High fidelity remote controller device for digital living room

• US 9,046,937 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2013
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• 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:
  US13/909,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20130271372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-160, 345173-178, 715700-703, 715/740
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

A device disclosed herein 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 (e.g. an integrated circuit chip (IC)).

Claims

1. A handheld remote control device, comprising:

at least one three axis gyroscope that senses a rotational movement of the handheld remote control device and provides a first measurement output in response to an occurrence of a first input condition;

at least one three axis accelerometer that senses gravity and linear movement of the handheld remote control device and provides a second measurement output in response to the occurrence of the first input condition; and

a processing unit that uses the first and second measurement outputs to generate information associated with cursor location;

wherein,

the at least one three axis accelerometer, the at least one three axis gyroscope and the processing unit 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 handheld remote control device of claim 1, wherein the handheld remote control device includes a mobile phone.

3. The handheld remote control device of claim 2, wherein the first input indicates that a user has picked up the mobile phone.

4. The handheld remote control device of claim 1, further comprising:

the processing unit uses the first and second measurement outputs to perform gesture recognition when a user picks up the handheld remote control device.

5. The handheld remote control device of claim 1, further comprising:

one of a pressure sensor, a push button, a soft button, a microphone or a capacitive sensor that detects the occurrence of the first input condition.

6. The handheld remote control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a compass providing a third measurement output in response to the occurrence of the first input condition.

7. The handheld remote control device of claim 1, wherein the at least one gyroscope includes three gyroscopes that provide three dimensional angular motion.

8. The handheld remote control device of claim 1, wherein the at least one accelerometer provides three dimensional linear motion measurements.

9. The handheld remote control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) unit configured to transmit the information.

10. The handheld remote control device of claim 9, wherein the RF module is encompassed in the integrated circuit chip.

11. The handheld remote control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a transmitter that transmits the information to outside the handheld remote control device by a using wireless protocol.

12. The handheld remote control device of claim 11, wherein the wireless protocol includes one of WiFi, Bluetooth, or Radio Frequency for Consumer Electronics.

13. The handheld remote control device of claim 1, wherein the device operates in at least two modes of functionality, wherein

a mode of the two modes includes a tracking mode wherein the information associated with the cursor location directly tracks the first and second measurement outputs, and

a mode of the two modes includes a non-linear mode wherein the processor generates the information associated with the cursor location by removing noise related to a user'"'"'s hand jitter.

14. The handheld remote control device of claim 13, further comprising:

an intelligent component that switches between the at least two modes of functionality.

15. The handheld remote control device of claim 13, further comprising:

the processor that switches between the at least two modes of functionality in response to occurrence of a second input condition.

16. The handheld remote control device of claim 15, wherein the occurrence of the second input condition includes one of a user making a gesture in air while holding the device, tapping the device, shaking the device, drawing a handwriting symbol in air while holding the device or drawing a handwriting character in air while holding the device.

17. The handheld remote control device of claim 15, further comprising:

the processor that changes a shape of a cursor in response to an occurrence of the second input condition.

18. The handheld remote control device of claim 15, further comprising:

the processor that initiates an operational control of the handheld remote control device in response to an occurrence of the second input condition.

19. A method, comprising:

detecting a motion of a handheld remote control device by using a three-axes gyroscope that senses orientation in three dimensions and a three-axes accelerometer that senses gravity and linear motion in three dimensions integrated in a single integrated circuit chip;

determining a action associated with the motion by using a processor that is integrated in the integrated circuit chip;

wherein the processor calculates a three dimensional orientation corresponding to a hand motion with a high accuracy;

selecting an operating mode of the processor based on the determination; and

generating information about cursor location by tracking the motion;

wherein the information about the cursor location is two dimensional information.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the selecting includes selecting a linear mode upon determining that the motion includes the motion of the device in a constant direction.

21. The system, comprising:

a display;

a handheld remote control device remotely coupled to the display;

at least one gyroscope that senses a rotational movement of the handheld remote control device and provides a first measurement output in response to an occurrence of a first input condition;

at least one accelerometer that senses gravity and linear movement of the handheld remote control device and provides a second measurement output in response to the occurrence of the first input condition; and

a processing unit that uses the first and second measurement outputs to generate information associated with cursor location;

wherein,

the at least one accelerometer, the at least one gyroscope and the processing unit 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

the display displays the cursor based on the information.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the information identifies the pixel grid location at which the cursor is to be located on the display.