Head-mounted pointing and control device

• US 20060012571A1
• Filed: 07/06/2005
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alken Inc.
• Original Assignee: Alken Inc.
• Inventors: Rodgers, Allan G., Higgins, Robert F., Gagnon, Suzanne T., Farr, James C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,710,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements

Abstract

A magnetic tracker system for use on an operator'"'"'s head makes “mouse”/cursor movements on a screen similar to that of the classic computer “mouse”/track ball/touchpad/joystick. Only head movements are used as opposed to lifting a hand from the keyboard for making such moves. The new “mouse” avoids interrupting the hands from their position on the keyboard and has no moving mechanical parts that become clogged and that need a special surface (mouse pad) or special surface measurements (optical mouse).

Claims

1. A computer pointing and control device, comprising:

an AC magnetic transmitter-receiver pair, both worn on the person of a user; and

electronics operative to determine the relative position and/or orientation of the transmitter and receiver to control a cursor or other pointing device on a display screen.

2. The computer pointing and control device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter-receiver pair are positioned at the base of a user'"'"'s neck and at the base of a user'"'"'s skull.

3. The computer pointing and control device of claim 1, further including a necklace for positioning the transmitter or receiver at the base of a user'"'"'s neck.

4. The computer pointing and control device of claim 1, further including a headband for positioning the transmitter or receiver at the base of a user'"'"'s skull.

5. The computer pointing and control device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter-receiver pair each include two coils.

6. The computer pointing and control device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter-receiver pair each include two orthogonal coils.

7. The computer pointing and control device of claim 1, wherein particular head nods, twists and/or shakes may be processed to emulate mouse button actuations.

8. A method of controlling a computer, comprising the steps of:

display a pointing device on a display screen;

positioning an AC magnetic transmitter-receiver pair on a user; and

tracking the relative position and/or orientation of the transmitter-receiver pair and the user moves; and

controlling the pointing device as a function of the tracked relative position and/or orientation.

9. The method of claim 8, including the step of positioning the transmitter-receiver pair at the base of a user'"'"'s neck and at the base of a user'"'"'s skull.

10. The method of claim 8, including the step of positioning the transmitter or receiver at the base of a user'"'"'s neck.

11. The method of claim 8, including the step of positioning the transmitter or receiver at the base of a user'"'"'s skull.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitter-receiver pair each include two coils.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmitter-receiver pair each include two orthogonal coils.

14. The method of claim 8, further including the step of recognizing particular head nods, twists and/or shakes to emulate mouse button actuations.