Pointing device for a computer system with automatic detection of lifting, and relative control method

• US 7,924,267 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Sirtori, Daniele
• Primary Examiner(s): OSORIO, RICARDO
• Application Number:
  US11/771,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20080122788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-158, 345/161, 345163-167
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041

Abstract

A pointing device for a computer system includes: a first movement sensor for detecting movements of the device along a first axis and a second axis; a second movement sensor, for detecting movements of the device along a third axis not coplanar with the first and second axes; and a processing unit associated to the movement sensors for producing a plurality of movement signals indicating the movement of the device along the first, second, and third axes. The processing unit includes a control stage, for controlling the production of the movement signals on the basis of a response of the second movement sensor.

Claims

1. A pointing device for a computer system comprising:

a first movement sensor, for detecting movements of said device along a first axis and a second axis, which are not aligned;

a second movement sensor, for detecting movements of said device along a third axis not aligned to said first and second axes; and

a processor coupled to said first and second movement sensors for producing a plurality of movement signals indicating the movement of said device along said first, second and third axes, said processor comprising a control stage for controlling a mode of production of said movement signals based on a response of said second movement sensor, wherein;

said processor comprises a first calculation line and a second calculation line associated with said first movement sensor for producing a first set of said movement signals indicative of the movement of said device along said first and second axes; and

said control stage is configured to selectively enable and disable said first and second calculation lines based on said response of said second movement sensor.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said control stage is configured for temporarily disabling said first and second calculation lines in response to the detection of an acceleration of said device along said third axis.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said control stage comprises a threshold-discrimination module, for comparing said response of said second movement sensor with a threshold and generating a control signal based on said response and of said threshold.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein said control stage comprises a mode selector configured to alternatively select a first operating mode and a second operating mode of said device based on said response, said threshold, and a time interval.

5. The device according to claim 4 wherein:

said processor is configured to produce said movement signals based on a response of said first movement sensor when said first operating mode is selected; and

said processor is configured to produce said movement signals based on said response of said first movement sensor and of said response of said second movement sensor when said second operating mode is selected.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein:

said processing comprises a third calculation line, associated to said second movement sensor for producing a second set of said movement signals, indicative of the movement of said device along said third axis; and

said control stage is configured to select said third calculation line when said second operating mode is selected, and disable said third calculation line, when said first operating mode is selected.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said third axis is substantially vertical.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein said first movement sensor comprises a first MEMS accelerometer.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein said second movement sensor comprises a second MEMS accelerometer.

10. A method for controlling a pointing device for a computer system, the method comprising:

detecting movements of said device along a first axis and a second axis;

detecting movements of said device along a third axis not coplanar with said first and second axes;

producing a plurality of movement signals indicative of the movement of said device along said first, second and third axes;

controlling a mode of production of said movement signals in response to movements of said device along said third axis, wherein controlling comprises selectively enabling and inhibiting production of said movement signals in response to movements of said device along said third axis.

11. The method according to claim 10, comprising disabling temporarily the production of said movement signals in response to the detection of an acceleration of said device along said third axis.

12. The method according to claim 11, comprising detecting lifting of said device in response to movements of said device along said third axis.

13. The method according to claim 10, comprising alternatively selecting a first operating mode and a second operating mode of said device in response to movements of said device along said third axis and on a basis of a pre-determined time interval.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein:

when said first operating mode is selected, said movement signals are produced on the basis of movements of said device along said first and second axes; and

when said second operating mode is selected, said movement signals are produced on the basis of movements of said device along said first, second and third axes.

15. The method according to claim 14 comprising:

producing said movement signals on the basis of the movement of said device along said first and second axes, when said first operating mode is selected; and

producing said movement signals on the basis of the movement of said device along said first, second and third axes, when said second operating mode is selected.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said second operating mode is selected after an acceleration along said third axis has been detected without interruption for a time longer than said pre-set time interval.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein said third axis is substantially vertical.

18. The method according to claim 10, wherein detecting movements of said device along a first axis and a second axis comprises using a first MEMS accelerometer.

19. The method according to claim 10, wherein detecting movements of said device along a third axis comprises using a second MEMS accelerometer.

20. A pointing device comprising:

a motion sensor configured to detect motion along first, second, and third mutually transverse axes; and

a processor configured to produce movement signals indicating a respective movement of said device along the first, second, and third axes, the movement signals being configured to cause a visible movement of a cursor on a screen of a computer, the visible movement corresponding to a movement of the device along the first and second axes, the processor including;

a control stage configured to temporarily prevent the movement signals from causing the visible movement of the cursor after a movement of the device along the third axis has been detected.

21. The device according to claim 20 wherein the motion sensor comprises first and second accelerometers.

22. The device according to claim 21 wherein the first accelerometer detects motion along the first and second axes and the second accelerometer detects motion along the third axis.

23. The device according to claim 20 wherein the control stage may enter a first mode causing the processor to temporarily disable the production of movement signals corresponding to movement along the third axis.

24. The device according to claim 23 wherein the control stage may enter into a standby mode causing the processor to temporarily disable the production of movement signals corresponding to movement along the first and second axes.

25. The device according to claim 24 wherein if an acceleration along the third axis is greater than a predetermined threshold acceleration, the control stage enters into the standby mode.

26. A pointing device for a computer system comprising:

a first movement sensor, for detecting movements of said device along a first axis and a second axis, which are not aligned;

a second movement sensor, for detecting movements of said device along a third axis not aligned to said first and second axes; and

a processor coupled to said first and second movement sensors for producing a plurality of movement signals indicating the movement of said device along said first, second and third axes, said processor comprising;

a first calculation line and a second calculation line associated with said first movement sensor for producing a first set of said movement signals indicative of the movement of said device along said first and second axes; and

a control stage for controlling a mode of production of said movement signals based on a response of said second movement sensor, the control stage configured to selectively enable and disable said first and second calculation lines based on said response of said second movement sensor, wherein the control stage is configured to temporarily disable said first and second calculation lines in response to the detection of an acceleration of said device along said third axis, the control stage including;

a threshold-discrimination module, for comparing said response of said second movement sensor with a threshold and generating a control signal based on said response and of said threshold; and

a mode selector configured to alternatively select a first operating mode and a second operating mode of said device based on said response, said threshold, and a time interval.

27. The device according to claim 26 wherein:

said processor is configured to produce said movement signals based on a response of said first movement sensor when said first operating mode is selected; and

said processor is configured to produce said movement signals based on said response of said first movement sensor and of said response of said second movement sensor when said second operating mode is selected.

28. The device according to claim 27, wherein:

said processing comprises a third calculation line, associated to said second movement sensor for producing a second set of said movement signals, indicative of the movement of said device along said third axis; and

said control stage is configured to select said third calculation line when said second operating mode is selected, and disable said third calculation line, when said first operating mode is selected.

29. A method for controlling a pointing device for a computer system, the method comprising:

detecting movements of said device along a first axis and a second axis;

detecting movements of said device along a third axis not coplanar with said first and second axes;

producing a plurality of movement signals indicative of the movement of said device along said first, second and third axes;

controlling a mode of production of said movement signals in response to movements of said device along said third axis; and

alternatively selecting a first operating mode and a second operating mode of said device in response to movements of said device along said third axis and on a basis of a predetermined time interval.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein

when said first operating mode is selected, said movement signals are produced on the basis of movements of said device along said first and second axes;

and

when said second operating mode is selected, said movement signals are produced on the basis of movements of said device along said first, second and third axes.

31. The method according to claim 30 comprising:

producing said movement signals on the basis of the movement of said device along said first and second axes, when said first operating mode is selected; and

producing said movement signals on the basis of the movement of said device along said first, second and third axes, when said second operating mode is selected.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein said second operating mode is selected after an acceleration along said third axis has been detected without interruption for a time longer than said pre-set time interval.