Remote input device
First Claim
1. A system for providing a positional input value to an electronic device, the system comprising:
- a sender portion adapted to be manipulated by a user to specify a target point within a target area, the sender portion including a light projecting system adapted to project a beam of light including a predefined spatially varying characteristic at the target area;
a receiver portion including at least one sensor unit, the at least one sensor unit adapted to measure at least one value of the spatially varying characteristic of the beam of light at the location of the at least one sensor unit, wherein the receiver portion includes logic adapted to determine a positional input value associated with the target point from the at least one value of the predefined spatially varying characteristic at the location of the at least one sensor unit;
wherein the predefined spatially varying characteristic of the beam of light is a pattern including a plurality of intensity transitions; and
wherein the positional input value is a measure of relative motion of the target point, and the receiver portion includes logic to determine a magnitude of the relative motion of the target point by detecting a change in the presence of at least one of the intensity transitions at the location of the at least one sensor unit.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An input device providing users with a pointing capability includes a sender portion and a receiver portion. The sender portion is adapted to be manipulated by a user to specify a target point within a target area. The sender portion projects a light beam including a pattern on to the target area. A receiver portion includes one or more sensor units located in or near the target area. At least some of the sensor units receive a portion of the light beam regardless of the location of the target point within the target area. A processing unit in the receiver portion analyzes the portions of the light beam received by one or more sensor units to determine an attribute of the target point. The attribute can be the location or relative motion of the target point. The receiver portion may be integrated with a display device.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A system for providing a positional input value to an electronic device, the system comprising:
-
a sender portion adapted to be manipulated by a user to specify a target point within a target area, the sender portion including a light projecting system adapted to project a beam of light including a predefined spatially varying characteristic at the target area; a receiver portion including at least one sensor unit, the at least one sensor unit adapted to measure at least one value of the spatially varying characteristic of the beam of light at the location of the at least one sensor unit, wherein the receiver portion includes logic adapted to determine a positional input value associated with the target point from the at least one value of the predefined spatially varying characteristic at the location of the at least one sensor unit; wherein the predefined spatially varying characteristic of the beam of light is a pattern including a plurality of intensity transitions; and wherein the positional input value is a measure of relative motion of the target point, and the receiver portion includes logic to determine a magnitude of the relative motion of the target point by detecting a change in the presence of at least one of the intensity transitions at the location of the at least one sensor unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A system for providing a positional input value to an electronic device the system compromising:
-
a sender portion adapted to be manipulated by a user to specify a target point within a target area, the sender portion including a light projecting system adapted to project a beam of light including a predefined spatially varying characteristic at the target area; a receiver portion including at least one sensor unit, the at least one sensor unit adapted to measure at least one value of the predefined spatially characteristic of the beam of light at the location of the at least one sensor unit, wherein the receiver portion includes logic adapted to determine a positional input value associated with the target point from the at least one value of the predefined spatially varying characteristic at the location of the at least one sensor unit; wherein the predefined spatially varying characteristic of the beam of light is a pattern including a plurality of intensity transitions; wherein the at least one value of the predefined spatially varying characteristic of the beam of light includes a direction of pattern motion; wherein the at least one sensor unit includes a plurality of sensors arranged to detect a direction of pattern motion along at least one axis; wherein the receiver portion includes logic adapted to compare changes in intensity received by each sensor over time to determine a direct on of pattern motion; and wherein the positional input value is a measure of relative motion of the target point and the receiver portion includes logic to determine a direction of the relative motion of the target point from the direction of pattern motion.
-
-
16. A system for determining a positional input value associated with a target point specified by a user, the system comprising:
-
at least one sensor unit, wherein the at least one sensor unit is adapted to measure at least one value of a predefined spatially varying characteristic of a beam of light projected at the location of the at least one sensor unit; a processing unit connected with the at least one sensor unit and including logic adapted to determine a positional input value associated with a target point specified by a user from the value of the spatially varying characteristic from the at least one sensor unit; wherein the predefined spatially varying characteristic of the beam of light is a pattern including a plurality of intensity transitions adapted to indicate motion of the target point; wherein the sensor unit includes a plurality of sensors arranged to detect a direction of pattern motion along at least one axis, and wherein the processing unit includes logic adapted to compare changes in intensity received by each sensor over time to determine a direction of pattern motion; and wherein the positional input value is a relative motion of the target point and the processing unit includes logic adapted to determine a magnitude of the relative motion of the target point by detecting a change in the presence of an intensity transition at the location of the sensor unit and to determine a direction of the relative motion of the target point from the direction of pattern motion. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A system for providing a positional input value to an electronic device, the system comprising:
-
a sender portion adapted to be manipulated by a user to specify a target point within a target area, the sender portion including a light projecting system adapted to project a beam of light including a predefined spatially varying characteristic at the target area; a receiver portion including at least one sensor unit, the at least one sensor unit adapted to measure at least one value of the predefined spatially varying characteristic of the beam of light at the location of the at least one sensor unit, wherein the receiver portion includes logic adapted to determine a positional input value associated with the target point from the at least one value of the predefined spatially varying characteristic of the location of the at least one sensor unit, wherein the beam of light is projected in a gradient pattern. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
-
-
23. A system for determining motion of an input device, the system comprising:
-
a sender portion projecting a pattern of light having light and dark elements onto a target area; a sensor in the target area adapted to detect transitions between the light and dark elements as the pattern of light is moved across the target area; wherein a magnitude of motion is determined by the number of light and dark transitions detected over time without need for first determining a target position. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
-
Specification