Magnetic tracker dual mode

• US 10,139,934 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2017
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Fullam, Scott Francis, Cherkashin, Lev, Velat, Steven James
• Primary Examiner(s): Sasinowski, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US15/492,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20180181216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0023 Electronic aspects, e.g. circuits for stimulation, evaluation, control; Treating the measured signals; calibration G01R33/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/007 Environmental aspects, e.g. temperature variations, radiation, stray fields G01R33/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device

Abstract

A computer system for dynamically switching modes within a magnetic sensor device communicates through a secondary communication channel with a first magnetic sensor device and a second magnetic sensor device. The first magnetic sensor device includes at least a magnetic signal receiving functionality. The computer system determines that the second magnetic sensor device includes magnetic signal transmitting functionality and magnetic signal receiving functionality. After determining that the second magnetic sensor device includes magnetic signal transmitting functionality, the computer system causes the second magnetic sensor device to begin transmitting a first magnetic field signal.

Claims

1. A computer system for dynamically switching modes within a magnetic sensor device, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable hardware storage devices having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors configure the computer system to perform at least the following;

communicate through a secondary communication channel with a first magnetic sensor device and a second magnetic sensor device, wherein the first magnetic sensor device includes at least a magnetic signal receiving functionality;

determine that the second magnetic sensor device includes magnetic signal transmitting functionality and magnetic signal receiving functionality; and

after determining that the second magnetic sensor device includes magnetic signal transmitting functionality, cause the second magnetic sensor device to begin transmitting a first magnetic field signal.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions include instructions that are executable to configure the computer system to:

detect one or more magnetic sensor devices associated with another system;

communicate through the secondary communication channel with a processing unit within the other system;

receive information relating to the one or more magnetic sensor devices within the other system; and

based upon the information, cause at least one of the first magnetic sensor device or the second magnetic sensor device to deactivate magnetic signal transmitting functionality and activate magnetic signal receiving functionality.

3. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the information indicates that causing at least one of the first magnetic sensor device or the second magnetic sensor device to deactivate magnetic signal transmitting functionality and activate magnetic signal receiving functionality will reduce noise within one or more magnetic communication channels.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions include instructions that are executable to configure the computer system to:

communicate through the secondary communication channel with a third magnetic sensor device;

determine that the third magnetic sensor device includes magnetic signal receiving functionality;

after determining that the third magnetic sensor device includes magnetic signal receiving functionality, cause the third magnetic sensor device to begin receiving a second magnetic field signal generated by the first magnetic sensor device; and

after receiving, with the third magnetic sensor device, the second magnetic field signal transmitted from the first magnetic sensor device, notify the first magnetic sensor device via the secondary communication channel that the second magnetic field signal was successfully received.

5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein:

the first magnetic sensor device is disposed within a first head mounted display;

the second magnetic sensor device is disposed within a first handheld controller that is in communication within the first head mounted display; and

the third magnetic sensor device is disposed within a second handheld controller that is in communication within the first head mounted display.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the first magnetic sensor device is disposed within a head mounted display.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the first magnetic sensor device is disposed within a handheld controller.

8. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions include instructions that are executable to configure the computer system to:

detect that the first magnetic sensor device is in communication with a particular type of power source; and

after determining that the first magnetic sensor device is in communication with the particular type of power source, cause the first magnetic sensor device to activate magnetic signal transmitting functionality and the second magnetic sensor device to activate magnetic signal receiving functionality.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the particular type of power source comprises a power outlet.

10. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the particular type of power source comprises a battery with a current charge level that is below a pre-defined threshold.

11. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the first magnet sensor device is disposed within a handheld controller.

12. A method for dynamically switching modes within a magnetic sensor device, the method being performed by one or more processors of a computer system, the method comprising:

communicating through a secondary communication channel with a plurality of magnetic sensor devices, wherein a first magnetic sensor device within the plurality of magnetic sensor devices includes magnetic signal transmitting functionality and magnetic signal receiving functionality;

receiving information associated with at least a portion of the plurality of magnetic sensor devices, wherein the information comprises sensor-specific characteristics;

calculating a magnetic sensor device plan based upon the information; and

based upon the magnetic sensor device plan, causing the first magnetic sensor device to activate magnetic signal transmitting functionality.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein:

the information indicates a battery life associated with at least one magnetic sensor device; and

the magnetic sensor device plan is calculated based upon a determination that causing the first magnetic sensor device to activate magnetic signal transmitting functionality will maximize a cumulative battery life of the plurality of magnetic sensor devices.

14. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the information indicates that the first magnetic sensor device is plugged into a power outlet.

15. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the information indicates that the first magnetic sensor device has a greater battery life remaining than a second magnetic sensor device within the plurality of magnetic sensor devices.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the magnetic sensor device plan is calculated based upon a determination that causing the first magnetic sensor device to activate magnetic signal transmitting functionality and causing at least one other magnetic sensor device within the plurality of magnetic sensor devices to activate magnetic signal receiving functionality will increase the average signal to noise ratio for at least the portion of the plurality of magnetic sensor devices.

17. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising based upon the magnetic sensor device plan, causing the first magnetic sensor device to activate magnetic signal receiving functionality, wherein the first magnetic sensor device transmits first magnetic field signals to a second magnetic sensor device and receives second magnetic field signals from a third magnetic sensor device.

18. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

receiving updated information that indicates that a second magnetic sensor device has been plugged into a power outlet;

calculating an updated magnetic sensor device plan based upon the updated information; and

based upon the updated magnetic sensor device plan, causing the first magnetic sensor device to deactivate magnetic signal transmitting functionality and activate magnetic signal receiving functionality.

19. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the first magnet sensor device is disposed within a head mounted display.

20. A computer system for dynamically switching modes within a magnetic sensor device, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable hardware storage devices having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors configure the computer system to perform at least the following;

communicate through a secondary communication channel with a plurality of magnetic sensor devices, wherein a first magnetic sensor device within the plurality of magnetic sensor devices includes magnetic signal transmitting functionality and magnetic signal receiving functionality;

receive information associated with at least a portion of the plurality of magnetic sensor devices, wherein the information comprises sensor-specific characteristics;

calculate a magnetic sensor device plan based upon the information; and

based upon the magnetic sensor device plan, cause the first magnetic sensor device to activate magnetic signal transmitting functionality.