Pointing systems for addressing objects

• US 20060161379A1
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Geovector Corporation
• Original Assignee: Geovector Corporation
• Inventors: Ellenby, Thomas William, Page, Joseph, Ellenby, Peter Malcolm, Ellenby, John
• Application Number:
  US11/301,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20060161379A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/150
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• 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: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/185 by embedding added-value information into content, e.g. geo-tagging
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

Addressing systems are arranged to provide users information relating to objects of interest. Users point a hand-held device of the invention toward an object to address it. The device determines which objects are being addressed by making position and attitude measurements and a search of a database containing preprogrammed information relating to those objects being addressed. Information relating to objects determined to be those presently being addressed is presented at a user interface. Devices include a point reference, a direction reference, a position determining support, attitude determining support, a computer processor and database, and at least one user interface. Methods of systems include the steps of addressing an object, determining position and attitude, searching a database, and presenting information to a user.

Claims

1. ) Apparatus for addressing objects comprising:

a directional reference;

a point reference;

a position determining means;

an attitude determining means;

a computer processor; and

a user interface,

said position determining means arranged to determine position of the point reference and convey position information to said computer processor;

said attitude determining means arranged to determine attitude of the directional reference and convey attitude information to said computer processor; and

said user interface is in electronic communication with said computer processor.

2. ) Apparatus of claim 1, said further comprising a database having stored therein information relating to objects addressable by the apparatus.

3. ) Apparatus of claim 2, said stored information includes a geometric descriptor for each object.

4. ) Apparatus of claim 3, said stored information including a one-to-one correspondence between a geometric descriptor and an object being addressed.

5. ) Apparatus of claim 3, said geometric descriptor being a spatial definition of a geometric body having finite extent operable for forming a mathematical intersection with an address indicator.

6. ) Apparatus of claim 5, said address indicator is a vector reflecting the address state of said apparatus, and further is a line segment of infinite extent having said point reference as its origin and said direction reference colinear therewith.

7. ) Apparatus of claim 5, said geometric descriptor is a body having extent which approximates the space occupied by an object associated of which it is associated.

8. ) Apparatus of claim 5, said address indicator has finite extent defined by parameters in the group including:

position, attitude, range, and solid angle.

9. ) Apparatus of claim 5, said address indicator is defined by parameters in the group including:

latitude, longitude, altitude, compass heading, pitch, roll, solid angle, range, range gate, and time.

10. ) Apparatus of claim 6, said address indicator is defined in part by the position of said point reference as determined by said position determining means and the attitude of said direction reference as determined by said attitude determining means.

11. ) Apparatus of claim 4, said database including a plurality of records, each record comprises a plurality of data fields.

12. ) Apparatus of claim 11, said records each comprise at least a geometric descriptor and an association with an addressable object.

13. ) Apparatus of claim 12, said records further comprise information elements containing multimedia data relating to the object.

14. ) An apparatus of claim 3, said user interface is a display screen operable for forming images and graphical representations.

15. ) Apparatus of claim 3, said user interface further includes an audio transducer or speaker.

16. ) Apparatus of claim 3, said user interface includes means for displaying images of addressable objects.

17. ) Apparatus of claim 2, further comprising information elements stored in the database, each information element comprising stored information relating to an addressable object.