COMPUTER INPUT DEVICE WITH INERTIAL INSTRUMENTS

• US 20090153482A1
• Filed: 12/12/2007
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Incorporated
• Inventors: Rasmussen, Scott A., Larsen, Robert A., Weinberg, Marc S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,098,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03 Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

A computer input device includes, in one embodiment, at least two accelerometers, at least two gyroscopes, and a processor within a housing. Signals from the accelerometers and the gyroscopes are utilized to determine the relative motion of the computer input device.

Claims

1. A computer input device, comprising:

a housing for movement over a substantially two-dimensional surface;

a sensor unit, disposed within the housing, comprising at least two accelerometers and at least two gyroscopes; and

a processor for determining relative motion of the computer input device utilizing signals from the accelerometers and the gyroscopes.

2. The computer input device of claim 1, wherein the signals from the gyroscopes are utilized to correct for at least one of non-uniformity or tilt in the substantially two-dimensional surface as the computer input device is moved thereover.

3. The computer input device of claim 1, further comprising an optical sensor for sensing relative motion of the computer input device.

4. The computer input device of claim 1, further comprising a digital filter for combining the signals from the accelerometers and the gyroscopes.

5. The computer input device of claim 4, wherein the digital filter comprises a Kalman filter.

6. The computer input device of claim 1, further comprising means for transmitting, to a computing device, data indicative of the relative motion of the computer input device.

7. The computer input device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one user-operable button disposed on the housing; and

means for transmitting, to a computing device, data indicative of the button'"'"'s operation.

8. The computer input device of claim 7, wherein the data indicative of the button'"'"'s operation is utilized at least in part to indicate that the computer input device is substantially motionless.

9. A method of fabricating a computer input device, the method comprising:

providing a housing;

disposing, within the housing, (i) a sensor unit comprising at least two accelerometers and at least two gyroscopes, and (ii) circuitry, responsive to the sensor unit, for determining movement of the housing over a substantially two-dimensional surface.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing within the housing an optical sensor for sensing relative motion of the computer input device.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing within the housing means for transmitting, to a computing device, the relative motion of the computer input device.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising encoding into the circuitry a digital filter to combine signals from the accelerometers and the gyroscopes.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the digital filter comprises a Kalman filter.

14. A method of determining relative motion of a computer input device, the method comprising:

providing at least two accelerometers, at least two gyroscopes, and a processor within a housing for movement over a substantially two-dimensional surface;

moving the housing over the substantially two-dimensional surface; and

calculating the relative motion of the housing utilizing signals from the accelerometers and the gyroscopes generated in response to the motion of the housing.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the signals from the gyroscopes are utilized to correct for at least one of non-uniformity or tilt in the substantially two-dimensional surface as the housing is moved thereover.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the substantially two-dimensional surface is non-uniform.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the substantially two-dimensional surface is tilted.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein calculating the relative motion comprises combining the signals generated by the accelerometers and the gyroscopes.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the combining comprises utilizing a Kalman filter.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting the relative motion of the housing to a computing device.

21. A computer input device, comprising:

a housing for movement over a substantially two-dimensional surface;

means, disposed within the housing, for sensing motion of the computer input device;

means, disposed within the housing, for correcting for at least one of non-uniformity or tilt of the substantially two-dimensional surface; and

means, disposed within the housing, for calculating relative motion of the computer input device utilizing signals from the means for sensing motion and the means for correcting.

22. A computing device, comprising:

a processor;

a display electrically connected and responsive to the processor; and

a computer input device in communication with the processor, comprising;

a housing for movement over a substantially two-dimensional surface,

a sensor unit, disposed within the housing, comprising at least two accelerometers and at least two gyroscopes, and

circuitry for determining relative motion of the computer input device utilizing signals from the accelerometers and the gyroscopes.