Dynamic Pixel Array Reconfiguration for Optical Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical navigation sensors with fixed pixel arrays struggle to adapt to various types of surfaces, leading to suboptimal performance on different imaged scenes due to inadequate light sensitivity and tracking errors from repetitive patterns.
Innovation Solution
An optical navigation circuit with dynamic reconfiguration logic and a digital signal processor that adjusts pixel array configurations based on incident light analysis, generating reconfigured electrical signals to improve motion tracking on diverse surfaces through binning, cropping, and variable gain modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If larger pixel sizes are used, then light sensitivity is improved for operation on dark surfaces, but resolution for surfaces with small features deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic pixel array reconfiguration where the system can switch between different pixel configurations (e.g., 1x1 pixels for high light sensitivity on dark surfaces, or 2x2 pixel blocks for improved resolution on surfaces with small features). This dynamic adaptation allows the same hardware to optimize for different imaging requirements without physical reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the effective pixel size parameter dynamically by binning adjacent pixels together. When high resolution is needed, the system uses individual pixels; when high light sensitivity is needed, the system combines multiple pixels into larger effective pixels. This parameter change allows optimization for different surface types without hardware modification.
2Device complexity
If fixed pixel array characteristics are used, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different types of scenes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic reconfiguration logic that allows the pixel array to change its characteristics based on the imaged scene. The system analyzes the scene and automatically selects the appropriate pixel configuration (e.g., individual pixels for high-resolution surfaces, binned pixels for low-light surfaces), providing adaptability without requiring multiple fixed pixel arrays.
Solution Approach 2:
The same pixel array hardware is made multi-functional by enabling it to perform multiple imaging functions through dynamic reconfiguration. The array can serve as a high-resolution sensor, a high-light-sensitivity sensor, or intermediate configurations depending on the scene requirements, eliminating the need for multiple specialized sensors.
3Measurement precision
If specific pixel pitch is used, then tracking accuracy is improved for certain surfaces, but performance on highly repetitive surfaces deteriorates due to motion indistinguishability from pattern repetition
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the pixel pitch effectively by changing the binning configuration. When encountering repetitive surfaces, the system can switch to a different pixel sampling pattern or adjust the effective pitch to break the periodicity aliasing, allowing reliable tracking even on highly repetitive patterns like halftones.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances the adaptability and accuracy of optical navigation by dynamically reconfiguring pixel arrays to optimize light sensitivity and feature resolution across different surfaces, reducing tracking errors and improving motion detection.
Implementation Method 1
The image sensor includes a pixel array to generate a plurality of electrical signals corresponding to incident light at the pixel array
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of an apparatus are described. In one embodiment, the apparatus is an optical navigation circuit. In particular, the optical navigation circuit may be part of an optical navigation device. The optical navigation circuit includes an image sensor, dynamic reconfiguration logic, and a digital signal processor. The image sensor includes a pixel array to generate a plurality of electrical signals corresponding to incident light at the pixel array. The dynamic reconfiguration logic is coupled to the image sensor. The dynamic reconfiguration logic is configured to receive the plurality of electrical signals from the pixel array and to generate a plurality of reconfigured electrical signals based on the plurality of electrical signals from the pixel array. The digital signal processor is coupled to the dynamic reconfiguration logic. The digital signal processor is configured to receive the plurality of reconfigured electrical signals from the dynamic reconfiguration logic.