Smart orientation sensing circuit for remote control

• US 5,703,623 A
• Filed: 01/24/1996
• Issued: 12/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PINN Communications Corporation
• Original Assignee: PINN Communications Corporation
• Inventors: Faulkner, Russell W., Hall, Malcolm G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luu, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US08/590,513
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/163, 345/167, 74/471 XY, 178/18, 178/19, 273/148 B
• 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

The invention relates to a smart device which senses changes to its own position and/or orientation, and transmits this information in a signal, which can be used to control a cursor on a view screen, or other features of an external device such as a computer, television, or electromechanical mechanism, said smart device comprising a plurality of polymer thinfilm piezoelectric sensors, and a plurality of semiconductor Hall-effect sensors, disposed in a housing in a manner cooperatively providing X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis relative translational and/or absolute rotational data.

Claims

1. In combination, a handheld, freespace, remote mouse utilizing a fusion of both Hall effect and piezoelectric effect solid state sensor technologies devices, for remotely pointing, then controlling a 3D virtual object'"'"'s orientation and/or determining the device'"'"'s own absolute orientation, thereby determining the orientation and direction of operatively associated physical objects.

18. The method of operating a mouse of the character of a device of claim 1 by gripping the device in freespace, noting its position in space as indicated on a viewable screen and moving it in freespace to reposition a cursor thereof to a designated location.

2. In combination, a smart device comprising a plurality of thinfilm piezoelectric-effect sensors and a plurality of semiconductor Hall-effect sensors for sensing a fixed magnetic field for orientation through six degrees of freedom providing a point of reference of the device in freespace relative to the fixed field for determining location thereof.

15. A remote control virtual reality glove for the virtual control of actual mechanical systems and robotic, non-robotic devices and virtual objects incorporating the device of claim 2 for sensing orientation and position.

16. The method of operating a device of claim 15 comprising the steps of:

a;

inserting an anatomical hand in the glove,

b;

moving the hand in desired positions and orientations in space to move a cursor or object on a viewable screen to a desired 3D location in a virtual world on the screen.

3. A device incorporating a back to back, physically opposed pair, of thinfilm piezoelectric-effect sensors for providing a ratio difference respectively between them for determining direction of acceleration forces thus becoming a single bi-polar accelerometer component capable of sensing a rate of change thereof.

17. A smart device, comprising a circuit incorporating a pair of the devices of claim 3, mounted in differing planes on said circuit, disposed to provide x, y, and z translation and yaw, pitch and roll angular rotation information data, for position and orientation control of said device in freespace.

4. A smart orientation-sensing device comprising a semiconductor Hall-effect device, incorporated in a controllable object, said Hall-effect device being incorporated for sensing a fixed magnetic field, in freespace, for determining object orientation providing on-screen cursor position on a viewable screen and/or device control in the yaw, around y, and pitch, around x, axis with an inherent automatic limit stop function, providing two degrees of motion sensing in a three dimensional space.

5. A smart, Hall-effect semiconductor device, of claim 4, incorporated in a controllable object, disposed for sensing a fixed magnetic field, determining object orientation and providing on-screen cursor position and/or device control in the yaw, around y, and roll, around z, axis position indicating with an inherent automatic limit stop function, thereby providing two degrees of motion sensing in a three dimensional space.

6. The device of claim 5 further providing yaw, around y, pitch, around x and roll, around z, with an inherent automatic limit stop function, providing three degrees of motion sensing along three distinct axis.

7. A smart, Hall-effect semiconductor device, a controllable object, said device being incorporated in said controllable object, disposed for sensing a fixed magnetic field, in freespace, for determining object orientation, providing on-screen cursor position on a viewable screen and/or device control for yaw, around y, and a thinfilm, piezoelectric-effect device for determining cursor/object positioning and/or control in the pitch, around x, directions providing two degrees of motion in a three dimensional space.

8. A smart, Hall-effect semiconductor device, a controllable object, said device being incorporated in said controllable object, disposed for sensing a fixed magnetic field, in freespace, for determining object orientation and providing on-screen cursor position and/or device control for yaw, around y, with a thinfilm, piezoelectric-effect device operable in conjunction with a Hall-effect semiconductor device for enhanced accuracy and resolution in determining cursor position/object orientation and/or control in the pitch, around x, directions providing two degrees of motion in a three dimensional space.

9. A smart, Hall-effect semiconductor device, a controllable object, incorporated in said controllable object, constructed and arranged for sensing a fixed magnetic field, in freespace, determining object orientation and providing on-screen cursor position and/or device control for yaw, around y, and a thinfilm, piezoelectric-effect device for determining cursor position/object orientation and/or control in the roll, around z, directions providing two degrees of motion in a three dimensional space.

10. A smart, Hall-effect semiconductor device, an orientable object, said device being incorporated in a controllable object, constructed and arranged for sensing a fixed magnetic field, in freespace, determining object orientation and providing on-screen cursor position and/or device control for yaw, around y, with a thinfilm, piezoelectric-effect device utilized in conjunction with a Hall-effect semiconductor device for enhanced accuracy and resolution in determining cursor position )object orientation and/or control in the roll, around z, directions providing two degrees of motion in a three dimensional space.

11. A smart, Hall-effect semiconductor device, incorporated in a controllable object, for sensing a fixed magnetic field, in freespace, determining object orientation and providing on-screen cursor position and/or device control for yaw, around y;

and a thinfilm, semiconductor, piezoelectric-effect device for determining cursor/object positioning and/or control in the pitch, around x, as well as roll, around z, directions thereby providing three degrees of motion in a three dimensional space.

12. A smart, Hall-effect semiconductor device, comprising a controllable object, for sensing a fixed magnetic field, in freespace, determining object orientation and providing on-screen cursor position and/or device control for yaw, around y, with a thinfilm, piezoelectric-effect device utilized in conjunction with a semiconductor Hall-effect device for enhanced accuracy and resolution in determining cursor position on a screen and object orientation and/or control in the pitch, around x, and roll, around z, directions thereby providing three degrees of motion in a three dimensional space.

13. A smart, Hall-effect semiconductor device, incorporated in a controllable object, for sensing a fixed magnetic field, in freespace ,determining object orientation and providing on-screen cursor position and/or device control for yaw, around y, pitch, around x, and roll, around z;

and a thinfilm, piezoelectric-effect device for determining cursor/object position and/or control in the pitch, around x, yaw, around y, and roll, around x, directions as well as translation along the three axes of the Cartesian coordinate system (X,Y, and Z) providing six degrees of motion in a three dimensional space.

14. The device of claim 13 which is further integrated into a single removable component.