Easily deployable interactive direct-pointing system and presentation control system and calibration method therefor
First Claim
1. A base station for use in generating first data that is indicative of at least two positional coordinates of an enclosure relative to the base station, said first data being dependent on a first output signal generated by a position sensing device coupled to a first communication device that is configured to generate said first data, the enclosure being separate from the base station and designed to be handheld by a user and operated by the user in mid-air, the position sensing device comprising components contained in at least one of said base station and said enclosure, the base station comprising:
- a level sensing device for generating a second output signal that is sensitive to an angle of the base station relative to gravity;
at least one of a first power source and a connection to an external second power source for providing power to devices in the base station; and
a second communication device coupled to said level sensing device and configured to generate second data that is dependent on said second output signal;
wherein the enclosure includes;
a user input device for providing a third output signal and configured to allow the user to manipulate two positional coordinates of a feature on an image displayed by an image display device coupled to a processing unit that is external to said base station and said enclosure and said image display device, the third output signal being independent of orientation of the enclosure;
a third communication device coupled to the user input device and configured to generate third data that is dependent on the third output signal, andat least one of a third power source and a connection to an external fourth power source for providing power to devices in the enclosure;
wherein the first, second and third communication devices are configured to be coupled to a fourth communication device that is coupled to said processing unit and is for supplying fourth data to the processing unit, the fourth data being dependent on at least one of the first data and the second data and the third data; and
wherein the processing unit is coupled to a non-transitory computer-readable medium or media storing computer-executable instructions for causing the processing unit to perform a method, the method comprising the steps of;
causing communication between the fourth communication device and the third communication device for transferring third data;
causing communication between the fourth communication device and the second communication device for transferring second data;
causing communication between the fourth communication device and the first communication device for transferring first data; and
using the fourth data to control the contents of the image.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for controlling movement of a computer display cursor based on a point-of-aim of a pointing device within an interaction region includes projecting an image of a computer display to create the interaction region. At least one calibration point having a predetermined relation to said interaction region is established. A pointing line is directed to substantially pass through the calibration point while measuring a position of and an orientation of the pointing device. The pointing line has a predetermined relationship to said pointing device. Movement of the cursor is controlled within the interaction region using measurements of the position of and the orientation of the pointing device.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A base station for use in generating first data that is indicative of at least two positional coordinates of an enclosure relative to the base station, said first data being dependent on a first output signal generated by a position sensing device coupled to a first communication device that is configured to generate said first data, the enclosure being separate from the base station and designed to be handheld by a user and operated by the user in mid-air, the position sensing device comprising components contained in at least one of said base station and said enclosure, the base station comprising:
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a level sensing device for generating a second output signal that is sensitive to an angle of the base station relative to gravity; at least one of a first power source and a connection to an external second power source for providing power to devices in the base station; and a second communication device coupled to said level sensing device and configured to generate second data that is dependent on said second output signal; wherein the enclosure includes; a user input device for providing a third output signal and configured to allow the user to manipulate two positional coordinates of a feature on an image displayed by an image display device coupled to a processing unit that is external to said base station and said enclosure and said image display device, the third output signal being independent of orientation of the enclosure; a third communication device coupled to the user input device and configured to generate third data that is dependent on the third output signal, and at least one of a third power source and a connection to an external fourth power source for providing power to devices in the enclosure; wherein the first, second and third communication devices are configured to be coupled to a fourth communication device that is coupled to said processing unit and is for supplying fourth data to the processing unit, the fourth data being dependent on at least one of the first data and the second data and the third data; and wherein the processing unit is coupled to a non-transitory computer-readable medium or media storing computer-executable instructions for causing the processing unit to perform a method, the method comprising the steps of; causing communication between the fourth communication device and the third communication device for transferring third data; causing communication between the fourth communication device and the second communication device for transferring second data; causing communication between the fourth communication device and the first communication device for transferring first data; and using the fourth data to control the contents of the image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium or media storing computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform a method for controlling contents of a computer-generated image in conjunction with an enclosure, the computer comprising a first communication device coupled to a processing unit,
the enclosure comprising; -
a second communication device for providing first and second data to the first communication device; an accelerometer for generating a first output signal and coupled to the second communication device; and a user input device for providing a second output signal, the user input device configured to allow the user to control two positional coordinates of a feature on said image and coupled to the second communication device, the enclosure configured to be handheld and wielded by a user in mid-air and to develop the first data that is dependent on the first output signal and the second data that is dependent on the second output signal, the method comprising the steps of; causing communication between the first communication device and the second communication device to transfer the first data and the second data; and controlling the contents based on at least one of first data and the second data. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium or media storing computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform a method for controlling contents of a computer-generated image in conjunction with an enclosure that is designed to be handheld and wielded by a user in mid air, the computer comprising a first communication device coupled to a processing unit,
the enclosure comprising: -
a light source for providing a light output and configured for use with an image capturing device that is coupled to the processing unit, the image capturing device generating first data based on the light output, the first data being dependent on at least one positional coordinates of the enclosure relative to a base station that is separate from the computer and the enclosure; a manipulation device for providing a first output signal, the manipulation device configured to allow the user to control two mutually independent positional coordinates of a feature on the image; and a second communication device coupled to the manipulation device and to the light source and configured to allow coupling to the first communication device; wherein the enclosure is for developing second data that is dependent on the first output signal, and wherein the second communication device is for providing the second data, the method comprising the steps of; causing communication between the first communication device and the second communication device to transfer the second data; and controlling the contents of the computer generated image based at least in part on at least one of said first data and second data. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for controlling contents of a computer generated image, the apparatus comprising:
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a controller device configured to be handheld and wielded in mid-air by a user and to allow said user to control two positional coordinates of a feature on the computer generated image, said controller device comprising; a user input device for generating a first output signal that is independent of orientation of said controller device; and a first communication device coupled to said user input device for generating first data that is dependent on said first output signal; a base station that is separate from said controller device; and a position sensing device comprising components contained in at least one of said controller device and said base station for generating a second output signal that is dependent on at least one positional coordinate of said controller device relative to said base station; a second communication device coupled to said position sensing device for generating second data that is dependent on said second output signal; a third communication device for coupling to said first and second communication devices for generating third data that is dependent on at least one of said first data and said second data; a processor for generating the computer generated image and coupled to said third communication device; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium or media storing computer-executable instructions coupled to and for causing said processor to execute a method comprising the step of using said third data to control the contents of the computer generated image. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An apparatus for controlling a feature on a rectangular computer screen interaction region, there being a fixed coordinate system defined by three axes that are perpendicular to each other, the coordinate system having a first and a second coordinate axis that are horizontal, the apparatus comprising:
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a sensing device for generating a sensor output that is sensitive to an angle of said sensing device relative to the coordinate system when the position of said sensing device relative to the coordinate system is constant, said sensing device including an accelerometer for providing a first output signal and a gyro for providing a second output signal, said sensor output being dependent on said first output signal and said second output signal, wherein said sensing device has a fixed relation to a pointing line, the pointing line defining a point-of-aim as the intersection of said pointing line with an interaction structure that is perpendicular to a plane spanned by the first and second coordinate axes; at least one of an internal first power source and a connection to an external second power source for providing power to devices in said apparatus; a first communication device coupled to said sensing device, for providing first data based on said sensor output; a second communication device coupled to said first communication device for receiving said first data; a processing unit coupled to said second communication device; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium or media storing computer executable instructions coupled to and for directing said processing unit to perform a method for controlling the feature on the computer screen interaction region using second data developed by said processing unit that is dependent on said first data, wherein for fixed positions of said sensing device the using said second data to control the feature on the computer screen interaction region is independent of the orientation of the computer screen interaction region relative to the coordinate system, and operates so that the feature is kept at substantially the same distance from a first edge of the computer screen interaction region when said second data is indicative of the point-of-aim remaining at substantially the same distance from the plane. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A controller for controlling the contents of a computer-generated image, the controller designed to be handheld and operated by a user in mid-air, the controller comprising:
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a light source for providing a light output and configured for use with an image capturing device, the image capturing device for generating first data based on the light output, said first data being dependent on at least one positional coordinate of the controller; a user input device for generating second data and designed to allow the user to provide directional inputs, said second data being independent of orientation of the controller; a controller communication device coupled to said light source and said user input device and configured to allow coupling to a computer that generates the computer-generated image; and at least one of a first power source and a connection to an external second power source for providing power to said light source and said controller communication device. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification