3D pointing devices and methods
Systems and methods according to the present invention address these needs and others by providing a handheld device, e.g., a 3D pointing device, which uses at least one sensor to detect motion of the handheld device. The detected motion can then be mapped into a desired output, e.g., cursor movement.
1. A method implemented in a device having a processor and a plurality of sensors, comprising a three-axis accelerometer and at least one rotational sensor, the method comprising:
detecting movement of the device using at least one of the plurality of sensors;
obtaining three-axis angular velocity values and three-axis acceleration values at the processor from the plurality of sensors in connection with the detected movement, wherein the three-axis angular velocity values correspond to rotational movement of the device detected by the at least one rotational sensor, and wherein the three-axis acceleration values comprise at least an acceleration of the device due to gravity detected by the three-axis accelerometer;
determining, by the processor, a current orientation in which the device is currently being held by a user using the three-axis acceleration values, the three-axis angular velocity values, a function for rotating a prior orientation in accordance with the three-axis angular velocity values and filtering to attenuate a tremor introduced into the device in connection with the device being held; and
outputting, by the processor, the current orientation.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying the user based upon a tremor pattern associated with the tremor.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining an identity of the user by comparing the tremor pattern with a plurality of stored tremor patterns.
4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising retrieving preference settings associated with the user in response to identifying the user.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein using filtering to attenuate tremor comprises any of:
using hysteresis to filter the tremor; and
using filtering to filter a frequency component from the three-axis angular velocity values, and wherein the frequency component has a frequency within a range of frequencies associated with human tremor.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a state of the device based on the tremor.
7. The method claim 1 , further comprising differentiating first and second states of the device based on the tremor.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transforming the current orientation into information for supporting one or more user interface commands.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the information for supporting one or more user interface commands comprises information to support motion based event handling.
10. A device comprising circuitry, including a processor and a plurality of sensors, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a three-axis accelerometer and at least one rotational sensor, wherein:
the plurality of sensors is configured to detect movement of the device;
the processor is configured to:
obtain three-axis angular velocity values and three-axis acceleration values from the plurality of sensors in connection with the detected movement, wherein the three-axis angular velocity values correspond to rotational movement of the device detected by the at least one rotational sensor, and wherein the three-axis acceleration values comprise at least an acceleration of the device due to gravity detected by the three-axis accelerometer;
determine a current orientation in which the device is currently being held by a user using the three-axis acceleration values, the three-axis angular velocity values, a function for rotating a prior orientation in accordance with the three-axis angular velocity values and filtering to attenuate a tremor introduced into the device in connection with the device being held; and
output the current orientation.
11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to identify the user based upon a tremor pattern associated with the tremor.
12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to determine an identity of the user by comparing the tremor pattern with a plurality of stored tremor patterns.
13. The device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to retrieve preference settings associated with the user in response to identifying the user.
14. The device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to perform filtering to attenuate tremor, at least in part, by any of:
using hysteresis; and
filtering a frequency component from the three-axis angular velocity values, wherein the frequency component has a frequency within a range of frequencies associated with human tremor.
15. The device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a state of the device based on the tremor.
16. The device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to differentiate first and second states of the device based on the tremor.
17. The device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to transform the current orientation into information for supporting one or more user interface commands.
18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the information for supporting one or more user interface commands comprises information to support motion based event handling.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the prior orientation comprises any of an arbitrary orientation and a priorly determined orientation.
20. The device of claim 10 , wherein the prior orientation comprises any of an arbitrary orientation and a priorly determined orientation.