3D pointing devices with orientation compensation and improved usability

• US 8,937,594 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2013
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DRNC Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hillcrest Laboratories Incorporated (CEVA Incorporated)
• Inventors: Liberty, Matthew G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US14/090,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20140078059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-169, 178 1801- 1809, 178 1901- 1906
• US Class Current: 345/158
• 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 3/033 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
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device

Abstract

Systems and methods according to the present invention describe 3D pointing devices which enhance usability by transforming sensed motion data from a first frame of reference (e.g., the body of the 3D pointing device) into a second frame of reference (e.g., a user'"'"'s frame of reference). One exemplary embodiment of the present invention removes effects associated with a tilt orientation in which the 3D pointing device is held by a user.

Claims

1. A handheld pointing device comprising:

a first rotational sensor for determining rotation of said handheld pointing device about a first axis and generating a first rotational output associated therewith;

a second rotational sensor for determining rotation of said handheld pointing device about a second axis and generating a second rotational output associated therewith;

a three-axis accelerometer for determining an acceleration of said handheld pointing device and outputting an acceleration output associated therewith; and

a processing unit for receiving said first and second rotational outputs and said acceleration output and for;

(a) determining a tilt relative to gravity associated with an orientation in which said handheld pointing device is held, wherein said tilt is determined based upon the acceleration output,

(b) converting said first and second rotational outputs from a body frame of reference associated with said handheld pointing device into a user'"'"'s frame of reference in order to remove the effects of said determined tilt; and

(c) determining data associated with x and y coordinates which are in turn associated with movement of a screen cursor said data based on said converted first and second rotational outputs, wherein said step of converting renders said movement of said screen cursor independent of said tilt.

2. The handheld pointing device of claim 1, wherein said user'"'"'s frame of reference is associated with a television screen.

3. The handheld pointing device of claim 1, wherein the handheld pointing device is a free space pointing device.

4. The handheld pointing device of claim 1, wherein said tilt is determined based upon the acceleration output when the handheld pointing device is moving.

5. The handheld pointing device of claim 1, wherein said tilt is determined based upon the acceleration output when the handheld pointing device is not moving.

6. The handheld pointing device of claim 1, wherein said step of converting includes converting only said first and second rotational outputs.

7. The handheld pointing device of claim 1, wherein said step of converting includes removing the effects of roll based on said determined tilt, wherein any effects of pitch are not removed.

8. The handheld pointing device of claim 1, wherein said screen cursor is viewable on a display external to said handheld pointing device.

9. The handheld pointing device of claim 1, wherein said data is based directly on said converted first and second rotational outputs.

10. The handheld pointing device of claim 1, wherein said step of converting further comprises the step of:

rotating said first and second rotational outputs into said user'"'"'s frame of reference by calculating;

11. A method for operating a handheld pointing device comprising the steps of:

determining, using a three-axis accelerometer, a tilt relative to gravity associated with an orientation in which said handheld pointing device is held;

detecting, using first and second rotational sensors, rotational movement of said handheld pointing device about a first axis and a second axis respectively; and

transforming said detected movement from a body frame of reference associated with said handheld pointing device into an inertial frame of reference, wherein the transforming step includes compensating said detected rotational movement to correct the detected rotational movement for said determined tilt.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said tilt is determined based upon an acceleration output when the handheld pointing device is moving.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said tilt is determined based upon an acceleration output when the handheld pointing device is not moving.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said transforming step includes compensating said detected rotational movement to remove the effects of roll based on said determined tilt, wherein any effects of pitch are not removed.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said screen cursor is viewable on a display external to said handheld pointing device.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of compensating said detected rotational movement to correct for said tilt comprises the step of:

rotating first and second rotational outputs of said first and second rotational sensors into said inertial frame of reference by calculating;

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

providing information associated with said compensated, detected movement as input to a user interface.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the handheld pointing device is a free space pointing device.