SUSPENDED INPUT SYSTEM

• US 20120249412A1
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vibrant Licensing LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Kurata, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,947,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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

Provided herein are input devices, systems, and methods. Some of the embodiments provided herein employ magnetic levitation of a controller of the input system so as to allow various benefits to a user'"'"'s experience of the input system

Claims

1. A suspended input device comprising:

a controller comprising a magnetic body and one or more displays configured to display one or more images of a virtual object;

a sensor configured to detect a position, an orientation, or a position and an orientation of the controller and to generate a signal regarding the position, orientation, or position and orientation of the controller; and

a base comprising a first magnetic field generator configured to generate a first magnetic field,

wherein the controller is configured to remain suspended due to a force between gravity and at least the first magnetic field.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the magnetic body is a magnet, a material that is magnetic, an electromagnet, or any combination thereof.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a communication module configured to transmit the signal regarding the position, orientation, or position and orientation of the controller to a computer and to receive further signals from the computer, wherein the computer is configured to receive the signal from the communication module, and wherein the computer is connected to a display configured to display a virtual object having position, orientation, or position and orientation information from the signal.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises six displays.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the magnetic body is a second magnetic field generator that generates a second magnetic field, wherein the second magnetic field is generated substantially at a center of the controller, and wherein the controller is configured to rotate while staying in the same position.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the position information and orientation information provide spatial information describing three-dimensions.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises the sensor which is an acceleration sensor.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the base comprises the sensor, which is one of an infrared sensor, a supersonic sensor, an optic sensor, or any combination thereof.

4. (canceled)

10. A method of manipulating spatial information comprising:

generating a first magnetic field around a base;

suspending a controller by a force between gravity and at least the first magnetic field, wherein the controller comprises a display;

moving the controller; and

providing position, orientation, or position and orientation information from the controller.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting a signal regarding the position, orientation, or position and orientation information of the controller to a computer.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

displaying information regarding a virtual object on the controller, wherein the information regards position, orientation, or position and orientation of the virtual object.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing one or more images of a virtual object; and

displaying the one or more images of the virtual object on the controller.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating a second magnetic field in the controller,

wherein the second magnetic field is generated substantially at a center of the controller.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the position information or the orientation information provides spatial information describing three-dimensions.

16. A controller comprising:

a housing;

at least one display surface positioned on the housing; and

a magnetic body configured to be capable of suspending the housing in air by a magnetic force.

17. The controller of claim 16, wherein the magnetic body is a magnet.

18. The controller of claim 17, wherein the magnet is an electromagnet.

19. The controller of claim 16, further comprising a source of electrical power.

20. The controller of claim 16, further comprising a sensor connected to the housing and configured to detect position, orientation, or position and orientation information of the housing.

21. The controller of claim 16, further comprising a communication module in the housing configured to transmit signals to a computer and to receive signals from a computer.

22. The controller of claim 16, wherein the communication module is configured to transmit a signal of the detected position, orientation, or position and orientation information of the housing to a computer.

23. The controller of claim 16, wherein the at least one display is configured to display an image received from a computer.

24. The controller of claim 16, wherein the housing is substantially cubic.

25. The controller of claim 16, wherein the controller comprises six display surfaces.

26. The controller of claim 16, wherein the magnetic field generator is positioned within the housing such that when the housing is suspended in the air via the magnetic body, the housing can rotate around a first axis of rotation, a second axis of rotation and a third axis of rotation while staying in a same position, wherein the first axis of rotation is oriented perpendicularly to the second and third axes of rotation and wherein the second axis of rotation is oriented perpendicularly to the first and third axes of rotation.