Abstract: An optical navigation device, comprising: an image sensor, comprising a first number of pixels; and a processing circuit, configured to perform following steps: controlling the image sensor to sense a first sensing image by the first number of pixels in a first mode; and controlling the image sensor to perform a pixel binning such that the image sensor senses a second sensing image by a second number of binning pixels in a second mode; wherein the first number is larger than the second number, and each of the binning pixels corresponds to a plurality of the pixels.

Abstract: An optical navigation method, applied to an optical navigation device, comprising: (a) recording a first motion prediction of the optical navigation device; (b) determining if a surface which the optical navigation device is moving on is trackable; and (c) loading the first motion prediction recorded in the step (a) if the surface is non-trackable and then becomes trackable.

Abstract: A computer readable recording medium storing at least one program, wherein an image quality improvement method is performed when the program is executed. The image quality improvement method comprising: (a) classifying data units of a target image to normal data units and abnormal data units based on relations between brightness values of the data units and a classification parameter, wherein the classification parameter is related with an image quality of the target image or the brightness values of the data units; and (b) adjusting the brightness values of the abnormal data units based on an adjusting parameter to generate adjusted brightness values, such that differences between the adjusted brightness values and the brightness values of the normal data units are reduced. An optical navigation method using the image quality improvement method is also disclosed.

Abstract: There is provided a frame rate adjusting method of a navigation device including: counting a frame period using a clock of a local oscillator of the navigation device; counting a polling period using the same clock; calculating a difference between the frame period and the polling period; adjusting a frame rate of the navigation device when the difference is smaller than a predetermined margin.

Abstract: A computer readable recording medium storing at least one program, wherein an image quality improvement method is performed when the program is executed. The image quality improvement method comprising: (a) classifying data units of a target image to normal data units and abnormal data units based on relations between brightness values of the data units and a classification parameter, wherein the classification parameter is related with an image quality of the target image or the brightness values of the data units; and (b) adjusting the brightness values of the abnormal data units based on an adjusting parameter to generate adjusted brightness values, such that differences between the adjusted brightness values and the brightness values of the normal data units are reduced. An optical navigation method using the image quality improvement method is also disclosed.

Abstract: There is provided a frame rate adjusting method of a navigation device including: counting a frame period using a clock of a local oscillator of the navigation device; counting a polling period using the same clock; calculating a difference between the frame period and the polling period; adjusting a frame rate of the navigation device when the difference is smaller than a predetermined margin.

Abstract: There is provided a frame rate adjusting method of a navigation device including: counting a frame period using a clock of a local oscillator of the navigation device; counting a polling period using the same clock; calculating a difference between the frame period and the polling period; adjusting a frame rate of the navigation device when the difference is smaller than a predetermined margin.

Abstract: There is provided a frame rate adjusting method of a navigation device including: counting a frame period using a clock of a local oscillator of the navigation device; counting a polling period using the same clock; calculating a difference between the frame period and the polling period; adjusting a frame rate of the navigation device when the difference is smaller than a predetermined margin.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical navigation system, which comprises: a main control circuit; an activating device, coupled to the main control circuit; and an optical sensor, coupled to the main control circuit and the activating device. The main control circuit controls the activating device to transit from a first standby mode to a first active mode when the optical sensor enters a second standby mode. The activating device generates an activating command to transit the optical sensor from the second standby mode to a second activate mode corresponding to a specific action, when the activating device is in the first active mode. By this way, the optical sensor can be activated via another device rather than the optical data sensed by itself, thus the power consumption can be reduced.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical navigation system, which comprises: a main control circuit; an activating device, coupled to the main control circuit; and an optical sensor, coupled to the main control circuit and the activating device. The main control circuit controls the activating device to transit from a first standby mode to a first active mode when the optical sensor enters a second standby mode. The activating device generates an activating command to transit the optical sensor from the second standby mode to a second activate mode corresponding to a specific action, when the activating device is in the first active mode. By this way, the optical sensor can be activated via another device rather than the optical data sensed by itself, thus the power consumption can be reduced.

Abstract: A tracking method of an optical input device includes: capturing a first image as a reference frame and an input image subsequent to the first image as a compare frame while the optical input device operates; computing correlation between the compare frame and the reference frame for a first correlation window to obtain a first peak correlation value; computing another correlation between the compare frame and the reference frame for a second correlation window when the first peak correlation value identified is located at a corner of the first correlation window; when a second peak correlation value of the second correlation window is determined to be greater than the first peak correlation value, computes a displacement information of the optical input device based on the pixel position associated with the second peak correlation value identified in the compare frame.

Abstract: A navigation device includes an image sensor, a processing unit, a main clock circuit and an auxiliary clock circuit, wherein a clock frequency of the auxiliary clock circuit is much lower than that of the main clock circuit. The image sensor captures a predetermined number of image frames in a burst period. The processing unit is configured to calculate a displacement according to the image frames, to disable the main clock circuit after the predetermined number of image frames have been captured by the image sensor and to restart the main clock circuit with the auxiliary clock circuit before the end of the burst period.

Abstract: There is provided a color image sensor including a sensing array and a processing unit. The sensing array includes a red pixel, a green pixel, a blue pixel, a red and green pixel and a red and blue pixel configured to output a detected signal, respectively. The processing unit is configured to calculate a signal difference between detected signals associated with the red pixel and the red and green pixel to be served as a red detected signal, calculate a signal difference between detected signals associated with the green pixel and the red and green pixel to be served as a green detected signal, and calculate a signal difference between detected signals associated with the blue pixel and the red and blue pixel to be served as a blue detected signal.

Abstract: There is provided a color image sensor including a sensing array and a processing unit. The sensing array includes a red pixel, a green pixel, a blue pixel, a red and green pixel and a red and blue pixel configured to output a detected signal, respectively. The processing unit is configured to calculate a signal difference between detected signals associated with the red pixel and the red and green pixel to be served as a red detected signal, calculate a signal difference between detected signals associated with the green pixel and the red and green pixel to be served as a green detected signal, and calculate a signal difference between detected signals associated with the blue pixel and the red and blue pixel to be served as a blue detected signal.

Abstract: A tracking method of an optical input device includes: capturing a first image as a reference frame and an input image subsequent to the first image as a compare frame while the optical input device operates; computing correlation between the compare frame and the reference frame for a first correlation window to obtain a first peak correlation value; computing another correlation between the compare frame and the reference frame for a second correlation window when the first peak correlation value identified is located at a corner of the first correlation window; when a second peak correlation value of the second correlation window is determined to be greater than the first peak correlation value, computes a displacement information of the optical input device based on the pixel position associated with the second peak correlation value identified in the compare frame.

Abstract: A navigation device includes an image sensor, a processing unit, a main clock circuit and an auxiliary clock circuit, wherein a clock frequency of the auxiliary clock circuit is much lower than that of the main clock circuit. The image sensor captures a predetermined number of image frames in a burst period. The processing unit is configured to calculate a displacement according to the image frames, to disable the main clock circuit after the predetermined number of image frames have been captured by the image sensor and to restart the main clock circuit with the auxiliary clock circuit before the end of the burst period.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking movement between a surface and an optical navigation device are described. In an embodiment, the optical navigation device has an image sensor that includes an array of pixels and motion tracking involves acquiring image information, the image information including pixel values that correspond to the pixels, calculating a surface quality (SQUAL) value from the image information, determining a level of saturation of the pixel array from pixel values of the image information, comparing the determined level of saturation of the pixel array to a saturation threshold, increasing a SQUAL threshold if the determined level of saturation of the pixel array is greater than the saturation threshold, and deciding whether or not to output motion tracking information in response to a comparison of the SQUAL value to the SQUAL threshold. Other embodiments of the method are also described.

Abstract: An input device with a power saving system is provided for reducing the power consumption of the input device when the input device is at rest. The input device may include a sensor, a rest mode switch, control logic and a current controller. The sensor may be configured to obtain an image data in response to a light incident on the sensor. The rest mode switch may be configured to set the input device to various levels of rest modes when it is inactive. The control logic may be coupled to the rest mode switch and the sensor. The control logic may be configured to set the input device to process a portion of the image data on the sensor array during a wake up detection operation when the input device is at rest. The current controller may be coupled to the control logic and the sensor and configured to control the current supply limited to a section of the sensor array containing the portion of image data that is being processed by the input device during the wake up detection operation.

Abstract: An input device with a power saving system is provided for reducing the power consumption of the input device when the input device is at rest. The input device may include a sensor, a rest mode switch, control logic and a current controller. The sensor may be configured to obtain an image data in response to a light incident on the sensor. The rest mode switch may be configured to set the input device to various levels of rest modes when it is inactive. The control logic may be coupled to the rest mode switch and the sensor. The control logic may be configured to set the input device to process a portion of the image data on the sensor array during a wake up detection operation when the input device is at rest. The current controller may be coupled to the control logic and the sensor and configured to control the current supply limited to a section of the sensor array containing the portion of image data that is being processed by the input device during the wake up detection operation.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking movement between a surface and an optical navigation device are described. In an embodiment, the optical navigation device has an image sensor that includes an array of pixels and motion tracking involves acquiring image information, the image information including pixel values that correspond to the pixels, calculating a surface quality (SQUAL) value from the image information, determining a level of saturation of the pixel array from pixel values of the image information, comparing the determined level of saturation of the pixel array to a saturation threshold, increasing a SQUAL threshold if the determined level of saturation of the pixel array is greater than the saturation threshold, and deciding whether or not to output motion tracking information in response to a comparison of the SQUAL value to the SQUAL threshold. Other embodiments of the method are also described.