Wireless controller

• US 9,008,989 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2012
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Wilson, Andrew, Russo, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, John H
• Application Number:
  US13/462,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20130297246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 702/104, 702/141, 324/629, 348/169, 348/734, 361/679.01, 463/37, 463/38
• US Class Current: 702/104
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• 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

A computing device receives acceleration information from an accelerometer mechanically coupled to a wireless controller, magnetic bearing information from a magnetometer mechanically coupled to the wireless controller, and rotation information from a gyroscope mechanically coupled to the wireless controller. When the wireless controller is primarily vertical, the computing device determines a rotation angle of the wireless controller by filtering the rotation information using the acceleration information. When the wireless controller is primarily horizontal, the computing device determines the rotation angle of the wireless controller by filtering the rotation information using the magnetic bearing information.

Claims

1. A computing storage subsystem storing instructions that are executable by a logic subsystem to:

receive acceleration information from an accelerometer mechanically coupled to a wireless controller;

receive magnetic bearing information from a magnetometer mechanically coupled to the wireless controller;

receive rotation information from a gyroscope mechanically coupled to the wireless controller;

when the wireless controller is primarily vertical, determine rotation angle of the wireless controller by filtering the rotation information using the acceleration information; and

when the wireless controller is primarily horizontal, determine rotation angle of the wireless controller by filtering the rotation information using the magnetic bearing information.

2. The computing storage subsystem of claim 1, wherein filtering the rotation information comprises providing the rotation information to a Kalman filter with a previous output of the Kalman filter, the Kalman filter configured to output the rotation angle.

3. The computing storage subsystem of claim 2, wherein filtering the rotation information using the acceleration information further comprises providing the acceleration information to the Kalman filter.

4. The computing storage subsystem of claim 2, wherein filtering the rotation information using the magnetic bearing information further comprises providing the magnetic bearing information to the Kalman filter.

5. The computing storage subsystem of claim 2, wherein filtering the rotation information using the magnetic bearing information further comprises providing adjusted bearing information to the Kalman filter, the adjusted bearing information based on the magnetic bearing information and the acceleration information.

6. The computing storage subsystem of claim 2, wherein the instructions are further executable to update one or more covariances of the Kalman filter, the Kalman filter comprising a covariance associated with each input.

7. The computing storage subsystem of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

determine if the acceleration information is valid;

if the acceleration information is valid, determine whether the wireless controller is substantially vertical or substantially horizontal based on the acceleration information; and

if the acceleration information is not valid, determine the rotation angle based on the rotation information.

8. The computing storage subsystem of claim 7, wherein determining if the acceleration information is valid comprises comparing the acceleration information to gravity.

9. The computing storage subsystem of claim 8, wherein determining if the acceleration information is valid further comprises comparing one or more previous comparisons between the acceleration information and gravity.

10. The computing storage subsystem of claim 7, wherein the instructions are further executable to, if the acceleration information is valid, adjust the magnetic bearing information based on the acceleration information.

11. The computing storage subsystem of claim 1, wherein determining the rotation angle further comprises ignoring motion induced by a vibrator mechanically coupled to the wireless controller, the vibrator configured to effect vibration of the wireless controller.

12. The computing storage subsystem of claim 1, wherein determining the rotation angle further comprises ignoring rotation outside of a rotational range.

13. The computing storage subsystem of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable to calibrate a bias of the gyroscope by:

determining whether or not the wireless controller has remained substantially motionless for a period of time based on one or more of the acceleration information, the magnetic bearing information, and the rotation information; and

if the wireless controller has remained substantially motionless for the period of time, updating the bias of the gyroscope based on the rotation information.

14. The computing storage subsystem of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable to output the rotation angle.

15. A computing storage subsystem storing instructions that are executable by a logic subsystem to:

receive first information from a first sensor mechanically coupled to a wireless controller;

receive second information from a second sensor mechanically coupled to the wireless controller;

receive third information from a third sensor mechanically coupled to the wireless controller;

when the wireless controller has a first orientation, determine rotation angle of the wireless controller by filtering the third information using the first information; and

when the wireless controller has a second orientation, determine rotation angle of the wireless controller by filtering the third information using the second information.

16. The computing storage subsystem of claim 15, wherein filtering the third information comprises providing the third information to a Kalman filter with a previous output of the Kalman filter and one or more of the first information and the second information, the Kalman filter configured to output the rotation angle.

17. A computing storage subsystem storing instructions that are executable by a logic subsystem to:

receive acceleration information from an accelerometer mechanically coupled to a wireless controller;

receive magnetic bearing information from a magnetometer mechanically coupled to the wireless controller;

receive rotation information from a gyroscope mechanically coupled to the wireless controller;

when the wireless controller is primarily vertical, determine an estimated rotation angle of the wireless controller using the acceleration information; and

when the wireless controller is primarily horizontal, determine an estimated rotation angle of the wireless controller using the magnetic bearing information.

18. The computing storage subsystem of claim 17, wherein the instructions are further executable to determine a rotation angle of the wireless controller based on the estimated rotation angle and the rotation information by providing the estimated rotation angle and the rotation information to a Kalman filter with a previous output of the Kalman filter, the Kalman filter configured to output the rotation angle.

19. The computing storage subsystem of claim 18, wherein the instructions are further executable to update one or more covariances of the Kalman filter, the Kalman filter comprising a covariance associated with each input.

20. The computing storage subsystem of claim 18, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

determine if the acceleration information is valid by comparing the acceleration information to one or more of gravity and a previous instance of the acceleration information;

if the acceleration information is valid, determine whether the game-controller is substantially vertical or substantially horizontal based on the acceleration information; and

if the acceleration information is not valid, determine the estimated rotation angle based on the rotation information.