Suspended input system

• US 8,947,356 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vibrant Licensing LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Kurata, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): MANDEVILLE, JASON M
• Application Number:
  US13/254,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20120249412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-158, 345/173
• 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

Provided herein are input devices, systems, and methods. Some of the embodiments provided herein employ magnetic levitation of a controller of the input system so as to allow various benefits to a user'"'"'s experience of the input system.

Claims

1. A suspended input device comprising:

a base comprising a first magnetic field generator configured to generate a first magnetic field;

a controller comprising;

a magnetic body comprising a second magnetic field generator configured to generate a second magnetic field substantially at a center of the controller, wherein the controller is configured to be suspended by the first and second magnetic fields, and wherein the controller is configured to rotate by user manipulation around a first axis of rotation, a second axis of rotation and a third axis of rotation while staying in a same position relative to the base, and

a plurality of displays, each configured to display on the controller one or more images corresponding to a different view of a virtual object, wherein the controller is configured to remain suspended by magnetic levitation due to a force between gravity and at least the first magnetic field, so as to allow for three-dimensional manipulation of the controller by a user, and wherein the controller is configured so that the one or more images of the virtual object displayed respectively on the plurality of displays of the controller are updated in response to and in correspondence with manipulation of the controller;

a sensor configured to detect manipulation of a position, an orientation, or a position and an orientation of the controller relative to the base and to generate a signal regarding the position, orientation, or position and orientation of the controller, wherein either;

the controller comprises the sensor, the sensor comprising an acceleration sensor, or

the base comprises the sensor, the sensor comprising one of an infrared sensor, a supersonic sensor, an optic sensor, or any combination thereof; and

a communication module configured to transmit the signal regarding the position, orientation, or position and orientation of the controller to a computer and to receive further signals from the computer, wherein the transmitted signal regarding the position, orientation, or position and orientation of the controller enables an external display device, coupled to the computer, to display the virtual object with an updated position, orientation, or position and orientation based on content in the transmitted signal.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the magnetic body comprises a magnet, a material that is magnetic, an electromagnet, or any combination thereof.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of displays comprises six displays.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitted signal regarding the position, orientation, or position and orientation of the controller describes three dimensions.

5. A method to manipulate spatial information of a virtual object comprising:

generating a first magnetic field around a base;

generating a second magnetic field substantially at a center of a controller;

suspending the controller by a force between the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field, wherein the controller is configured to rotate by user manipulation around a first axis of rotation, a second axis of rotation and a third axis of rotation while staying in a same position relative to the base, wherein the controller comprises a plurality of displays, each configured to display on the controller one or more images corresponding to a different view of the virtual object, wherein the controller is configured so that the one or more images of the virtual object respectively displayed on the plurality of displays of the controller are updated in response to and in correspondence with three-dimensional manipulation of the controller by a user, wherein the plurality of displays on the controller allows the user to receive a look and feel of the virtual object in a more natural, three-dimensional manner, so that the user'"'"'s interaction with the controller is made more intuitive;

moving the controller;

sensing manipulation of a position, an orientation, or a position and an orientation of the controller by the user, wherein the sensing is carried out by either;

a sensor comprising an acceleration sensor, wherein the sensor is comprised by the controller, or

a sensor comprising one of an infrared sensor, a supersonic sensor, an optic sensor, or any combination thereof, wherein the sensor is comprised by the base;

providing a signal regarding position, orientation, or position and orientation information from the controller to a computer in communication with the controller; and

updating the spatial information of the virtual object comprising position, orientation, or position and orientation information of the virtual object so as to enable the virtual object to be displayed on an external display device coupled to the computer with an updated position, orientation, or position and orientation based on the signal regarding position, orientation, or position and orientation information from the controller.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the position, orientation, or position and orientation information from the controller provides spatial information that describes three dimensions.