INPUT APPARATUS AND OPERATION METHOD FOR COMPUTER SYSTEM

• US 20090102789A1
• Filed: 09/25/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ASUSTek Computer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ASUSTek Computer, Inc.
• Inventors: Kuo, Chin-Chung, Chang, Tian-Kai, Chang, Ling-Chen
• Application Number:
  US12/237,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20090102789A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/161
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• 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 apparatus for a computer system is provided. The input apparatus includes a positioning module, a motion detector, and a receiver. The positioning module includes a plurality of positioning light sources, for emitting light rays having a predetermined wavelength. The motion detector includes a G-sensor, and a light sensing unit, for detecting a motion state of the motion detector in a three-dimensional space, and outputting a sensing data. The light sensing unit is provided for receiving the light rays emitted from the positioning light sources. The receiver is coupled to the computer system via a transmission interface, and is adapted for receiving the sensing data outputted from the motion detector via a wireless transmission path. In such a way, the receiver can generate an operation instruction according to the sensing data, and transmit the operation instruction to the computer system via the transmission interface, for operating the computer system.

Claims

1. An input apparatus for a computer system, comprising:

a positioning module, comprising a plurality of positioning light sources, for emitting light rays having a predetermined wavelength;

a motion detector, comprising a G-sensor and a light sensing unit, the G-sensor and the light sensing unit being adapted for detecting a motion state of the motion detector in a three-dimensional space, and outputting a sensing data, wherein the light sensing unit is adapted for receiving the light rays emitted from the positioning light sources; and

a receiver, coupled to the computer system via a transmission interface, and adapted for receiving the sensing data via a wireless transmission path, so as to generate an operation instruction according to the sensing data, and transmit the operation instruction to the computer system via the transmission interface.

2. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the motion detector further comprises:

a plurality of keys;

a key sensing unit, for detecting a state of each of the keys, and outputting a corresponding input signal;

a micro-control unit, coupled to the key sensing unit, the light sensing unit, and the G-sensor, for encoding the input signal, and outputs of the light sensing unit and the G-sensor, to generate the sensing data; and

a wireless emitting unit, coupled to the micro-control unit, for receiving the sensing data, and transmitting the sensing data to the receiver via the wireless transmission path.

3. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises:

a wireless receiving unit, for receiving the sensing data via the wireless transmission path;

a micro-control unit, coupled to the wireless receiving unit, for decoding the sensing data, and generating a corresponding operation instruction; and

an input/output interface unit, coupled to the computer system via the transmission interface, and coupled to the micro-control unit, for transmitting the operation instruction to the computer system via the transmission interface.

4. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission interface is a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an IEEE 1394 interface, a serial port interface, a parallel port interface, or a personal computer memory card international association (PCMCIA) interface.

5. An input apparatus for a computer system, comprising:

a positioning module, comprising a plurality of positioning light sources, for emitting light rays having a predetermined wavelength.

a primary motion detector, comprising a first G-sensor and a first light sensing unit, for detecting a motion state of the primary motion detector in a three-dimensional space, and outputting a first sensing data, wherein the first light sensing unit is adapted for receiving the light rays emitted from the positioning light sources;

an assistant motion detector, comprising a second G-sensor, for detecting a motion state of the assistant motion detector in the three-dimensional space, and outputting a second sensing data; and

a receiver, coupled to the computer system via a transmission interface, and receiving the first sensing data and the second sensing data via a wireless transmission path, so as to generate an operation instruction according to the first sensing data and the second sensing data, and transmit the operation instruction to the computer system via the transmission interface.

6. The input apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the primary motion detector comprises:

a plurality of first keys;

a first key sensing unit, for detecting a state of each of the first keys, and outputting a corresponding first input signal;

a first micro-control unit, coupled to the first key sensing unit, the first light sensing unit, and the first G-sensor, for encoding the first input signal, and outputs of the first light sensing unit and the first G-sensor, to generate the first sensing data; and

a first wireless emitting unit, coupled to the first micro-control unit, for receiving the first sensing data, and transmitting the first sensing data to the receiver via the wireless transmission path.

7. The input apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the assistant motion detector comprises:

a plurality of second keys;

a joystick;

a second key sensing unit, for detecting a state of each of the second keys and the joystick, and outputting a corresponding second input signal;

a second micro-control unit, coupled to the second key sensing unit, the first light sensing unit, and the second G-sensor, for encoding the second input signal, and an output of the second G-sensor, to generate the second sensing data; and

a second wireless emitting unit, coupled to the second micro-control unit, for receiving the second sensing data, and transmitting the second sensing data to the receiver via the wireless transmission path.

8. The input apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the primary motion detector and the assistant motion detection mutually exchange information via a wireless connection.

9. The input apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the primary motion detector and the assistant motion detection mutually exchange information via a wire connection.

10. The input apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the receiver comprises:

a wireless receiving unit, for receiving the first sensing data and the second sensing data via the wireless transmission path;

a micro-control unit, coupled to the wireless receiving unit, for decoding the first sensing data and the second sensing data, and generating a corresponding operation instruction; and

an input/output interface unit, coupled to the computer system via the transmission interface, and coupled to the micro-control unit, for transmitting the operation instruction to the computer system via the transmission interface.

11. The input apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the transmission interface is a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an IEEE 1394 interface, a serial port interface, a parallel port interface, or a personal computer memory card international association (PCMCIA) interface.

12. An operation method for a computer system, comprising:

employing a G-sensor to detect a motion state of an operation terminal, and generating a gravity data;

detecting relative positions of a plurality of positioning light sources relative to the operation terminal, and generating a relative position data;

encoding the gravity data and the relative position data, and generating a sensing data;

transmitting the sensing data from the operation terminal to a receiving terminal via a wireless transmission path; and

transmitting the sensing data from the receiving terminal to the computer system via a transmission interface, so as to operate the computer system according to the sensing data.

13. The operation method according to claim 12, wherein the step of transmitting the sensing data to the receiving terminal further comprises:

determining whether or not the sensing data is ready for transmitting, when obtaining the sensing data;

transmitting the sensing data to the receiving terminal via the wireless transmission path, when the sensing data is ready for transmitting; and

repeating the steps of receiving the sensing data for obtaining a latest sensing data, when the sensing data is transmitted successively.

14. The operation method according to claim 12, when the receiving terminal receives the sensing data, further comprising:

decoding the sensing data, for recovering the gravity data and the relative position data;

decoding the gravity data to obtain a motion information;

generating a motion instruction according to the motion information;

decoding the relative position data, to obtain a virtual coordinate information;

encoding the motion instruction and the virtual coordinate information, to generate an operation instruction; and

transmitting the operation instruction to the computer system via the transmission interface, for operating the computer system.

15. The operation method according to claim 14, wherein the step of generating the motion instruction further comprises:

determining whether or not the motion information can be identified, when obtaining the motion information;

if the motion information can be identified, then selecting a corresponding motion state; and

if the motion information cannot be identified, then selecting an approximate motion state; and

generating the motion instruction according to the selected motion state.

16. The operation method according to claim 12, wherein the operation terminal comprises a plurality of functional keys and a joystick input interface.

17. The operation method according to claim 16, further comprising:

detecting states of the functional keys and the joystick interface, and obtaining an input signal; and

encoding the gravity data, the relative position data, and the input signal together for generating the sensing data.

18. The operation method according to claim 12, wherein the transmission interface is a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an IEEE 1394 interface, a serial port interface, a parallel port interface, or a personal computer memory card international association (PCMCIA) interface.