Method and system for simultaneous operation of multiple handheld IR control devices in a data processing system

• US 6,229,526 B1
• Filed: 12/18/1997
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Berstis, Viktors
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, DUC Q
• Application Number:
  US08/993,517
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: 345/158, 345/161, 345/157, 463/38, 463/39
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04744 Switches
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A method and system for controlling a display of a data processing system uses first and second wireless position control devices, and a control base unit. The first wireless position control device includes a transducer for transmitting a first signal upon which X-Y position control and/or action control signals generated by the device are imposed. A second wireless position control device includes a transducer for transmitting a second signal upon which X-Y position control and/or other action control signals generated by the second control device are imposed. The first and second signals and second different frequencies. To prevent the control devices from interfering with each other, the control base is associated with the data processing system and includes circuitry for issuing polling signals to the control devices. Only one of the control devices is polled at a particular time. The control base circuitry also receives and decodes the carrier signals to generate decoded display control signals. The display control signals are then used to drive the display device. Two users may thus control the display device simultaneously.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a display of a data processing system, comprising:

a first wireless input device including means responsive to receipt of a first polling signal for transmitting a first signal upon which first signals are imposed;

a second wireless input device including means responsive to receipt of a second polling signal for transmitting a second signal upon which second control signals are imposed;

a receiver including means for alternately generating the first and second polling signals such that, in response to either of the first and second polling signals, only one of the first and second signals is transmitted from either of the first or second wireless input devices to the receiver at any time and means responsive to receipt of the first and second signals for generating fist and second display control signals; and

means responsive to the first and second display control signals for controlling the display.

2. The system as described in claim 1 wherein at least the first input device is a joystick.

3. The system as described in claim 2 wherein the first control signals include X-Y position control signals for controlling an X-Y position of a screen element on the display device.

4. The system as described in claim 3 wherein the first control signals include action control signals for effecting an event on the display device.

5. The system as described in claim 2 wherein the second wireless input device is a joystick.

6. The system as described in claim 5 wherein the first and second input devices are battery-powered.

7. The system as described in claim 1 wherein the means for transmitting of the first wireless input device is a light emitting diode.

8. The system as described in claim 1 wherein the first and second signals have the same frequency.

9. The system as described in claim 1 wherein the first and second polling signals are generated by the receiver at first and second times.

10. A system for enabling first and second users to control a display of a data processing system simultaneously, comprising:

a first wireless joystick including means responsive to receipt of a first polling signal for transmitting a first signal upon which first signals are imposed;

a second wireless joystick including means responsive to receipt of a second polling signal for transmitting a second signal upon which second control signals are imposed;

circuit means for alternately generating the first and second polling signals such that, in response to either of the first and second polling signals, only one of the first and second signals is transmitted from either of the first or second wireless input devices to the receiver at any time and means responsive to receipt of the first and second signals for generating fist and second display control signals; and

means responsive to the first and second display control signals for controlling the display.

11. The system as described in claim 10 wherein the first control signals include X-Y position control signals for controlling an X-Y position of a screen element on the display device.

12. The system as described in claim 11 wherein the first control signals include action control signals for effecting an event on the display device.

13. The system as described in claim 10 wherein the first and second wireless joysticks are battery-powered.

14. The system as described in claim 10 wherein the means for transmitting of the first wireless joystick is a light emitting diode.

15. The system as described in claim 10 wherein the first and second signals have the same frequency and the first and second polling signals have the same frequency.

16. The system as described in claim 15 wherein each of the first and second polling signals include control information uniquely identifying a selected one of the first and second wireless joysticks.

17. A method of controlling a display of a data processing system, comprising the steps of:

at a first time and responsive to a first polling signal, transmitting a first signal upon which first signals are imposed;

at a second time and responsive to receipt of a second polling signal, transmitting a second signal upon which second control signals are imposed, the first and second times being selected so that only one of the first and second signals is transmitted at any time;

receiving and decoding the first and second signals to generated decoded display control signals; and

driving the display using the decoded display control signals.

18. The method as described in claim 17 wherein the first carrier signal is generated with a first wireless position control device.

19. The method as described in claim 17 wherein the second carrier signal is generated with a second wireless position control device.

20. The method as described in claim 17 wherein the first control signals include X-Y posit ion control signals for controlling an X-Y position of a screen element on the display device.

21. The system as described in claim 17 wherein the first control signals include action control signals for effecting an event on the display device.

22. A receiver for use in a display control system for controlling a display of a data processing system, the display control system including at least a pair of wireless control devices that generate respective first and second position control signals imposed upon first and second carrier signals, the receiver comprising:

means for issuing polling signals alternately to the pair of wireless control devices to request information from a respective one of the wireless control devices such that, in response to the polling signals, only one of the first and second carrier signals is transmitted from either of the wireless control devices to the receiver at any time;

means for receiving signals from the wireless control devices having the first and second position control signals imposed thereon;

signal processing means connected to the receiving means for generating first and second display control signals for controlling the display of the data processing system, the signal processing means, comprising;

means connected to the receiving means for generating the control signals; and

decoder means connected to the demodulator means for receiving the control signals and generating the display control signals.

23. The receiver as described in claim 22 wherein the mean for receiving is a phototransistor circuit.

24. The receiver as described in claim 22 wherein the signal processing means includes a computer program executed by the data processing system.

25. A gaming system for use with a computer to enable first and second users of the gaming system to control a display of the computer simultaneously, comprising:

a first wireless joystick adapted to be held by the first user and including a transducer responsive to receipt of a first polling signal for transmitting a first signal upon which first signals are imposed;

a second wireless joystick adapted to be held by the second user and including a transducer responsive to receipt of a second polling signal for transmitting a second signal upon which second control signals are imposed; and

circuit means for alternately generating the first and second polling signals such that, in response to either of the first and second polling signals, only one of the first and second signals is transmitted from either of the first or second wireless input devices to the receiver at any time and receiving and decoding the first and second signals from the first and second wireless joysticks and in response thereto generating fist and second display control signals for use in controlling the display of the computer.

26. A method of controlling a display of a data processing system connected to a computer network having a server, comprising the steps of:

establishing an active connection between the data processing system and the server;

downloading information to the data processing system to cause a first and second game elements to be output on the display;

having a first user of the data processing system use a first wireless control device that is responsive to a first polling signal for selectively transmitting a first signal upon which first control signals are imposed;

having a second user of the data processing system use a second wireless control device that is responsive to a second polling signal for selectively transmitting a second signal upon which second control signals are imposed;

alternately generating the first and second polling signals such that, in response to either of the first and second polling signals, only one of the first and second signals is transmitted from either of the first or second wireless input devices to the receiver at any time receiving and decoding the first and second signals to generate decoded first and second display control signals;

driving the display using the decoded first display control signals while the active connection is maintained to thereby manipulate the first game element; and

driving the display using the decoded second display control signals while the active connection is maintained to thereby manipulate the second game element.