Method and apparatus for computer input using six degrees of freedom

• US 20050062718A1
• Filed: 11/04/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sinclair, Michael J., Szeliski, Richard S., Hinckley, Kenneth P., Conway, Matthew J., Hanson, Erik J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,460,106 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0317 in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
• 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 3/0395 Mouse pads

Abstract

In an input device, a camera captures images of a surface. Using the images, the input device determines its orientation. Data representing the orientation of the input device and data representing the captured image are communicated from the input device to a host computing device.

Claims

1. A computer input device capable of sending information to a host computer, the computer input device comprising:

a camera, capable of capturing an image of a portion of a working surface opposite a surface of the input device;

an orientation component, capable of determining from the image the orientation of the input device relative to the working surface;

an image delivery component capable of transmitting to the host computer data representing at least a portion of the image; and

a data packaging component capable of generating a data package that indicates the current orientation of the input device and capable of delivering the data package to the host computer.

2. The computer input device of claim 1 wherein the image delivery component is not active at all times.

3. The computer input device of claim 2 wherein the orientation component comprises a confidence measure component capable of determining whether the input device is positioned over a surface whose image should be sent to the host computer and capable of activating the image delivery component when the input device is positioned over a surface whose image should be sent to the host computer.

4. The computer input device of claim 2 further comprising a casing surrounding the camera and comprising a scanning mark positioned on the exterior of the casing.

5. The computer input device of claim 4 wherein when the input device is moved over a line of text such that the scanning mark is aligned with the text during the movement, an image of the line of text is captured by the camera.

6. The computer input device of claim 1 wherein the computer input device comprises a computer mouse.

7. The computer input device of claim 1 wherein the camera captures a sequence of images and wherein the image delivery component is capable of transmitting to the host computer data representing at least a portion of each image in the sequence of images.

8. A computer input device comprising:

an image capture system capable of capturing an image;

an orientation determination unit capable of determining an orientation of the computer input device based on the image;

a communication unit capable of communicating data representing the image and separate data representing the orientation of the computer input device to a computing device.

9. The computer input device of claim 8 wherein the communication unit determines whether data representing the image should be communicated to the computing device based on the content of the image.

10. The computer input device of claim 8 wherein the input device further comprises a housing with a scanning mark on the exterior of the housing.

11. A method in a computing device, the method comprising:

receiving data representing an image captured by a computer input device;

receiving separate data representing a change in orientation of the computer input device;

using the data representing the change in orientation to determine that scanning is being performed; and

providing the data representing the image to scanning software.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein receiving data representing a change in orientation comprises receiving data representing a confidence level in the change in orientation.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein using the data representing the change in orientation comprises using the confidence level.