Optical Navigation Device Switching Surface and Free Space Modes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical navigation devices fail to provide simultaneous surface and free space navigation capabilities, struggle in low-light environments, and have difficulty navigating in environments with few features or detecting three-dimensional movement, due to limitations in light source control and the need for multiple optical sensors.
Innovation Solution
An integrated optical navigation device with a microcontroller, surface navigation sensor, and free space navigation sensor that switches between modes based on the operating locality, using a single microprocessor to process signals from both sensors and employ a telecentric lens configuration for free space navigation, enabling both desktop and scene navigation in a single device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional optical navigation devices use a single optical sensor for surface navigation, then the device complexity is low and cost is reduced, but the device cannot perform both surface and free space navigation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a single optical navigation sensor that can operate in both surface navigation mode and free space navigation mode. The sensor system is designed to detect features at close proximity for surface navigation and detect features at a distance for free space navigation, eliminating the need for separate sensors for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic mode switching between surface navigation and free space navigation based on the operating conditions. The system automatically transitions between navigation modes to optimize performance for the current environment, allowing a single sensor to adaptively serve multiple navigation purposes.
2Measurement precision
If conventional free space navigation devices use multiple optical sensors for three-dimensional movement detection, then the measurement precision improves, but the device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a single optical navigation sensor to perform both surface navigation and free space navigation functions, including three-dimensional movement detection. The sensor is configured to detect features in different spatial contexts, enabling comprehensive motion tracking without requiring multiple specialized sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the capabilities of a single two-dimensional image sensor to detect three-dimensional movement by analyzing feature displacement and depth information from free space images. The system infers three-dimensional motion parameters from two-dimensional image data through computational algorithms.
Data Source
AI summary
An optical navigation device for operation in a surface navigation mode and a free space navigation mode is described. One embodiment of the optical navigation device includes a microcontroller, a surface navigation sensor, and a free space navigation sensor. The surface and free space navigation sensors are coupled to the microcontroller. The microcontroller is configured to process a movement of the optical navigation device. The surface navigation sensor is configured to generate a surface navigation signal in response to a surface navigation image. The free space navigation sensor is configured to generate a free space navigation signal in response to a free space navigation image. Embodiments of the optical navigation device facilitate an integrated optical solution to provide desktop navigation and scene navigation in a single optical navigation device.