IN-AIR CURSOR CONTROL

• US 20100123659A1
• Filed: 11/19/2008
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Beeman, Steven Michael, Dyer, Landon
• Application Number:
  US12/273,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20100123659A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0325 using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• 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

Embodiments related to in-air cursor control solutions are disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a method of moving a cursor on a display. The method comprises receiving an external motion signal from an image sensor that is external to a handheld cursor control device, receiving an internal motion signal from a motion detector internal to the handheld cursor control device, and sending an output signal to the display to change a location of the cursor on the display based upon the external motion signal and the internal motion signal.

Claims

1. A method of moving a cursor on a display, comprising:

receiving an external motion signal from an image sensor that is external to a handheld cursor control device;

receiving an internal motion signal from a motion detector internal to the handheld cursor control device; and

sending an output signal to the display, the output signal being configured to change a location of the cursor on the display based upon the external motion signal and the internal motion signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an external motion signal comprises receiving an image from the image sensor and detecting in the image a location of a target on the handheld cursor control device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, if the location of the target on the handheld cursor control device cannot be detected in the image, then sending an output signal to the display based upon the internal motion signal.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting the location of the target comprises detecting light emitted by the handheld cursor control device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting the location of the target comprises detecting light reflected by the handheld cursor control device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an internal motion signal comprises receiving a signal from an accelerometer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an internal motion signal comprises receiving a signal from a gyroscopic motion sensor.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an external motion signal comprises receiving images from two or more image sensors.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising blending the external motion signal and the internal motion signal, and wherein the output signal comprises a location of the cursor on the display determined from the blend of the external motion signal and the internal motion signal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein blending the external motion signal and the internal motion signal comprises applying fixed weighting factors to the external motion signal and the internal motion signal.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein blending the external motion signal and the internal motion signal comprises applying variable weighting factors to the external motion signal and the internal motion signal.

12. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-readable instructions executable by a computing device to perform a method of receiving an input from a wireless, in-air handheld input device and moving a cursor displayed on a display in response to the input, the method comprising:

receiving an image from an image sensor external to the handheld input device;

locating in the image a target on the handheld input device;

determining a first measure of cursor location based upon a location of the target in the image relative to a reference frame that occupies an area within the image;

receiving an input from a motion detector internal to the handheld input device;

determining a second measure of cursor location based upon the input from the motion sensor;

determine a new cursor location on the display from the first measure of cursor location and the second measure of cursor location;

if the new cursor location is located within a boundary of the display, then displaying the cursor at the new cursor location on the display;

if the new cursor location is located outside of a boundary of the display screen, then displaying the cursor at edge of screen, and moving the reference frame to set the cursor location at a corresponding edge of reference frame.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions are executable to determine the new cursor location by blending the first measure of cursor location and the second measure of cursor location.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein blending the first measure of cursor location and the second measure of cursor location comprises applying fixed weighting factors to the first measure of cursor location and the second measure of cursor location.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein blending the first measure of cursor location and the second measure of cursor location comprises applying variable weighting factors to the first measure of cursor location and the second measure of cursor location.

16. A computing device, comprising:

a processor; and

memory comprising instructions stored thereon that are executable by the processor to performing a method of moving a cursor on a display, the method comprising;

receiving an external motion signal from an image sensor that is external to a handheld cursor control device;

determining a first measure of cursor location based upon the external motion signal;

receiving an internal motion signal from a motion detector internal to the handheld cursor control device;

determining a second measure of cursor location based upon the internal motion signal;

blending the first measure of cursor location and a second measure of cursor location to determine a new cursor location on the display; and

sending an output signal to the display to move the cursor to the new cursor location on the display.

17. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the instructions are executable to blend the first measure of cursor location and the second measure of cursor location by weighting the first measure of cursor location and the second measure of cursor location, and then adding the first measure of cursor location and the second measure of cursor location.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein weighing comprises applying fixed weighting factors to the first measure of cursor location and the second measure of cursor location.

19. The computing device of claim 17, wherein weighting comprises applying variable weighting factors to the first measure of cursor location and the second measure of cursor location.

20. The computing device of claim 17, wherein receiving an external motion signal comprises detecting in the image from the image sensor a target located on the handheld cursor control device, and wherein weighting comprises applying a weighting factor of zero to the first measure of cursor location if the target is not visible in the image from the image sensor.