Pointing device and cursor for use in intelligent computing environments
First Claim
1. A system for directing a laser beam within a space to act as a cursor, comprising:
- a pointing device which periodically outputs orientation data indicative of the direction it is pointing;
a cursor device which projects a laser beam at a location in the space determined by the direction the pointing device is pointing; and
a computing device which receives the orientation data output by the pointing device and which is in communication with the cursor device to control where the laser beam is projected, and which computes the direction the pointing device is pointing from the received orientation data and uses this orientation data to direct the laser beam to a particular location in the space.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and process for directing a laser beam within a space is presented. The system includes a pointing device which periodically outputs orientation data indicative of the direction it is pointing and a cursor device which projects a laser beam. The orientation data is used to compute the direction the pointing device is pointing in terms of yaw and pitch angles. The laser beam is directed to locations in the space relative to the amount of movement of the pointing device. In an absolute mode, the pointed device and the laser beam of the cursor device are pointed at the same location in the space, whereas in a relative mode, the pointing device does not point at the same location as the laser beam. The position of the laser can be used to select a variety of hardware devices known to be in a room for future control actions.
46 Citations
56 Claims
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1. A system for directing a laser beam within a space to act as a cursor, comprising:
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a pointing device which periodically outputs orientation data indicative of the direction it is pointing;
a cursor device which projects a laser beam at a location in the space determined by the direction the pointing device is pointing; and
a computing device which receives the orientation data output by the pointing device and which is in communication with the cursor device to control where the laser beam is projected, and which computes the direction the pointing device is pointing from the received orientation data and uses this orientation data to direct the laser beam to a particular location in the space. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer-implemented process for selecting an object within a space by a user causing a laser beam to be shone on the object, comprising using a computer to perform the following process actions:
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directing a laser beam generated by a cursor device comprising a laser which is capable of projecting a laser beam into the space to shine on said object;
determining whether the laser beam is being shone on the object; and
whenever the laser beam is being shone on the object, selecting that object for future control actions. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A system for directing a laser beam within a space to act as a cursor, comprising:
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a pointing device which periodically outputs orientation data indicative of the direction it is pointing;
a cursor device which projects a laser beam in the space;
a general purpose computing device which is in communication with the pointing device and the cursor device; and
a computer program comprising program modules executable by the computing device, wherein the computing device is directed by the program modules of the computer program to, receive the orientation data output by the pointing device and compute the direction the pointing device is pointing from the received orientation data in terms of yaw and pitch angles, and direct the laser beam generated by a cursor device to a particular location in the space as determined by the direction the pointing device is pointing. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for directing a laser beam within a space to act as a cursor or laser pointer, said computer-executable instructions comprising:
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receiving movement control commands generated by a movement control device each of which specifies the direction the laser beam is to be pointed, and directing a laser beam generated by a cursor device to move about the space as specified by the movement control commands, wherein the laser beam movement varies between a fast motion mode and a slow motion mode depending on the current speed of the laser beam. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A system for establishing a 3D model of a space wherein objects within the space are modeled as a group of vertices defining polygons, comprising:
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a pointing device which periodically outputs orientation data indicative of the direction it is pointing and which comprises a manually-operated switch which is activated and deactivated by a user for the purpose of instructing the computing device to implement a function, and wherein the state of the switch in regard to whether it is activated or deactivated at the time orientation data is output is included in that data;
a cursor device which projects a laser beam in the space;
a general purpose computing device which is in communication with the pointing device and the cursor device; and
a computer program comprising program modules executable by the computing device, wherein the computing device is directed by the program modules of the computer program, for each polygon being established in the model of the space, to, initiate a training mode in response to a user-specified command to do so;
input the orthogonal coordinates of the cursor device and the pointing device in terms of an orthogonal coordinate system of the space, receive the orientation data output by the pointing device and compute the direction the pointing device is pointing from the received orientation data in terms of yaw and pitch angles, direct the laser beam generated by a cursor device to point at the same location in the space that the pointing device is pointed toward, determine if the pointing device'"'"'s switch has been activated by the user each time the orientation data is received, wherein said user activates said switch whenever the cursor device'"'"'s laser beam is shining on a point in the space that corresponds to a vertex of a polygon that is being used to model an object in the space; and
whenever the pointing device'"'"'s switch has been activated when the training mode is active, compute the orthogonal coordinates of the point in space that the pointing device and the laser beam are pointed at in view of the orthogonal coordinates of the pointing device and the direction it is pointing and the orthogonal coordinates of the cursor device and the direction it is pointing, and associate the computed orthogonal coordinates of the point in space with the corresponding vertex of the object being modeled, repeat the determining, computing and associating actions until all the vertices of the polygon representing the object being modeled are determined. - View Dependent Claims (56)
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Specification