Computer input device having six degrees of freedom for controlling movement of a three-dimensional object

• US 6,417,836 B1
• Filed: 08/02/1999
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.), Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Staab, Raymond R., Kumar, Senthil
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Monestime, Mackly
• Application Number:
  US09/366,012
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/158, 345/162, 345/157, 345/167, 345/166, 345/427
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0325 using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• 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

An input device for providing position and orientation information with six degrees of freedom for use in manipulating a real or virtual three-dimensional object. An illustrative embodiment includes a handle with a plate attached to an upper portion thereof. Associated with an upper planar surface of the plate is a set of LEDs or other light sources arranged in a designated pattern. A camera or other suitable type of detection device detects light from the light sources in order to determine the position, e.g., X, Y and Z positional parameters, and orientation, e.g., roll, pitch and yaw rotational parameters, of the input device. Control software running on a computer system may be used to detect and localize the light sources that are visible in a given image generated by the camera, to associate each of the light sources with a corresponding label, to determine the position and orientation information from the positions of the light sources in the image, and to communicate the position and orientation information to at least one application running on the computer system.

Claims

1. An input device for providing position and orientation information with a number of degrees of freedom, the device comprising:

a handle; and

a plate attached to an upper portion of the handle and having a planar surface, the planar surface having a set of five principal light sources arranged thereon, the position and orientation information associated with the input device having six degrees of freedom and being determinable utilizing the five principal light sources, such that a detection device arranged in proximity to the planar surface detects light from the set of five principal light sources in order to determine the position and orientation information.

2. The input device of claim 1 wherein the detection device comprises a camera, and further wherein control software of a computer system processes images generated by the camera to determine the position and orientation information.

3. The input device of claim 2 wherein the control software detects and localizes the light sources that are visible in a given one of the images, associates each of the light sources with a corresponding label, determines the position and orientation information from the positions of the light sources in the image, and communicates the position and orientation information to at least one application running on the computer system.

4. The input device of claim 3 wherein the control software determines the corresponding label for each of the light sources at least in part using a measure which is a function of a set of corresponding points associated with the planar surface, with a given one of the points selected as a principal point.

5. The input device of claim 4 wherein the measure is invariant under perspective projection, such that if the set of points associated with the planar surface are projected into an image, the measure generated for the sets of points associated with the planar surface is the same as that generated for the points as projected into the image.

6. The input device of claim 2 wherein the control software determines the orientation information by directly calculating roll, pitch and yaw rotational parameters from computed translational vectors.

20. The input device of claim 6 wherein the up/down switch includes an actuation member protruding from a side of the handle, wherein the actuation member is adapted to receive a finger of a user, such that a movement of the actuation member by the user in a first direction turns on the up indicator light source and turns off the down indicator light source, and a movement of the actuation member by the user in a second direction turns on the down indicator light source and turns off the up indicator light source.

7. A method for providing position and orientation information with a number of degrees of freedom, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting light emitted from a plurality of light sources associated with a plane of an input device by analyzing an image of the input device;

associating each of the light sources with a corresponding label;

determining the position and orientation information from the positions of the light sources in the image; and

communicating the position and orientation information to at least one application running on a computer system;

wherein the step of associating each of the light sources with a corresponding label further comprises determining the corresponding label for each of the light sources at least in part using a measure which is a function of a set of corresponding points associated with the plane of the input device, with a given one of the set of corresponding points selected as a principal point.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the plurality of light sources includes a set of at least five principal light sources used to determine the position and orientation information.

9. The method of claim 7 further including the step of detecting light emitted from one or more additional light sources in order to provide additional control information to the application.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the degrees of freedom include one or more of X, Y and Z positional parameters and roll, pitch and yaw rotational parameters.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the input device provides control over at least six control parameters.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the measure is invariant under perspective projection, such that if the set of points associated with the plane of the input device are projected into an image, the measure generated for the sets of points associated with the plane of the input device is the same as that generated for the points as projected into the image.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of determining the position and orientation information includes determining the orientation information by directly calculating roll, pitch and yaw rotational parameters from computed translational vectors.

14. An input device for providing position and orientation information with a number of degrees of freedom, the device comprising:

a handle;

a plate attached to an upper portion of the handle and having a planar surface, the planar surface having a plurality of light sources associated therewith, such that a detection device arranged in proximity to the planar surface detects light from at least a subset of the light sources in order to determine position and orientation information regarding the input device;

wherein the detection device comprises a camera, and further wherein control software of a computer system processes images generated by the camera to determine the position and orientation information; and

wherein the control software detects and localizes the light sources that are visible in a given one of the images, associates each of the light sources with a corresponding label, determines the position and orientation information from the positions of the light sources in the image, and communicates the position and orientation information to at least one application running on the computer system.

15. The input device of claim 14 wherein at least a subset of the plurality of light sources comprise light emitting diodes.

16. The input device of claim 14 wherein the plurality of light sources includes a set of at least five principal light sources used to determine the position and orientation information.

17. The input device of claim 16 further including an on/off switch arranged on the handle, wherein the five principal light sources are on when the on/off switch is in an on position, and off when the on/off switch is in an off position.

18. The input device of claim 14 wherein the plurality of light sources includes at least one trigger light source which provides an indication of the state of a corresponding trigger switch arranged on the handle.

19. The input device of claim 14 wherein the plurality of light sources includes an up indicator light source and a down indicator light source, each providing an indication as to whether an up/down switch arranged on the handle is in an up position or a down position.

21. The input device of claim 14 wherein the degrees of freedom include one or more of X, Y and Z positional parameters and roll, pitch and yaw rotational parameters.

22. The input device of claim 14 wherein the device provides control over at least six control parameters.

23. The input device of claim 14 wherein a lower portion of the handle is adapted for slidable engagement with a support device.

24. The input device of claim 14 wherein the control software determines the corresponding label for each of the light sources at least in part using a measure which is a function of a set of corresponding points associated with the planar surface, with a given one of the points selected as a principal point.

25. The input device of claim 24 wherein the measure is invariant under perspective projection, such that if the set of points associated with the planar surface are projected into an image, the measure generated for the sets of points associated with the planar surface is the same as that generated for the points as projected into the image.

26. A method for providing position and orientation information with a number of degrees of freedom, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting light emitted from a plurality of light sources associated with a plane of an input device by analyzing an image of the input device;

associating each of the light sources with a corresponding label;

determining the position and orientation information from the positions of the light sources in the image; and

communicating the position and orientation information to at least one application running on a computer system;

wherein the step of associating each of the light sources with a corresponding label further comprises determining the corresponding label for each of the light sources at least in part using a measure which is a function of a set of corresponding points associated with the plane of the input device, with a given one of the set of corresponding points selected as a principal point.