Opto-mechanical pointing devices that track the movement of rollers positioned at the base of the pointing devices
View Patent ↗Each opto-mechanical pointing device includes a housing having a base that two or more rollers extend beyond to make contact with a surface. An optical module that includes a light source and a detector track the motion of the opto-mechanical pointing device directly or indirectly. Light reflecting off markings positioned opposite of each detector is used to determine the speed and distance traveled by an opto-electrical pointing device. Alternatively, the speed and distance traveled by an opto-electrical pointing device is determined by monitoring the tilt or rotation of the opto-mechanical pointing device with respect to the surface beneath the pointing device.
1. An opto-mechanical pointing device, comprising:
a housing comprising an upper portion and a base;
two rollers partially enclosed within the housing and partially extending beyond the base such that the two rollers are in contact with a surface, wherein one roller is operable to move in a first direction and the other roller is operable to move in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction; and
one or more optical modules each comprising a light source operable to emit light and a detector operable to detect an amount of reflected light, wherein the amount of reflected light detected by each detector determines a speed and a distance for at least one roller as the opto-mechanical pointing device moves over the surface,
wherein the two rollers comprise a first roller having a first shape and a second roller having a second shape that is different from the first shape so that an angle between a plane of the base and a plane of the surface varies as the opto-mechanical pointing device is moved over the surface.
2. The opto-mechanical pointing device of claim 1 , further comprising a processing device operable to receive signals representing an amount of detected light from each optical module.
3. The opto-mechanical pointing device of claim 1 , wherein the light source emits light toward the surface at an oblique angle with respect to the surface and the detector detects light reflected off the surface.
4. The opto-mechanical pointing device of claim 1 , further comprising two additional rollers to produce two pairs of rollers, wherein one pair of rollers is operable to move in the first direction and the other pair of rollers is operable to move in the second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction.
5. A method for fabricating an opto-mechanical pointing device comprising a housing and a base, the method comprising:
providing one or more optical modules each comprising a light source and a detector, wherein the one or more optical modules are included in the housing of the opto-mechanical pointing device; and
providing two or more rollers that extend at least partially out of the housing and make contact with a surface as the opto-mechanical pointing device moves over the surface, wherein at least one roller moves in a first direction and at least another roller moves in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and is shaped differently from the at least one roller that moves in the first direction,
wherein the two or more rollers comprise a first roller having a first shape and a second roller having a second shape that is different from the first shape so that an angle between a plane of the base and a plane of the surface varies as the opto-mechanical pointing device is moved over the surface.