Method and apparatus for supporting accelerometer based controls in a mobile environment

• US 20110072880A1
• Filed: 09/29/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Avery, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,191,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/1.37
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/183 Compensation of inertial measurements, e.g. for temperature effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/00 Testing or calibrating of apparatus or devices covered by the preceding groups
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/02 of speedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• 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 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A method of processing signals from an accelerometer/gyroscopic-based input device includes providing the input device within a vehicle. An accelerometer/gyroscopic-based second device is also provided within the vehicle. The input device is manually actuated while the vehicle is in motion. First signals are transmitted from the input device in response to the manually actuating step. Second signals are transmitted from the second device in response to the motion of the vehicle. The first signals are adjusted dependent upon the second signals.

Claims

1. A method of processing signals from an accelerometer/gyroscopic-based input device, comprising the steps of:

providing the input device within a vehicle;

providing an accelerometer/gyroscopic-based second device within the vehicle;

manually actuating the input device while the vehicle is in motion;

transmitting first signals from the input device in response to the manually actuating step;

transmitting second signals from the second device in response to the motion of the vehicle; and

adjusting the first signals dependent upon the second signals.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the adjusting step includes subtracting the second signals from the first signals.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the first signals and the second signals are indicative of acceleration in three axes.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the input device comprises a user interface for an electronic game.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the input device is provided within a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of fixedly attaching the second device to the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of calculating an orientation of the input device, the adjusting step being dependent upon the calculated orientation.

8. An arrangement for receiving manual inputs, the arrangement comprising:

an accelerometer/gyroscopic-based input device disposed within a vehicle;

an accelerometer/gyroscopic-based second device fixedly attached to the vehicle; and

a processor in communication with each of the input device and the second device, the processor being configured to;

receive first signals from the input device in response to the input device being manually actuated during a time period in which the vehicle is in motion;

receive second signals from the second device during the time period; and

calculate an acceleration of the input device with respect to the second device, the acceleration being during the time period, the calculating being dependent upon the first signals and the second signals.

9. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the processor is configured to calculate an acceleration of the input device in three axes with respect to the second device.

10. The arrangement of claim 8 further comprising means for determining an orientation of the input device, the calculating being dependent upon an output of the determining means.

11. The arrangement of claim 10 wherein the determining means comprises:

two infra-red emitters configured to emit infra-red energy into a passenger compartment of the vehicle; and

an infra-red sensor associated with the input device and configured to sense the emitted infra-red energy.

12. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the processor is configured to calculate an acceleration of the input device based on differences between the second signals and the first signals.

13. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the input device comprises a user interface for an electronic game.

14. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the input device is disposed within a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

15. A method of calibrating an accelerometer/gyroscopic-based input device, comprising the steps of:

placing the input device within a vehicle;

fixedly installing an accelerometer/gyroscopic-based second device within the vehicle;

manually actuating the input device while the vehicle is in motion;

determining acceleration and orientation of the input device during the manually actuating step;

ascertaining acceleration and orientation of the second device during the manually actuating step; and

calculating acceleration of the input device with respect to the second device during the manually actuating step.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the determining step comprises determining acceleration of the input device in three axes during the manually actuating step.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the ascertaining step comprises ascertaining acceleration of the second device in the three axes during the manually actuating step.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the calculating step is dependent on the acceleration of the input device and on the acceleration of the second device.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the calculating step includes ascertaining a difference between first signals transmitted by the input device and second signals transmitted by the second device.

20. The method of claim 15 comprising the further step of sensing orientations of the input device during the manually actuating step, the determining step being dependent upon the sensed orientations.