Optical Navigation Sensor Rest Mode to Prevent Cursor Jitter

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional optical navigation devices face issues with erroneous displacement data due to low signal-to-noise ratios in low feature conditions, leading to unwanted motion data when the number of detected feature points is below a minimum threshold or above but in a low feature condition.

Innovation Solution

An optical navigation device and method that includes a detection circuit to perform low feature detection, switching the optical sensor from a run mode to a rest mode when low feature conditions are detected, thereby avoiding displacement calculations and eliminating stationary cursor jitter.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the optical sensor operates in run mode to calculate displacement data, then the device can detect motion, but erroneous displacement data is generated when in low feature condition

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplacement calculation capabilityVSAvoiddisplacement data accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The detection circuit performs low feature detection in advance before displacement calculation is performed. By detecting the feature condition beforehand and switching to rest mode when low feature condition is detected, the system prevents erroneous displacement data from being generated while maintaining normal operation during good feature conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The detection circuit continuously monitors the feature condition and provides feedback to the control circuit. When low feature condition is detected, the control circuit switches the optical sensor to rest mode, creating a feedback loop that prevents erroneous displacement calculations while maintaining accurate tracking during good feature conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the optical sensor switches to rest mode during low feature condition, then erroneous displacement data is prevented, but the device responds slower to motion changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplacement data accuracyVSAvoidresponse speed to motion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The detection circuit performs low feature detection in advance before displacement calculation is performed. By detecting the feature condition beforehand and switching to rest mode when low feature condition is detected, the system prevents erroneous displacement data from being generated while maintaining normal operation during good feature conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The detection circuit continuously monitors the feature condition and provides feedback to the control circuit. When low feature condition is detected, the control circuit switches the optical sensor to rest mode, creating a feedback loop that prevents erroneous displacement calculations while maintaining accurate tracking during good feature conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12360612B2Optical navigation device and method capable of accurately avoiding stationary cursor jitter noise

Publication Date: 2025.07.15 PIXART IMAGING INC

AI summary

An optical navigation method includes: providing an optical sensor to operate in a run mode to sense pixel images to perform a displacement calculation; performing a low feature detection upon the sensed pixel images; and, controlling the optical sensor switching from the run mode into a rest mode in which the optical sensor does not perform the displacement calculation when the low feature detection indicates a low feature condition result.