Patent ID: 12216063

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Several embodiments are provided to explain the concept of the present invention. Please note, each component in the embodiments can be implemented by hardware (e.g. device or circuit) or firmware (e.g. processor installed with at least one program). Further, the term “first”, “second” . . . are only for defining different steps or components, but do not mean any sequence thereof.

FIG.1is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device100which can determine a dirtiness level according to one embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated inFIG.1, the electronic device100comprises a first light source LS_1, a second light source LS_2, a first optical sensor OS_1, a second optical sensor OS_2, a light guiding device LG and a processing circuit P. The first light source LS_1is configured to emit first light L_1. The second light source LS_2is configured to emit second light L_2. The first optical sensor OS_1is configured to sense first optical data (e.g., image or any other optical data with optical feature) generated based on reflected light of the first light L_1. The light guiding device LG is configured to receive the second light L_2. The second optical sensor OS_2is configured to sense second optical data (e.g., image or any other optical data with optical feature) generated based on the second light L_2emitted by the light guiding device LG.

In one embodiment, the electronic device100is an optical navigation device, such as an auto clean machine (or named an i-robot), an optical touch sensing device or an optical mouse, and the first optical data is for determining a motion of the electronic device. For example, an optical mouse can compute the motion of the optical mouse according to different images by an image sensor thereof. Detail steps of determining a motion according to optical data are well known by persons skilled in the art, thus are omitted for brevity here.

In one embodiment, the processing circuit P can determine a dirtiness level of the light guiding device LG according to the second light L_2emitted from the light guiding device LG. For example, the processing circuit P can determine the dirtiness level according a brightness level of the second optical data generated according to the second light L_2emitted from the light guiding device LG. In one embodiment, the second light L_2emitted by the light guiding device LG may be blocked by the material (e.g., dust) on the light guiding device LG. Therefore, in such case the processing circuit P determines the dirtiness level is higher than a dirtiness threshold if a brightness level of the second optical data is lower than a brightness threshold. However, in another embodiment, the second light L_2emitted by the light guiding device LG may be enhanced by the material on the light guiding device LG. Therefore, in such case the processing circuit P determines the dirtiness level is higher than a dirtiness threshold if a brightness level of the second optical data is higher than a brightness threshold.

Besides, in one embodiment, the processing circuit P can determine the dirtiness level according to a light pattern formed by the second optical data. For example, a light pattern which is generated by a clean light guiding device LG can be pre-recorded. After that, if some material such as oil is on the light guiding device LG, the light pattern is changed. Accordingly, the processing circuit P can determine the dirtiness level via comparing an instant light pattern and the pre-recorded light pattern.

Additionally, since the first optical sensor OS_1for sensing the first optical data and the second optical sensor OS_2for sensing the second optical data are two different optical sensors, the first light L_1and the second light L_2can be emitted simultaneously. However, the first light L_1and the second light L_2can also be emitted non-simultaneously.

FIG.2is a schematic diagram illustrating a detail structure of the electronic device illustrated inFIG.1, according to one embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated inFIG.2, besides the first light source LS_1, the second light source LS_2, the first optical sensor OS_1, the second optical sensor OS_2, the light guiding device LG and the processing circuit P illustrated inFIG.2, the electronic device200further comprises an optical component OC. The optical component OC is disposed in a transmission path of the first light L_1. Also, the optical component OC can pass partial of the light and reflects partial of the light when light is emitted to the optical component OC. Therefore, when the light source LS_1emits the first light L_1to the optical component OC, some of the first light L_1passes through the optical component OC, the light guiding device LG and is emitted to a surface Sr (e.g., a ground or a desk surface). By this way, the first optical sensor OS_1can sense the reflected light the first light L_1, thus can sense the first optical data.

Also, in the embodiment illustrated inFIG.2, the light guiding device LG receives the second light L_2from the second light source LS_2, and the second optical sensor OS_2can sense the second light L_2emitted from the light guiding device LG, thus can sense the second optical data.

Besides, in the embodiment ofFIG.2, the electronic device200further comprises a container Ca, which can comprise at least one of: the first light source LS_1, the second light source LS_2, the first optical sensor OS_1, the second optical sensor OS_2, the light guiding device LG and the processing circuit P therein. In the embodiment illustrated inFIG.2, except the processing circuit P, the first light source LS_1, the second light source LS_2, the first optical sensor OS_1, the second optical sensor OS_2, and the light guiding device LG are comprised in the container Ca. Furthermore, the light guiding device LG is a cover of the container Ca. By this way, the components in the container Ca can be protected by the container Ca and the light guiding device LG.

However, please note the arrangement of the components illustrated inFIG.1is not limited to the arrangement illustrated inFIG.2. Any arrangement which can perform the same function should fall in the scope of the present invention.

The number of the light sources and the optical sensors are not limited to the embodiments illustrated inFIG.1andFIG.2.FIG.3is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device300which can determine a dirtiness level according to another embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated inFIG.3, the electronic device300comprises a first light source LS_1, at least one second light source (in this embodiment, two second light sources LS_21, LS_22), a light guiding device LG, an optical sensor OS and a processing circuit P.

The first light source LS_1is configured to emit first light L_1. The second light sources LS_21, LS_22are configured to emit second light L_2. The light guiding device LG is configured to receive the second light L_2. The optical sensor OS is configured to sense first optical data generated based on reflected light of the first light L_1, and configured to sense second optical data generated based on the second light L_2emitted by the light guiding device LG.

FIG.4is a schematic diagram illustrating a detail structure of the electronic device illustrated inFIG.3, according to one embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated inFIG.4, besides the first light source LS_1, the second light sources LS_21, LS_22, the optical sensor OS, the light guiding device LG and the processing circuit P illustrated inFIG.3, the electronic device400further comprises an optical component OC. The optical component OC is disposed in a transmission path of the first light L_1. Also, can pass partial of the light and reflects partial of the light when light is emitted to the optical component OC. Therefore, when the light source LS_1emits the first light L_1to the optical component OC, some of the first light L_1passes through the optical component OC, the light guiding device LG and is emitted to a surface Sr (e.g., a ground or a desk surface). By this way, the optical sensor OS can sense the reflected light the first light L_1, thus can sense the first optical data.

Also, in the embodiment illustrated inFIG.4, the light guiding device LG receives the second light L_2from the second light sources LS_21, LS_22and the optical sensor OS can sense the second light L_2emitted from the light guiding device LG, thus can sense the second optical data. Since the electronic device400inFIG.4uses a single optical sensor OS to sense the first optical data and the second optical data. Therefore, in one embodiment, the first light and the second light are emitted non-simultaneously.

Detail operations of the embodiments illustrated inFIG.3andFIG.4can be acquired in view of above-mentioned embodiments, thus are omitted for brevity here.

As above-mentioned, the electronic devices100,200,300,400respectively illustrated inFIG.1-FIG.4can be optical navigation devices.FIG.5is a schematic diagram illustrating an auto clean machine provided by the present invention. As illustrated inFIG.5, the auto clean machine500comprises a container Ca, which comprises the first light source LS_1, the second light source LS_2, the first optical sensor OS_1and the second optical sensor OS_2provided therein. As above-mentioned, the first optical sensor OS_1is configured to sense the first optical data for determining a motion of the auto clean machine500, and the second optical sensor OS_2is configured to sense the second optical data for determining a dirtiness level of the light guiding device LG. Other kinds of optical navigation device can also use such mechanism. However, the structures illustrated inFIG.1-FIG.4can be applied to any other electronic device rather than limited to be applied for an optical navigation device.

In view of above-mentioned embodiments, the electronic device provided by the present invention can automatically determine a dirtiness level of the light guiding device. If the electronic device is an optical navigation device, the electronic device can automatically determine a dirtiness level of the cover for the optical sensor. Therefore, the user does not need to frequently check whether the cover is clean or not.

Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.