Three-dimensional optical mouse system
View Patent ↗A three-dimensional optical mouse device with a Micromirror Array Lens (MMAL) is provided. To have the three-dimensional optical mouse system, a three-dimensional imaging device is used for detecting the motion of optical pointer or fingers of the user and gives a location of the pointer to computer working as a pointing device in three-dimension. This three-dimensional pointing system uses three-dimensional imaging device using MMAL with variable focal length.
1. A three-dimensional optical mouse system comprising:
a) an imaging unit comprising a Micromirror Array Lens (MMAL) with variable focal length;
b) an image processing unit.
2. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 1 , wherein the mouse system has a pointing tool for indicating the three-dimensional position.
3. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 2 , wherein the pointing tool can be any object which can be imaged in the image sensor.
4. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 2 , wherein the pointing tool is user's finger.
5. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 2 , wherein the pointing tool is a wireless object.
6. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional optical mouse system comprises a button or buttons for special action.
7. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 2 , wherein the pointing tool can have a special action or actions by the motion of the pointing tool without having a button.
8. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 7 , wherein the motion for special action can be any motion in the viewing range of the image sensor.
9. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 1 , wherein the mouse system has an image processing unit to find distance from the imaging unit to the object.
10. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 9 , wherein the image processing unit obtains three-dimensional information of the pointing tool.
11. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 2 , wherein the three-dimensional optical mouse system can track the motion of the pointing tool.
12. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 1 , the three-dimensional optical mouse system can detect the shape change.
13. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 1 , wherein the MMAL comprises a plurality of micromirrors.
14. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 13 , wherein each of the micromirrors is controlled to change the focal length of the MMAL.
15. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 13 , wherein each micromirror of the MMAL is actuated by electrostatic force.
16. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 13 , wherein each micromirror of the MMAL is actuated by electrostatic and electromagnetic force.
17. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 13 , wherein the surface of each of the micromirror is made of metal.
18. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 1 , wherein the MMAL corrects aberrations.
19. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 18 , wherein the MMAL corrects the defects of the imaging unit.
20. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 1 , wherein an object which does not lie on the optical axis can be imaged by the MMAL without macroscopic mechanical movement.
21. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 1 , wherein further comprising one or more auxiliary lenses having a predetermined focal length, and wherein the effective focal length of the imaging unit determined by the MMAL and the auxiliary lens together.
22. The three-dimensional optical mouse system of claim 1 , wherein further comprising one or more auxiliary lenses having a predetermined focal length, and wherein the numerical aperture of the imaging unit is increased by the auxiliary lens.