Interactive pointing device

• US 8,120,575 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2007
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Huang, Shih-Ching, Lu, Ying-Ko, Hsieh, Chin-Lin, Liou, Shun-Nan, Tsai, Ming-Jye
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shapiro, Leonid
• Application Number:
  US11/934,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20090058799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,569 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-159
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• 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

Abstract

An interactive pointing device having pointing function in space and game control is provided in the present invention. The interactive pointing device comprises an accelerometer module and a gyroscope device. The accelerometer module functions as sensing the movement of the operator and generates at least one axis of accelerating signal corresponding to the sensed movement. The gyroscope device disposed on a turning mechanism functions as sensing rotation status of the interactive pointing device about at least one axis and generate a corresponding rotating signal. The turning mechanism can be operated to adjust the axis of the gyroscope device so that the gyroscope device is capable of sensing rotation status about different axes. The at least one accelerating signal and the rotating signal are then processed for controlling cursor movement of the electrical device and interacting with multimedia gaming programs.

Claims

1. An interactive pointing device, comprising:

an accelerometer module, for generating at least one axis of accelerating signal;

a gyroscope device, for sensing at least one axis of rotation movement of the interactive pointing device and generating a corresponding rotating signal;

a turning mechanism, coupled to the gyroscope device for adjusting the orientation of the gyroscope device and generating a turning signal according to the orientation adjustment, comprises;

a turning unit, capable of performing a rotation movement for adjusting a sensing axis of the gyroscope device, and

a switch mechanism, capable of being activated by the rotation movement of the turning unit and being trigged to generate the turning signal as soon as the activated switch mechanism reaches a specific position;

a micro processing unit, coupled to the accelerometer module, the turning mechanism and the gyroscope device for processing the at least one axis of accelerating signal, the turning signal and the rotating signal so as to interact with an electronic device accordingly;

wherein the micro processing unit is able to use the rotating signal to compensate the accelerating signal and assist an action evaluation process of the interactive pointing device operating under different operation modes;

a base, for carrying the gyroscope device; and

a pivotal shaft, passing through the base for enabling the base to rotate about the pivotal shaft;

wherein the switch mechanism further comprises;

a contact, having an electrical connector disposed at an end thereof;

an elastic element, being arranged to abut against an end of the contact for exerting a resilience force thereon and thus enabling the contact to move in reciprocation between a first position and a second position; and

a substrate, arranged at a side of the contact for enabling the substrate to connect to the electrical connector when the contact reaches the first position.

2. The interactive pointing device of claim 1, wherein the substrate has at least an electrical joint formed thereon.

3. The interactive pointing device of claim 1, wherein the outer rim of the contact is configured with at least a bulge for guiding the contact to slide.

4. The interactive pointing device of claim 1, wherein the elastic element is a spring.

5. The interactive pointing device of claim 1, wherein the accelerometer module is a tri-axis accelerometer module.

6. The interactive pointing device of claim 1, wherein the accelerometer module further comprises three accelerometers.

7. The interactive pointing device of claim 1, wherein the turning signal is used for controlling the interactive pointing device to enter an operation mode selected from the group consisting of a pointing mode and a game control mode.

8. The interactive pointing device of claim 7, wherein when the interactive pointing device is operating under the pointing mode, the micro processing unit uses a centripetal acceleration detected by the gyroscope device with respect to its sensing axis to compensate a centripetal acceleration value caused by the rotation movement of the interactive pointing device.

9. The interactive pointing device of claim 7, wherein when the interactive pointing device is operating under the game control mode, the micro processing unit uses rotation status of the interactive pointing device detected by the gyroscope device with respect to its sensing axis to perform an calculation of action evaluation algorithm for improving action evaluation precision comparing with an action evaluation.

10. The interactive pointing device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a device selected from the group consisting of a computer, and an interactive multimedia apparatus.