CN101183287A

CN101183287A - Apparatus for controlling cursor on screen

Info

Publication number: CN101183287A
Application number: CN 200710167860
Authority: CN
Inventors: 高勇; 刘建
Original assignee: APEXONE MICROELECTRONICS Co Ltd
Current assignee: APEXONE MICROELECTRONICS Co Ltd
Priority date: 2007-10-23
Filing date: 2007-10-23
Publication date: 2008-05-21
Anticipated expiration: 2027-10-23
Also published as: CN101183287B

Abstract

The invention discloses a device to control a cursor on the screen of the main equipment, comprising a positioning plate, a perception module, an optical perception unit and a control unit. The invention is characterized in that the positioning plate is provided with a plurality of patterns configured and superimposed on the screen; the perception module comprises a light unit configured to produce a first beam; the optical perception unit is adjacent to the light unit and is configured to perceive a reflected beam reflected by the positioning plate; the control unit is configured to produce a cursor control signal. The invention also discloses a method to control the cursor on the screen of the main equipment; wherein the first beam is produced to light one area of the positioning plate with patterns; the reflected beam reflected by the lighted area of the positioning plate is perceived, and the control signal is produced to control the movement of the cursor by using the information about the pattern in the reflected beam.

Description

The equipment of cursor on the control screen

Technical field

The present invention relates generally to the equipment and the method for cursor control, relate in particular to the optical device and the method for cursor control.

Background technology

In computer utilitys such as data processing, multimedia and video-game for example, the indispensable effect that cursor control device play increases day by day.Usually, the equipment of cursor control use comprises keyboard, mouse, tracking ball and touch pads.Carry out the cursor control ratio with mouse and will make things convenient for manyly, because keyboard needs delegation of delegation or to be listed as the ground moving cursor with keyboard.Yet mouse efficient is not high in some applications sometimes.For example, when the user just typewrited on keyboard, to use mouse be inconvenient for the hand that cursor is moved quickly make him every now and then leaves keyboard.In addition, if the user operates video games, if he need be with high speed difference a mouse click button, then he may feel very tired.

Tracking ball is mounted in the class mechanical mouse in the notebook computer.Compare with mouse, it requires less hands movement and higher space efficiency.Yet tracking ball is easy to wearing and tearing and adheres to dust.In addition, its precision can not reach requirement in some applications.

Touch pads is the current cursor control device that is widely used in notebook computer most.It comprises pressure responsive panels and at least one button.Pressure responsive panels can respond the motion of finger.When the finger touch touch pads, pressure responsive panels responds to the motion of finger, and output is used to control the control signal of cursor movement.Compare with tracking ball, touch pads is more easy to wear and tear, and moving cursor on wideer scope at faster speed, and has higher precision.Yet touch pads is expensive.In some application such as for example electronic game, touch pads might not meet pinpoint requirement.The certain user could point to desired position after having to move for several times.

Therefore, have can be fast and accurately the cursor control device of positioning cursor position be favourable.And require the easy to operate and directly perceived of equipment.It is durable and reliable also requiring equipment.In addition, low-cost device is favourable.

Summary of the invention

In order to eliminate above-mentioned defective of the prior art, the invention provides a kind of Apparatus for () and method therefor of on the screen of main process equipment, controlling cursor.

According to an aspect of the present invention, provide a kind of equipment of controlling cursor on the screen of main process equipment, this equipment comprises: location-plate, and it has pattern and is configured to be superimposed upon above the screen; Sensing module, wherein it comprises lighting unit and the optics perception unit that is configured to produce first light beam, this optics perception unit adjacent with described lighting unit and be configured to according to first light beam in the zone of irradiation on the described location-plate and perception by the folded light beam of described location-plate reflection; And control module, be configured to produce cursor control signal according to described optics perception unit perceived reflection light beam.

According to another aspect of the present invention, provide a kind of on the screen of main process equipment the method for control cursor, this method comprises the following steps: to produce a zone on first light beam has pattern with irradiation the location-plate; Perception is by the folded light beam of the regional reflex of being shone on the location-plate; And the information relevant with pattern produces the motion of control signal with the control cursor in the use folded light beam.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 illustrates the synoptic diagram of cursor control device according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 illustrates the process flow diagram of cursor control procedure according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 3 illustrates the synoptic diagram of cursor control device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; And

Fig. 4 illustrates the process flow diagram of cursor control procedure in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiment

Here each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings hereinafter, the element of wherein in institute's drawings attached, be denoted by the same reference numerals analog structure or function.Should be noted that accompanying drawing just is not confined to the explanation of preferred embodiment of the present invention, also should not be construed as is restriction to protection scope of the present invention.In addition, there is no need to draw in proportion accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 illustrates the synoptic diagram of cursor control device 10 according to an embodiment of the invention.As shown in Figure 1, cursor control device 10 comprises location-plate 85, sensing module 8 and control module 88.Location-plate 85 is also referred to as coordinate sheet, template, spacer etc.Sensing module 8 is also referred to as coordinate awareness apparatus, sight device, pointing device etc.

Location-plate 85 has superposeed on the screen 9 of electronic equipment (not shown in figure 1).According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, constitute location-plate 85 by material transparent in fact.For example, available plastics, glass or polymkeric substance constitute.Location-plate 85 has pattern, and the coordinate system on this pattern and the screen 9 (for example, pixel) has relation one to one.Visible light transmittance by location-plate 85 is sufficiently high, so that can not hinder the user and watch information on the screen 9 of electronic equipment.In a preferred embodiment, naked eyes be can't see pattern in fact.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, sensing module 8 has the shell or the ectosome 89 of shape easy operating as pen.Sensing module 8 comprises lighting unit 81 and the optics perception unit 82 that is placed in shell or the ectosome 89.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, lighting unit 81 comprises the lighting unit of light emitting diode (LED), laser instrument or some other type.According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, lighting unit 81 comprises light focusing unit (for example, convex lens or concave mirror), is used for the light of surrounding environment is focused near ectosome 89 front ends 11 a zone.According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, optics perception unit 82 comprises the array of optics awareness apparatus.For instance, the optics awareness apparatus can be phototransistor, photo-resistor or charge-coupled device (CCD).

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, control module 88 comprises several parts.Control module 88 can be by physical property or the functional parts that are divided into.For example, control module 88 can comprise and is configured to second parts that produce first parts of position signalling and be configured to produce cursor control signal.According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, control module 88 is placed in the host electronic appliance.According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, control module 88 is placed in the ectosome 89.According to another specific embodiment of the present invention, first parts of control module 88 are placed in the ectosome 89, and second parts are placed in the main process equipment.

In addition, should note, the angle of the light beam that lighting unit 81 produces is not necessarily with shown in Figure 1 identical, because, according to an alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention, sensing module 8 can comprise some optical elements, and these optical elements are in the lighting unit 81 that can change light path and the front of optics perception unit 82.For example, sensing module 8 can be included in the lens 86 of lighting unit 81 fronts.Equally, sensing module 8 can be included in the lens 87 of 82 fronts, optics perception unit.The shape of ectosome 89 is not limited to as pen.For example, the shape of ectosome 89 can as the user can wear the finger on finger ring.

In operation, the user can hold sensing module 8 and it is pointed to location-plate 85.As mentioned above, location-plate 85 is superimposed upon on the screen 9 of electronic equipment, thus can frame out 9 closely locate to use sensing module 8.As a result, the user only needs a lightweight and portable module 8 just can directly control cursor on the screen 9 of electronic equipment by his needs.

When the user made sensing module 8 point to ad-hoc location on the location-plates 85, the lighting unit 81 in the sensing module 8 produced the zone of incident beams 83 with irradiation location-plate 85.Location-plate 85 is reflected into irradiating light beam 83, thereby produces the folded light beam 84 of the pattern-information that has the zone through shining.Optics perception unit 82 receives folded light beam 84, and produces the light beam perceptual signal according to this pattern-information.According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the form with electric signal produces the light beam perceptual signal.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pattern of default location-plate 85 and the one-to-one relationship between the coordinate system on the screen 9 in control module 88.The light beam perceptual signal that control module 88 receives from optics perception unit 82, and generation is used to discern the position signalling of the coordinate (that is the coordinate of the incidence point position of incident beam 83) of irradiated area.Control module 88 also produces the motion of cursor control signal with the control cursor according to this position signalling.

Fig. 2 illustrates the process flow diagram of cursor control procedure according to an embodiment of the invention.

In first step 101, incident beam irradiation location-plate (that is, shown in Figure 1 location-plate 85).For instance, can pass through lighting unit (for example, shown in Figure 1 lighting unit 81) and produce incident beam.

In step 102, location-plate is reflected into irradiating light beam, thereby produces the folded light beam that has the pattern-information in the zone through shining on the location-plate.

In step 103, use the pattern-information in the folded light beam to produce the light beam perceptual signal.For example, optics awareness apparatus (for example, shown in Figure 1 optics perception unit 82) can produce the light beam perceptual signal.

In step 104, according to the pattern of location-plate and electronic equipment screen (for example, the screen 9 of electronic equipment shown in Figure 1) one-to-one relationship between the coordinate system on, the position coordinates of the incidence point of identification incident beam when the receiving beam perceptual signal, thus produce position signalling.

In final step 105, produce cursor control signal according to this position signalling, thus the cursor on the screen of control electronic equipment.For example, control cursor by main frame.

Fig. 3 illustrates the synoptic diagram of cursor control device 710 in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.As shown in Figure 2, cursor control device 710 comprises location-plate 785, sensing module 78 and control module 788.Location-plate 785 is also referred to as spacer.Sensing module 78 is also referred to as coordinate awareness apparatus, sight device or sensing equipment etc.

Location-plate 785 has superposeed on the screen 9 of electronic equipment (not shown among Fig. 2).According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the material by substantially transparent constitutes location-plate 785.For example, available plastics, glass or polymkeric substance constitute.Visible light transmittance by location-plate 785 is sufficiently high, so that can not hinder user's viewing information on the screen 9 of electronic equipment.In a preferred embodiment, naked eyes be can't see pattern basically.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, sensing module 78 has the shell or the ectosome 789 of shape easy operating as ring.Sensing module 78 comprises lighting unit 781 and the optics perception unit 782 that is placed in shell or the ectosome 789.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, lighting unit 781 comprises the lighting unit of light emitting diode (LED), laser instrument or some other type.According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, lighting unit 781 comprises light focusing unit (for example, convex lens or concave mirror), is used for the optical convergence of surrounding environment to a near zone ectosome 789 front ends 711.According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, optics perception unit 782 comprises the array of optics awareness apparatus.For instance, the optics awareness apparatus can be phototransistor, photo-resistor or charge-coupled device (CCD).

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, control module 788 comprises two memory cells.Configuration first memory unit 792 makes it the stored reference signal, and configuration second memory unit 794 makes it the store sample signal.According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, control module 788 comprises two parts.Two parts can be physical property or functional.Dispose first parts and make it to produce vector, and dispose second parts and make it to produce cursor control signal.According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, first memory unit and second memory unit are placed in first parts.According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, control module 788 is placed in the host electronic appliance.According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, can be placed on control module 788 in the ectosome 789.According to another specific embodiment of the present invention, first parts of control module 788 are placed in the ectosome 789 and second parts are placed in the main process equipment.

In addition, should note, the angle of the light beam that lighting unit 781 produces is not necessarily with shown in Figure 2 identical, because, according to an alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention, sensing module 78 can comprise some optical elements, and these optical elements are in the lighting unit 781 that can change light path and the front of optics perception unit 782.For example, sensing module 78 can be included in the lens 786 of lighting unit 781 fronts.Equally, sensing module 78 can be included in the lens 787 of 782 fronts, optics perception unit.The shape of ectosome 789 is not limited to as ring.For example, the pen that can hold easily as the user of the shape of ectosome 789.

In operation, the user can wear sensing module 78 and it is pointed to location-plate 785.As mentioned above, location-plate 785 is superimposed upon on the screen 9 of electronic equipment, thus can frame out 9 closely locate to use sensing module 78.

When the user made sensing module 78 point to ad-hoc location on the location-plates 785, the lighting unit 781 in the sensing module 78 produced the zone of first light beam 783 with irradiation location-plate 785.Location-plate 785 reflections first light beam 783, thus folded light beam 784 produced.

Optics perception unit 782 produces data-signal according to the folded light beam 784 that receives.Data-signal comprises the pattern-information in the zone of being shone on the location-plate 785.Originally, control module is at moment t ₀Data-signal is stored in the memory cell 792 as with reference to data.At time interval t ₀After+Δ the t, control module 788 is at moment t ₀+ Δ t is stored in data-signal in the memory cell 794 as sampled data.Related function between control module 788 calculating sampling data and the reference data then.This related function is described in t constantly ₀To moment t ₀The motion of the incident beam 783 during the time interval the between+Δ t on location-plate 785.

Control module 788 uses related function to produce the vector of the motion of describing incident beam 783.According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, control module 788 produces vector according to a related function in each time interval Δ t, to be used for describing the motion of incident beam 783 in time interval Δ t.According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, control module 788 produces vector according to a plurality of being correlated with in N Δ t (N=2,3,4 etc.), to be used for describing the motion of incident beam 783 in time cycle N Δ t.Control module 788 produces cursor control signal according to vector.

When the user wished cursor positioning to certain position of screen, he can move to the current location that sensing module 78 points to cursors on their the desired new position to cursor by sensing module 78 then.The user can also move it to any position on the sensing module 78 sensing screens 9 then on location-plate 785.Control module 788 control cursors move at the track that location-plate 785 upper edges parallel with the motion of incident beam 783.

In first step 301, incident beam irradiation location-plate (for example, shown in Figure 3 location-plate 785).For instance, can send out incident beam by lighting unit (lighting unit 781 for example shown in Figure 3).

In step 302, location-plate is reflected into irradiating light beam, thereby produces folded light beam.

In step 303, produce data-signal according to folded light beam.Data-signal comprises the data about the pattern on the irradiated zone of location-plate.For instance, optics awareness apparatus (for example, shown in Figure 3 optics perception unit 782) can receive folded light beam and produce data-signal.

In step 304, storage is t constantly ₀Data-signal as the reference data.

In step 305, storage is t constantly ₀The data-signal of+Δ t is as sampled data.

In step 306, relatively sampled data and reference data are to produce moment t on the location-plate ₀The time zone shone and t constantly ₀Related function between the zone of being shone during+Δ t.

In step 307, produce the vector of the motion that is used to describe the zone of being shone on the location-plate according to the related function that produces.

In final step 308, produce cursor control signal according to vector, on the screen of electronic equipment so that cursor moves.

Compare with the current cursor control device such as the touch pads of costliness, the present invention is intended to reduce cost.Simultaneously, owing to cursor control device makes the electronic equipment hommization.For example, this cursor control device and method can be widely used in electronic game, because the present invention meets fast moving, quick and pinpoint requirement.The player can use cursor control device, and makes cursor location easily and freely by their requirement.In operation, the player can use it, moves on screen just as direct hand by themselves makes cursor.In addition, because the user does not need direct touch screen, so such as electronic equipment longer service life such as electronic game machines.

Claims

One kind on the screen of main process equipment control cursor equipment, comprising:

Location-plate, it has pattern and is configured to be superimposed upon above the described screen;

Sensing module comprises:

Lighting unit is configured to produce first light beam; And

Optics perception unit, adjacent with described lighting unit and be configured to according to first light beam in the zone of irradiation on the described location-plate and perception by the folded light beam of described location-plate reflection; And

Control module is configured to produce cursor control signal according to the described optics perception unit of the described folded light beam of perception.
2. equipment as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that described control module is placed in the described main process equipment.
3. equipment as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that:

Pattern and the coordinate system on the screen on the described location-plate have man-to-man corresponding relation; And

Dispose the position signalling that described control module makes it to produce the coordinate that is used to discern described illuminated zone.
4. equipment as claimed in claim 3 is characterized in that:

Described sensing module comprises the ectosome of the lip pencil with first end; And

It is adjacent with first end of described lip pencil ectosome that described lighting unit is configured to.
5. equipment as claimed in claim 3 is characterized in that, described control module comprises:

Be configured to produce first parts of described position signalling; And

Be configured to produce second parts of described cursor control signal according to described position signalling.
6. equipment as claimed in claim 4 is characterized in that, described control module is to be placed in the ectosome of described lip pencil.
7. equipment as claimed in claim 4 is characterized in that:

Described first parts are to be placed in the ectosome of described lip pencil; And

Described second parts are placed in the described main frame.
8. equipment as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, disposes described optics perception unit and makes it to produce data-signal according to described first light beam in a zone on the described location-plate of irradiation when receiving described folded light beam.
9. equipment as claimed in claim 8 is characterized in that, described control module comprises:

First parts are configured to by optics perception unit to be called sampled signal and reference signal at the data-signal that different time obtained, between related function produce the vector of describing described sensing module motion; And

Second parts are configured to produce described cursor control signal according to described vector.
10. equipment as claimed in claim 9 is characterized in that, described first parts comprise:

Be configured to the first memory unit of stored reference signal; And

Be configured to the second memory unit of store sample signal.
11. equipment as claimed in claim 9 is characterized in that:

Described sensing module comprises the lip pencil ectosome with first end;

It is adjacent with first end of described lip pencil ectosome that described lighting unit is configured to;

Described first parts are placed in the described lip pencil ectosome; And

Described second parts are placed in the described main frame.
12. equipment as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, described optics perception unit comprises phototransistor.
13. equipment as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, described optics perception unit comprises photoresistance.
14. equipment as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, described optics perception unit comprises charge-coupled image sensor.
15. the method for a control cursor on the screen of main process equipment, described method comprises step:

Produce a zone on first light beam has pattern with irradiation the location-plate;

Perception is by the folded light beam of the described irradiated area reflection on the location-plate; And

Use information relevant in the described folded light beam to produce the motion of control signal with the control cursor with pattern.
16. method as claimed in claim 15 is characterized in that, the step of the described folded light beam of perception comprises the following steps:

Described folded light beam according to perception produces the light beam perceptual signal; And

Described light beam perceptual signal is sent to described main process equipment.
17. method as claimed in claim 15 is characterized in that, the step that produces control signal comprises the following steps:

The information relevant with pattern produces the position signalling that is used to discern irradiated area coordinate on the described location-plate in the use folded light beam; And

Produce described control signal according to described position signalling.
18. method as claimed in claim 17 is characterized in that, the step that produces position signalling comprises described position signalling is sent to described main process equipment.
19. method as claimed in claim 17, it is characterized in that the described step that produces the position signalling of the described irradiated area coordinate of identification comprises the coordinate of discerning irradiated area on the described location-plate according to the man-to-man corresponding relation between the coordinate system on pattern on the described location-plate and the described screen.
20. method as claimed in claim 16 is characterized in that, produces control signal and comprises the following steps: with the step of controlling described cursor movement

Produce the vector of describing irradiated area motion on the described location-plate; And

Produce control signal according to described vector.
21. method as claimed in claim 20 is characterized in that, the step that produces vector comprises described vector is sent to described main process equipment.
22. method as claimed in claim 20 is characterized in that, the step that produces the vector of describing first beam motion comprises the following steps:

When receiving described folded light beam, produce data-signal;

Data-signal in that a moment obtains is called reference data, is stored in the described first memory unit;

At second data-signal that constantly obtains, be called sampled data, data-signal is stored in the described second memory unit;

Calculate the related function between described sampled data and the reference data; And

Produce described vector according to described related function.
23. method as claimed in claim 20 is characterized in that, the step of calculating correlativity comprises described correlativity is sent to described main frame.