3D pointing devices and methods

• US 20070252813A1
• Filed: 06/20/2007
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DRNC Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hillcrest Laboratories Incorporated (CEVA Incorporated)
• Inventors: Turner, Mark, Gritton, Charles, Simpkins, Daniel, Liberty, Matthew, Hunleth, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 7,489,298 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3259 Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0383 Remote input, i.e. interface arrangements in which the signals generated by a pointing device are transmitted to a PC at a remote location, e.g. to a PC in a LAN
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• 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 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Systems and methods according to the present invention address these needs and others by providing a handheld device, e.g., a 3D pointing device, which uses at least one sensor to detect motion of the handheld device. The detected motion can then be mapped into a desired output, e.g., cursor movement.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a 3D pointing comprising the steps of:

detecting a lack of movement associated with said 3D pointing device; and

placing said 3D pointing device into a reduced power state as a result of said detecting step.

2. The method of controlling of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

detecting movement associated with said 3D pointing device; and

exiting said reduced power state.

3. A method for 3D pointing comprising the steps of:

sensing angular velocity of a 3D pointing device about at least one axis;

outputting data associated with said angular velocity; and

processing said data to provide an associated cursor movement output.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of sensing is performed using a MEMS sensor.