Computer input device tracking six degrees of freedom

• US 20060082546A1
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fun Wey
• Original Assignee: Fun Wey
• Inventors: Wey, Fun
• Granted Patent: US 7,768,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0325 using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• 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

An input device with three-dimensional, six-degrees-of-freedom data input for a computer having a tracker with an array of tracking points defining a first axis and a second axis or plane is described. Light reflected from, or given off from the tracking points, is captured by a camera. From the two-dimensional images captured, three-dimensional data relating to the position and orientation of the input device may be obtained from the relative positions of the tracking points by a provided algorithm and lookup table. The use of one of the tracking points as an on-off indicator of the tracker'"'"'s orientation towards or away from the camera greatly expands the use of such technology from limited hemispherical tracking to all-round, full-spherical tracking. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, tracking points on the input device which is in the form of a planar “T”-shape wand with a cross piece and a camera allow computer users to input natural swinging movements into a virtual environment for gaming or other three-dimensional applications.

Claims

1. An input device for providing three-dimensional, six-degrees-of-freedom data input to a computer, said device comprising:

a tracker with an arrangement of a first array of tracking points to define a first axis, a second array of tracking points to define one chosen from the group consisting of a second axis and a plane;

wherein distances between the tracking points are selected such that a two-dimensional image of the tracking points is used to determine the position and orientation of the input device in three-dimensional space.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional image of the tracking points is captured by at least one image capturing device.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the tracker further comprises at least one tracking point embedded within a body of the tracker, wherein the presence of the at least one tracking point in the captured image is used to determine that the tracker is oriented toward the image capturing device, and wherein the absence of the at least one tracking point in the captured image is used to determine that the tracker is oriented away from the image capturing device.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the one chosen from the group consisting of the second axis and the plane is substantially orthogonal to the first axis.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined algorithm is used to determine the position and orientation of the input device in three-dimensional space.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined algorithm further identifies projected positions of the tracking points in the two-dimensional image, identifies projections of first axis and the one chosen from the group consisting of the second axis and the plane from the two-dimensional image, determines predetermined parameters of the arrangement from the identified first axis and the one chosen from the group consisting of the second axis and the plane, obtains predetermined information from a lookup table, the predetermined information relating to the position and orientation of the tracker, and reconstructs the three-dimensional position and orientation of the device for the computer.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device only determines its own position in three-dimensional space.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the device only determines its own pitch, roll and yaw in three-dimensional space.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one lighting means.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one signaling point for indicating the state of control buttons housed in the tracker.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the tracking points are any one from the group consisting of:

markers, fiducials, datums, target points, optical position indicators, reference points and light sources.

12. An input device for providing three-dimensional, six-degrees-of-freedom data input to a computer, said device comprising:

a wand comprising a reference spine oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the wand and a cross piece oriented substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the wand, the reference spine and cross piece having a plurality of tracking points;

wherein the position and orientation of the wand in three-dimensional space is determined from a two-dimensional image of the tracking points.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the two-dimensional image of the tracking points is captured by at least one image capturing device.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein at least one tracking point is embedded within a handle of the wand, wherein the presence of the at least one tracking point in the captured image is used to determine that the wand is oriented toward the image capturing device, and wherein the absence of the at least one tracking point in the captured image is used to determine that the wand is oriented away from the image capturing device.

15. The device of claim 13, further comprising a pad to estimate the field of view of the image capturing device.

16. The device according to claim 12, wherein a predetermined algorithm is used to determine the position and orientation of the input device in three-dimensional space.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein distances between the tracking points are selected such that ambiguity is avoided in the determination of the position and orientation of the wand by the predetermined algorithm.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein the tracking points comprise passive light reflectors and the input device further comprises at least one lighting means.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein-said at least one lighting means is arranged in a ring co-axially disposed around the lens of the image capturing device.

20. The device of claim 12, wherein the tracking points comprise active light emitters.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the tracking points comprise active light emitters for different wavelengths.

22. The device of claim 12, wherein the image capturing device further comprises at least one filter for selected wavelength range of light used.

23. The device of claim 12, further comprising at least one signaling point for indicating the state of control buttons housed in the wand.

24. The device of claim 12, wherein the cross piece is disposed in an orientation chosen from the group consisting of a symmetrical orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the reference spine and an asymmetrical orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the reference spine.

25. The device of claim 12, wherein the device is used for simulation in any one of group consisting of:

golf, fishing, gun, sword fighting, racket, club and bat-swinging movements, CADCAM, animations, virtual training, surgical navigation, virtual artistry/music and digitising.

26. A method for providing three-dimensional, six-degrees-of-freedom data input to a computer, the method comprising:

selecting distances between tracking points arranged on a tracker in a first and second axis; and

determining the position and orientation of the input device in three-dimensional space using a two-dimensional image of the tracking points.

27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising:

identifying projected positions of the tracking points in the two-dimensional image;

identifying projections of first axis and the second axis from the two-dimensional image;

determining predetermined parameters of the arrangement from the identified first axis and second axis;

obtaining predetermined information from a lookup table, the predetermined information relating to the position and orientation of the tracker; and

reconstructing the three-dimensional position and orientation of the device for the computer.