Multi-resolution pointing system

• US 8,896,527 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ahn, Sun H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haley, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): ILUYOMADE, IFEDAYO B
• Application Number:
  US12/419,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20100253619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,058 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• 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 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• 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 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45

Abstract

A user control input system for a host with a display. A controller establishes a communication link with the host and includes a first motion sensor. At least a second motion sensor is also in communication with the host. First user movement induces the first motion sensor to generate a first signal that is communicated to the host such that the host induces movement of a cursor on the display to move with respect to control objects at a first resolution. Second user movement induces the second motion sensor to generate a signal that is communicated to the host such that the host processing unit induces movement of the cursor at a second coarser resolution. The cursor can include first and second indicia such that the second indicium is moved proportional to the second motion at a finer resolution than movement of the first indicia.

Claims

1. A user control input system comprising:

a host processing unit;

a display in communication with the host processing and configured to graphically display data and control objects;

a controller processing unit,

a communication link between the controller processing unit and the host processing unit;

a first motion sensor, coupled with the host processing unit, configured to provide a first signal for inducing movement of a first cursor portion of a composite cursor displayed on the display at a fine resolution for representing a first movement; and

at least a second motion sensor, coupled with the host processing unit, configured to provide a second signal for inducing movement of a second cursor portion of the composite cursor at a second resolution coarser than the fine resolution with the second resolution for representing a second movement, the second cursor portion encompassing the first cursor portion with the first cursor portion moving relative to and within the second cursor portion, wherein the first cursor portion is for selecting a desired enlarged control item within the second cursor portion.

2. The user control input system of claim 1, wherein the first motion sensor and the controller processing unit are embodied in a single same portable controller.

3. The user control input system of claim 2, wherein the at least second motion sensor is also embodied in the single same portable controller.

4. The user control input system of claim 2, wherein the at least second motion sensor is embodied in a separate second portable controller.

5. The user control input system of claim 1, wherein the second motion sensor, the display and the host processing unit are embodied in a single same host device.

6. The user control input system of claim 1, wherein the second motion sensor is configured to detect gross movement of a user'"'"'s hand.

7. The user control input system of claim 1, wherein the second motion sensor is configured to detect movement of a user'"'"'s eyes.

8. The user control input system of claim 1, wherein the second motion sensor is configured to detect movement of a user'"'"'s head.

9. The user control input system of claim 1, further comprising at least a third motion sensor configured to generate a third signal with the host processing unit inducing movement of the cursor at a third intermediate resolution.

10. The user control input system of claim 1, wherein the host processing unit operates as a state machine with respect to movement of the cursor at the fine resolution or the second resolution.

11. The user control input system of claim 1, further comprising an input such that a combination of activation of the input and one of the first and second signals results in a drag operation of the cursor.

12. A controller for providing control signals to a separate electronic device, the controller comprising:

a controller processing unit;

a communication module for wireless communication with a separate electronic device and in communication with the controller processing unit;

a first motion sensor, coupled with the controller processing unit, configured to provide a first signal for inducing movement of a first cursor portion of a composite cursor displayed on a display at a fine resolution for representing a first movement;

at least a second motion sensor, coupled with the controller processing unit, configured to provide a second signal for inducing movement of a second cursor portion of the composite cursor at a second resolution coarser than the fine resolution with the second resolution for representing a second movement, the second cursor portion encompassing the first cursor portion with the first cursor portion moving relative to and within the second cursor portion, wherein the first cursor portion is for selecting a desired enlarged control item within the second cursor portion.

13. The controller of claim 12, wherein the second signal is generated corresponding to movement of the controller.

14. The controller of claim 12, wherein the at least second motion sensor comprises one or more of a gyroscope and an accelerometer.

15. The controller of claim 12, wherein the first motion sensor comprises one or more of a track pad, a track ball, and a wireless mouse.

16. The controller of claim 12, further comprising an input such that a combination of activation of the input and one of the first and second signals results in a corresponding drag signal.

17. The controller of claim 12, wherein the first and second signals are generated such that the separate electronic device can operate on the first and second signals in an exclusive OR logic.

18. A method of providing control inputs to an electronic device, the method comprising:

presenting a graphical depiction of a plurality of control icons on a display screen;

generating a first movement signal for corresponding to a first movement;

moving a first cursor portion of a composite cursor on the display screen corresponding to the first movement signal at a fine resolution;

generating a second movement signal for corresponding to a second movement; and

moving a second cursor portion of the composite cursor on the display screen corresponding to the second movement signal at a second resolution coarser than the fine resolution, the second cursor portion encompassing the first cursor portion with the first cursor portion moving relative to and within the second cursor portion, wherein the first cursor portion is for selecting a desired enlarged control item within the second cursor portion.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

generating a third movement signal corresponding to a third movement; and

moving the cursor on the display screen corresponding to the third movement signal at a third intermediate resolution.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium provided with machine executable instructions that induce one or more microprocessor based device to perform the operations of:

generating a composite cursor including a second cursor portion encompassed by a first cursor portion for displaying on a display;

receiving first signals for representing a first motion;

moving the first cursor portion at a resolution based on the first signals;

receiving second signals for representing a second motion; and

moving the second cursor portion within and relative to the first cursor portion at a finer resolution than the first cursor portion, wherein the second cursor portion for selecting a desired enlarged control item within the first cursor portion.