GENERATING AUDIO SIGNALS BASED ON INPUT DEVICE POSITION

• US 20090160771A1
• Filed: 03/02/2009
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sinclair, Michael J., Szeliski, Richard S., Hinckley, Kenneth P., Conway, Matthew J., Hanson, Erik J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,063,882 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0317 in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
• 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 3/0395 Mouse pads

Abstract

A computer input device and computer system are provided that determine if the input device is at an edge of a pattern on a working surface based on an image of the working surface captured by the input device. An audio control message is generated based on the input device being positioned on the edge of the pattern and the audio control message is used to cause a speaker to generate an audio signal.

Claims

1. A computer input device and computer system, the input device and system comprising:

a pattern sensing component capable of generating an indication that the input device is at an edge of a pattern on a working surface based on an image of the working surface;

an audio driver, coupled to the pattern sensing component and capable of generating an audio driver signal based on the indication that the input device is at the edge of the pattern; and

an audio signal generator, coupled to the audio driver and capable of generating an audio signal based on the audio driver signal from the audio driver.

2. The computer input device and computer system of claim 1 wherein the audio signal generator is located within the computer input device.

3. A method comprising:

an input device capturing an image of a working surface;

a pose estimator determining that the input device is at an edge of a grid pattern on the working surface;

an audio controller generating a audio control message based on the determination that the input device is at the edge of the working surface; and

a speaker receiving the audio control message and generating an audio signal based on the audio control signal.