Inertial sensor-based pointing device with removable transceiver

• US 8,217,893 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2005
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Quinn, Thomas J., Bayer, Lex M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Gene W
• Application Number:
  US11/922,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20090033621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,405 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-160, 345162-163
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

An inertial sensor-based pointing device 10 is compatible with a removable USB pod 14 having a digital flash memory 32 and an integrated radio transceiver 30. Flash memory 32 can be used by a user to store software that enables a user to auto load software applications into compatible computers. Pointing device 10 is adapted to receive USB pod 14 resulting in a combined memory/transceiver and pointing device system that can be conveniently carried as a single unit in a pocket or via a belt clip.

Claims

1. A hand-held wireless graphical input device comprising:

a housing adapted for being held by one hand in free space, the housing generating, using inertial sensors comprising vibrating elements, graphic input signals for controlling a position of a cursor on a graphics display, and transmitting said graphic input signals substantially only while an actuation button is depressed; and

a pod, detachable from said housing, comprising;

a memory,

a connector, and

a wireless transceiver,

wherein when said pod is detached from said housing and connected to a computing device via said connector, said wireless transceiver is powered by said computing device and is operable to receive the graphic input signals generated using said inertial sensors comprising vibrating elements in said housing and transmit the graphic input signals and the data from said memory via said connector to said computing device associated with the graphics display;

and wherein when said pod is attached to said housing via said connector, said wireless transceiver is powered by said housing and is operable to transmit data from said memory to said computing device.

2. The hand-held wireless graphical input device of claim 1, further comprising:

a power source in the housing for energizing the transceiver and memory.

3. The hand-held wireless graphical input device of claim 2 wherein the power source couples power through the USB connection to the memory.

4. The hand-held wireless graphical input device of claim 1 wherein said connector is a USB connector.

5. The hand-held wireless graphical input device of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises flash memory for storing data.

6. A hand-held wireless graphical input device which provides a control signal to control translational movement of a cursor on a graphical user interface comprising:

a housing adapted for being held by one hand in free space, generating said control signal using inertial sensors comprising vibrating elements, and transmitting said graphic input signals substantially only while an actuation button is depressed; and

a pod detachably connected to the housing comprising a memory for storing data and a wireless transceiver, wherein when said pod is detached from said housing and connected to a computing device via said connector, said wireless transceiver is powered by said computing device and is operable to receive said control signal generated using said inertial sensors comprising vibrating elements in said housing and transmitting said control signal and said data to the computing device providing said graphical user interface, and wherein when said pod is attached to said housing via said connector, said wireless transceiver is powered by said housing and is operable to transmit data from said memory to said computing device;

wherein said housing comprises a power source for energizing said transceiver and the memory; and

a wireless transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the control signal.

7. The hand-held wireless graphical input device of claim 6 wherein said inertial sensors comprise:

a first angular position inertial sensor for providing a first signal responsive to the rotation of the housing about a first axis, the first signal being responsive to the yaw of the housing for controlling translation movement of the cursor along a horizontal Cartesian coordinate of the computer active display; and

a second angular position inertial sensor for providing a second signal responsive to the rotation of the housing about a second axis not parallel to the first axis, the second signal being responsive to the pitch of the housing for controlling translational movement of the cursor along a vertical Cartesian coordinate of the computer active display; and

wherein the control signal comprises the first and second signals and the wireless transmitter wirelessly transmits the first and second signals.

8. The hand-held wireless graphical input device of claim 6 further comprising:

a USB connection coupled between the power source and the transceiver and the memory.

9. The hand-held wireless graphical input device of claim 8, wherein the power source provides power through the USB connection to the memory.

10. The hand-held wireless graphical input device of claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises flash memory for storing digital data.

11. The hand-held wireless graphical input device of claim 7 wherein the first and second angular position inertial sensors are gyroscopes.

12. A memory unit comprising:

a housing adapted for being held by one hand in free space, generating graphic input signals using inertial sensors comprising vibrating elements, and transmitting said graphic input signals substantially only while an actuation button is depressed; and

a pod, detachable from said housing, comprising a wireless transceiver for transmitting and receiving signals and a memory for storing data, wherein when said pod is detached from said housing and connected to a computing device, said wireless transceiver is operable to receive said graphic input signals generated using said inertial sensors comprising vibrating elements from said housing and transmit the graphic input signals and data from said memory to said computing device and wherein when said pod is attached to said housing via said connector, said wireless transceiver is powered by said housing and is operable to transmit data from said memory to said computing device.

13. The memory unit of claim 12 further comprising a USB connection coupled to the memory.

14. The memory unit of claim 13 wherein the memory is coupled to receive power through the USB connection.

15. The memory unit of claim 14 wherein the memory further comprises flash memory for storing data.

16. A wireless remote control device, said device comprising:

a housing configured to be held and manipulated by a user in free space;

a sensor comprising a vibratory structure contained within said housing, said sensor detecting a movement of the housing in free space and generating a signal based on said detected movement;

a transmitter contained within said housing and connected to said sensor, said transmitter transmitting said signal generated by said sensor substantially only when an actuation button is depressed; and

a pod detachably connected to said housing, said pod containing a transceiver for receiving said signal transmitted by said transmitter, wherein when said pod is detached from said housing and connected to a computer, said wireless transceiver is operable to transmit said signal generated by said sensor comprising a vibratory structure and received from said transmitter in said housing to said computer, and wherein when said pod is attached to said housing via said connector, said wireless transceiver is powered by said housing and is operable to transmit data from said memory to said computing device.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein said pod further contains a memory for storing data received by said memory when said pod is detached from said housing.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein said memory has a computer controlling program stored thereon, said memory transmitting said program to said computer when said pod is disconnected from said housing and connected to said computer, said program controlling said computer in response to said signal being received by said transceiver of said pod.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein said pod is detachably connected to said housing using a USB connection.

20. The device of claim 16, said device further comprising:

a power source contained within said housing, said power source providing power to said pod when said pod is detachably connected to said housing.