Wireless remote control and position detecting system

• US 5,435,573 A
• Filed: 04/13/1993
• Issued: 07/25/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Visioneering International, Inc. (Visioneering Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visioneering International, Inc. (Visioneering Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Oakford, Howerd
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRISON, JESSICA
• Application Number:
  US08/047,111
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 273/148 B, 273/434, 273/438, 273/85 G, 345/158, 345/157, 345/156
• US Class Current: 463/39
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0308 comprising a plurality of distinctive and separately oriented light emitters or reflectors associated to the pointing device, e.g. remote cursor controller with distinct and separately oriented LEDs at the tip whose radiations are captured by a photo-detector associated to the screen

Abstract

A wireless remote control system is provided. The remote control system includes a remote unit and a receiver unit, and may be utilized in connection with a video game system or other controllable system. The receiver unit includes a plurality of detectors for detecting a signal transmitted by a remote unit. An angle-limiting device is coupled to each detector for limiting the signal which may be received by the particular detector to that signal which is transmitted from a particular location. In one embodiment, the angle-limiting device may limit the signal received by the detector to that signal transmitted from within a specified angular range relative to the detector. In a preferred embodiment, the angle-limiting devices coupled to the plurality of detectors may be arranged so that each angle-limiting device allows a signal to be received by the respective detector from a unique angular region. In another embodiment, the angular regions may be overlapping. In operation, a signal transmitted from the remote unit is received by one or more of the detectors, and based upon the strength of the signal received by each detector, the angular location of the remote unit relative to the receiver unit may be determined.

Claims

1. A remote control system receiver, adapted to receive a signal transmitted from a remote unit and to transmit an associated control signal to a controllable device, comprising:

(a) a first receiver means for receiving said signal transmitted from said remote unit if said remote unit is located in a first angular region, whereby if said remote unit is not located within said first angular region, said signal transmitted from said remote unit will not be received by said first receiver means,

(b) a second receiver means for receiving said signal transmitted from said remote unit if said remote unit is located in a second angular region, whereby if said remote unit is not located within said second angular region said signal transmitted by said remote unit will not be received by said second receiving means, and

(c) processing means for determining the angular position of said remote unit responsive to said signal received by at least one of said first receiver means and said second receiver means, wherein said processing means transmits at least said angular position to said controllable device.

2. The remote control system receiver according to claim 1, wherein said first angular region corresponds to a region on the left side of said remote control system receiver, and wherein said second angular region corresponds to a region on the right side of said remote control system receiver.

3. The remote control system receiver according to claim 1, further comprising:

(d) a third receiver means for receiving said signal transmitted from said remote unit if said remote unit is located in a third angular region, whereby if said remote unit is not located within said third angular region said signal transmitted by said remote unit will not be received by said third receiving means.

4. The remote control system receiver according to claim 3, wherein said first angular region corresponds to a region on the left side of said remote control system receiver, wherein said second angular region corresponds to a region on the right side of said remote control system receiver, and wherein said third angular region corresponds to a region on the top side of said remote control system receiver.

5. The remote control system receiver according to claim 1, wherein said first receiver means comprises:

(i) a detector means for receiving said signal transmitted from said remote unit, and

(ii) an angle-limiting means extending from said detector means for limiting said signal received by said detector to said first angular region.

6. The remote control system receiver according to claim 5, wherein said remote unit further comprises transmitting means and said signal transmitted by said remote transmitting means comprises an infra-red signal.

7. The remote control system receiver according to claim 6, wherein said transmitting means of said remote unit includes a light-emitting diode, and wherein said infra-red signal is transmitted from said light-emitting diode.

8. The remote control system receiver according to claim 6, wherein said detector means includes an infra-red detector.

9. The remote control system receiver according to claim 5, wherein said angle-limiting means comprises a truncated pyramid, wherein said detector means is located at the apex of said truncated pyramid.

10. The remote control system receiver according to claim 1, wherein said second receiver means comprises:

(i) a detector means for receiving said signal transmitted from said remote unit, and

(ii) an angle-limiting means extending from said detector means for limiting said signal received by said detector to said second angular region.

11. The remote control system receiver according to claim 1, wherein said processing means includes a microprocessor.

12. The remote control system receiver according to claim 1, wherein said processing means includes a PIC16C54 microprocessor.

13. The remote control system receiver according to claim 1, wherein said processing means includes a microprocessor from the following group:

87C51 or 80C31.

14. The remote control system receiver according to claim 1, wherein said controllable device is a video game.

15. The remote control system receiver according to claim 1, wherein said controllable device is a Nintendo Entertainment System.

16. A remote control system adapted to control a controllable device, said remote control system comprising:

(a) a remote transmitting means for transmitting a signal,

(b) a first receiver means for receiving said signal transmitted from said remote transmitting means if said remote unit is located in a first angular region, whereby if said remote transmitting means is not located in a said first angular region, said signal transmitted from said remote transmitting means is not received by said first receiver means,

(c) a second receiver means for receiving said signal transmitted from said remote unit if said remote transmitting means is located in a second angular region, whereby if said remote transmitting means is not located within said second angular region, said signal transmitted by said remote transmitting means is not received by said second receiving means, and

(d) processing means for determining the angular position of said remote transmitting means responsive to said signal received by at least one of said first receiver means and said second receiver means, wherein said processing means transmits at least said angular position to said controllable device.

17. The remote control system receiver according to claim 16, wherein said first angular region corresponds to a region on the left side of said remote control system receiver, and wherein said second angular region corresponds to a region on the right side of said remote control system receiver.

18. The remote control system receiver according to claim 16, further comprising:

(e) a third receiver means for receiving said signal transmitted from said remote transmitting means if said remote unit is located in a third angular region, whereby if said remote unit is not located within said third angular region, said signal transmitted by said remote transmitting means is not received by said third receiving means.

19. The remote control system receiver according to claim 18, wherein said first angular region corresponds to a region on the left side of said remote control system receiver, wherein said second angular region corresponds to a region on the right side of said remote control system receiver, and wherein said third angular region corresponds to a region on the top side of said remote control system receiver.

20. The remote control system according to claim 16, wherein said first receiver means comprises:

(i) a detector means for receiving said signal transmitted from said remote transmitting means, and

(ii) an angle-limiting means extending from said detector means for limiting said signal received by said detector to said first angular region.

21. The remote control system according to claim 20, wherein said angle-limiting means comprises a truncated pyramid, wherein said detector means is located at the apex of said truncated pyramid.

22. The remote control system according to claim 20, wherein said signal comprises an infra-red signal.

23. The remote control system according to claim 22, wherein said remote transmitting means includes a light-emitting diode, wherein said infra-red signal is transmitted from said light-emitting diode.

24. The remote control system according to claim 22, wherein said detector means includes an infra-red detector.

25. The remote control system according to claim 16 wherein said second receiver means comprises:

(i) a detector means for receiving said signal transmitted from said remote transmitting means, and

(ii) an angle-limiting means extending from said detector means for limiting said signal received by said detector to second angular region.

26. The remote control system according to claim 16, wherein said processing means includes a microprocessor.

27. The remote control system receiver according to claim 16, wherein said controllable device is a video game.

28. The remote control system receiver according to claim 16, wherein said controllable device is a Nintendo Entertainment System.