# US 11,907,440 B2 · Scheme capable of dynamically adjusting sensor frame rate according to polling rate of microcontroller to avoid invalid displacement data report and to save more power > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,907,440 B2 - Document ID: US11907440B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/571,547 - Filed: 2022-01-10 - Published: 2023-07-13 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-01-10 - Assignees: Pixart Imaging Inc. - Applicants: PixArt Imaging Inc. - Inventors: Shang Chan Kong; Chun Heap Leow - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11907440B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0304: {Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means (constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042)} - H04L 41/0816: the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events - H04L 41/0813: characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings - H04L 41/0823: characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability (for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02) - H04L 41/0833: for reduction of network energy consumption - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A method of a navigation sensor circuit includes: monitoring at least one polling request signal sent from a microcontroller during a variable time interval, wherein the microcontroller is externally coupled to the navigation sensor circuit; calculating at least one polling rate of the microcontroller according to the at least one polling request signal; and dynamically adjusting a sensor frame rate of the navigation sensor circuit according the at least one polling rate, wherein an image sensor of the navigation sensor circuit operates and captures images to generate and output displacement data based on the sensor frame rate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of a navigation sensor circuit, comprising: monitoring at least one polling request signal sent from a microcontroller during a variable time interval, wherein the microcontroller is externally coupled to the navigation sensor circuit; calculating at least one polling rate of the microcontroller according to the at least one polling request signal; and dynamically adjusting a sensor frame rate of the navigation sensor circuit according the at least one polling rate, wherein an image sensor of the navigation sensor circuit operates and captures images to generate and output displacement data based on the sensor frame rate; wherein a time length of the variable time interval is proportional to a programmable threshold, and a specific counter is used to count a number of signal receptions of the at least one polling request signal and is reset when a counting number of the specific counter is higher than the programmable threshold. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: instantly adjusting the sensor frame rate from a currently used frame rate to a higher frame rate to make the sensor frame rate be higher than the at least one polling rate when the at least one polling rate becomes higher than the currently used frame rate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a time length of the variable time interval becomes shorter when the at least one polling rate becomes higher. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: adjusting the sensor frame rate from a currently used frame rate to a lower frame rate which is lower than the currently used frame rate and higher than the at least one polling rate when the counting number of the specific counter is higher than the programmable threshold; and not adjusting the sensor frame rate when the counting number is not higher than the programmable threshold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: maintaining the sensor frame rate when both events of the sensor frame rate being higher than the at least one polling rate and a difference between the sensor frame rate and the at least one polling rate being smaller than a specific threshold. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: adjusting the sensor frame rate by configuring the sensor frame rate as a maximum polling rate among the at least one polling rate when the counting number of the specific counter becomes higher than the programmable threshold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining whether to decrease or maintain the sensor frame rate only when the variable time interval ends. ### Claim 8 A navigation sensor circuit to be externally coupled to a microcontroller, comprising: an image sensor, for operating and capturing images to generate and output displacement data based on a sensor frame rate; a specific counter; and a control circuit, coupled to the image sensor and the specific counter, for: monitoring at least one polling request signal sent from the microcontroller during a variable time interval; calculating at least one polling rate of the microcontroller according to the at least one polling request signal; and dynamically adjusting the sensor frame rate according the at least one polling rate; wherein a time length of the variable time interval is proportional to a programmable threshold, and the specific counter is started by the control circuit to count a number of signal receptions of the at least one polling request signal and is reset by the control circuit when a counting number of the specific counter is higher than the programmable threshold. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The navigation sensor circuit of claim 8, wherein the control circuit is arranged for: instantly adjusting the sensor frame rate from a currently used frame rate to a higher frame rate to make the sensor frame rate be higher than the at least one polling rate when the at least one polling rate becomes higher than the currently used frame rate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The navigation sensor circuit of claim 8, wherein a time length of the variable time interval becomes shorter when the at least one polling rate becomes higher. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The navigation sensor circuit of claim 8, wherein the control circuit is arranged for: adjusting the sensor frame rate from a currently used frame rate to a lower frame rate which is lower than the currently used frame rate and higher than the at least one polling rate when the counting number of the specific counter is higher than the programmable threshold; and not adjusting the sensor frame rate when the counting number is not higher than the programmable threshold. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The navigation sensor circuit of claim 8, wherein the control circuit is arranged for: maintaining the sensor frame rate when both events of the sensor frame rate being higher than the at least one polling rate and a difference between the sensor frame rate and the at least one polling rate being smaller than a specific threshold. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The navigation sensor circuit of claim 8, wherein the control circuit is arranged for: adjusting the sensor frame rate by configuring the sensor frame rate as a maximum polling rate among the at least one polling rate when the counting number of the specific counter becomes higher than the programmable threshold. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The navigation sensor circuit of claim 8, wherein the control circuit is arranged for: determining whether to decrease or maintain the sensor frame rate only when the variable time interval ends.