Sensor-based pointing device for natural input and interaction

• US 8,810,514 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2010
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zhao, Ji, Wang, Min, Zhang, Chunhui, Yuan, Tong
• Primary Examiner(s): OSORIO, RICARDO
• Application Number:
  US12/705,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20110199301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-173
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3259 Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0335 Finger operated miniaturized mouse
• 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 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A pointing or input device is generally cylindrical or puck-shaped, and has various sensors for sensing 2D, 3D, and high degree of freedom motion for more natural user interaction.

Claims

1. A computer mouse, comprising:

a surface movement sensor positioned to detect movement of the computer mouse across a surface upon which the computer mouse is placed;

an action button; and

a height sensor that detects a height of the computer mouse relative to the surface in response to the computer mouse being raised from the surface, wherein the height sensor is associated with zooming functionality for a display.

2. The computer mouse as recited in claim 1, further comprising a puck-shaped body sized to be grasped by its circumference between two fingers of a human hand.

3. The computer mouse as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a puck-shaped body sized to be grasped by its circumference between two fingers of a human hand; and

a gyroscope that senses rotation of the computer mouse.

4. The computer mouse as recited in claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors for determining angular orientation of the computer mouse relative to a human hand.

5. The computer mouse as recited in claim 1, further comprising one or more touch-sensitive sensors.

6. The computer mouse as recited in claim 1, further comprising an accelerometer that senses translation of the computer mouse.

7. The computer mouse as recited in claim 1, further comprising one or more touch-sensitive side surfaces for determining orientation of the computer mouse relative to a human hand.

8. The computer mouse as recited in claim 1, further comprising a touch-sensitive top.

9. The computer mouse as recited in claim 8, wherein the touch-sensitive top comprises an inner touch-sensitive surface and an outer touch-sensitive surface.

10. The computer mouse as recited in claim 1, further comprising a compass that senses geographic orientation of the computer mouse.

11. A computer mouse, comprising:

a puck-shaped body sized to be grasped by its circumference between two fingers of a human hand;

a surface movement sensor positioned to detect movement of the computer mouse across a surface upon which the computer mouse is placed;

an action button;

a height sensor that detects height of the computer mouse relative to the surface when the computer mouse is raised from the surface;

a gyroscope that senses rotation of the computer mouse; and

one or more touch-sensitive surfaces around the circumference of the puck-shaped body.

12. The computer mouse as recited in claim 11, further comprising an accelerometer that senses translation of the computer mouse.

13. The computer mouse as recited in claim 11, further comprising a compass that senses geographic orientation of the computer mouse.

14. The computer mouse as recited in claim 11, wherein the body has a touch-sensitive top that comprises an inner touch-sensitive surface and an outer touch-sensitive surface that surrounds a central touch-sensitive surface.

15. The computer mouse as recited in claim 14, wherein the inner touch-sensitive surface is pressable to form an action button.

16. The computer mouse as recited in claim 14, wherein the outer touch-sensitive surface is pressable to form an action button.

17. The computer mouse as recited in claim 11, further comprising one or more sensors for determining angular orientation of the computer mouse relative to a human hand.

18. The computer mouse as recited in claim 11, wherein the height sensor is associated with zooming functionality for a display.

19. The computer mouse as recited in claim 11, wherein the height sensor is associated with switching windows on a display.

20. The computer mouse as recited in claim 11, wherein the height sensor is associated with selecting a menu item on a display.