OPTICAL POINTING DEVICE

• US 20090237356A1
• Filed: 03/24/2008
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fitzgibbon, Andrew W., Williams, Oliver M. C.
• Application Number:
  US12/053,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20090237356A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/00 Holographic processes or apparatus using light, infrared or ultraviolet waves for obtaining holograms or for obtaining an image from them; Details peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/22 Processes or apparatus for obtaining an optical image from holograms G03H1/26 - G03H1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2231 Reflection reconstruction
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2234 Transmission reconstruction
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2244 Means for detecting or recording the holobject
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2227/02 Handheld portable device, e.g. holographic camera, mobile holographic display
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2227/06 Support including light source
• 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

A pointing system uses a hologram or a lenticular image that may be affixed to a pointing device such as a game controller. The hologram may comprise a holographic image and may display a pattern that changes rapidly and predictably as the position of the pointing device changes. The hologram may be a reflection hologram or a transmission hologram. A light sensing device not on the controller captures the movement and appearance of the hologram and provides information to a computing device. The computing device processes the appearance information to determine an orientation of the pointing device, and based on the orientation, changes the position of a cursor on a display.

Claims

1. A pointing method, comprising:

disposing a hologram or a lenticular image on a pointing device;

capturing light from the hologram or the lenticular image; and

moving a cursor on a display based on the light captured from the hologram or the lenticular image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hologram comprises a reflection hologram.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising illuminating a light source to radiate light towards the reflection hologram or the lenticular image.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein capturing light from the hologram or the lenticular image comprises capturing light reflected from the reflection hologram or the lenticular image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the hologram comprises a transmission hologram.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the pointing device comprises a holographic projector comprising a light source and the transmission hologram.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein capturing light from the hologram comprises capturing light emitted from the transmission hologram.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an orientation of the pointing device based on information pertaining to the light captured from the hologram or the lenticular image, wherein moving the cursor is based on the determined orientation of the pointing device.

9. A pointing system, comprising:

a pointing device comprising a hologram or a lenticular image; and

a computing device that determines an orientation of the pointing device based on information pertaining to light captured from the hologram or the lenticular image.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a display having a cursor displayed thereon based on the determined orientation of the pointing device.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the hologram comprises a reflection hologram.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a light source that radiates light towards the reflection hologram.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a light sensing device that captures light reflected from the reflection hologram and provides the information to the computing device.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the hologram comprises a transmission hologram.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the pointing device comprises a holographic projector comprising a light source and the transmission hologram.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a light sensing device that captures light emitted from the transmission hologram and provides the information to the computing device.

17. An optical pointing device, comprising:

a pointing device; and

a hologram or a lenticular image affixed to the pointing device.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the hologram comprises a reflection hologram.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the hologram comprises a transmission hologram.

20. The device of claim 19, further comprising a holographic projector comprising a light source and the hologram, the holographic projector affixed to the pointing device.