Direct navigation of two-dimensional control using a three-dimensional pointing device

• US 20060033711A1
• Filed: 08/10/2004
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kong, Yuan
• Granted Patent: US 7,859,523 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• 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

Abstract

Direct and absolute pointing is provided for with respect to a two-dimensional information display surface, much like how one would point a laser pointer or flashlight at a desired point. The displayed control may be moved by manipulating the pointing device in three dimensions. The translational position of the pointing device may be measured in three dimensions. Also, the three-dimensional orientation of the pointing device may be measured. A computing device may receive this information from the pointing device and determine where the pointing device is pointing to. If the pointing device is pointing at a display, then the computing device may cause the control to be displayed at the position to which the pointing device is pointing. In addition, the control may be displayed at an orientation that depends upon the orientation of the pointing device.

Claims

1. In a computing device, a method for providing absolute positioning of a displayed control, comprising steps of:

determining a translational position of a pointing device along first, second, and third degrees of freedom;

determining an orientation of the pointing device along fourth and fifth degrees of freedom; and

controlling a display to display the control at a translational position that depends upon the translational position of the pointing device along the first, second, and third degrees of freedom and that further depends upon the orientation of the pointing device along the fourth and fifth degrees of freedom.

2. The method of claim 1, further including a step of determining the absolute orientation of the pointing device along a sixth degree of freedom, wherein the step of controlling includes controlling the display to display the control at an orientation that depends upon the orientation of the pointing device along the sixth degree of freedom.

3. The method of claim 1, further including a step of calibrating the pointing device along the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth degrees of freedom against a plurality of known reference locations.

4. The method of claim 3, further including a step of controlling the display to display an element at each of the reference locations.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the reference locations are locations apart from the display.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the control is a mouse pointer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the display includes a plurality of display screens.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the pointing device has a body, a linear axis being defined that is fixed with respect to the body, and wherein the step of determining the translational position of the control includes determining a projected location on the display to which the axis projects and defining the translational position of the control to be the projected location.

9. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 1.

10. In a computing device, a method for providing absolute positioning of a displayed control, comprising steps of:

receiving a signal representing a translational position and an orientation of a pointing device along at least five degrees of freedom; and

determining a translational position of the displayed control that depends upon the translational position and orientation of the pointing device along the at least five degrees of freedom.

11. The method of claim 10, further including steps of:

receiving a signal representing an orientation of the pointing device along a sixth degree of freedom; and

determining an orientation of the control that depends upon the orientation of the pointing device along the sixth degree of freedom.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the pointing device defines a linear axis fixed with respect to the pointing device, the step of determining the translational position of the control including determining a projected location of the axis outside of the pointing device and determining the translational position of the control depending upon the projected location.

13. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 10.

14. In a computing device, a method for providing absolute positioning of a displayed control, comprising steps of:

determining a translational position of a pointing device in three dimensions;

determining an orientation of the pointing device in the three dimensions; and

controlling a display to display the control at a translational position that depends upon the translational position and the orientation of the pointing device in the three dimensions.

15. An apparatus for use with a computing device, comprising:

a body;

a sensor configured to determine a translational position and an orientation of the body along at least five degrees of freedom; and

a computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions configured to cause the computer to perform steps of;

receiving a signal from the sensor representing the translational position and the orientation of the body along the at least five degrees of freedom, and

determining a translational position of a control that depends upon the translational position and orientation of the body along the at least five of the degrees of freedom.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the sensor is physically coupled to the body.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the body has first and second ends defining a linear axis passing through the first and second ends, the step of determining the translational position of the control including determining a projected location of the axis outside of the body and determining the translational position of the control depending upon the projected location.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further including a light source physically coupled to the body, the light source configured to emit a focused beam of light directed along the axis.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the light source is a laser source.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause the computing device to perform steps of:

receiving data representing an orientation of the body along a sixth degree of freedom; and

determining an orientation of the control that depends upon the orientation of the body along the sixth degree of freedom.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the sensor is configured to magnetically sense at least one of the translational position or the orientation of the body.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause the computing device to perform a step of sending a second signal representing the control at the determined translational position of the control.