Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
173 words
An optical cursor control device (10) providing an output indicative of the amount and direction of movement of the device relative to an orthogonal coordinate system, characterised by a planar grid pattern (18) comprising orthogonally positioned grid lines (19) of uniform spacing, a line (19) and spacing (20) therebetween defining a grid period, means (12) to illuminate at least a portion of said grid pattern, and sensor array means (14, 16) for receiving and detecting radiation from said grid pattern (18), said array means (14, 16) comprising optical transducer means for each orthogonal direction, each of said transducer means (14, 16) having an elongated radiation detecting area (15, 17) to receive radiation from an elongated radiation collecting area (22) at the plane of said grid pattern (18), the length of each of said transducer means radiation collecting area (22) being equal to or greater than a grid period and the width of each of said transducer means radiation collecting area (22) being equal to or narrower than one half of said grid period.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
173 words
An optical cursor control device (10) providing an output indicative of the amount and direction of movement of the device relative to an orthogonal coordinate system, characterised by a planar grid pattern (18) comprising orthogonally positioned grid lines (19) of uniform spacing, a line (19) and spacing (20) therebetween defining a grid period, means (12) to illuminate at least a portion of said grid pattern, and sensor array means (14, 16) for receiving and detecting radiation from said grid pattern (18), said array means (14, 16) comprising optical transducer means for each orthogonal direction, each of said transducer means (14, 16) having an elongated radiation detecting area (15, 17) to receive radiation from an elongated radiation collecting area (22) at the plane of said grid pattern (18), the length of each of said transducer means radiation collecting area (22) being equal to or greater than a grid period and the width of each of said transducer means radiation collecting area (22) being equal to or narrower than one half of said grid period.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
66 words
An optical cursor control device according to claim 1, having a pair of optical transducer means (14, 16) for each orthogonal direction, the elongated radiation collecting areas (22) of each pair at said grid pattern (18) being parallel and spatially related by a distance predetermined relative to said grid period whereby output of each pair is indicative of the direction of the orthogonal coordinate being detected.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
An optical cursor control device according to claim 2, wherein said distance is selected to be one quarter of said grid period.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
An optical cursor control device according to claim 1 wherein there is means to move said sensor array means (14, 16) relative to said grid pattern (18).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
An optical cursor control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said illuminating means (12) comprises an incandescent, LED or laser light source.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
An optical cursor control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said radiation collecting area (22) is created by aperture means (30) disposed in the optical path between said transducer means (14, 16) and said radiation collecting area (22).