Centering a 3D remote controller in a media system

• US 8,194,037 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Kerr, Duncan R., King, Nicholas V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boddie, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELNAFIA, SAIFELDIN E
• Application Number:
  US12/002,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20090153478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-173
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4728 for selecting a Region Of Interest [ROI], e.g. for requesting a higher resolution version of a selected region
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence

Abstract

An electronic device associated with a remote wand controlling the operations of the electronic device is provided. The wand may include a motion detection component operative to provide an output reflecting the motion of the wand to the electronic device, such that the movements of a cursor displayed by the electronic device may be related to the output of the motion detection component. The wand may also include an input mechanism operative to receive user inputs. Using the input mechanism, the wand may detect a user'"'"'s inputs and direct the electronic device to zoom or scroll displayed objects. The electronic device may display a screen saver by which the user may select particular media items for playback while remaining in the screen saver mode. In some embodiments, the electronic device may display video with a scroll bar that includes a preview window of the video.

Claims

1. A method for centering a cursor displayed by an electronic device, the cursor controlled by a wand remote from and coupled to the electronic device, the method comprising:

displaying a cursor controlled by the wand on a display;

receiving a particular output associated with a pre-defined particular movement of the wand from a motion detection component embedded in the wand, wherein the pre-defined particular movement of the wand is independent of a starting position of the wand; and

in response to receiving, moving the cursor to the center of the display in a manner that does not match the particular movement of the wand.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the position and orientation of the wand prior to receiving the particular output from the motion detection component is different than the position and orientation of the wand after placing the cursor in the center of the display.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first output reflecting a first movement of the wand from the motion detection component;

displacing the cursor on the display to follow the first movement of the wand in response to receiving the first output.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first output comprises an output associated with a motion of the wand relative to the initial position of the wand when the cursor was placed in the center of the display.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a particular input from an input mechanism of the wand; and

wherein moving further comprises moving the cursor in the center of the display in response to receiving and detecting.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein detecting further comprises detecting a portion of the user'"'"'s hand on the input mechanism.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the input mechanism comprises at least one of a touch screen, a touchpad and a fingerprint sensor.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second output from the motion detection component;

detecting that the wand is drifting in response to receiving the second output; and

in response to detecting, placing the cursor in the center of the display.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the movement of the wand associated with the second output comprises at least one of a slow movement of the wand and a fast movement of the wand.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular movement of the wand comprises shaking the wand a particular number of times.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-defined particular movement of the wand matches an existing movement from a library of movements.

12. A system for centering a cursor displayed by an electronic device, the system comprising a processor, a display and a wand, the wand comprising a motion detection component, the processor operative to:

direct the display to display a cursor;

receive a first output defined by the movement of the wand from the motion detection component;

direct the display to move the cursor to match the movement of the wand in response to receiving the first output;

receive a second output corresponding to a pre-defined movement of the wand from the motion detection component, wherein the pre-defined movement of the wand is independent of a starting position of the wand; and

direct the display to displace the cursor to the center of the display without matching the pre-defined movement of the wand in response to receiving the second output.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the second output comprises a repeated pattern.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the pre-defined movement of the wand comprises at least one of shaking the wand a particular number of times, moving the wand in a particular number of circular patterns, and moving the wand back and forth across the display a particular number of times.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further operative to:

detect an input from an input mechanism of the wand; and

center the cursor in response to detecting and receiving the second output.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further operative to simultaneously detect and receive the second output.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further operative to detect a user'"'"'s finger on the input mechanism comprising at least one of a touch screen and a touchpad.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the pre-defined movement of the wand matches an existing movement from a library of movements.

19. A wand for controlling the position of a cursor on a screen of an electronic device coupled to the wand, the wand comprising a motion detection component and communications circuitry, wherein:

the motion detection component is operative to;

detect a pre-defined particular motion of the wand, wherein the pre-defined particular motion of the wand is independent of a starting position of the wand; and

provide an output associated with the detected pre-defined particular motion; and

the communications circuitry is operative to transmit the output to the electronic device, wherein the electronic device is operative to move the cursor to the center of the screen in response to receiving the output, wherein the movement of the cursor towards the center of the screen does not follow the pre-defined particular motion of the wand.

20. The wand of claim 19, wherein the motion detection component comprises at least one of an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor.

21. The wand of claim 19, further comprising an input mechanism, wherein:

the input mechanism is operative to detect a particular input; and

the communications circuitry is operative to transmit the output and the detected input to the electronic device, wherein the electronic device is operative to display the cursor in the center of the screen in response to receiving the output and the input.

22. The wand of claim 21, wherein the input mechanism comprises at least one of a button, a wheel, a touchpad and a touch screen.

23. The wand of claim 19, wherein the pre-defined particular motion of the wand matches an existing movement from a library of movements.

24. A method for detecting hand drift of a wand coupled to an electronic device, the method comprising:

displaying a cursor on a screen;

receiving an output matching a movement of the wand from a motion detection component;

determining that the received output is associated with an unintentional movement of the wand; and

automatically moving the cursor to the center of the screen in response to determining.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving a second output associated with a movement in a direction opposite the unintentional movement of the wand from the motion detection component;

deciding that the movement associated with the second output is an intentional movement of the wand; and

delaying the movement of the cursor by an amount substantially equal to the amount of the unintentional movement of the wand in response to deciding.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein moving further comprises:

establishing that the received output is associated with an unintentional movement that exceeds a minimum unintentional movement; and

moving the cursor to the center of the screen in response to establishing.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein delaying the movement of the cursor further comprises:

establishing that the received output is associated with an unintentional movement that fails to exceed a minimum unintentional movement; and

delaying the movement of the cursor in response to establishing.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein determining comprises determining that the received output is associated with one of a slow movement of the wand and a fast movement of the wand.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the determining that the received output is associated with the unintentional movement of the wand further comprises detecting that the cursor is moving along an edge of the screen.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the determining that the received output is associated with the unintentional movement of the wand further comprises detecting that a rate of change of orientation of the wand is indicative of hand drift.