KR20060034735A - Ultra thin optical joystick of which enables micro lens array construction - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention escapes from the existing keypad press input method when inputting numbers or characters in small portable devices such as mobile phones, and implements keyboards such as numbers or characters on the LCD screen and clicks on numbers or characters through the movement of the cursor. It's about the way.

In particular, in the cursor click method, a finger (subject) is moved on a module equipped with a device (optical joystick ™) using an optical image sensor and the input is controlled by detecting the movement of the cursor. In this case, it is possible to input simpler and faster than the existing keypad press input method, and it can be applied to the GUI (Graphic User Interface) environment such as the Windows environment of the computer which is gradually expanding. Will have

However, in order to apply such optical joysticks ™ to small portable devices, miniaturization and slimming of optical systems including optical image sensors are essential.

Therefore, it is impossible to apply the existing general optical system, and it is necessary to design a microscopic and optimized optical system. By designing an optimized structure to realize such an ultra-compact optical system, the optical joystick ™ can be miniaturized and slimmed so that it can be mounted on a small portable device.

By using this method, it is possible to input various types of small portable devices such as mobile phones without the use of keypad presses, simplifying the structure of small portable devices such as mobile phones, and preventing screen contamination, which is a problem caused when using the touch screen, and LCD. Since the cursor can be clicked while moving on the screen freely, the user's convenience is maximized by applying functions such as scrolling in the GUI (Graphic User Interface) environment.

 Mobile Phone, Character Recognition, Optical Joystick ™, Micro Lens Array, Graphical User Interface, Optical Image Sensor, Slimming, Input Device                                                                                                                                                                  

Description

Ultra Thin Optical Joystick of which enables micro lens array construction

1A, B, and C show an optical joystick ™ with ultra-slim module thickness using Plano-Convex lens and micro lens array.

2A, B, and C are optical joysticks ™ with ultra-thin modules thickness using a symmetric microlens array.

3, 4, 5, and 6 are diagrams illustrating an operation of moving a pointer (cursor) and clicking a menu in a GUI (Graphic User Interface) environment of a mobile phone using an optical joystick ™.

7 is a view for explaining that the R value of the lens cannot be smaller than the aperture value of the lens.

8 is a view showing a focal length when a general spherical lens is used.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a focal length when using a Plano-Convex lens and a micro lens array. FIG.

10 shows a focal length when using a symmetrical micro lens array.

The present invention deviates from the conventional keypad press input method when inputting numbers or characters in small portable devices such as mobile phones, displays keyboards such as numbers or characters on the LCD screen, and inputs numbers or characters by clicking a cursor. (Graphic User Interface) It is related to optical joystick ™ with cursor movement character input and icon click method that can move cursor and click icon in free plane (LCD screen) environment. In particular, it relates to an Ultra-Slim Optical Joystick ™ for insertion into small portable devices.

Conventionally, a keypad press input method is mainly used as an input method of a small portable device such as a mobile phone. The reason why the keypad press input method is mainly used is that the thickness of the module used for other input methods is limited. This is because thick modules cannot be used due to the location of important components such as the location and thickness of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and the location of RF modules.

The keypad input method is troublesome in terms of time and operation due to the pressing method by the mono movement, which can move only one space when entering a phone number or using a menu of other menus. It has a limitation that cannot be used in GUI (Graphic User Interface) environment.

The technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to implement an environment, such as a graphical user interface (GUI) such as a number or a dial or a computer window (Windows) on the LCD screen and move the cursor to enter the number or characters or click on the icon This is a way to enable the menu entry.

Therefore, by moving a finger (subject) on the optical image input module (optical joystick ™) to move the cursor on the screen, a specific number, letter, or icon is inputted.

In this method, a user moves a finger (subject) on the optical image input module and clicks a specific number, letter, or icon, and when the finger is pressed on the optical joystick ™, the input is performed immediately or when a switch (click button) is pressed. .

To realize this, the optical joystick ™ using the optical image sensor is implemented and utilized.

When the optical image sensor is used in the optical mouse used in the existing computer, since the object surface is the bottom surface, the irradiation of the light source is directed downward and the lens is positioned below the optical image sensor. However, in order to be applied to small portable devices such as mobile phones, the optical image sensor is directed upwards and the lens is also placed on it because it is a method of moving a finger (subject) in the upper direction of the object surface (cover glass). The basic concept is the same as the classification according to the position of the subject).

The change in the collected images is converted by the optical image sensor to analyze the movement of the finger (subject) and to specify the position of the cursor on the LCD screen.

Such an optical image sensor is a sensor that is widely used in a commercially available optical mouse, and a representative product is an optical mouse sensor of Agilent (www.agilent.com).

In such a conventional structure, since the object surface (cover glass), the lens system, and the optical image sensor are vertically aligned in the optical axis direction, there is a limit of the basic height due to the limitation of the focal length of the optical system. This limitation was not applicable to small portable devices such as mobile phones, which are becoming smaller and slimmer.

Therefore, the optical joystick ™ for mounting in a small portable device such as a mobile phone requires a new lens structure such as application of an aspherical lens and a micro lens array in addition to the general spherical lens structure.

Referring to the configuration of the present invention with reference to the following drawings.

Referring to FIG. 7, there is a condenser lens 51, and there is a diameter D of the lens and a radius of curvature R of the lens. In the design of the lens, basically, the radius of curvature R of the lens cannot be smaller than the aperture D of the lens. In order to shorten the focal length, the lens must have a large refractive index n or a small radius of curvature R, but the short focal length can be realized. However, a material with a large refractive index (n) cannot be applied to a general product because the material itself is expensive, and it is used only for a special purpose. Therefore, the curvature radius (R) of the lens must be designed small so that the material can be easily obtained and the short focal length can be realized. However, since the radius of curvature R cannot be smaller than the aperture diameter D of the lens, there is a limit in manufacturing. In particular, thin devices such as mobile phones such as mobile phones require ultra-slim size, and extremely short focal lengths must be realized to enable ultra-slim implementation. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, the condenser lens 62 having the general aperture D has a limit in reducing the focal length reaching the image capturing region 63 of the image sensor.

However, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), micro-injection molding, hot embossing, and ultraviolet curing molding can be used to produce lenses with a radius of curvature of several tens of micrometers (um). Distance implementations are also possible. Therefore, if the microlens array structure is used as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a much shorter focal length can be realized, thereby making an ultra slim module. In addition, by arranging each micro lens array in the same number as the number of pixels, a structure capable of sharply generating an image of an image entering each pixel.

FIG. 9 shows a first condensing with a Plano-Convex lens 72 and then condensing in a microlens array 73 corresponding to the number of pixels. This is a structure that forms an image in each pixel of).

FIG. 10 illustrates a structure in which a symmetrical microlens array structure 92 corresponding to the number of pixels is formed to form an image on each pixel of the imaging area 93 of the image sensor.

Therefore, by using the features of the micro lens array structure, it is possible to manufacture an ultra-slim optical joystick ™ applicable to small portable devices such as mobile phones.

This includes a cover glass 11, a light source (LED) 12, an optical waveguide (light meter) 13, a Plano-Convex lens 14, an image sensor 17, a printed circuit (PCB) as shown in FIG. 1A. Board) 18, the barrel 19 is made. If there is no subject (finger) on the cover glass 11 surface as shown in FIG. 1B, the light irradiated from the light source (LED) 12 travels through the optical waveguide (lighting system) 13 to be irradiated to the cover glass 11 and transmitted outside. do. However, as shown in FIG. 1C, when the subject (finger) 19 is placed on the cover glass 11 surface, the light irradiated onto the cover glass 11 is reflected on the subject (finger) 19 and is a plano-convex lens. Primary light is condensed by (14), and second light is condensed (final light) by the microlens array 15 to form an image on the pixels Pixel of the image capturing region 16. This structure enables the implementation of very short focal lengths due to the small radius of curvature of the microlens, which makes it possible to make the thickness of the optical joystick ™ to be made slim. The information of the transmitted image transmits the image information to the imaging area 16 of the image sensor according to the movement of the subject (finger) 19 to move the pointer (cursor) implemented on the LCD screen of a small mobile device such as a mobile phone. And these pointers (cursors) designate the icon (click) to create an environment to run the menu.

2A is an ultra-slim light joystick ™ using a symmetric micro lens array 24 structure. If there is no subject (finger) on the cover glass 21 surface as shown in FIG. 2B, the light irradiated from the light source (LED) 22 travels through the optical waveguide (lighting system) 23 and is transmitted to the cover glass 21 to be transmitted. Will have However, when the subject (finger) 29 is placed on the cover glass 21 as shown in FIG. 2C, the light irradiated by the cover glass is reflected by the subject (finger) and passes through the symmetrical micro lens array 24 to capture an image area of the image sensor. An image is formed on the pixel of 25). This structure also allows the implementation of very short focal lengths due to the small radius of curvature of the microlenses, which makes it possible to make the thickness of the optical joystick ™ to be made slim. The information of the image is transferred to the imaging area 25 of the image sensor according to the movement of the subject (finger) 29 to move the pointer (cursor) implemented on the LCD screen of a small mobile device such as a mobile phone. And these pointers (cursors) designate the icon (click) to create an environment to run the menu.

3 is a mobile phone using an ultra-slim optical joystick ™ applying a micro lens array structure. The icon 33 and the pointer 32 are implemented on the LCD screen of the cellular phone on which the ultra-slim optical joystick ™ 31 is mounted. The menu execution of such a mobile phone moves the subject (finger) 34 on the optical joystick ™ 31 and moves the pointer (cursor) 32 over the icon 33 to be designated (clicked) as shown in FIG. Clicking on this icon 33 brings up the submenu 41 as shown in FIG. 5, which again places the subject (finger) 34 on the optical joystick ™ 31 and moves the pointer (cursor) 32 as shown in FIG. 6. Assign (click) to launch the menu.

As described above, the ultra-slim optical joystick ™ to which the microlens array structure according to the present invention is applied enables realization of a short focal length due to the small curvature radius of the microlenses, thereby making it possible to reduce the thickness of a small portable device such as a mobile phone.

In addition, the optical joystick ™ is used to freely specify menus such as icons implemented on the LCD screen.

Therefore, the present invention will serve as an important key that enables the implementation of a Graphical User Interface (GUI) environment of a mobile phone that will come in the future.

Claims (3)

In small portable devices such as mobile phones with LCD screens, Characters, numbers, and menus are inputted on the screen rather than the keypad input method.The characters, numbers, and icons are implemented on the screen.In the input of letters, numbers, and icons, a light source is irradiated to the optical image sensor to move the image. The optical fiber is applied to a small mobile device such as a mobile phone that moves the cursor on the screen and implements numbers, letters, and icons on the screen to move the cursor to click and specify the numbers, letters, and icons to be input. The optical composition of the Joystick ™ reduces the focal length from 0.1 to 0.4mm using a Micro Lens Array structure in which multiple microlenses are arranged in three dimensions. Optical Joystick ™ for use in small portable devices such as mobile phones, which has a structure that can reduce the thickness from 0.5 to 6.0 mm. The method of claim 1, Cursor (pointer) movement that moves the cursor (pointer) on the LCD screen by physically recognizing the movement of the finger. There is an optical joystick ™, and the screen cursor is composed of letters (or numbers) and icons arranged on the LCD screen. Move the cursor (pointer) in physical contact with the optical joystick ™, move the finger to move the cursor (pointer) to the position of the desired letter, number, or icon, and the cursor (pointer) Light joystick ™ used in mobile phones and small portable devices, characterized in that the letter and number for the mobile phone, the menu input method to input the specified letters, numbers, icons by pressing the click button with the finger in the specified state. The method of claim 1, In the manufacture of micro lenses, lenses having a radius of curvature of several tens of micrometers (um) using MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems), micro injection molding, hot embossing, ultraviolet curing molding, etc. Cell phones and small portable devices manufactured using a microlens array structure in which microlenses with a short focal length of 0.4mm are three-dimensionally arranged to correspond to the number of pixels in the imaging area of the image sensor. Optical joysticks ™ used in the instrument.

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