USING VIBRATION TO DETERMINE THE MOTION OF AN INPUT DEVICE

• US 20100073292A1
• Filed: 09/22/2008
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: AMM, David T., Leung, Omar S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,639,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining the speed and/or position of an input device from vibrational signals is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a response spectrum is generated as the input device moves across a surface. Amplitude and frequency data associated with the response spectrum is analyzed to determine the magnitude of the velocity.

Claims

1. An input device, comprising:

a first module for detecting vibrations as the input device is moved across a surface; and

a second module for storing data output from the first module.

2. The input device of claim 1, wherein the first module comprises a vibrometer.

3. The input device of claim 1, wherein the first module comprises an accelerometer.

4. The input device of claim 1 further comprising a third module for estimating a speed of the input device based on the detected vibrations.

5. The input device of claim 4, wherein the third module is adapted to estimate the speed of the input device by processing at least one filtered signal.

6. The input device of claim 5, wherein the at least one filtered signal is generated by applying a bandpass filter to the detected vibrations.

7. The input device of claim 5, wherein the at least one filtered signal is generated by applying a first bandpass filter and a second bandpass filter to the detected vibrations.

8. The input device of claim 5, wherein said processing the at least one filtered signal comprises measuring the amplitude of the at least one filtered signal.

9. The input device of claim 8, wherein said measuring the amplitude of the at least one filtered signal comprises taking a root mean square level of the at least one filtered signal.

10. The input device of claim 8, wherein said measuring the amplitude of the at least one filtered signal comprises taking an absolute value of the at least one filtered signal.

11. The input device of claim 4, wherein the third module is adapted to estimate the speed of the input device by processing a plurality of acceleration metrics;

wherein at least one of the metrics is based at least in part upon a measured amplitude of a filtered signal.

12. The input device of claim 11, wherein the third module is further adapted to assign a weight to each acceleration metric of the plurality.

13. A method of tracking a motion of an input device comprising:

estimating a velocity of the input device based upon a first set of data and a second set of data; and

positioning a display object based at least in part upon said velocity,

wherein the first set of data is based at least in part upon a sensory value, and wherein the second set of data is based at least in part upon vibrations associated with the input device moving across a surface.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising detecting the vibrations using an accelerometer disposed within the input device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the accelerometer comprises a micro electromechanical system.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising detecting the vibrations using a vibrometer disposed within the input device.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising detecting the vibrations using a microphone disposed within the input device.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising detecting the sensory value using a two-dimensional force sensor.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein said positioning a display object comprises updating a set of coordinates associated with the display object.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said updating a set of coordinates associated with a display object comprises storing a fractional residue in an accumulator.

21. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, performs a process comprising:

receiving a signal generated by a vibration sensor indicative of contact with a surface; and

determining a speed of the input device based at least in part upon the signal.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the process further comprises:

receiving an input from a force sensor; and

updating a set of coordinates based at least in part upon the input and based at least in part upon the signal.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the input comprises an indication of direction.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the input comprises an estimate of speed.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein said updating a set of coordinates is adapted to orient a graphical object upon a display screen.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the vibration sensor comprises a vibrometer.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the vibration sensor comprises an accelerometer.

28. A system comprising:

an input device adapted to interact with a surface;

a computing device adapted to receive a signal from the input device; and

a graphical object adapted to respond to a command issued by the computing device,

wherein the signal comprises a value that is based at least in part upon a vibration induced by the input device moving upon a surface.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the signal comprises a value that is based at least in part upon an estimated velocity.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the input device comprises a computer mouse.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the computing device comprises a console.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the graphical object comprises a cursor.