Abstract:
An image sensor mouse of a contact-less type is provided which employs a full color light emitting diode  80  having a red (R) light emitting unit diode  801,  a green (G) light emitting unit diode  802,  and a blue (B) light emitting unit diode  803,  and a voltage control integrated circuit  910  which makes selection of one or more of the three unit diodes to be operative by varying a driving voltage applicable across each of the unit diodes separately to vary intensity of the emitted light therefrom, whereby obtaining a mixed light in arbitrary color.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to an image sensor mouse. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image sensor mouse in which a full color light emitting diode is used as a light source for irradiating a reflection surface on which the image sensor mouse is moved.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    As a mouse connected to a computer via a cable for pointing a cursor position on a computer display device, there has conventionally been used a direction pointing device like a mouse by which an amount of movement of a ball moving on a plane or reflecting surface is converted into values of X-Y axis coordinates to obtain an X-axis coordinate signal and a Y-axis coordinate signal. In such a contact type mouse in which a ball moves on a plane, there is a danger to cause an operation error due to the contamination of the mouse by the dust.  
           [0005]    For this reason, there has been developed a contact-less type mouse that optically obtains an X-axis coordinate signal and a Y-axis coordinate signal without using a ball for obtaining an X-axis coordinate signal and a Y-axis coordinate signal. For example, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,505. As a contact-less type mouse, there has been in practical use a mouse that detects an amount of movement and a direction of movement of the mouse using an image processing coordinate conversion integrated circuit, and converts the detected results into an X-axis coordinate signal and a Y-axis coordinate signal as output signals. The contact-less type mouse will be briefly explained below with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.  
           [0006]    A reference numeral  1  denotes an upper side case of the mouse made of a light transmittable plastic material. This upper side case  1  has a crooked upward convex shape. On the front portion of the upper side case  1  as shown on the left side of the plan view in FIG. 6, a selection key  611  is connected to the left side of a primary part  10  of the mouse via a hinge, and a menu display key  621  is connected to the right side of the primary part  10  of the mouse via a hinge. A reference numeral  641  denotes a slit formed on the border between the selection key  611  and the menu display key  621 .  
           [0007]    A reference numeral  2  denotes a lower side case sheltered by the upper side case  1 . An outer surface of a bottom wall  21  of the lower side case  2  is formed on a plane on which the bottom wall  21  moves contacting with a reflection surface S. At the substantially central portion of the bottom wall  21 , a central aperture  20  is formed. An arc front edge projection  211  is formed at a front position close to the central aperture  20  of the inner surface of the bottom wall  21 , and an arc rear edge projection  212  is formed at a rear position close to the central aperture  20  of the inner surface of the bottom wall  21 . A pair of left and right protrusions  22  are formed at further front position on the inner surface of the bottom wall  21 .  
           [0008]    A lens member  3  made of a transparent material is engaged with the arc front edge projection  211  and the arc rear edge projection  212  formed on the inner surface of the bottom wall  21  of the lower side case  2  so as to be positioned between those projections  211  and  212 . This lens member  3  comprises a collimator lens  31  for collimating a light radiated from a light emitting diode  8 , which is to be explained later, an optical guide part  32  for guiding a reflected light reflected by the reflection surface S, an optical coupling part  33  for coupling the collimator lens  31  and the optical guide part  32 , and a disk type positioning board  34  for supporting thereon those collimator lens  31 , the optical guide part  32  and the optical coupling part  33  which are integrally assembled together into one body.  
           [0009]    A reference numeral  5  denotes a printed circuit board, which is secured to the lower side case  2  such that the printed circuit board  5  is mounted on the top ends of the pair of protrusions  22  formed at the front position on the bottom wall  21  of the lower side case  2 , the top end of the arc front edge projection  211  and the top end of the arc rear edge projection  212 . An optical guide part aperture  51  is formed on the printed circuit board  5  correspondingly to the optical guide part  32  and the optical coupling part  31  of the lens member  3 . The printed circuit board  5  is connected to a computer, a power supply, and other external circuit devices (not shown) via a cable  52  and a plug, for example, a universal serial bus (USB) plug  53 . A reference numeral  50  denotes a connector.  
           [0010]    A reference numeral  7  denotes an image processing coordinate conversion integrated circuit mounted on the upper surface of the printed circuit board  5 . This image processing coordinate conversion integrated circuit  7  has a light receiving lens  71  on the lower surface thereof In addition, the image processing coordinate conversion integrated circuit  7  includes therein an image sensor  72  that has a central axis common with a central axis of the light receiving lens  71  and an optical axis of the aforementioned optical guide part  32 . By this structure, the central axis of the light receiving lens  71 , the optical axis of the optical guide part  32  and the central axis of the image sensor  72  are set in a common axis. The image processing coordinate conversion integrated circuit  7  is electrically connected to the wirings (not shown) formed on the printed circuit board  5 .  
           [0011]    A reference numeral  60  denotes a pair of shaft-supporting props for a scroll wheel  64  which are formed on the upper surface of the bottom wall  21  of the lower side case  2 . Each of the shaft-supporting props  60  has thereon a shaft-supporting slit  661  in which a shaft  66  is movable upward and downward. Reference numerals  61 ,  62  and  63  denote a selection switch, a menu display switch and a scroll switch, respectively, and those switches are mounted on the upper surface of the printed circuit board  5 . The selection switch  61  is operated by a depression movement of the selection key  611  formed on the upper side case  1 , and the menu display switch  62  is operated, similarly to the selection key  61 , by a depression movement of the menu display key  621  formed on the upper side case  1 . The scroll switch  63  is operated and controlled by a downward movement of the driving shaft  66  in the shaft-supporting slits of the shaft-supporting props  60  caused by a depression movement of the scroll wheel  64  that is projected upward from the slit  641  formed between the selection key  611  and the menu display key  621 . Further, the scroll switch  63  is biased upward by a restoring bias spring force (not shown). When the depression force of the scroll wheel  64  is removed, the shaft  66  is moved upward, and the scroll switch  63  is restored to its off state. Under the condition that this mouse is supported by a specific operating system, by having the entire image sensor mouse scan toward arbitrary direction leaving the scroll wheel  64  depressed, a displayed screen image can be scrolled toward the scanning direction. A reference numeral  65  denotes a mechanical encoder. When the scroll wheel  64  is rotated, the mechanical encoder  65  is rotated via the rotary movement of the driving shaft  66 . The displayed screen image is scrolled upward and downward correspondingly to the rotation of the encoder  65 . The rotation ratio between the scroll wheel  64  and the encoder  65  is designed to be 1:1.  
           [0012]    Here, the driving operation of the light emitting diode  8  will be explained below with reference to FIGS. 8A and 8B. This light emitting diode  8  is mounted on the upper surface of the printed circuit board  5 , and emits a single color light having red color (R). This light emitting diode  8  is connected to an external power supply (not shown) via the printed wirings on the printed circuit board  5 , the cable  52  and the USB plug  53 . A reference numeral  90  denotes a switching control processing integrated circuit that controls the single color light emitting diode  8  either to emit a bright light when it is in use, or to emit a dark light when it is not in use. A reference numeral  91  denotes a voltage control integrated circuit, which controls a voltage regulator  92 . By the control of the voltage regulator  92 , a voltage of 3 v is obtained from a terminal OUT of the voltage regulator  92 , and this 3 v voltage is applied to the integrated circuit  90  as its driving voltage. A switching transistor Q 1  is connected in series to the single color light emitting diode  8 , and a 5 v voltage VCC from the external power supply (not shown) is applied to this series connection circuit. By a program control of the switching control processing integrated circuit  90 , an electric potential obtained from a terminal XY LED of the switching control processing integrated circuit  90  is changed in accordance with a usage state of the mouse, and a conductivity state of the switching transistor Q 1  is controlled. That is, when the mouse is in use, the switching transistor Q 1  is conductive, so that the single color light emitting diode  8  emits a bright red (R) light by means of the 5 v voltage VCC. As a result, the reflection surface S is irradiated by the emitted red (R) light. On the other hand, when the mouse is not in use, the conductivity of the transistor Q 1  is restricted, and the single color light emitting diode  8  emits a dark red (R) light.  
           [0013]    The operation of this mouse will be explained below. The mouse performs a scanning operation such that the bottom wall  21  formed in the plane shape under the lower side case  2  is contacted with the reflection surface S such as a surface of a desk. The light radiated from the single color light emitting diode  8  that is in the light emitting state is inputted to the collimator lens  31 , by which it is collimated to output a collimated light which then irradiates the reflection surface S via the optical coupling part  33 . The image of the irradiated portion of the reflection surface S is formed on the image sensor  72  of the image processing coordinate conversion integrated circuit  7  via the optical guide part  32  and the light receiving lens  71 . When the mouse is moved toward a certain direction horizontally on the reflection surface, an ever changing moving image of the reflection surface S is formed on the image sensor  72  of the image processing coordinate conversion integrated circuit  7 . The image processing coordinate conversion integrated circuit  7  performs a recognition and computing process of the image patterns formed on the image sensor  72  at a rate of 1500 times per second. The content of the recognition and computing process of the formed image patterns is to compare one image pattern formed immediately before on a specific minute area of the image sensor  72  with another image pattern being formed currently and to perform a computing process to find the moving direction and the amount of movement of the formed image pattern. This recognition and computing processes are performed for the entire area of the image sensor  72 . Based upon the moving direction and the amount of movement of the formed image pattern, an X-axis coordinate signal and a Y-axis coordinate signal are obtained, and those signals are transmitted to the external computer (not shown) via the cable  52 .  
           [0014]    In the aforementioned optical type image sensor mouse, its upper side case  1  is made of a light transmittable plastic material. Therefore, the light radiated from the light source for irradiating the reflection surface on which the image sensor mouse is moved is transmitted or leaks out through the upper side case  1 . An operator of the mouse can therefore easily recognize the color of the light as well as the emitting state of the light source by the transmitted or leaking out light through the upper side case  1 .  
           [0015]    However, in the conventional image sensor mouse as described hereinabove, a light emitting diode that emits a red (R) single color light is used as a light source. Therefore, only a red (R) light is always emitted from the light source, and hence the operator cannot expect by nature that the emitted light in different colors, i.e., other than color red can be used.  
           [0016]    In addition, the light source of the conventional image sensor mouse emits only a single color in red (R). Therefore, if the color of the light emitted from the light source is not distinguished or poor in recognition from the color of the corresponding reflection surface, the mouse may not be operable or may erroneously operate.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0017]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an image sensor mouse that can change the color of the light emitted therefrom when the mouse is in use, and can solve the aforementioned problem in poor recognition.  
           [0018]    In the image sensor mouse according to the present invention, instead of using the single color light emitting diode  8  as used in the conventional image sensor mouse shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, there is used a full color light emitting diode  80  for emitting a light having one of three primary colors of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) or a light having mixed color of those primary colors. In addition, by switching a driving voltage to be applied to each of the red (R) light emitting unit diode  801 , the green (G) light emitting unit diode  802 , and the blue (B) light emitting unit diode  803  of the full color light emitting diode  80 , a single unit diode or a plurality of unit diodes are made active. Moreover, a voltage control integrated circuit  910  for controlling magnitude of each driving voltage for each unit diode is newly developed and is introduced in the image sensor mouse. By this voltage control integrated circuit  910 , the lights having different colors respectively emitted from the red (R) light emitting unit diode  801 , the green (G) light emitting unit diode  802 , and the blue (B) light emitting unit diode  803  of the full color light emitting diode  80  are combined to change the color of the light emitted when the image sensor mouse is in use. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 is a plan view for explaining an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the embodiment shown above;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 4 is a side view for explaining another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIGS. 5A and 5B are circuit diagrams of another embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 6 is a plan view for explaining a conventional example of the image sensor mouse;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 7 a side view of the conventional example shown in FIG. 6; and  
         [0026]    [0026]FIGS. 8A and 8B are circuit diagrams of the conventional example of the image sensor mouse.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]    A mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to a first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and  3 . In this embodiment, members common to those of the conventional example have common reference signs affixed thereto.  
         [0028]    The driving operation of the full color light emitting diode  80  will be explained below with reference to FIG. 3. The full color light emitting diode  80  has a red (R) light emitting unit diode  801 , a green (G) light emitting unit diode  802 , a blue (B) light emitting unit diode  803 . The full color light emitting diode  80  is mounted on the printed circuit board  5 , and emits a light having one of the three primary colors, i.e., red (R), green (G), and blue (B) when corresponding one of the unit diodes is driven alone, or emits a light having a color produced by mixing those colors when a plurality of unit diodes are driven. The cathodes of the respective unit diodes of this full color light emitting diode  80  are connected in common to the external power supply (not shown) via the printed wirings of the printed circuit board  5 , a switching transistor Q 2 , the cable  52 , and the USB plug  53 . Switching transistors Q 1 , Q 4 , and Q 3  are connected in series to the respective anodes of the respective unit diodes of the full color light emitting diode  80 , respectively. A reference numeral  90  denotes a switching control processing integrated circuit. The conductivity of those switching transistors Q 1 , Q 4 , and Q 3  is controlled by applying a control voltage from the terminal XY LED of the switching control processing integrated circuit  90  to commonly connected gate terminals of those switching transistors.  910  is a newly developed voltage control integrated circuit in the present embodiment, which controls the voltage regulator  92 , and generates, via the voltage regulator  92 , voltages at terminals P 15  to P 17  each changing continuously or stepwise from 0 v to 5 v that are to be respectively applied to the red (R) light emitting unit diode  801 , the green (G) light emitting unit diode  802 , and the blue (B) light emitting unit diode  803 . The full color light emitting diode  80  changes intensity of the emitted red (R) light, the emitted green (G) light, and the emitted blue (B) light by changing the voltages respectively applied to the red (R) light emitting unit diode, the green (G) light emitting unit diode, and the blue (B) light emitting unit diode. The voltage control integrated circuit  910  selects, by a program control, one or two or three of the switching transistors Q 1 , Q 3  and Q 4  to make them conductive by respectively switching the output driving voltages for the respective unit diodes obtained at the terminals P 15  to P 17 , so that the full color light emitting diode  80  emits the intended light. In this case, each voltage to be applied to one of the red (R) light emitting unit diode  801 , the green (G) light emitting unit diode  802 , and the blue (B) light emitting unit diode  803  is set to either 0 v or 5 v by a program control of the voltage control integrated circuit  910 .  
         [0029]    The voltage control integrated circuit  910  can further change and adjust continuously, by a program control thereof, the voltage to be applied across the red (R) light emitting unit diode  801 , the green (G) light emitting unit diode  802 , and the blue (B) light emitting unit diode  803  so that the full color light emitting diode  80  can eventually change the intensity of the emitted light, and at the same time, the voltage control integrated circuit  910  selects one or two or three of the switching transistors Q 1 , Q 4  and Q 3  to make them conductive so that the unit diodes to be driven are selected. By the above operation, the fill color light emitting diode  80  arbitrarily selects the color of the light to be emitted.  
         [0030]    Here, in the case of emitting specified seven colors, the voltages to be respectively applied from the terminals P 15  to P 17  to the red (R) light emitting unit diode  801 , the green (G) light emitting unit diode  802 , and the blue (B) light emitting unit diode  803  are only two values of 0 v and 5 v. A unit diode to which 0 v voltage is applied does not emit a light. A unit diode across which 5 v voltage is applied emits a light having its own primary color, i.e., red (R), green (G), or blue (B). Based on this, the specified seven colors, i.e., (red (R))→(red (R)+blue (B))→(blue (B))→(blue (B)+green (G))→(green (G))→(blue (B)+red (R)+green (G))→(green (G)+red (R))→returning to red (R) can be emitted by a program control of the voltage control integrated circuit  910 . In this case, an application of the 5 v voltage to corresponding one of the unit diodes is controlled (for example, on/off control) by changing the voltage outputted from corresponding one of the terminals P 15  (R), P 16  (G), and P 17  (B) to a cut-off state or a supply state (for example, on/off control). By this operation, a light having arbitrary color can be generated.  
         [0031]    In the case of emitting a full color light, the voltage control integrated circuit  910  is program-controlled to continuously change the values of voltages outputted from the respective terminals P 15  (R), P 16  (G), and P 17  (B), and to continuously apply voltages each having a value between 3 v and 5 v to the corresponding red (R) light emitting unit diode  801 , green (G) light emitting unit diode  802 , and blue (B) light emitting unit diode  803  via the voltage regulator  92 .  
         [0032]    For example, a voltage rising from 3 v to 5 v is continuously applied to those unit diodes for one second.  
         [0033]    Alternatively, the voltage applied only to the blue (B) light emitting unit diode is changed step-wize, for example, 4 v→5 v→3 v, and a voltage continuously rising from 3 v to 5 v is applied to the other unit diodes.  
         [0034]    The light having arbitrarily selected color irradiates the reflection surface S, and this light also irradiates the inside of the upper case  1  made of a light transmittable plastic material and is externally radiated therefrom.  
         [0035]    Another embodiment in which the image sensor mouse according to the present invention is driven by a different control will be explained below with reference to FIG. 4 and FIGS. 5A and 5B.  
         [0036]    A reference numeral  941  denotes a variable resistor for red (R) for adjusting the voltage of the red (R) light emitting unit diode  801 , a reference numeral  942  denotes a variable resistor for green (G) for adjusting the voltage of the green (G) light emitting unit diode  802 , and a reference numeral  943  denotes a variable resistor for blue (B) for adjusting the voltage of the blue (B) light emitting unit diode  803 . Those variable resistors are positioned and mounted at the rear end position on the upper surface of the printed circuit board  5  such that the variable resistor for blue (B)  943  is located at the left side, the variable resistor for blue (B)  942  is located at the center, and the variable resistor for red (R)  941  is located at the right side. In addition, a driving rod  95  with a knob  96  of each variable resistor is slightly protruded from the upper side case  1 .  
         [0037]    In this embodiment, the red (R) light emitting unit diode  801  is connected in series to the variable resistor for red (R)  941 , the green (G) light emitting unit diode  802  is connected in series to the variable resistor for green (G)  942 , and the blue (B) light emitting unit diode  803  is connected in series to the variable resistor for blue (B)  943 . A parallel connection circuit is constituted by those three series connection circuits. In addition, a series connection circuit is constituted by this parallel connection circuit and a switching transistor Q 1 .  
         [0038]    Furthermore, the voltage control integrated circuit  91 , the switching control processing integrated circuit  90 , and the voltage regulator  92  are the same in terms of their respective configurations as those shown in FIG. 8, and the 5 v voltage VCC is applied across the series connection circuit constituted by the parallel connection circuit and the switching transistor Q 1 . When the switching transistor Q 1  is made conductive by a program control of the switching control processing integrated circuit  90 , each unit diode is applied thereacross with a driving voltage of 5 v voltage VCC which is divided by the variable resistor.  
         [0039]    In the case of this embodiment, by rotating the knobs  96  of the respective variable resistors for red (R)  941 , for green (G)  942 , and for blue (B)  943  to adjust the respective resistor values, the divided voltages applied to the corresponding unit diodes are changed. Based on the change of the voltages applied to the respective unit diodes, intensity of the light emitted from each of the unit diodes is changed. The emitted light obtained by mixing those lights emitted from those unit diodes changes to a full color light.  
         [0040]    According to the present invention, a full-color light emitting diode that emits a full color light is used instead of using a single color light emitting diode used as a light source for irradiating a reflection surface on which the image sensor mouse is moved in the conventional optical type image sensor mouse. By irradiating the light transmittable upper side case from the inside thereof by this emitted light and by transmitting the light through the upper side case, the external view of the image sensor mouse can be changed. The present invention provides an effect that the color change of the external view of the image sensor mouse gives a psychologically good influence to the operator.  
         [0041]    Furthermore, by selecting an emitted light in such an appropriate color that is highly sensitive or distinguishable in comparison to the color of the reflection surface under the mouse, erroneous operations can be effectively prevented from occurring or can be reduced, and hence the operational efficiency of the image sensor mouse and the computer to which this mouse is connected can be improved.