Device and method for performing optical navigation without using lenses
View Patent ↗An optical navigation device and method for performing optical navigation uses an optically transparent flexible film, which is positioned over a sensor that includes an image sensor array, to allow the image sensor array to receive imaging light from a target surface that is produced in response to illumination light emitted into the target surface from a light source. The imaging light from the target surface is received at the image sensor array of the sensor to capture frames of image data of the target surface. The frames of image data are then compared to estimate relative displacements between the target surface and the image sensor array.
1. An optical navigation device comprising:
a light source configured to emit illumination light;
a sensor including an image sensor array configured to electronically capture frames of image data of a target surface using imaging light from the target surface, the imaging light from the target surface being produced in response to the illumination light emitted into the target surface, the frames of image data providing displacement information of the target surface relative to the optical navigation device; and
an optically transparent flexible film extending at least partially over both the light source and image sensor array and further in direct contact with the light source, the flexible film having an upper surface and a lower surface, the flexible film being positioned relative to the image sensor array of the sensor such that the imaging light from the target surface is transmitted out of the lower surface of the flexible film onto the image sensor array of the sensor.
2. The optical navigation device of claim 1 , wherein the optically transparent flexible film includes polyimide.
3. The optical navigation device of claim 2 , wherein the upper surface of the optically transparent flexible film is coated with a transmission-enhancing material and is configured to transmit the illumination light from the light source to the target surface.
4. The optical navigation device of claim 1 , wherein the optically transparent flexible film includes conductive traces, at least one of the conductive traces being electrically connected to the sensor.
5. The optical navigation device of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the electrical traces of the optically flexible film is electrically bonded to the sensor using an anisotropic conductive film.
6. The optical navigation device of claim 1 , wherein the light source is configured to emit infrared light.
7. The optical navigation device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor including a navigation engine configured to estimate relative displacement between the target surface and the optical navigation device using the frames of image data of the target from the image sensor array.
8. The optical navigation device of claim 1 , further comprising a base on which the light source and the sensor are attached, wherein the light source is connected to the base via the flexible film.
9. The optical navigation device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor further includes a second image sensor array, said second image sensor array having dimensions such that width-to-length ratio of active photosensitive pixels is at least 1 to N, where N is an integer equal to or greater than 5, said second image sensor array being used to image the target surface in a scanning fashion.
10. The optical navigation device of claim 9 , wherein the image sensor array and the second image sensor array are portions of a single image sensor array.
11. A method for performing optical navigation, the method comprising:
emitting illumination light from a light source through an optically transparent flexible film and onto a target surface to produce imaging light from the target surface;
transmitting the imaging light from the target surface through the flexible film toward a sensor that includes an image sensor array;
receiving the imaging light from the target surface that is transmitted out of the flexible film at the image sensor array of the sensor to capture frames of image data of the target surface, wherein the target surface causes different Fresnel reflections due to presence of air in between portions of the target surface and the flexible film and absence of air between other portions of the target surface and the flexible film, and wherein the different Fresnel reflections produce contrast at the image sensor array; and
comparing the frames of image data of the target surface including the contrast of the different Fresnel reflections to estimate relative displacements between the target surface and the image sensor array.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the transmitting includes transmitting the imaging light from the target surface through the optically transparent flexible film that includes polyimide.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the upper surface of the optically transparent flexible film is coated with a transmission-enhancing material and is configured to directly engage the target surface.
14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising outputting signals from the sensor via at least one conductive trace of the optically transparent flexible film.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the electrical traces of the optically flexible film is bonded to the sensor using an anisotropic conductive film.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the emitting includes emitting infrared light from the light source into the target surface, wherein the target surface comprises a fingertip surface, and wherein the different Fresnel reflections correspond to ridges and valleys of the fingertip surface.
17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising imaging the target surface in a scanning fashion using a second image sensor array of the sensor, the second image sensor array having dimensions such that width-to-length ratio of active photosensitive pixels is at least 1 to N, where N is an integer equal to or greater than 5, said second image sensor array being used to image the target surface in a scanning fashion.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the image sensor array and the second image sensor array are portions of a single image sensor array.
19. An optical navigation device comprising:
a light source configured to emit illumination light;
a sensor including an image sensor array configured to electronically capture frames of image data of a target surface using imaging light from the target surface, the imaging light from the target surface being produced in response to the illumination light emitted onto the target surface, the frames of image data providing displacement information of the target surface relative to the optical navigation device; and
an optically transparent flexible circuit film having an upper surface and a lower surface in direct contact with the light source, the flexible circuit film being positioned relative to the light source and the image sensor array of the sensor such that the illumination light from the light source is transmitted through the flexible circuit film and onto the target surface and the imaging light from the target surface is transmitted through the flexible circuit film and onto the image sensor array of the sensor, the flexible circuit film including conductive traces, at least one of the conductive traces being electrically connected to the sensor.
20. The optical navigation device of claim 19 , wherein the sensor further includes a second image sensor array, said second image sensor array having dimensions such that width-to-length ratio of active photosensitive pixels is at least 1 to N, where N is an integer equal to or greater than 5, said second image sensor array being used to image the target surface in a scanning fashion.