WIRELESS CONTROLLER

• US 20130294016A1
• Filed: 05/02/2012
• Published: 11/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wilson, Andrew, Russo, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,849,376 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles

Abstract

A wireless controller includes a handle portion to be held in one or both hands. The wireless controller also includes a gyroscope to output rotation information indicative of rotation of the handle about a steering axis, an accelerometer to output acceleration information, and a magnetometer to output magnetic bearing information. The wireless controller also includes a communication subsystem to wirelessly transmit sensor data to a computing device. The sensor data represents one or more of the rotation information, the acceleration information, and the magnetic bearing information such that the acceleration information is useable to attenuate gyroscopic drift when the handle has a first orientation and the magnetic bearing information is useable to attenuate gyroscopic drift when the handle has a second orientation.

Claims

1. A wireless controller, comprising:

a handle portion to be held in one or both hands;

a gyroscope mechanically coupled to the handle portion and configured to output rotation information indicative of rotation of the handle about a steering axis;

an accelerometer mechanically coupled to the handle portion and configured to output acceleration information;

a magnetometer mechanically coupled to the handle portion and configured to output magnetic bearing information; and

a communication subsystem to wirelessly transmit sensor data to a computing device, the sensor data representing one or more of the rotation information, the acceleration information, and the magnetic bearing information.

2. The wireless controller of claim 1, wherein the handle portion comprises a U-shaped wheel.

3. The wireless controller of claim 1, wherein the handle portion comprises an O-shaped wheel.

4. A wireless controller, comprising:

a handle portion to be held in one or both hands;

a gyroscope mechanically coupled to the handle portion and configured to output rotation information indicative of the handle'"'"'s rotation about a steering axis;

an accelerometer mechanically coupled to the handle portion and configured to output acceleration information;

a magnetometer mechanically coupled to the handle portion and configured to output magnetic bearing information; and

a communication subsystem to wirelessly transmit sensor data representing one or more of the rotation information, the acceleration information, and the magnetic bearing information to a computing device such that the acceleration information is useable to attenuate gyroscopic drift when the handle has a first orientation and the magnetic bearing information is useable to attenuate gyroscopic drift when the handle has a second orientation.

5. The wireless controller of claim 4, wherein the handle portion comprises a U-shaped wheel.

6. The wireless controller of claim 4, wherein the handle portion comprises an O-shaped wheel.

7. A method of controlling an attitude of a virtual object, the method comprising:

receiving sensor data from a wireless controller, the sensor data representing rotation information, acceleration information, and magnetic bearing information measured by the wireless controller;

identifying a neutral steering vector of the wireless controller;

using the rotation information to recognize a steering rotation of the wireless controller about a steering axis relative to the neutral steering vector;

rolling the virtual object in proportion to the steering rotation;

using the acceleration information to recognize a pitch of the wireless controller relative to gravity; and

inclining the virtual object in proportion to the pitch.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein using the rotation information to recognize the steering rotation of the wireless controller includes using the acceleration information to establish an absolute roll of the wireless controller and the rotation information to establish a change in the roll of the wireless controller when the wireless controller is primarily vertical.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein using the rotation information to recognize the steering rotation of the wireless controller includes using the magnetic bearing information to establish an absolute roll of the wireless controller and the rotation information to establish a change in the roll of the wireless controller when the wireless controller is primarily horizontal.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein using the rotation information to recognize the steering rotation of the wireless controller includes providing the rotation information to a Kalman filter with a previous output of the Kalman filter.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein using the rotation information to recognize the steering rotation of the wireless controller further comprises providing the acceleration information to the Kalman filter.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein using the rotation information to recognize the steering rotation of the wireless controller further comprises providing the magnetic bearing information to the Kalman filter.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein using the acceleration information to recognize a pitch of the wireless controller includes using the acceleration information to establish an absolute pitch of the wireless controller and the rotation information to establish a change in the pitch of the wireless controller.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the rotation information is measured by a gyroscope mechanically coupled to the wireless controller.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the acceleration information is measured by an accelerometer mechanically coupled to the wireless controller.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the magnetic bearing information is measured by a magnetometer mechanically coupled to the wireless controller.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein rolling the virtual object in proportion to the steering rotation includes matching a roll of the virtual object on a display device to the steering rotation of the wireless controller.

18. The method of claim 7, wherein inclining the virtual object in proportion to the pitch includes matching a pitch of the virtual object on a display device to the pitch of the wireless controller.

19. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

using the rotation information to recognize a yaw of the wireless controller about a yaw axis; and

turning the virtual object in proportion to the yaw.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein using the rotation information to recognize the yaw of the wireless controller includes:

using the magnetic bearing information to establish an absolute yaw of the wireless controller and the rotation information to establish a change in the yaw of the wireless controller when the wireless controller is primarily vertical; and

using the acceleration information to establish an absolute yaw of the wireless controller and the rotation information to establish a change in the yaw of the wireless controller when the wireless controller is primarily horizontal.