Speckle sizing and sensor dimensions in optical positioning device

1. An optical displacement sensor for sensing transverse displacement of a data input device relative to a surface by determining displacement of optical features in a succession of frames, the sensor comprising:

an illuminator having a coherent light source and illumination optics to illuminate a portion of the surface; and

a detector having imaging optics and at least a first array of photosensitive elements having a periodic distance,

wherein the illuminator and the detector are configured to produce on the first array of photosensitive elements an intensity pattern of light reflected from the illuminated portion of the surface,

wherein the intensity pattern comprises a plurality of speckles having an average speckle diameter which is between one half and two times the periodic distance of the array.

2. The optical displacement sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the average speckle diameter provided is approximately one periodic distance of the array.

3. The optical displacement sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the first array of photosensitive elements comprises a differential comb array including M groups of interlaced elements.

4. The optical displacement sensor according to claim 3 , wherein each of the photosensitive elements comprise a substantially uniform element width, and wherein the illuminator and the detector are configured to provide an average speckle diameter between one half times the element width multiplied by M and two times the element width multiplied by M.

5. The optical displacement sensor according to claim 4 , wherein the average speckle diameter provided is approximately one element width multiplied by M.

6. The optical displacement sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the wavelength of light from the coherent light source and a numerical aperture (NA) of the imaging optics are selected to provide the average speckle diameter.

7. The optical displacement sensor according to claim 1 , wherein each of the photosensitive elements comprise a substantially uniform element length greater than the average speckle diameter.

8. The optical displacement sensor according to claim 7 , wherein the element length is between twice and ten times the average speckle diameter.

9. The optical displacement sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising a second array of photosensitive elements, the second array having the photosensitive elements arranged along a second axis not parallel to a first axis along which the photosensitive elements of the first array are arranged.

10. The optical displacement sensor according to claim 9 , wherein the average speckle diameter provided is different along the second axis than that along the first axis by configuring the optics with a numerical aperture along the second axis which is different than the numerical aperture along the first axis.

11. A method of sensing movement of a data input device across a surface, the method comprising:

illuminating a portion of the surface using an illuminator having a coherent light source;

reflecting light from the illuminated portion of the surface;

mapping the light onto an array of detector elements such that the light at the array comprises a speckle pattern with an average speckle diameter;

detecting the speckle pattern by the array,

wherein the array comprises a periodicity which is between one half times and two times the average speckle diameter.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the periodicity is approximately equal to the average speckle diameter.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein each element in the array comprises a substantially uniform element width.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the array comprises a differential comb array including M groups of interlaced elements, and wherein the mapping results in the average speckle diameter at the array being between one half and two times the element width multiplied by M.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the mapping results in the average speckle diameter at the array being between approximately equal to the element width multiplied by M.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein each element in the array further comprises a substantially uniform element length which is greater than the average speckle diameter.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the element length is at least twice the average speckle diameter.

18. An optical positioning device comprising:

a laser light source illuminating an area of a surface with light of a wavelength;

a detector including a first array having a periodic distance in a first dimension; and

optics comprising a numerical aperture in the first dimension so as to map a speckle pattern with an average speckle diameter in the first dimension from the illuminated area to the detector,

wherein the numerical aperture in the first dimension is between one half times and two times the wavelength divided by the periodic distance in the first dimension.

19. The optical positioning device of claim 18 , wherein the numerical aperture is approximately equal to the wavelength divided by the periodic distance.

20. The optical positioning device of claim 18 , wherein the detector further includes a second array having a periodic distance in a second dimension, wherein the optics further comprises a different numerical aperture in the second dimension so as to map the speckle pattern with a different average speckle diameter in the second dimension from the illuminated area to the detector, and wherein the numerical aperture in the second dimension is between one half times and two times the wavelength divided by the periodic distance in the second dimension.