Control device including a ball that stores data

• US 7,889,179 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2009
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yi-Ming Tseng
• Original Assignee: Yi-Ming Tseng
• Inventors: Tseng, Yi-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasenge; Charles R
• Application Number:
  US12/477,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20090240350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 700/56, 700/57, 700/58, 700/59, 700/60, 700/61, 700/62, 700/63, 700/64, 700/70, 345/156, 345/158, 345/159, 345/162, 345/163, 345/167
• US Class Current: 345/167
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0312 for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0317 in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03544 having dual sensing arrangement, e.g. two balls or two coils used to track rotation of the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object

Abstract

A device for controlling movement of an object relative to an environment is disclosed. The device may include a ball configured to store data for determining at least an orientation of the object relative to the environment. The data may pertain to a plurality of possible orientations of the object. The device may also include a speed control unit configured to determine at least a speed of the object relative to the environment.

Claims

1. A device for controlling movement of an object relative to an environment, the device comprising:

a ball including data or representations of the data, the data or the representations of the data being distributed at least one of a spherical layer of the ball and an outer spherical surface of the ball, the data or the representations of the data being configured for determining at least a movement direction of the object relative to the environment, the data pertaining to a plurality of movement directions of the object, wherein rotation of the ball controls at least a movement direction change of the object without causing translation of the object;

a first sensor for reading at least a portion of the data or at least a portion of the representations of the data from the at least one of the spherical layer of the ball and the outer spherical surface of the ball; and

an alignment mechanism configured to rotate the ball to cause an axis of the object to be parallel to an X, Y, or Z-axis of a reference coordinate system.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the data or the representation of the data are distributed at the spherical layer of the ball.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the data are encoded in at least one of an optical storage format and a magnetic storage format.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the data are encoded in a plurality of barcodes.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the data include coordinate data of points on a spherical surface, the coordinate data being three-dimensional coordinate data.

6. The device of claim 1 further comprising one or more additional sensors for reading at least part of the data.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising a second sensor configure to read at least part of the data or at least part of the representations of the data, wherein when a first reading provided by the first sensor is not used in determining the movement direction of the object, a second reading provided by the second sensor is used in determining the movement direction of the object.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising a processing unit configured to decode the data or the representations of the data.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the ball includes at least one of a tip mark corresponding to a tip of the object and a tail mark corresponding to a tail of the object.

10. The device of claim 1 further comprising a speed control unit for determining at least a speed of the object relative to the environment, wherein the speed control unit includes a first part and a second part, wherein a displacement of the first part relative to the second part is converted to at least one of the speed of the object and a translation direction of the object relative to the environment.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the speed control unit includes a hook-and-loop fastener.

12. The device of claim 1 further comprising a cruise control mechanism configured to maintain the speed of the object at a certain level.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the alignment mechanism comprises at least one of an magnetic mechanism and a roller mechanism.

14. The device of claim 1 further comprising a feedback mechanism configured to provide a haptic feedback when an axis of the object is parallel to an X, Y, or Z-axis of a reference coordinate system.

15. The device of claim 1 further comprising a second ball, wherein rotation of the second ball controls rotation of the object relative to the environment.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the rotation of the ball further controls rotation of the object relative to the environment.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the first sensor is at least one of a barcode reader and an image sensor.

18. A device for controlling movement of an object relative to an environment, the device comprising:

a ball including data or representations of the data, the data or the representations of the data being distributed at least one of a spherical layer of the ball and an outer spherical surface of the ball, the data or the representations of the data being configured for determining at least a movement direction of the object relative to the environment, the data pertaining to a plurality of movement directions of the object, wherein rotation of the ball controls at least a movement direction change of the object without causing translation of the object;

a first sensor for reading at least a portion of the data or at least a portion of the representations of the data from the at least one of the spherical layer of the ball and the outer spherical surface of the ball; and

at least one of a tip mark corresponding to a tip of the object and a tail mark corresponding to a tail of the object.