/2004
6831628Input device off table switch
According to one aspect of the invention, a movable cursor control device is provided for controlling a cursor on a display screen of a digital processing system. One exemplary cursor control device comprises a housing, an electromagnetic emitting device coupled to ...
12/14/2004
6819314Intensity flattener for optical mouse sensors
A method and apparatus for flattening the illumination intensity over an optical sensor is disclosed. The intensity of light off the axis from a lens is less than the light on axis by a factor of cos4θ, where θ is the angle from the lens exit pupil to t...
11/16/2004
6816150Data input device power management including beacon state
Power management is provided in a user operated data input device utilizing proximity sensing and switching between three or more power states. Switching between the power states occurs based upon the presence or absence of input activity, and an operation instrumen...
11/09/2004
6816154Optical sensor based user interface for a portable electronic device
An apparatus and method are described herein, which simultaneously promotes a positive computing experience for users of portable computer systems and increases overall durability and longevity thereof. In one embodiment, an optical apparatus enhances the user compu...
11/09/2004
6809723Pushbutton optical screen pointing device
An apparatus for controlling the position of a screen pointer for an electronic device having a display screen includes a pushbutton for selecting an item displayed on the display screen. The pushbutton includes an imaging surface against which a portion of the tip ...
10/26/2004
6809661Keypad device
A keypad device for telephones, mobile phones, remote control units, text and character transmitters, calculators, electronic planners or the like, wherein a control element, when actuated manually by an operator, is adapted to be able to carry out at least two func...
10/26/2004
6803608Light emitting diode used as an illuminant of an image sensor
An LED is used as an illuminant of an image sensor and includes a fabricated block, a first electrode and a second electrode contained in the fabricated block for transmitting an electric current to a PN surface of a semiconductor that is contained in the fabricated...
10/12/2004
6795056System and method for reducing power consumption in an optical screen pointing device
An apparatus for controlling the position of a screen pointer for an electronic device having a display screen includes a light source for illuminating an imaging surface, thereby generating reflected images. The apparatus includes a motion transducer. A lens receiv...
09/21/2004
6781572Optical pointing device, control method thereof and computer program product recording the same
To provide an optical pointing device capable of being provided as a device of short stature, being used integrally with an apparatus having a limited stature and a limited space, reducing cost and improving reliability. A pointing board has an X axis line pattern a...
08/24/2004
6774351Low-power surface for an optical sensor
A surface having specular regions shaped to reflect incident light toward an optical sensor provides an ideal surface to be scanned by an optical mouse. When light is shined upon the surface, the reflections off of the specular regions appear as white points in the ...
08/10/2004
6770863Apparatus and method for three-dimensional relative movement sensing
An apparatus for sensing three-dimensional relative movement includes a movable motion sensor including a first and a second two-dimensional array of photo detectors. At least one lens directs far-field images onto the first and the second arrays of photo detectors....
08/03/2004
6765555Passive optical mouse using image sensor with optional dual mode capability
A passive optical mouse is provided. The mouse does not require an interrogating light source. Instead, the mouse includes a sensor array and lens assembly that captures ambient images from arbitrary sources. A comparison is made between successive images to determi...
07/20/2004
6762751Optical pointing device
An optical pointing device includes a base which can be a casing of a peripheral device of a computer system having a display using a cursor or a portion of a display system using a cursor. The base defines a cavity having an opening in a surface of the base. An opt...
07/13/2004
6753851Optical mouse having dynamic range
An optical mouse of a dynamic range has an analog/digital (A/D) converter having an input range adjusted based on an input range control signal, the A/D converter receiving an input signal over the adjusted input range and converting the received signal into digital...
06/22/2004
6750846Sensing device for optical pointing devices such as an optical mouse
There is described a sensing device for an optical pointing device comprising a plurality of pixels, each one of the pixels comprising a photosensitive element for generating a pixel output signal in response to radiation reflected from an illuminated portion of a s...
06/15/2004
6741335Optical translation measurement
A method for determining the relative motion of a surface with respect to a measurement device including placing a partially transmitting object, which is part of the measuring device, adjacent to the surface; illuminating the surface with incident illumination, whi...
05/25/2004
6741234Optical mouse using a total reflection prism
Disclosed is an optical mouse which can move a cursor on a display screen of a computer system by totally reflecting light, which is emitted from a light source and is reflected upon a surface after transmitting a glass, using a prism and varying a light path to con...
05/25/2004
6715687Pen and system for writing encoded lines
A writing pen that forms a line of ink from a sequence of small line segments of at least two lengths in a pattern that encodes information in the line. The information includes the location and time of writing, a pen identifier, and a pen usage counter. This allows...
04/06/2004
6710767Coordinate input apparatus
A first cylindrical lens and a first linear sensor are constructed on the X axis, a second cylindrical lens and a second linear sensor are constructed on the Y axis, the X and Y axes are orthogonal, and the image width of a beam spot formed by each of the first and ...
03/23/2004
6710768Integrated multi-function computer input device
An input device functions as both a pointing device and a scanning device. The input device can have a switch with a first position in which the input device functions as a pointing device and a second position in which the input device functions as a scanning devic...
03/23/2004
6707027Method of measuring the movement of an input device
An optical input device for an apparatus generates input signals by moving the device and an object (15) relative to each other and measures the movement by the effects of self-mixing in a diode laser (3, 5) and Doppler shift caused by the movement. Fo...
03/16/2004
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