System and method for dynamic feedback projection from a hand-held pointing device

• US 6,717,528 B1
• Filed: 02/17/2000
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lu, David, Mullaly, John Martin, Burleson, Winslow Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Application Number:
  US09/506,238
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.17, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.52, 340/825.56, 340/5.61, 353/31, 353/122, 345/169, 345/173, 345/158, 348/734
• US Class Current: 340/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/71 Directional beams
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

A system and method for providing dynamic feedback projection from a hand held pointing device is provided. The system includes a hand held pointing device that is capable of two way communication with appliance interfaces associated with appliances that are controllable by the hand held pointing device. The hand held pointer is capable of transmitting signals to the appliance interfaces and receiving response signals from the appliance interfaces. The hand held pointing device further includes a visible light projection apparatus for projecting light onto a remote surface. The projected light is displaced on the remote surface by a light projection modification apparatus such that the projected light creates images corresponding to the response signals from the appliance interfaces.

Claims

1. A hand-held pointing device comprising:

a processor;

a transmitter coupled to the processor;

a receiver coupled to the processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the transmitter sends a signal to a remote device and the receiver receives a response signal from the remote device in response to receiving the signal from the transmitter, the response signal including remote device information identifying the remote device and available functions that may be performed by the remote device, and wherein the processor stores the remote device information in the memory;

a light projection apparatus that projects light from the hand-held pointing device; and

a light projection modification apparatus coupled to the processor and the light projection apparatus, wherein the processor identifies projection information to be projected by the hand-held pointing device and instructs the light projection modification apparatus to modify the light projected from the light projection apparatus to project the projection information.

2. The hand-held pointing device of claim 1, wherein the processor identifies a projection information to be projected based on the response signal received from the remote device.

3. The hand-held pointing device of claim 2, further comprising at least one user operated actuator, wherein the processor identifies projection information to be projected based on user input to the at least one user operated actuator.

4. The hand-held pointing device of claim 1, wherein the light projection apparatus is a laser and the light projection modification apparatus is a laser deflection apparatus.

5. The hand-held pointing device of claim 1, wherein the light projection modification apparatus comprises:

a reflective surface coupled to an X-axis strut and a Y-axis strut, the X-axis strut being used to move the reflective surface in an X-axis direction and the Y-axis strut being used to move the reflective surface in a Y-axis direction;

an X-axis strut deflection device coupled to the X-axis strut for causing the X-axis strut to deflect; and

a Y-axis strut deflection device coupled to the Y-axis strut for causing the Y-axis strut to deflect.

6. The hand-held pointing device of claim 5, wherein the X-axis strut deflection device and the Y-axis strut deflection device are speakers.

7. The hand-held pointing device of claim 5, wherein the X-axis strut deflection device and the Y-axis strut deflection device are voice coil motors.

8. The hand-held pointing device of claim 1, wherein the memory stores the projection information that is used by the processor to instruct the light projection modification apparatus to project the projection information.

9. The hand-held pointing device of claim 1, wherein the projection information represents a remote device function.

10. The hand-held pointing device of claim 1, wherein the projection information is an image.

11. A method of storing information in a hand-held pointing device, comprising:

sending a signal to a remote device;

receiving a response signal from the remote device in response to receiving the signal the response signal including remote device information identifying the remote device and available functions that may be performed by the remote device; and

storing the remote device information in a memory, wherein the remote device information includes information identifying images to be projected by the hand-held pointing device, the images corresponding to the available functions that may be performed by the remote device.

12. A hand-held pointing device, comprising:

a processor;

a light projection apparatus that projects light from the hand-held pointing device; and

a light projection modification apparatus coupled to the processor and the light projection apparatus, wherein the processor identifies an image to be projected by the hand-held pointing device and instructs the light projection modification apparatus to modify the light projected from the light projection apparatus to project the identified image.

13. The hand-held pointing device of claim 12, further comprising:

a transmitter coupled to the processor; and

a receiver coupled to the processor, wherein the transmitter transmits signals to a target device and the receiver receives signals from the target device.

14. The hand-held pointing device of claim 13, wherein the processor identifies an image to be projected based on signals received from the target device.

15. The hand-held pointing device of claim 12, further comprising at least one user operated actuator.

16. The hand-held pointing device of claim 15, wherein the processor identifies an image to be projected based on user input to the at least one user operated actuator.

17. The hand-held pointing device of claim 13, wherein the signals received from the target device are received in response to the target device receiving the signals transmitted to the target device by the transmitter.

18. The hand-held pointing device of claim 13, wherein the signals received from the target device identify at least one of a target device type and target device functions.

19. The hand-held pointing device of claim 18, wherein the processor determines target device functions from a look-up table stored in a memory, based on the target device type.

20. The hand-held pointing device of claim 12, wherein the light projection apparatus is a laser and the light projection modification apparatus is a laser deflection apparatus.

21. The hand-held pointing device of claim 12, wherein the light projection modification apparatus comprises:

a reflective surface coupled to an X-axis strut and a Y-axis strut, the X-axis strut being used to move the reflective surface in an X-axis direction and the Y-axis strut being used to move the reflective surface in a Y-axis direction;

an X-axis strut deflection device coupled to the X-axis strut for causing the X-axis strut to deflect; and

a Y-axis strut deflection device coupled to the Y-axis strut for causing the Y-axis strut to deflect.

22. The hand-held pointing device of claim 21, wherein the X-axis strut deflection device and the Y-axis strut deflection device are speakers.

23. The hand-held pointing device of claim 21, wherein the X-axis strut deflection device and the Y-axis strut deflection device are voice coil motors.

24. The band-held pointing device of claim 12, further comprising a memory that stores image patterns, wherein the image patterns are used by the processor to instruct the light projection modification apparatus to project the identified image.

25. The hand-held pointing device of claim 14, wherein the identified image represents a target device function.

26. The hand-held pointing device of claim 12, wherein the identified image represents a first target device function of a first target device when the identified image is projected on the first target device and wherein the identified image represents a second target device fraction that is to be performed in conjunction with the first target device function when the identified image is subsequently projected onto a second target device.

27. The hand-held pointing device of claim 13, wherein the signals transmitted to the target device and the signals received from the target device are at least one of optical signals and radio frequency signals.

28. The hand-held pointing device of claim 15, wherein when the user operated actuator is actuated, a target device function associated with the identified image is selected.

29. The hand-held pointing device of claim 15, wherein when the user operated actuator is actuated, the processor identifies a new image to be projected and instructs the light projection modification apparatus to modify the light projected from the hand-held pointing device to project the new image.

30. The hand-held pointing device of claim 29, wherein the identified image and the new image are images that are specific to a target device type.

31. The hand-herd pointing device of claim 12, wherein the identified image is an image identifying a currently available target device function that may currently be performed by a target device at which the hand-held pointing device is pointed.

32. A system for dynamic visual feedback using a hand-held pointing device, the system comprising:

a hand-held pointing device;

at least one target device; and

at least one target device interface coupled to the at least one target device, wherein the hand-held pointing device receives a signal from the target device interface identifying the target device, and wherein the hand-held pointing device projects an image corresponding to the target device.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the image identifies a currently available function that may be performed by the target device.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the hand-held pointing device includes at least one user operated actuator, and wherein the hand-held pointer projects an image based on the operation of the at least one user operated actuator.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the signal received from the target device interface is received in response to the target device interface receiving a signal transmitted by the hand-held pointing device.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein the signal received from the target device interface identifies at least one of a target device type and target device functions.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the hand-held pointing device determines target device functions from a look-up table stored in a memory, based on the target device type.

38. The system of claim 32, wherein the hand held pointing device includes a laser and a laser deflection apparatus.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the laser deflection apparatus comprises:

a reflective surface coupled to an X-axis strut and a Y-axis strut, the X-axis strut being used to move the reflective surface in an X-axis direction and the Y-axis strut being used to move the reflective surface in a Y-axis direction;

an X-axis strut deflection device coupled to the X-axis strut for causing the X-axis strut to deflect; and

a Y-axis strut deflection device coupled to the Y-axis strut for causing the Y-axis strut to deflect.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the X-axis strut deflection device and the Y-axis strut deflection device are speakers.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the X-axis strut deflection device and the Y-axis strut deflection device are voice coil motors.

42. The system of claim 32, wherein the hand-held pointing device further comprising a memory that stores image patterns, and wherein the image patterns are used to create an image that is projected by the hand-held pointing device.

43. The system of claim 32, wherein the target device is a first target device, the system further comprising a second target device, wherein the hand-held pointing device projects a first image when the hand-held pointing device is pointed at the first target device and projects a second image when the hand-held pointing device is pointed at the second target device.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the first image identifies a resource of the first target device and the second image identifies a function that may be performed by the second target device on the resource of the first target device.

45. The system of claim 35, wherein the signals transmitted to the target device interface and the signals received from the target device interface are at least one of optical signals and radio frequency signals.

46. The system of claim 34, wherein when the user operated actuator is actuated, a target device function associated with the projected image is selected.

47. The system of claim 34, wherein when the user operated actuator is actuated, the hand-held pointing device projects a new image.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the projected image and the new image are images that are specific to a target device type.

49. A method of providing visual feedback using a hand-held pointing device, comprising:

receiving, at the hand-held pointing device, a signal from a target device; and

projecting an image from the hand-held pointing device, the image corresponding to the signal received from the target device.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising receiving a user command from an actuator on the hand-held pointing device, wherein the image is projected based on the user command.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the signal received from the target device identifies at least one of a target device type and target device functions.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the hand-held pointing device determines target device functions from a look-up table stored in a memory, based on the target device type.

53. The method of claim 49, wherein projecting an image from the hand-held pointing device comprises projecting light through a light projection modification apparatus, wherein the light projection modification apparatus modifies the image projected by the light.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the light projection modification apparatus comprises a reflective surface coupled to an X-axis strut and a Y-axis strut, and wherein projecting an image from the hand-held pointing device further comprises at least one of deflecting the X-axis strut to move the reflective surface in an X-axis direction and deflecting the Y-axis strut to move the reflective surface in a Y-axis direction.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein deflecting the X-axis strut and deflecting the Y-axis strut comprises sending a signal to an X-axis strut deflection device coupled to the X-axis strut for causing the X-axis strut to deflect and sending a signal to a Y-axis strut deflection device coupled to the Y-axis strut for causing the Y-axis strut to deflect.

56. A method of remotely operating a target device using a hand-held pointing device, comprising:

sending a request signal from the hand-held pointing device to the target device;

receiving, at the hand-held pointing device, a response signal from the target device;

projecting an image from the hand-held pointing device, the image corresponding to the response signal; and

selecting an operation associated with the projected image, the operation to be performed by the target device.