Abstract: A method for orienting a dual mouse optical scanner on an orthogonal grid pattern comprising the steps of (a) placing a dual mouse scanner on a grid pattern at a small angle to the vertical lines of the grid pattern and commencing motion detection with the two mice, (b) setting the coordinate position of each mouse at (0,0), (c) rotating the scanner in a predetermined manner while measuring the vertical distance on the grid pattern between the two mice for each new position of the scanner, (d) determining an average scanner position amongst all scanner positions having the same maximum vertical grid distance between the mice, and (e) establishing the coordinate position of one mouse at the average scanner position as the origin of a coordinate system in the memory of a computer in communication with the scanner and the vertical line closest to the origin and the coordinate position of the other mouse as the vertical axis of the coordinate system.

Abstract: A method for using a scanner to scan pixel data from an image on a page and map the scanned pixel data in a computer's memory is disclosed comprising the steps of (a) placing a scanner having an elongated detector array of detector elements and two optical mice located in relation to the ends of the array on a transparent grid pattern covering an image on a page to be scanned, (b) determining the orientation of the scanner with respect to the grid pattern using motion detection information provided by the two mice, (c) positioning the scanner at a starting point from which to start detecting the position of the mice and commencing scanning of the page by moving the scanner across the surface of the grid pattern, and (d) storing pixel data scanned by each detector element at a memory address of a computer in communication with the scanner which corresponds to a coordinate position on the grid pattern determined to be nearest the actual position of a particular detector element.

Abstract: An improved detector system for an optical mouse including an optical mouse housing for supporting a four-by-four array of detector elements, a light source, and a light directing mirror. The light source may be visual, ultraviolet or infrared. The optical detector elements of the array are labeled A through P starting with row 1, column 1 and going left to right. Each element is about one-quarter of a grid period square and capable of producing an electrical output signal corresponding to the amount of light it receives. The elements are grouped into pairs of elements which are located so as to image areas on the grid pattern a distance of an odd multiple of grid periods apart in a direction which is orthogonal to the direction of motion which they detect. Pairs A+C, E+G, I+K, and M+O detect vertical motion and pairs A+I, B+J, C+K, and D+L detect horizontal motion.

Abstract: A cursor position control system in which an optical mouse having a light source and three-by-three detector array moves over a surface having a grid pattern or intersecting orthogonal grid lines of a first color and spaces defined between the grid lines of a second contrasting color. The grid lines are characterized by a line width. Detector cells are grouped into pairs of cells for detecting motion in a particular direction. Cells in a pair are separated so as to image areas an odd multiple of line widths apart in a direction orthogonal to that particular direction. Pairs of cells image areas separated in the particular direction from areas imaged by related pairs of cells by an odd multiple of half line widths. Pairs of electrical signals from pairs of cells are combined then differentiated with respect to time to produce related quadrature signals indicative of the amount and direction of movement of the mouse relative to the surface.