Optical trackball module working principle

Based on optical sensing technology, input operation is realized by detecting the motion of a trackball and converting it into an electrical signal

Key features

• High precision: Through optical sensing technology, it is possible to accurately detect the small movements of the trackball.
• Fast response: Sensing components and image processing algorithms are able to capture and calculate motion information in real time.
• Low power consumption: The light emitting and sensing components have low power consumption, making them suitable for portable devices.
• Compact design: The focusing lens is integrated directly into the sensing assembly, reducing the overall thickness of the module.

Overall workflow

The user rolls the trackball.
The light-emitting component illuminates the surface of the trackball, creating reflected light.
The reflected light is focused to the sensing component through a focusing lens.
The sensing component analyzes changes in the reflected light and detects the motion of the trackball.
The motion information is converted into an electrical signal and output to the device.

Trackball movement

The user scrolls the trackball with their fingers. The surface of the trackball usually has a specific texture or pattern to enhance the reflection of light

Signal conversion and output

The sensing component converts the detected motion information into an electrical signal.
These electrical signals are transmitted to the main control chip, which is further processed and converted into input signals that can be recognized by a computer or device (e.g., cursor movement, scrolling operation, etc.).