Method and apparatus for using a virtual pointer to select an object in a display

• US 8,531,398 B1
• Filed: 01/18/2011
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Gopi, Paramesh, Hassen, Alarabi Omar
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLTON, STEVEN E
• Application Number:
  US13/008,179
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 345/158, 345163-165
• US Class Current: 345/158
• 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 apparatus includes first and second accelerometers, a display device implemented in a vehicle, and a controller. The display device displays, to a user, a cursor relative to one or more objects. The first accelerometer generates a first signal representing an acceleration of the vehicle due to motion of the vehicle. The second accelerometer is worn by the user and generates a second signal representing both an acceleration of the user within the vehicle and the acceleration of the vehicle due to the motion of the vehicle. The controller isolates, based on the first signal, i) the acceleration of the user within the vehicle represented in the second signal from ii) the acceleration of the vehicle represented in the second signal. The controller moves the cursor relative to the objects based on the acceleration of the user within the vehicle as isolated from the acceleration of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a display device configured to be implemented in a vehicle, wherein the display device is further configured to display, to a user, a cursor relative to one or more objects;

a first accelerometer configured to be implemented in the vehicle in which the display device is implemented, wherein the first accelerometer is further configured to, in response to motion of the vehicle, generate a first signal representing an acceleration of the vehicle due to the motion of the vehicle;

a second accelerometer configured to be worn by the user while the user is in the vehicle in which the display is implemented, wherein the second accelerometer is further configured to, in response to the motion of the vehicle, generate a second signal representing both i) an acceleration of the user within the vehicle, and ii) the acceleration of the vehicle due to the motion of the vehicle; and

a controller configured to

based on the acceleration of the vehicle represented by the first signal, isolate i) the acceleration of the user within the vehicle represented in the second signal from ii) the acceleration of the vehicle represented in the second signal, and

move the cursor relative to the one or more objects, as displayed by the display device, based on the acceleration of the user within the vehicle represented in the second signal as isolated from the acceleration of the vehicle represented in the second signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to select a first object of the one or more objects displayed in the display in response to i) a position of the cursor in the display, and ii) one or more of the first signal and the second signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the acceleration of the user within the vehicle represented in the second signal, as isolated from the acceleration of the vehicle represented in the second signal, corresponds to acceleration of the user within a plane parallel to the display.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to select a first object of the one or more objects in the display in response to the acceleration of the user within the vehicle represented in the second signal, as isolated from the acceleration of the vehicle represented in the second signal, corresponding to acceleration of the user in a direction normal to the plane parallel to the display.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to select a first object of the one or more objects in the display in response to i) a voice command of the user or ii) a button being depressed by the user.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display device comprises a heads-up display.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the heads-up display is configured to display the cursor relative to the one or more objects onto a windshield of the vehicle.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the vehicle in response to the acceleration of the user within the vehicle represented in the second signal as isolated from the acceleration of the vehicle represented in the second signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an automobile.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication system configured to wirelessly transmit the second signal from the second accelerometer to the controller.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the wireless communication system is compliant with at least one of IEEE standards 802.11, 802,11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.16, and 802.20.

12. A method comprising:

displaying, on a display device to a user, a cursor relative to one or more objects, wherein the display device is implemented in a vehicle;

in response to motion of the vehicle,

generating a first signal representing an acceleration of the vehicle due to the motion of the vehicle, and

generating a second signal representing both i) an acceleration of the user within the vehicle, and ii) the acceleration of the vehicle due to the motion of the vehicle;

based on the acceleration of the vehicle represented by the first signal, isolating i) the acceleration of the user within the vehicle represented in the second signal from ii) the acceleration of the vehicle represented in the second signal; and

moving the cursor relative to the one or more objects, as displayed by the display device, based on the acceleration of the user within the vehicle represented in the second signal as isolated from the acceleration of the vehicle represented in the second signal.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising selecting a first object of the one or more objects displayed in the display in response to i) a position of the cursor in the display, and ii) one or more of the first signal and the second signal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the acceleration of the user within the vehicle represented in the second signal, as isolated from the acceleration of the vehicle represented in the second signal, corresponds to acceleration of the user within a plane parallel to the display.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising selecting a first object of the one or more objects in the display in response to the acceleration of the user within the vehicle represented in the second signal, as isolated from the acceleration of the vehicle represented in the second signal, corresponding to acceleration of the user in a direction normal to the plane parallel to the display.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising selecting a first object of the one or more objects in the display in response to i) a voice command of the user or ii) a button being depressed by the user.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying the cursor relative to the one or more objects onto a windshield of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising controlling the vehicle in response to the acceleration of the user within the vehicle, represented in the second signal as isolated from the acceleration of the vehicle represented in the second signal.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising wirelessly transmitting the second signal.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the wirelessly transmitting is compliant with at least one of IEEE standards 802.11, 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.16, and 802.20.