Dual axis articulated computer input device and method of operation

• US 6,664,946 B1
• Filed: 02/22/1999
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Nielsen, Kurt, Stipes, Matthew J., Mack, Wolfgang A., Brooks, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin M.
• Application Number:
  US09/255,510
• Time in Patent Office: 1,758 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/161, 345/162, 345/157, 345/122, 463/36, 463/37, 463/38, 463/39
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks

Abstract

The present invention provides a dual axis articulated computer input device. Position sensors are configured to provide position information indicative of a position of two handle members relative to one another.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a visual display of a computer based on an input from a hand held computer input device having a first portion which is movable relative to a second portion of the device in a first direction through a first range of motion about a first axis of rotation that is divided into a first plurality of behavioral zones, each behavioral zone corresponding to a different behavior attributed to a displayed item, the method comprising:

receiving a data packet from the computer input device, the packet including position information indicative of a position of the first portion of the computer input device relative to the second portion of the computer input device, the position information including first axis information indicative of a position of the first portion in the first range of motion;

determining, based on information contained in the data packet, which of the plurality of behavioral zones included in the first range of motion the first portion is located in by examining the first axis information; and

utilizing the position information and the behavioral zone to update position of displayed information provided on the display and change a way information is displayed given the position information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first portion is movable relative to the second portion through a second plurality of behavioral zones, and further comprising:

determining which of the second plurality of behavioral zones the first portion is located in, based on the data packet; and

utilizing the position information and the behavioral zone in the first and second plurality of behavioral zones in which the first handle is located to update information provided on the display.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first is movable relative to the second portion through a second range of motion about a second axis of rotation, the second range of motion including the second plurality of behavioral zones, and wherein the position information includes second axis information indicative of a position of the first portion in the second range of motion, and wherein the determining step comprises:

examining the second axis information to determine which of the second plurality of behavioral zones the first portion is located in.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the data packet includes zone indicator information in addition to the position information and wherein determining. comprises:

examining the zone indicator information.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein determining comprises:

examining the zone indicator information and the position information.

6. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

maintaining previous movement information indicative of a most recent previous direction of movement of the first portion relative to the second portion; and

filtering the position information based on the previous movement information.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein filtering comprises:

determining whether a current direction of movement of the first portion relative to the second portion is the same as the most recent previous direction of movement;

if so, avoiding filtering of the position information; and

if not, subjecting the position information to filtering.

8. The method of claim 7 and further comprising:

if the position information indicates that the first portion is stationary relative to the second portion, subjecting the position information to filtering.

9. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

maintaining previous zone information indicative of a behavioral zone in which the first portion was most recently previously located.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the utilizing step comprises:

updating information on the visual display according to a behavior, based on the behavioral zone in which the first portion is currently located and based on the previous zone information.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein updating information on the visual display is performed so as to control the object being displayed according to a first behavior corresponding to a first of the plurality of behavioral zones when the previous zone information indicates that the first portion was most recently in the first behavioral zone and when the position information indicates that the first portion is currently in the first behavioral zone.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the output to the visual display control application is provided to control the object being displayed according to a second behavior corresponding to a second of the plurality of behavioral zones when the previous zone information indicates that the first portion was most recently in the second behavioral zone and when the position information indicates that the first portion has currently returned to the first behavioral zone, until the first portion has reached a predetermined location within the first behavioral zone.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the output to the visual display control application is provided to control the object being displayed according to a third behavior when the previous zone information indicates that the first portion was most recently in a second behavioral zone and when the position information indicates that the first portion has currently returned to the first behavioral zone, until the first portion has reached a predetermined location within the first behavioral zone.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the third behavior comprises a null behavior in which the output provided to the display control application is indicative of no movement of the first portion relative to the second portion within the first behavioral zone until the first portion has reached a predetermined location within the first behavioral zone.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein a first of the plurality of behavioral zones comprises an absolute position zone such that when the first portion is in the absolute position zone, the utilizing step comprises:

providing an absolute position output such that an absolute view of an object being displayed is based on an absolute position of the first portion relative to the second portion, as indicated by the position information.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein a second of the plurality of behavioral zones comprises a velocity zone such that when the first portion is in the velocity zone, the utilizing step comprises:

providing a velocity output such that a view of an object being displayed changes substantially continuously at a speed based on a position of the first portion relative to the second portion, as indicated by the position information.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a data packet comprises receiving the data packet in a form corresponding to a first input device type and wherein the utilizing step comprises:

providing an output to a visual display control application in a form corresponding to an expected input device type, expected by the visual display control application.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein providing the output in a form corresponding to an expected input device type, expected by the visual display control application, comprises:

determining the expected input device type; and

converting the data packet to the output in the form corresponding to the expected input device type.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the first input device type comprises a joystick and wherein the expected input device type comprises at least one of a mouse and a keyboard and wherein converting comprises:

converting the data packet to a form corresponding to a mouse or a keyboard.

20. A method of forming a data packet for transmission from a computer input device to a computer, the method comprising:

obtaining position information indicative of a position of a first portion on the computer input device relative to a second portion on the computer input device, the position information corresponding to a desired position of a displayed item, the first and second portions being movable relative to one another in one direction through a plurality of behavioral zones, each behavioral zone corresponding to a behavior of a displayed item that changes a way information is displayed given the position information;

obtaining actuator information indicative of a state of a plurality of actuators on the computer input device;

placing the position information and actuator information in the data packet; and

determining, based on the position information, whether the first portion is in a first of the plurality of behavioral zones relative to the second portion and obtaining zone information indicative of the determination.

21. The method of claim 20 and further comprising:

placing the zone information in the data packet.

22. The method of claim wherein obtaining position information comprises:

obtaining information indicative of a position of the first portion relative to the second portion about first and second axes of rotation.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the determining step comprises:

determining whether the first portion is in a first of a plurality of behavioral zones about both the first and second axes of rotation.