High fidelity remote controller device for digital living room

• US 9,030,405 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2011
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invensense Incorporated (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Invensense Incorporated (TDK Corporation)
• Inventors: Nasiri, Steve, Jiang, Joseph, Lin, Shang-Hung, Zheng, Yuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): POLO, GUSTAVO D
• Application Number:
  US13/164,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20120200497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,422 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device

Abstract

Described herein is an intelligent remote controlling device. The device can include a six-axis motion sensor to accurately track three dimensional hand motions. For example, the sensors can include a three-axis accelerometer and a three-axis gyroscope. The remote control device can also include a processing unit integrated with the motion sensors in a single module. The processing unit can convert data regarding the hand motion to data regarding a cursor motion for a cursor that will be displayed on a screen of an electronic device. The processing unit can be integrated with the motion sensors in a single module. The processing unit can include at least two modes of functionality corresponding to different types of hand motion: a one to one mode where the cursor directly tracks the hand motion and a non-linear mode that filters data from the motion sensors to eliminate hand jitter.

Claims

1. A remote control device, comprising:

at least one button configured to input a gesture motion or a handwriting motion;

a first three-axis motion sensor that senses a rotational rate of the remote control device related to the gesture motion or the handwriting motion;

a second three-axis motion sensor that senses gravity and linear acceleration of the remote control device related to the gesture motion or the handwriting motion;

a processing unit configured to receive three-dimensional sensor data from the first three-axis motion sensor and the second three-axis motion sensor regarding the hand motion and to convert the sensor data to a device orientation, a cursor motion derived from an orientation change of the device, or a gesture command; and

a radio frequency (RF) unit configured to transmit the device orientation, the cursor motion derived from the orientation change of the device, or the gesture command to an electronic device,

wherein the processing unit, the first three-axis motion sensor and the second three-axis motion sensor are integrated in a single integrated circuit chip;

wherein the processing unit calculates a three dimensional orientation corresponding to a hand motion with a high accuracy.

2. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the first three-axis motion sensor is a three-axis gyroscope.

3. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the second three-axis motion sensor is a three-axis accelerometer.

4. The remote control device of claim 1 further comprising, a third motion sensor comprising a compass.

5. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the first three-axis motion sensor, the second three-axis motion sensor and the processing unit are encompassed on the integrated circuit chip.

6. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the RF module is encompassed on a second integrated circuit chip.

7. The remote control device of claim 1, further comprising a single gesture button.

8. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit operates according to at least two modes of motion functionality.

9. The remote control device of claim 8, wherein the at least two modes include a one to one tracking mode wherein the cursor motion directly tracks the data from the at least two motion sensors.

10. The remote control device of claim 9, wherein the at least two modes include a non-linear mode that filters the data from the three-axis motion sensors to eliminate hand jitter.

11. A method, comprising:

detecting a hand motion utilizing at least one button input, a first three-axis motion sensor that senses a rotational rate and a second three-axis motion sensor that senses gravity and linear acceleration of the remote control device;

inferring an intent for the hand motion based on data from the first three-axis motion sensor and the second three-axis motion sensor;

switching a processing mode of a processing unit based on the intent; and

tracking the hand motion with a cursor based on the processing mode, wherein the hand motion is three dimensional and the cursor is two dimensional;

wherein the processing unit, the first three-axis motion sensor and the second three-axis motion sensor are integrated in a single integrated circuit chip;

wherein the processing unit calculates a three dimensional orientation corresponding to a hand motion with a high accuracy.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the switching further comprises switching to a linear mode upon inferring a user intent to make the hand motion in a constant direction.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the switching further comprises switching to a non-linear mode upon inferring an intent to remain stationary.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the tracking further comprises:

calculating a rotational movement corresponding to the hand motion;

transforming the rotational movement to three dimensional cursor location coordinates; and

removing hand jitter while calculating and transforming.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the motion processing unit is encompassed on a single module.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the motion processing unit and the RF unit are encompassed on a single module.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one gesture button configured to alert a motion processing unit that a gesture or a handwriting motion will be made;

the motion processing unit, comprising;

at least one three-axis gyroscope;

at least one three-axis accelerometer and;

a processing unit that receives three-dimensional hand motion data from the at least one three-axis gyroscope and the at least one three-axis accelerometer and converts the three-dimensional hand motion data to two-dimensional on-screen cursor movement data;

wherein the processing unit, the at least one three-axis gyroscope and the at least one three-axis accelerometer are integrated in a single integrated circuit chip;

wherein the processing unit calculates a three dimensional orientation corresponding to a hand motion with a high accuracy; and

a radio frequency (RF) unit that receives the two-dimensional on-screen cursor movement data and transmits the two-dimensional on-screen cursor movement data according to a wireless protocol.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processing unit detects an intent to switch processing modes.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processing unit detects the intent based on at least one of a button press, a gesture, or a context.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processing filters hand jitter from the three dimensional hand motion so that the hand jitter is not reflected in the two dimensional cursor.