Electronic pointing apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A method for generating movement data indicative of a direction and a distance a display or a displayed cursor on a computer-controlled display screen is to be moved in response to movement of a pointing apparatus, wherein the pointing apparatus includes a gyroscopic element, the method comprising the steps of:
- sampling an output of the gyroscopic element, the output indicating movement of the pointing apparatus;
generating the movement data from the sampled output;
determining whether the movement data indicates that the pointing apparatus has moved at least a first threshold amount;
in response to the movement data indicating that the pointing apparatus has not moved at least the first threshold amount, altering the movement data to indicate that the pointing apparatus has not moved; and
in response to the movement data indicating that the pointing apparatus has moved at least the first threshold amount, determining whether the movement data indicates that the pointing apparatus has moved at least a second threshold amount; and
in response to determining that the movement data indicates that the pointing apparatus has not moved at least the second threshold amount, reducing an amount of movement indicated by the movement data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Pointing apparatus and method provide for control of cursor movement and selection of elements on a computer screen. Gyroscopic elements within the pointing apparatus indicate yaw and pitch movements in free space, and a mouse ball and mouse ball encoders indicate movement on a surface. Data indicative of the distance and direction the cursor is to be moved is generated from outputs of the gyroscopic elements and the mouse ball encoders. Certain amounts of movement are deemed unintentional, and, if necessary, the pointing apparatus adjusts the data so as not to indicate movement of such amounts. By doing so, the pointing apparatus minimizes unintentional cursor movement caused by instability of the gyroscopes and the inability of a person to hold the pointing apparatus absolutely motionless.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for generating movement data indicative of a direction and a distance a display or a displayed cursor on a computer-controlled display screen is to be moved in response to movement of a pointing apparatus, wherein the pointing apparatus includes a gyroscopic element, the method comprising the steps of:
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sampling an output of the gyroscopic element, the output indicating movement of the pointing apparatus; generating the movement data from the sampled output; determining whether the movement data indicates that the pointing apparatus has moved at least a first threshold amount; in response to the movement data indicating that the pointing apparatus has not moved at least the first threshold amount, altering the movement data to indicate that the pointing apparatus has not moved; and in response to the movement data indicating that the pointing apparatus has moved at least the first threshold amount, determining whether the movement data indicates that the pointing apparatus has moved at least a second threshold amount; and in response to determining that the movement data indicates that the pointing apparatus has not moved at least the second threshold amount, reducing an amount of movement indicated by the movement data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 10)
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6. A method for generating movement data indicative of a direction and a distance a display or a displayed cursor on a computer-controlled display screen is to be moved in response to movement of a pointing apparatus, wherein the pointing apparatus includes a gyroscopic element, the method comprising:
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sampling an output of the gyroscopic element, the output indicating movement of the pointing apparatus; generating the movement data from the sampled output; determining a difference between a value of the sampled gyroscopic element output and a value of a previously sampled gyroscopic element output in a previous sample cycle; determining whether the difference is at least as large as a first threshold amount; in response to the difference not being at least as large as the first threshold amount, determining a period of time for which the difference between values of successive sampled outputs of the gyroscopic element has not been at least as large as the first threshold amount; in response to the period being greater than a select amount, determining the bias offset of the gyroscopic element from an average of all sampled outputs of the gyroscopic element generated in the period of time; and removing effects of the bias offset from the movement data. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A method for generating movement data indicative of a direction and a distance a display or displayed cursor on a computer-controlled display screen is to be moved in response to movement of a pointing apparatus, wherein the pointing apparatus includes a gyroscopic element, the method comprising:
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sampling an output of the gyroscopic element, the output indicating movement of the pointing apparatus; generating the movement data from the sampled output; determining whether a user of the pointing apparatus has selected an element on the computer-controlled display screen; in response to the user selecting an element on the computer-controlled display screen, determining whether the movement data indicates that the pointing apparatus has moved at least a first threshold amount; and in response to the movement data not indicating that the pointing apparatus has moved at least the first threshold amount, altering the movement data to indicate that the pointing apparatus has not moved. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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Specification