Device selection in three-dimensional environments

• US 10,620,718 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2016
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Billau, Michael R., Gerken, III, John K., Greenberger, Jeremy A., Hannigan, Ciaran E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Priyank J
• Application Number:
  US15/193,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20170371427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• 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 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes comprises identifying a pointer device associated with a pointer position identifier and a pointer direction identifier. The computer-implemented method further includes identifying a target device associated with a target position indicator and determining whether, within a tolerance margin, the pointer devices points at the target device. A corresponding computer program product and computer system are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying a pointer device, said pointer device being associated with a pointer position indicator and a pointer direction indicator;

determining a pointer-based ray based on said pointer position indicator and said pointer direction indicator, said pointer-based ray being associated with said pointer device;

determining a point vector originating at said pointer position indicator in a direction of said pointer direction indicator based on said pointer position indicator, said pointer direction indicator, and a length of said pointer-based ray, the pointer vector having a magnitude of said length of said pointer-based ray;

determining a pointer-based coverage area representing a reach of said pointer device based on said pointer vector and a tolerance margin;

identifying a plurality of target devices, each target device of said plurality of target devices being associated with a respective target position indicator;

determining whether said target position indicators associated with said multiple target devices of said plurality of target devices fall within said pointer-based coverage area, wherein a pointed-at target device must fall within said pointer-based coverage area of said pointer device;

determining, within said tolerance margin, said pointer device points at a first target device of a first device type and a second target device of a second device type of said plurality of target devices, based on said pointer-based coverage area, wherein the first device type and the second device type are different;

identifying a target device action indicator, said target device action indicator being associated with said pointer device and said first target device of said first device type and said second target device of said second device type; and

determining one or more target device action commands for each of said multiple target devices based on said target device action indicator, said one or more target device action commands causing said first target device of said first device type and said second target device of said second device type to perform a same action.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said pointer position indicator, said pointer direction indicator, and said target position indicators are defined in a three-dimensional space.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one target position indicator represents a geometric entity selected from the group consisting of:

a line in a three-dimensional space; and

a plane in a three-dimensional space.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying one or more gyroscope data artefacts, said one or more gyroscope data artefacts being associated with said pointer device; and

wherein said pointer direction indicator is determined based on said one or more gyroscope data artefacts.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more user position tracking data artefacts from said pointer device; and

receiving one or more user object identification data artefacts from said pointer device, said one or more user object identification data artefacts being associated with said one or more user position tracking data artefacts; and

wherein;

identifying said target device is performed based on said one or more user object identification data artefacts; and

said target position indicator is determined based on said one or more user position tracking data artefacts.

6. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising one or more computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on said one or more computer readable storage media, said program instructions comprising instructions to:

identify a pointer device, said pointer device being associated with a pointer position indicator and a pointer direction indicator;

determine a pointer-based ray based on said pointer position indicator and said pointer direction indicator, said pointer-based ray being associated with said pointer device;

determine a point vector originating at said pointer position indicator in a direction of said pointer direction indicator based on said pointer position indicator, said pointer direction indicator, and a length of said pointer-based ray, the pointer vector having a magnitude of said length of said pointer-based ray;

determine a pointer-based coverage area representing a reach of said pointer device based on said pointer vector and a tolerance margin;

identify a plurality of target devices, each target device of said plurality of target devices being associated with a respective target position indicator;

determine whether said target position indicators associated with said multiple target devices of said plurality of target devices fall within said pointer-based coverage area, wherein a pointed-at target device must fall within said pointer-based coverage area of said pointer device;

determine, within said tolerance margin, said pointer device points at a first target device of a first device type and a second target device of a second device type of said plurality of target devices, based on said pointer-based coverage area, wherein the first device type and the second device type are different;

identify a target device action indicator, said target device action indicator being associated with said pointer device and said first target device of said first device type and said second target device of said second device type; and

determine one or more target device action commands for each of said multiple target devices based on said target device action indicator, said one or more target device action commands causing said first target device of said first device type and said second target device of said second device type to perform a same action.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein said pointer position indicator, said pointer direction indicator, and said target position indicators are defined in a three-dimensional space.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein at least one target position indicator represents a geometric entity selected from the group consisting of:

a line in a three-dimensional space; and

a plane in a three-dimensional space.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein:

said program instructions further comprise instructions to identify one or more gyroscope data artefacts, said one or more gyroscope data artefacts being associated with said pointer device; and

said pointer direction indicator is determined based on said one or more gyroscope data artefacts.

10. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein:

said program instructions further comprise instructions to;

receive one or more user position tracking data artefacts from said pointer device; and

receive one or more user object identification data artefacts from said pointer device, said one or more user object identification data artefacts being associated with said one or more user position tracking data artefacts;

said instructions to identify said target device are performed based on said one or more user object identification data artefacts; and

said target position indicator is determined based on said one or more user position tracking data artefacts.

11. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

one or more computer readable storage media;

computer program instructions;

said computer program instructions being stored on said one or more computer readable storage media; and

said computer program instructions comprising instructions to;

identify a pointer device, said pointer device being associated with a pointer position indicator and a pointer direction indicator;

determine a pointer-based ray based on said pointer position indicator and said pointer direction indicator, said pointer-based ray being associated with said pointer device;

determine a point vector originating at said pointer position indicator in a direction of said pointer direction indicator based on said pointer position indicator, said pointer direction indicator, and a length of said pointer-based ray, the pointer vector having a magnitude of said length of said pointer-based ray;

determine a pointer-based coverage area representing a reach of said pointer device based on said pointer vector and a tolerance margin;

identify a plurality of target devices, each target device of said plurality of target devices being associated with a respective target position indicator;

determine whether said target position indicators associated with said multiple target devices of said plurality of target devices fall within said pointer-based coverage area, wherein a pointed-at target device must fall within said pointer-based coverage area of said pointer device;

determine, within said tolerance margin, said pointer device points at a first target device of a first device type and a second target device of a second device type of said plurality of target devices, based on said pointer-based coverage area, wherein the first device type and the second device type are different;

identify a target device action indicator, said target device action indicator being associated with said pointer device and said first target device of said first device type and said second target device of said second device type; and

determine one or more target device action commands for each of said multiple target devices based on said target device action indicator, said one or more target device action commands causing said first target device of said first device type and said second target device of said second device type to perform a same action.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein at least one target position indicator represents a geometric entity selected from the group consisting of:

a line in a three-dimensional space; and

a plane in a three-dimensional space.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein:

said computer program instructions further comprise instructions to identify one or more gyroscope data artefacts, said one or more gyroscope data artefacts being associated with said pointer device; and

said pointer direction indicator is determined based on said one or more gyroscope data artefacts.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein:

said computer program instructions further comprise instructions to;

receive one or more user position tracking data artefacts from said pointer device; and

receive one or more user object identification data artefacts from said pointer device, said one or more user object identification data artefacts being associated with said one or more user position tracking data artefacts;

said instructions to identify said target device are performed based on said one or more user object identification data artefacts; and

said target position indicator is determined based on said one or more user position tracking data artefacts.