Optical encoding method and device

Claim 2

An optical encoding device for providing an operator interface with a machine, comprising; a reflective Grid Pad having a plurality of coordinate lines arranged along an x-axis and y-axis; imaging means for providing information indicative of a relative displacement of said imaging means with respect to said Grid Pad, said imaging means further comprising, a light source for forming an image of said coordinate lines when light from said light source is reflected from the Grid Pad, an imaging lens for magnifying said image, a plurality of light-sensors each for providing a threshold measure of illumination, and a plurality of axially aligned condensers each for condensing a fragment of said image onto one of said light-sensors, and an encoder connected to said light-sensors for encoding said measures of illumination into information indicative of a relative displacement of said imaging means with respect to said Grid Pad.

Claim 3

The optical encoding device according to claim 1, wherein said condensers are refractive lenses.

Claim 4

The optical encoding device according to claim 1, wherein said condensers are reflective lenses.

Claim 5

The optical encoding device according to claim 1, wherein said condensers are a combination of reflective AND refractive lenses.

Claim 6

The optical encoding device according to claim 1, wherein a distance from said Grid Pad to a center of said imaging lens is shorter than a distance from said center of the imaging lens to said condensers for magnifying said image and increasing resolution.

Claim 7

The optical encoding device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of coordinate lines are of uniform width, said lines being arranged along the x-axis and y-axis so that a distance between said lines is equal to said width of said lines.

Claim 8

The optical encoding device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of condensers further comprises four condensers, and said plurality of light-sensors further comprises a first pair of light-sensors axially arranged along said x-axis, and a second pair of light-sensors axially arranged along said y-axis.

Claim 9

The optical encoding device according to claim 7, wherein said condensers each condense a quadrant of said image onto a corresponding one of said light sensors.

Claim 10

The optical encoding device according to claim 8, wherein said encoder encodes said measures of illumination from said first pair of sensors into information indicative of said relative displacement along said x-axis, and said encoder encodes said measures of illumination from said second pair of sensors into information indicative of said relative displacement along said Y-axis.

Claim 11

An optical encoding device for providing an operator interface with a machine, comprising; a translucent Grid Pad having a plurality of coordinate lines arranged along an x-axis and y-axis; a light source for forming an image of said coordinate lines when light from said light source is transmitted through the Grid Pad, imaging means for providing information indicative of a relative displacement of said imaging means with respect to said Grid Pad, said imaging means further comprising, an imaging lens for magnifying said image, a plurality of light-sensors each for providing a threshold measure of illumination, and a plurality of axially aligned condensers each for condensing a fragment of said image onto one of said light-sensors, and an encoder connected to said light-sensors for encoding said measures of illumination into information indicative of a relative displacement of said imaging means with respect to said Grid Pad.

Claim 12

An optical encoding device for providing an operator interface with a machine, comprising; a translucent Grid Pad having a plurality of coordinate lines arranged along an x-axis and y-axis; a light source for forming an image of said coordinate lines when light from said light source is transmitted through the Grid Pad, imaging means for providing information indicative of a relative displacement of said imaging means with respect to said Grid Pad, said imaging means further comprising, an imaging lens for magnifying said image, a plurality of light-sensors each for providing a threshold measure of illumination, and a plurality of axially aligned condensers each for condensing a fragment of said image onto one of said light-sensors, and an encoder connected to said light-sensors for encoding said measures of illumination into information indicative of a relative displacement of said imaging means with respect to said Grid Pad.

Claim 13

The optical encoding device according to claim 10, wherein said condensers are refractive lenses.

Claim 14

The optical encoding device according to claim 10, wherein said condensers are reflective lenses.

Claim 15

The optical encoding device according to claim 10, wherein said condensers are a combination of reflective and refractive lenses.

Claim 16

The optical encoding device according to claim 10, wherein a distance from said Grid Pad to a center of said imaging lens is shorter than a distance from said center of the imaging lens to said condensers for magnifying said image and increasing resolution.

Claim 17

The optical encoding device according to claim 10, wherein said plurality of coordinate lines are of uniform width, said lines being arranged along the x-axis and y-axis so that a distance between said lines is equal to said width of said lines.

Claim 18

The optical encoding device according to claim 10, wherein said plurality of condensers further comprises four condensers, and said plurality of light-sensors further comprises a first pair of light-sensors axially arranged along said x-axis, and a second pair of light-sensors axially arranged along said y-axis.

Claim 19

The optical encoding device according to claim 16, wherein said condensers each condense a quadrant of said image onto a corresponding one of said light sensors.

Claim 20

The optical encoding device according to claim 17, wherein said encoder encodes said measures of illumination from said first pair of sensors into information indicative of said relative displacement along said x-axis, and said encoder encodes said measures of illumination from said second pair of sensors into information indicative of said relative displacement along said Y-axis.

Claim 21

An optical encoding device for controlling a cursor of a computer, comprising; a reflective Grid Pad having a plurality of coordinate lines arranged along an x-axis and y-axis; said plurality of coordinate lines being of uniform width, and said lines being arranged along the x-axis and y-axis so that a spacing between said lines is equal to said width of said lines; an optical mouse for providing information indicative of a relative displacement of said mouse with respect to said Grid Pad, said mouse further comprising, a light source for forming an image of said coordinate lines when light from said light source is reflected from the Grid Pad, an imaging lens for magnifying said image, a plurality of light-sensors each for providing a threshold measure of illumination, and a plurality of axially aligned condensers each for condensing a fragment of said image onto one of said light-sensors, and an encoder connected to said light-sensors for encoding said measures of illumination into information indicative of a relative displacement of said mouse with respect to said Grid Pad.

Claim 22

An optical encoding device for controlling a cursor of a computer, comprising; a reflective Grid Pad having a plurality of coordinate lines arranged along an x-axis and y-axis; said plurality of coordinate lines being of uniform width, and said lines being arranged along the x-axis and y-axis so that a spacing between said lines is equal to said width of said lines; an optical mouse for providing information indicative of a relative displacement of said mouse with respect to said Grid Pad, said mouse further comprising, a light source for forming an image of said coordinate lines when light from said light source is reflected from the Grid Pad, an imaging lens for magnifying said image, a plurality of light-sensors each for providing a threshold measure of illumination, and a plurality of axially aligned condensers each for condensing a fragment of said image onto one of said light-sensors, and an encoder connected to said light-sensors for encoding said measures of illumination into information indicative of a relative displacement of said mouse with respect to said Grid Pad.

Claim 23

The optical encoding device according to claim 19, wherein said condensers are lenses.

Claim 24

The optical encoding device according to claim 19, wherein said condensers are reflective mirrors.

Claim 25

The optical encoding device according to claim 19, wherein said condensers are a combination of reflective mirrors and lenses.

Claim 26

The optical encoding device according to claim 19, wherein a distance from said Grid Pad to a center of said imaging lens is shorter than a distance from said center of the imaging lens to said condensers for magnifying said image and increasing resolution.

Claim 27

The optical encoding device according to claim 22, wherein said plurality of condensers further comprises four condensers, and said plurality of light-sensors further comprises a first pair of light-sensors axially arranged along said x-axis, and a second pair of light-sensors axially arranged along said y-axis.

Claim 28

The optical encoding device according to claim 24, wherein said condensers each condense a quadrant of said image onto a corresponding one of said light sensors.

Claim 29

The optical encoding device according to claim 25, wherein said encoder encodes said measures of illumination from said first pair of sensors into information indicative of said relative displacement along said x-axis, and said encoder encodes said measures of illumination from said second pair of sensors into information indicative of said relative displacement along said Y-axis.

Claim 30

An optical encoding device for providing an operator interface with a machine, comprising; a translucent Grid Pad having a plurality of coordinate lines arranged along an x-axis and y-axis; a light source for forming an image of said coordinate lines when light from said light source is transmitted through the Grid Pad, an optical mouse for providing information indicative of a relative displacement of said optical mouse with respect to said Grid Pad, said optical mouse further comprising, an imaging lens for magnifying said image, a plurality of light-sensors each for providing a threshold measure of illumination, and a plurality of axially aligned condensers each for condensing a fragment of said image onto one of said light-sensors, and an encoder connected to said light-sensors for encoding said measures of illumination into information indicative of a relative displacement of said imaging means with respect to said Grid Pad.

Claim 31

An optical encoding device for providing an operator interface with a machine, comprising; a translucent Grid Pad having a plurality of coordinate lines arranged along an x-axis and y-axis; a light source for forming an image of said coordinate lines when light from said light source is transmitted through the Grid Pad, an optical mouse for providing information indicative of a relative displacement of said optical mouse with respect to said Grid Pad, said optical mouse further comprising, an imaging lens for magnifying said image, a plurality of light-sensors each for providing a threshold measure of illumination, and a plurality of axially aligned condensers each for condensing a fragment of said image onto one of said light-sensors, and an encoder connected to said light-sensors for encoding said measures of illumination into information indicative of a relative displacement of said imaging means with respect to said Grid Pad.

Claim 32

The optical encoding device according to claim 27, wherein said condensers are lenses.

Claim 33

The optical encoding device according to claim 27, wherein said condensers are reflective mirrors.

Claim 34

The optical encoding device according to claim 27, wherein said condensers are a combination of reflective mirrors and lenses.

Claim 35

The optical encoding device according to claim 27, wherein a distance from said Grid Pad to a center of said imaging lens is shorter than a distance from said center of the imaging lens to said condensers for magnifying said image and increasing resolution.

Claim 36

The optical encoding device according to claim 31, wherein said plurality of coordinate lines are of uniform width, said lines being arranged along the x-axis and y-axis so that a spacing between said lines is equal to said width of said lines.

Claim 37

The optical encoding device according to claim 32, wherein said plurality of condensers further comprises four condensers, and said plurality of light-sensors further comprises a first pair of light-sensors axially arranged along said x-axis, and a second pair of light-sensors axially arranged along said y-axis.

Claim 38

The optical encoding device according to claim 33, wherein said condensers each condense a quadrant of said image onto a corresponding one of said light sensors.

Claim 39

The optical encoding device according to claim 34, wherein said encoder encodes said measures of illumination from said first pair of sensors into information indicative of said relative displacement along said x-axis, and said encoder encodes aid measures of illumination from said second pair of sensors into information indicative of said relative displacement along said Y-axis.