Processing signals to determine spatial positions

• US 20050110773A1
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elo Touch Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Elo Touch Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Sandbach, David L., Chapman, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,436,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/054 Acoustic pick-up, e.g. ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0235 specially adapted for remote control, e.g. of audio or video apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed for supplying input signals to a computer. A sensor having the form of a sphere has a touch sensitive surface for generating position data for touch events. The sensor includes orientation sensors that determine rotation with respect to the earth'"'"'s magnetic and gravitational fields. Orientation data may be combined with position data to interpret the orientation of touch events on the surface with respect to the computer'"'"'s display. Cursor movement or text may be generated from touch events. Preferably the sphere has a roughened surface that generates sound when touched. Position data is generated by processing signals from microphones under the sphere'"'"'s surface.

Claims

1-36. -36. (canceled)

37. A method of remotely generating control signals for a computer-generated environment represented graphically on a display means, wherein remote input means includes a touch sensing surface, orientation sensing means and signal transmitting means for transmitting input data to said computer-generated environment, said method comprising steps of:

generating location data representing the location of a touch event on said touch sensing surface,

generating orientation data representing orientation of said remote input means, and

combining said location and orientation data to generate touch event signals for said computer-generated environment that are independent of the orientation of said remote input means.