Inertial sensors integration

• US 20040140962A1
• Filed: 01/21/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Qiang, Dang, Yingnong, Wang, Jian, Chen, Liyong, Ma, Xiaoxu, Lin, Zhouchen, Zhang, Chunhui
• Application Number:
  US10/347,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20040140962A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• 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 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/171 by use of digital ink

Abstract

An input device and method for generating electronic ink and/or other inputs is described. The input device may be used in combination with any surface through the use of an improved movement sensing technique for generating data for use in ink related applications and non-ink related applications. Improved motion sensing may be achieved using one or more inertial sensors for detecting movement of the input device by measuring such indicators as velocity, acceleration, and changes in electro-magnetic fields. The input device may include a memory for storing movement data and a transceiver for transmitting data representing movement of the input device to a host computer. Processing of the sensed movement data to generate images representative of hand written strokes may also be performed using a processor within the input device. The input device may be formed in the shape of a pen, and may include an ink cartridge to facilitate movement of the input device in a familiar manner.

Claims

1. An input device for generating data representing movement of the input device, the input device comprising:

plural inertial sensors that sense movement of the input device and generate data representing the sensed movement; and

a processor receiving the data representing the sensed movement of the input device.

2. An input device according to claim 1 wherein the inertial sensors include a sensor for sensing angular velocity.

3. An input device according to claim 2 wherein the sensor for sensing angular velocity comprises a dual-axis gyroscope.

4. An input device according to claim 1 wherein the inertial sensors include an acceleration sensing unit.

5. An input device according to claim 4 wherein the inertial sensors include a pair of acceleration sensing units.

6. An input device according to claim 5 wherein each acceleration sensing unit senses acceleration in three dimensions.

7. An input device according to claim 5 wherein each acceleration sensing unit comprises a pair of accelerometers.

8. An input device according to claim 1 wherein the inertial sensors include a magnetic field sensor.

9. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the processor receives data representing the sensed movement of the input device, said processor creating an image file representing handwritten ink.

10. An input device according to claim 1, the input device further including a communication unit for communicating with a remote processing unit.

11. An input device according to claim 10, wherein the remote processing unit corresponds to a processor within a host computer and the communication unit transmits data representing sensed movement of the input device to the host computer.

12. An input device according to claim 1, the input device further including a memory for storing data representing the sensed movement of the input device.

13. An input device according to claim 1, the input device further including a power supply.

14. An input device according to claim 1, the input device further including a force sensor.

15. An input device according to claim 1, the input device further including a camera.

16. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the input device is in the shape of a pen.

17. An input device for generating data corresponding to movement of the input device, the input device comprising:

an inertial sensor that senses movement of the input device and generates data representing the sensed movement;

a memory for storing data representing the sensed movement of the input device;

a processor receiving the data representing the sensed movement of the input device; and

a communication unit for communicating with a remote processing unit.

18. An input device according to claim 17 wherein the inertial sensor includes a sensor for sensing angular velocity.

19. An input device according to claim 18 wherein the input device further includes one or more inertial sensors for sensing acceleration of the input device.

20. An input device according to claim 19 wherein the inertial sensor for sensing acceleration of the input device includes a pair of spaced acceleration sensing units.

21. An input device according to claim 18 wherein the input device further includes a magnetic field sensor.

22. An input device according to claim 17, wherein the input device further includes a camera.

23. An input device according to claim 17, wherein the processor receives data representing the sensed movement of the input device, said processor creating an image file.

24. An input device according to claim 17, the input device transmitting data representing movement of the input device to a host computer for generating signals representative of handwritten ink.

25. An input device according to claim 17, wherein the input device is in the shape of a pen.

26. A method for creating image data including electronic ink information, comprising the steps of:

generating data representing movement of an input device based on signals output by plural inertial sensors; and

creating image data from the generated data.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein generating data representing movement of the input device includes sensing angular velocity of the input device.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein generating data representing movement of the input device includes sensing angular velocity of the input device using a dual-axis gyroscope.

29. The method according to claim 26, wherein generating data representing movement of the input device includes sensing acceleration of the input device.

30. The method according to claim 26, wherein generating data representing movement of the input device includes sensing acceleration of the input device using an acceleration sensing unit.

31. The method according to claim 26, wherein generating data representing movement of the input device includes sensing acceleration of the input device using a pair of acceleration sensing units, each sensing unit sensing acceleration in three axes.

32. The method according to claim 26, wherein generating data representing movement of the input device includes sensing acceleration of the input device.

33. The method according to claim 26, wherein creating image data includes processing data representing movement of the input device to determine the orientation of the input device.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein processing data representing movement of an input device includes processing information representing the angular velocity of the input device.

35. The method according to claim 33, wherein processing data representing movement of an input device includes processing information representing the angular velocity of the input device and information representing the acceleration of one end of the input device.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein information representing the angular velocity of the input device is generated from a gyroscope.

37. The method according to claim 35, wherein information representing the acceleration of one end of the input device is obtained from two sets of acceleration measuring units spaced apart within the input device, and each set of acceleration measuring units including a pair of accelerometers.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein processing data representing movement of an input device includes preprocessing the information obtained from the two sets of acceleration measuring units to correct for drift error of the acceleration, velocity, and displacement of one end of the input device.

39. The method according to claim 33, wherein processing data representing movement of an input device includes processing information representing the angle of the input device and information representing changes in a magnetic field surrounding the input device.

40. The method according to claim 33, wherein processing data representing movement of the input device includes performing calculations in accordance with a revised Kalman filter to determine the orientation of the input device.

41. The method according to claim 26, wherein creating image data includes processing data representing movement of an input device and determining the acceleration of one end of the pen.

42. The method according to claim 43, wherein processing information representing movement of the input device includes processing information obtained from two sets of acceleration measuring units spaced apart within the input device.

43. The method according to claim 26, wherein creating image data includes processing data representing movement of an input device to determine the orientation of the input device and processing data representing movement of an input device to determine the acceleration of the pen.

44. The method according to claim 26, wherein creating image data further includes transforming data representing movement of an input device to the spatial coordinates of the surface over which the input device is moved.

45. The method according to claim 26, wherein creating at least one image from ink information further includes performing integration on data representing the acceleration of the pen tip converted into the coordinates of the surface over which the input device is moved to create ink information.

46. The method according to claim 45, wherein creating at least one image from ink information further includes performing drift correction on the integrated data.