Abstract: An optical mouse and image capture chip thereof. The image capture chip comprises an image sensor, a calculating logic circuit, and a refreshing logic circuit. The image sensor has a plurality of sensor units, capturing an image according to an exposure parameter to provide a plurality of exposure values. The calculating logic circuit provides an average exposure value by calculating the exposure values. If the exposure sample is within a first exposure range, the refreshing logic circuit maintains the exposure parameter and accordingly drives the image sensor to capture a next image. If the average exposure value is within a second exposure range, the refreshing logic circuit adjusts the exposure parameter with a first exposure extreme and accordingly drives the image sensor to capture a next image.

Abstract: A method of estimating image displacement by block matching for a pointing device used in a computer system. The method provided in the present invention comprises capturing digital images sequentially using a photo capture device, obtaining a template frame and a current frame, estimating a predicted velocity vector, and computing the displacement of the image. The efficiency and reliability of block match searching are improved by reducing the search range according to the calculated displacement. The template block can be defined anywhere on the template frame according to the predicted velocity to extend the lifetime of the template frame, and the displacement vector between the template block and the center of the template frame is proportional to the predicted velocity.

Abstract: A pointing device with a locus smoothing function. The pointing device comprises a locus processing circuit receiving a digitized displacement and executing an accumulation procedure to generate an accumulated value of displacement, wherein when the accumulated value satisfies a preset condition, the accumulated value is output to a processing device for smoothing a locus of a pointer on a display device and a reset procedure is executed to reset the accumulated value.

Abstract: A method and device of feature enhancement for digital image processing. A predefined feature in one dimension of the image is searched to obtain several peaks, and each peak is either a local maximum or local minimum. Each peak is enhanced by adding an offset to increase the local maximum or decrease the local minimum. The offset of each peak is computed by calculating the difference between each peak and the preceding peak, then multiplying by a preset ratio.

Abstract: An optical navigation chip. The optical navigation chip is appropriate for an optical pointing device and used for calculating a displacement of the optical navigation chip relative to an operating surface. The optical navigation chip comprises a photo sensor array driven by a photo sensor control circuit for detecting an image of the operating surface, a signal readout circuit coupled with the photo sensor array for reading out the image in analog format, an analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) circuit coupled with the signal readout circuit for converting the image from analog format to digital format, an image qualification circuit coupled with the ADC circuit for determining quality of the image and outputting a quality index accordingly, and a motion detection circuit for outputting the displacement according to the quality index.

Abstract: An image qualification method. A motion detection method. An optical navigation sensor. Image qualification, requiring only a single image frame to determine if an image frame is qualified, proceeds in real time. On the basis of the image qualification method, a motion detection method that prevents erroneous flickers is also provided for use in an optical navigation sensor.

Abstract: A method to detect the movement of an image sensor according to captured images. An image region is captured from a first image. Then, a first corresponding region matching the first region is captured from a second image. A second image region is captured from the second image. Then, a second corresponding region matching the second captured image region is captured from the first image. Finally, the movement of the image sensor is determined according to the first region and the first corresponding region when a first relative distance between the first region and the first corresponding region is the same as a second relative distance of the second captured image region and the second corresponding region, but in the opposite direction.

Abstract: An image qualification method. A movements-determining method utilizes the image qualification, the image qualification method of which requires only an image frame to determine if the image frame is qualified. Thus, the image qualification proceeds in real time. The image qualification counts peaks of images of the frame to determine if a number of the peaks exceed a certain number, depending on application.

Abstract: An optical apparatus. The optical apparatus is applied to an object surface, comprising a frame, a light emitting device and an optical sensor. The frame is disposed in the optical apparatus, having a first compartment and a second compartment, wherein the first compartment has a first opening and the second compartment has a second opening. The light emitting device is disposed in the first compartment, wherein light emitted from the light emitting device passes through the first opening and is reflected by the object surface outside the frame. The optical sensor is disposed in the second compartment to receive light reflected from the object surface passing through the second opening.

Abstract: A motion correction and compensation method for image sensors. A new flag and an old flag are used to detect the directions of movement and correct movements. A value of the new flag is set according to a direction of the present movement. A value of the old flag is set according to a previous movement. The values of the new flag and the old flag are compared to determine if the movement of a time is in the same direction as the movement of a previous time. The value of the old flag has a value for correcting the movement if movements at different time are in opposite direction. If movement is determined incorrect according to a reference image and a new image, previous movement is output and occurrences of incorrect movements are counted. If the occurrences do not exceed a maximum number, the next movement is predicted. If the next movement exceeds a maximum movement or the occurrences exceed a maximum number, the reference image is updated.

Abstract: An apparatus for capturing an image to generate pixel data thereof. The apparatus comprises a sensor having pixel lines sequentially reset to be exposed by reflection from the image for a period of time, wherein all the exposure time periods of pixel lines overlap, a light source illuminates the image, whereby the image is reflected to the sensor, and a controller turns on the light source during the overlapping interval of the exposure time periods of pixel lines.

Abstract: A method to detect the movement of an image sensor. Movement is detected according to a first, second, third, and fourth frame, all captured by the image sensor. A first captured image region is captured from the first frame. Then, a first corresponding region matching the first captured image region is captured from the second frame, wherein the first corresponding region shifts in a predetermined direction relative to the first captured image region. Next, a second captured image region is captured from the third frame, wherein the second captured image region shifts in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction relative to the first captured image region. Then, a second corresponding region matching the second captured image region is captured from the fourth frame. Finally, the movement of the image sensor is determined according to the second captured image region and the second corresponding region.