POINTING DEVICE
First Claim
1. A pointing apparatus comprising a stationary component and a mobile component, the mobile component having a gyroscope for detecting its rotation, the pointing apparatus determining a pointing direction for the mobile component based on readings from the gyroscope, and the pointing apparatus being adapted to detect when the mobile component changes state from pointing away from the stationary component to pointing substantially at the stationary component, this detection being used to reset the determined pointing direction for the mobile component by:
- monitoring a region of influence around the stationary component;
determining the direction of rotation of the mobile component at the point in time when its pointing at the stationary component was detected;
using the direction of rotation to extrapolate from a point in the region of influence to the edge of the region of influence; and
setting the pointing direction of the mobile component, at the point in time when its pointing at the stationary component was detected, as the point where the negative of the direction of rotation met the edge of the region of influence.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A gyroscopic pointing apparatus for an electronic device, particularly a games console, that is provided with means to detect when the mobile component is pointing at the screen upon which it controls a cursor to provide a mechanism to correct for drift in gyroscope readings and an improved method of dynamically recalibrating the zero point of the gyroscopes. The pointing detection mechanism may be provided by the combination of an infra-red LED and an infra-red sensor in either permutation on the mobile component and fixed component respectively.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A pointing apparatus comprising a stationary component and a mobile component, the mobile component having a gyroscope for detecting its rotation, the pointing apparatus determining a pointing direction for the mobile component based on readings from the gyroscope, and the pointing apparatus being adapted to detect when the mobile component changes state from pointing away from the stationary component to pointing substantially at the stationary component, this detection being used to reset the determined pointing direction for the mobile component by:
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monitoring a region of influence around the stationary component; determining the direction of rotation of the mobile component at the point in time when its pointing at the stationary component was detected; using the direction of rotation to extrapolate from a point in the region of influence to the edge of the region of influence; and setting the pointing direction of the mobile component, at the point in time when its pointing at the stationary component was detected, as the point where the negative of the direction of rotation met the edge of the region of influence. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for ameliorating the effects of drift in readings of a pointing apparatus, the pointing apparatus comprising a stationary component and a mobile component, the mobile component further comprising acceleration sensing means such as a gyroscope, the method comprising:
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monitoring a region of influence around the stationary component; detecting when the mobile component is pointed at the stationary component; determining from readings of the acceleration sensing means the vector of rotation direction of the movement of the mobile component towards the stationary component; and determining a new starting pointing direction of the mobile component by using the vector of rotation direction to extrapolate from the center of the region of influence until it reaches the edge of the region of influence. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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- 15. A hand-held controller for use as a pointing device, comprising a gyroscope for detecting its rotation, wherein a pointing direction for the hand-held controller is based on readings from the gyroscope, and the hand-held controller is configured to inform in a pointing apparatus of a change in state when the hand-held controller goes from pointing away from a stationary component to pointing substantially at the stationary component.
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23. A pointing apparatus comprising:
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a light receiver sensitive to at least one wavelength of light and a light emitter of at least one wavelength of light; and a stationary component and a mobile component separate from one another; the light receiver and light emitter being located in a respective one of each component, the mobile component further comprising a gyroscope, the apparatus being arranged such that the light receiver and light emitter detect when the mobile component is being pointed substantially at the stationary component, whereupon the apparatus uses readings from the gyroscope to determine the precise pointing direction of the mobile component.
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Specification