Optical navigation apparatus
View Patent ↗An optical navigation apparatus comprises a substrate with a sensor integrated circuit and an infrared source formed thereon; a sensor cover shielding the sensor integrated circuit and the infrared source; at least one visible light source formed outside the sensor cover and electrically connected with the substrate; a light guide located outside the sensor cover and covering the visible light source; and an outer housing covering the light guide and the substrate, and the outer housing comprises an infrared window and a side wall capable of guiding visible light towards and illuminating a region of the outer housing. In such an arrangement, the outer housing of the present invention is not only used as a casing for protection, but also served as light guide and distribution structure to reflect and re-distribute light sufficiently to achieve a uniform illuminated character shape.
1. An optical navigation apparatus comprising:
a substrate;
a sensor integrated circuit arranged on the substrate;
an infrared source that emits infrared light arranged on the substrate;
at least one visible light source electrically connected to the substrate that emits visible light;
a light guide optically structured to guide the visible light; and
a sensor cover optically structured to block the visible light from contacting the sensor integrated circuit;
an outer housing covering and enclosing the light guide, the sensor cover and the substrate, and the outer housing comprising:
an infrared window optically structured to block non-infrared light; and a side wall optically structured to illuminate a region of the outer housing by guiding the visible light towards the region of the outer housing.
2. The optical navigation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the visible light source is located on the sensor cover and confined by the light guide.
3. The optical navigation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor cover comprises a first aperture formed thereon.
4. The optical navigation apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising at least one optical element optically structured to guide the infrared light located within the sensor cover.
5. The optical navigation apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the light guide comprises a second aperture optically structured to allow the infrared light to pass through.
6. The optical navigation apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the light guide comprises at least one recessed cavity and the at least one visible light source is embedded in the at least one recessed cavity.
7. The optical navigation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the light guide is made of or includes transparent plastic material.
8. The optical navigation apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the light guide comprises two reflectors arranged on top and bottom surfaces of the light guide.
9. The optical navigation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the light guide comprises a plurality of physical structures optically configured to alter spatial distribution of light intensity and improve light intensity uniformity at the region of the outer housing.
10. The optical navigation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the side wall of the outer housing is infused with light-scattering micro-particles.
11. The optical navigation apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the light-scattering micro-particles are TiO 2 .
12. The optical navigation apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein a white reflective coating covers an outer surface of the side wall.
13. The optical navigation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the outer housing comprises an upper portion and a lower portion.
14. The optical navigation apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein an interface is formed between the upper portion and the lower portion, which is optically configured to reflect the visible light.
15. The optical navigation apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the interface is oriented as an inclined plane.
16. The optical navigation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the visible light sources are electrically connected to the substrate via a flexible printed circuit.
17. The optical navigation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a tactile switch formed at the bottom of the substrate.
18. A system comprising:
a handheld computing device and a user input device coupled to the handheld computing device for receiving user input, the user input device comprising an optical navigation apparatus comprising:
a substrate;
a sensor integrated circuit arranged on the substrate;
an infrared source that emits infrared light arranged on the substrate;
at least one visible light source electrically connected to the substrate that emits visible light;
a light guide optically structured to guide the visible light; and
an outer housing covering and enclosing the light guide, the sensor cover and the substrate, and the outer housing comprising:
an infrared window optically structured to block non-infrared light; and
a side wall optically structured to illuminate a region of the outer housing by guiding the visible light towards the region of the outer housing.
19. The system according to claim 18 , wherein the handheld computing device comprises a mobile telephone handset.