System and methods for providing orientation compensation in pointing devices

1. A method for providing axis orientation compensation in a system in which movement of a controlling device having a plurality of sides is used to control navigational functions of a target appliance, comprising:

determining which one of the plurality sides of the controlling device is an active side of the controlling device;

when it is determined that a first one of the plurality of sides of the controlling device is an active side of the controlling device, causing a navigational function of the target appliance made relative to an X axis of the target appliance to be controlled by a movement of the controlling device made relative to a B axis of the controlling device, causing a navigational function of the target appliance made relative to a Y axis of the target appliance to be controlled by a movement of the controlling device made relative to a C axis of the controlling device, and causing a navigational function of the target appliance made relative to a Z axis of the target appliance to be controlled by a movement of the controlling device made relative to an A axis of the controlling device; and

when it is determined that a second one of the plurality of sides of the controlling device is an active side of the controlling device, causing the navigational function of the target appliance made relative to the X axis of the target appliance to be controlled by a movement of the controlling device made relative to the A axis of the controlling device, causing a navigational function of the target appliance made relative to the Y axis of the target appliance to be controlled by a movement of the controlling device made relative to a one of the B axis of the controlling device, and causing a navigational function of the target appliance made relative to the Z axis of the target appliance to be controlled by a movement of the controlling device made relative to the C axis of the controlling device;

wherein control of the navigational functions of the target appliance made relative to each of the X, Y, and Z axes of the target appliance continues to be enabled without regard to whether the first one of the plurality of sides or the second one of the plurality of sides is determined to be the active side of the controlling device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controlling device comprises at least one orientation sensor and the method comprises using a signal generated by the at least one orientation sensor to determine which one of plural sides of the controlling device is the active side of the controlling device.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the at least one orientation sensor comprises an accelerometer.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 , comprising using the signal generated by the at least one orientation sensor to track movements of the controlling device made relative to the at least one of the A, B, and C axes of the controlling device.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controlling device transmits commands to the target appliance in response to movements of the controlling device made relative the A, B, and C axis of the controlling device for controlling navigational functions of the target appliance that are referenced to the X, Y, and Z axes of the target appliance.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controlling device transmits to the target appliance a signal having data indicative of the one of the plural sides of the controlling device that is determined to be the active side of the controlling device, and wherein the controlling device transmits generic commands to the target appliance for controlling navigational functions of the target appliance that are referenced to the A, B, and C axes of the controlling device.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 , comprising causing the controlling device to transmit the data indicative of the one of the plural sides of the controlling device that is determined to be the active side of the controlling device with commands to the target appliance for controlling navigational functions of the target appliance.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , comprising cause the controlling device to transmit to the target appliance a command for controlling a navigational function of the target appliance in response to the controlling device being sensed to have been rotationally moved relative to at least one of the A, B, and C axes of the controlling device.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controlling device is adapted to be used in a first orientation wherein the C axis of the controlling device is generally aligned with the X axis of the target appliance when the first one of the plural sides of the controlling device is active and wherein the controlling device is adapted to be used in a second orientation wherein the C axis of the controlling device is generally aligned with the Z axis of the target appliance when the second one of the plural sides of the controlling device is active.