Hybrid inertial and touch sensing input device

• US 8,300,020 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2008
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Moussavi, Farshid
• Primary Examiner(s): CERULLO, LILIANA P
• Application Number:
  US12/192,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20100039394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 178 1801- 1907, 708/131, 708142-146, 341 22- 34, 340/7.1, 3404071-4072
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers

Abstract

A method and apparatus for tracking coarse and fine motions associated with an electronic input device is disclosed. The electronic input device can have both an inertial sensor and a touch sensor. The method includes receiving inputs from an inertial sensor and a touch sensor, and dynamically adjusting a velocity estimate of the electronic input device based on weighting or predetermined thresholds of the inputs to maximize a tracking range of the input device.

Claims

1. A method for using inertial inputs and touch inputs of an electronic input device, the method comprising:

receiving a motion input from a motion sensor, the motion sensor configured to sense movement of the electronic input device;

calculating a first estimated velocity (Va) based on the motion input, the first estimated velocity indicative of a velocity of the movement of the electronic input device;

receiving a touch input from a touch sensor, the touch sensor configured to sense a user interaction with a surface of the electronic input device;

calculating a second estimated velocity (Vt) based on the touch input, the second estimated velocity indicative of a velocity of the user interaction with the surface of the electronic input device;

determining a first weight (Wa) associated with the motion input and a second weight (Wt) associated with the touch input, determining the first weight (Wa) includes factoring in a selected crossover velocity (Vc), the crossover velocity (Vc) defines a threshold where the first weight (Wa) or the second weight (Wt) becomes more significant; and

calculating a motion output (V) based on the first (Wa) and the second (Wt) weights, according to the formula V=Wa*Va+Wt*Vt.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first weight is calculated based on a root mean square value of the first estimated velocity (Va).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second weight is calculated based on a root mean square value of the second estimated velocity (Vt).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first weight is calculated based on the following relationship:

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second weight is calculated based on the following relationship:

Wt=1−

Wa.

6. An electronic input device, comprising:

a motion sensing element operable to measure a motion of the electronic input device to obtain a motion input;

a touch sensing element operable to measure a touch motion on the electronic input device to obtain a touch input, the touch sensing element configured to sense a user interaction with a surface of the electronic input device;

a processing element operable to;

calculate a first estimated velocity (Va) based on the motion input, the first estimated velocity indicative of a velocity of the movement of the electronic input device;

calculate a second estimated velocity (Vt) based on the touch input, the second estimated velocity indicative of a velocity of the user interaction with the surface of the electronic input device;

determine a first weight (Wa) associated with the motion input and a second weight (Wt) associated with the touch input, determining the first weight (Wa) includes factoring in a chosen velocity for crossover (Vc), the crossover velocity (Vc) defines a threshold where the first weight (Wa) or the second weight (Wt) becomes more significant; and

calculate an output (V) based on the first (Wa) and the second (Wt) weights, according to the formula V=Wa*Va+Wt*Vt; and

an interface operable to send the output to an external device.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the first weight is calculated based on a root mean square value of the first estimated velocity (Va).

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the second weight is calculated based on a root mean square value of the second estimated velocity (Vt).

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the first weight is calculated based on the following relationship:

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the second weight is calculated based on the following relationship:

Wt=1−

Wa.

11. A tangible computer-readable storage device for an electronic input device, including program code for:

receiving a motion input from a motion sensor, the motion sensor configured to sense movement of the electronic input device;

calculating a first estimated velocity (Va) based on the motion input, the first estimated velocity indicative of a velocity of the movement of the electronic input device;

receiving a touch input from a touch sensor, the touch sensor configured to sense a user interaction with a surface of the electronic input device;

calculating a second estimated velocity (Vt) based on the touch input, the second estimated velocity indicative of a velocity of the user interaction with the surface of the electronic input device;

determining a first weight (Wa) associated with the motion input and a second weight (Wt) associated with the touch input, determining the first weight (Wa) includes factoring in a selected crossover velocity (Vc), the crossover velocity (Vc) defines a threshold where the first weight (Wa) or the second weight (Wt) becomes more significant; and

calculating a motion output (V) based on the first (Wa) and the second (Wt) weights, according to the formula V=Wa*Va+Wt*Vt.

12. The tangible computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the first weight is calculated based on the following relationship:

13. The tangible computer-readable storage device of claim 12, wherein the second weight is calculated based on the following relationship:

Wt=1−

Wa,

where Wa is the first weight, and Wt is the second weight.

14. The tangible computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the first weight is calculated based on a root mean square value of the first estimated velocity (Va).

15. The tangible computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the second weight is calculated based on a root mean square value of the second estimated velocity (Vt).