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 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 displacement estimation method is disclosed which comprises: a signal capturing step for capturing a signal; a displacement estimation step for calculating a displacement based on a state change of the signal; and an output step for outputting the displacement, in which the displacement estimation step includes one or more of the steps of: (A) consistency check to determine whether the state change of the signal is consistent with the waveform of the signal; (B) period prediction and compensation to count in the present period according to a proportional length of a previous period; and (C) adaptive threshold update to adjust the definition of the state change corresponding to the amplitude of the signal. A displacement estimation device employing this method, and a method for estimation of signal frequency based on bumping algorithm are also disclosed.

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: A micro-lens built-in laser includes a light source, a transparent layer and a micro-lens. The light source emits light. The micro-lens and the light source are formed on a same substrate in a same semiconductor process. The micro-lens refracts and adjusts light beams emitted from the light source, and the adjusted light is emitted at an emitting surface of the micro-lens. The micro-lens built-in laser controls its radiation angle by changing the thickness of the transparent layer and the shape of the micro-lens.

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.

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: A sensor chip for a laser optical module has a plurality of sensor units and a processor. The sensor units sense speckles formed on a working plane and generate image data. A distance between each of the sensors and a closest sensor is not larger than 30 micrometers. The processor processes the image data and generates a display signal, which corresponds to the movement of the laser optical mouse.

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.

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.

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 computer system includes a display, a graphics chip capable of controlling the display and modulating light signals emitted from a plurality of sub-blocks in a main block on the display sequentially according to a predetermined rule, a digitizer comprising a light signal detecting module which is capable of detecting a light signal emitted from the display and sending a corresponding signal when the light signal emitted from the display is detected, a light signal processing unit for processing signals sent from the light signal detecting module and generating a detection succeeded signal when the result of the processing shows the modulation of the light signals emitted by the display according to the predetermined rule is detected by the light signal detecting module, and a positioning unit for determining the position of the digitizer on the display according to the predetermined rule.

Abstract: A light control module appropriate for an optical pointing device. The light control module comprises a processing unit outputting a first signal and a second signal, a photo sensor unit executing a capture operation according to an impulse of the first signal, and a light emitting unit executing a light emitting operation according to an impulse of the second signal, wherein when a frequency value of the first signal is less than a first preset value, at least one impulse is inserted between two successive impulses of the second signal for adjusting a frequency value of the second signal such that an equivalent frequency value corresponding to any two successive impulses of the second signal is greater than a second preset value, thus rendering flickers of the light emitting unit imperceptible.

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: 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: 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: 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 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.