Patent ID: 7843434
Filing Date: 2010-11-30
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A pointing device comprising: an illumination system that illuminates a surface over which said pointing device moves, said illumination system comprising only a single light-emitting device and at least one light converting layer to generate a light signal having first and second spectral regions toward said surface to illuminate said surface with said light signal, a portion of said light signal being viewable by a user of said pointing device, said first spectral region comprising visible light of a predetermined color and said second spectral region comprising infrared light, the light-emitting device being configured to emit light comprising light of a first wavelength, the light converting layer being configured to convert a portion of said light of said first wavelength to light of a second wavelength, said second wavelength being in said second spectral region, said light converting layer including a phosphor that converts said light of said first wavelength to said light of said second wavelength; an imaging array that records a plurality of images of said illuminated surface, said imaging array being sensitive to light in said second spectral region; a controller that records first and second images taken by said imaging array at different times and determines a displacement indicative of the direction and distance of said positioning device moved between said two different times, said controller further generating an illumination control signal; and a housing that contains said illumination system, said housing including a slot along an optical path of said light from said light-emitting device, wherein said light converting layer is a module that is inserted in said slot of said housing by a user of said pointing device so that at least some of said light from said light-emitting device is converted to said light of said second wavelength by said light converting layer positioned in said slot of said housing, said slot being positioned such that said optical path of said light from said light-emitting device extends through said slot and a portion of the light converting layer within the slot.