Method and apparatus for wireless cursor position control

• US 4,578,674 A
• Filed: 04/20/1983
• Issued: 03/25/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Flurry, Gregory A., Bantz, David F., Baker, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Curtis, Marshall M.
• Application Number:
  US06/486,630
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 340/709, 340/710, 340/365 P, 340/365 R, 340/365 VL, 340/712, 455/617, 455/603, 178/18-20
• US Class Current: 345/159
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/46 Indirect determination of position data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/86 Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/876 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S15/872 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves

Abstract

A method and apparatus for wireless cursor position control is disclosed herein. The apparatus comprises a wireless cursor position device and a separate control base whereby the direction and velocity of motion of the position device is monitored by the control base and used said direction and velocity of motion is to calculate the relative motion of the cursor on the display system. The method and apparatus operates by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic and infrared signals between the position device and control base and thereby calculating the movement of the position device from an initial location by measurement doppler shift of the signals. An output signal to the display system is then generated to move the cursor in correspondence with the motion of the position device.

Claims

1. Apparatus for controlling the motion of a cursor on a screen comprising:

a wireless cursor position control device with an infrared detector for detecting a first signal transmittal from a control base and an ultrasonic emitter for transmitting a second signal generated in response to said detected first signal,

a control base with one or more infrared emitters for transmitting signals to said first detector in said cursor position control device and a plurality of ultrasonic detectors for receiving signals from said ultrasonic emitters in said cursor position control device, and

means to calculate the relative motion of a cursor from said directions and velocity of said cursor position control device.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wireless cursor position control device further comprises:

means for driving said ultrasonic emitter with a signal detected from said infrared detector.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wireless cursor position control device further comprises:

power supply means, independent from mains, from supplying operating voltage and current to said ultrasonic emitters and said infrared detector and said driving means.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control base means for detecting direction and velocity further comprises:

one or more means for detecting change in a first characteristic of signals received from said device indicative of direction and velocity of motion of said device.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said control base means for detecting direction and velocity further comprises:

reference signal generation means for generating reference signals to compare with signals from said device.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said control base means for detecting direction and velocity further comprises:

frequency shift detection means for detecting change in frequency of said signals received from said device indicative of direction and velocity of motion of said device.

7. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said control base means for detecting direction and velocity further comprises:

processing means for generating motion control signals in response to changes in said first characteristic of said signals from said device.

8. A method for generating signals for motion control comprising the steps of:

determining X and Y coordinates of an initial position of an cursor position control device relative to first and second detector mounted in a base;

transmitting a first signal from a transmitter in said base to a receiver in said device;

detecting said first signal in said device;

transmitting from said device a second signal generated from said detected first signal;

receiving said second signal at said first and second detectors in said base;

determining first and second difference signals from comparison of said first signal with outputs of said first and second detectors;

calculating cursor motion signals from said difference signals to move an cursor in correspondence with the direction and velocity of motion of said device.