IP Library Granted Patent US 12674691
Granted Patent B2
US 12674691 · App. 18/412,137 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Systems and methods for a spatially aware control device

Inventors: Petr Potnin (Seattle, WA); Brett Andrew Tomky (Seattle, WA); Insang Hwang (Sammamish, WA); Andrew James Hillenius (Woodinville, WA); Devin Samuel Jacob Caplow-Munro (Seattle, WA); Denys Yaremenko (Carnation, WA)
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
G01D13/26H04N23/695H04N23/698
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12674691
App. No.
18/412,137
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A control device may include a processor. A control device may include a communication device operable to data communicate with the processor. A control device may include a positional sensor operable to data communicate with the processor. A control device may include an orientation sensor operable to data communicate with the processor. A control device may include a ranging device operable to data communicate with the processor. A control device may include a hardware storage device operable to data communicate with the processor, the hardware storage device having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the control device to, based at least partially on receiving a pointer request: determine pointer information relative to the control device from the ranging device and the orientation sensor, and transmit the pointer information to a base device.

Claims (58)

1 . A control device comprising:

a processor;

a communication device operable to data communicate with the processor;

a positional sensor operable to data communicate with the processor;

an orientation sensor operable to data communicate with the processor;

a ranging device operable to data communicate with the processor;

a hardware storage device operable to data communicate with the processor, the hardware storage device having instructions stored thereon and executable by the processor to cause the control device to:

based at least partially on receiving a pointer request:

determine pointer information relative to the control device from the ranging device and the orientation sensor, and

transmit the pointer information to a base device.

2 . The control device of claim 1 , wherein the pointer information is a vector.

3 . The control device of claim 1 , wherein the pointer information is relative to the base device.

4 . The control device of claim 1 , wherein the pointer information is relative to the control device.

5 . The control device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the control device to:

determine positional information relative to a base device from the positional sensor of the control device, and

transmit the positional information to the base device.

6 . The control device of claim 5 , wherein the instructions further include:

based at least partially on termination of the pointer request, transmitting updated positional information to the base device.

7 . The control device of claim 1 , where in the ranging device is a time-of-flight sensor.

8 . The control device of claim 1 , wherein the orientation sensor includes an accelerometer.

9 . The control device of claim 1 , wherein the positional sensor includes an ultra-wideband transceiver.

10 . A presentation system comprising:

a control device including:

a processor,

a communication device operable to data communicate with the processor,

a positional sensor operable to data communicate with the processor,

an orientation sensor operable to data communicate with the processor,

a ranging device operable to data communicate with the processor, and

a hardware storage device operable to data communicate with the processor, the hardware storage device having instructions stored thereon and executable by the processor to cause the control device to:

based at least partially on receiving a pointer request:

determine pointer information relative to the control device from the ranging device and the orientation sensor, and

transmit the pointer information; and

a base device including:

a camera having a field of view (FOV),

a processor, and

a hardware storage device having instructions stored thereon and executable by the processor to cause the base device to:

obtain positional information of the control device,

move the FOV based at least partially on the positional information,

receive the pointer information, and

based at least partially on receiving the pointer information, move the FOV based at least partially on the pointer information.

11 . The presentation system of claim 10 , wherein the base device includes a gimbal supporting the camera, and moving the FOV includes moving the camera with the gimbal.

12 . The presentation system of claim 10 , wherein moving the FOV includes selecting a sub-FOV from a camera FOV.

13 . The presentation system of claim 10 , wherein moving the FOV based at least partially on the pointer information includes determining a POI vector by summing the pointer information and the positional information.

14 . The presentation system of claim 10 , wherein obtaining the position information of the control device includes determining the positional information with an ultra-wideband transceiver at the base device.

15 . A method comprising:

at a base device:

in a tracking state:

obtaining positional information of a control device;

moving a field of view (FOV) of a capture device based on the positional information in a tracking state, wherein the position information indicates a location of the control device relative to the base device;

changing to a POI state;

in the POI state:

obtaining pointer information of a point-of-interest (POI) from the control device; and

moving the FOV of the capture device based on the pointer information while in the POI state.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein changing to a POI state includes receiving a pointer request from the control device.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the base device remains in the POI state while the base device continues to receive the pointer request.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the base device remains in the POI state until the base device receives a second pointer request.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein moving the FOV includes moving a capture device of the base device.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein moving the FOV includes selecting a sub-FOV of a capture device of the base device.