Information handling system virtual laser pointer

• US 10,222,878 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2017
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Tan, Danilo O., Guerrero, Fernando L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marinelli, Patrick F
• Application Number:
  US15/498,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20180314345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• 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 3/03542 Light pens for emitting or receiving light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0386 for light pen

Abstract

A portable information handling system detects orientation relative to a calibration orientation and communicates the orientation to a projector for presentation of a virtual laser pointer image by the projector. Orientation changes at the portable information handling system, such as a smartphone, are communicated to the projector or an information handling system generating the projection visual images to that the pointer image changes positions on the projected display in response to a user hand motion.

Claims

1. An information handling system for imitating a laser pointer comprising:

a processor operable to execute instructions that generate visual information;

a presentation application executing on the processor and generating the visual information;

a graphics processor interfaced with the presentation application and operable to generate pixel values for presenting the visual information as visual images at a display device;

a display device interfaced with the graphics processor and operable to present the visual images with the pixel values;

a wireless network interface card interfaced with the processor and operable to wirelessly communicate with a portable information handling system;

a pointer application stored in non-transitory memory of the portable information handling system and executable to define a pointer visual image location for presentation of a pointer visual image at the display device, the location adapted from an origination point and orientation information of the portable information handling system; and

a user interface integrated in the pointer application, displayed on the portable information handling system, and interfaced with one or more input devices, the user interface operable to adapt pointer visual image presentation;

wherein the user interface includes a movement selector that adjusts a proportion of movement of the pointer visual image relative to motion of the portable information handling system.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

wherein the one or more input devices are integrated with the portable information handling system.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the origination point comprises orientation information detected at the portable information handling system in response to a predetermined user input.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the predetermined input comprises a first input with the pointer visual image displayed at a first location having first orientation information and a second input with the pointer visual image displayed at a second location having a second orientation information, the first and second locations defining diagonally opposed locations of the display device.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the pointer application moves the pointer visual image in proportion to the difference of the first and second orientation information.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the origination point aligns to new orientation information in response to a re-orientation user input.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the pointer application includes a color selector that selects a color of the pointer visual image.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the pointer application includes a trail selector that presents a trail of the locations at which the pointer visual image was displayed.

9. A method for presenting visual information from a projection information handling system for imitating a laser pointer, the method comprising:

projecting the visual image from a projector to a projection surface;

initiating projection of a pointer visual image from the projector at the projection surface, the initiating performed from a portable information handling system different than the projection information handling system;

detecting orientation of the portable information handling system at the initiating;

moving the pointer visual image at the project surface responsive to changes in orientation of the portable information handling system; and

adjusting a proportion of movement of the pointer visual image relative to motion of the portable information handling system at the portable information handling system.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

wirelessly interfacing the portable information handling system with the projector; and

generating the pointer visual image at the projector responsive to orientation information wirelessly communicated from the portable information handling system to the projector.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

performing a calibration input at the portable information handling system; and

in response to the calibration input, presenting the pointer visual image at predetermined positions of the projection surface based upon orientation information communicated from the portable information handling system.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein performing a calibration input further comprises:

performing a first input at the portable information handling system with the pointer visual image at a first location, the first input associated with first orientation information of the portable information handling system;

performing a second input at the portable information handling system with the pointer visual image at a second location, the second input associated with second orientation information of the portable information handling system; and

defining movement of the pointer visual image in proportion to the first and second orientation information.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

wirelessly interfacing the portable information handling system with the projector information handling system; and

generating the pointer visual image at the projector information handling system responsive to orientation information wirelessly communicated from the portable information handling system to the projector information handling system.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

selecting a color at the portable information handling system; and

in response to the selecting, presenting the pointer visual image with the selected color.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the portable information handling system comprises a mobile phone and detecting orientation comprises detecting accelerations on plural axes with the phone.

16. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

selecting a trail presentation at the portable information handling system; and

in response to the selecting, placing a trail of locations on the projection surface that traces movement of the pointer visual image.

17. The method of claim 9 further comprising removing the pointer visual image from the projection surface if orientation of the portable information handling system moves the pointer visual image from the projection surface.