Optical Mouse
US4799055A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 26, 1984 |
| Grant date | Jan 17, 1989 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 26, 2004 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F3/0317
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and device for converting movement of an optical mouse on a surface having any random surface pattern of relatively light and dark areas separated by edges to electrical signals representing a direction of motion relative to two non-parallel axes. A plurality of prechargeable photon sensors are disposed on the mouse in a row along each axis and facing the surface periodically. The presence of an edge is periodically sensed in at least one preselected portion of each row of sensors, defining a sensor state for each axis for each period upon the sensing of an absence of an edge. Successive sensor states are compared to determine if movement has occurred relative to each axis and a signal representative of the movement determined is produced.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.