Air pointer with improved user experience

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9958962-B2
Application number	US-201414580643-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2014
Priority date	Dec 23, 2013
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

A 3D pointing device and a method are disclosed to control an object on a surface and to improve the user experience when the user moves the object beyond the limits of the surface where the object can no longer be visualized. The user experience is enhanced by defining the behavior of a cursor in a margin around the screen.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for controlling a virtual object on a surface comprising:
at least one of a camera, accelerometer, gyrometer, magnetometer, or any combination thereof configured for producing measurements in relation to one of a position, an attitude, and a motion of a pointing device;
a microprocessor and a memory configured for calculating a first position pointed by the pointing device in the surface or in a virtual space around the surface from the measurements;
said microprocessor and memory being further configured to display the virtual object at a second position in the surface, said second position being calculated according to one of the first position and variations of the first position using a first gain g1 when the first position is located in the surface and a second gain g2 when the first position is located inside a subset of the virtual space, enclosing the surface, the first gain g1 and the second gain g2 being defined in order that 0<g2<g1<1, and in order that the second position is displayed at an edge of the surface when the first position is at an edge of the subset of the virtual space, wherein the surface is a rectangle of width W and height H, and the subset is a rectangle of width W2 and height H2 centred around the surface, and wherein:

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.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the coordinates (x2, y2) of the second position are calculated from the coordinates (x1, y1) of the first position, using a formula of a type: (x2, y2)=(min(0, x1)*g2+min(max(0, x1), W)*g1+max(x1−W, 0)*g2, min(0, y1)*g2+min(max(0,y1), H)*g1+max (y1−H, 0)*g2), wherein the values of g1 and g2 are comprised between 0 and 1.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein variations (dx2, dy2) of the second coordinates (x2, y2) of the second position are calculated from variations (dx1, dy1) of the first coordinates (x1, y1) of the first position according to rules of the type: if 0≤x1≤W, dx2=g1*dx1; else dx2=g2*dx1; if 0≤y1≤H, dy2=g1*dy1; else dy2=g2*dy1; wherein values of g1 and g2 are comprised between 0 and 1.

4. A system for controlling a virtual object on a surface comprising:
at least one of a camera, accelerometer, gyrometer, magnetometer, or any combination thereof configured for producing measurements in relation to one of a position, an attitude, and a motion of a pointing device;
a microprocessor and a memory configured for calculating a first position pointed by the pointing device in the surface or in a virtual space around the surface from the measurements;
said microprocessor and memory being further configured to display the virtual object at a second position in the surface, said second position being calculated using a mode of calculation chosen from a group comprising at least one of at least an absolute mode and a relative mode, the mode of calculation of said second position being switched according to the first position in order that:
when the first position is within the surface, the second position is calculated using the relative mode;
when the first position is outside a subset of the virtual space, said subset enclosing the surface, the second position is calculated using the absolute mode;
when the first position is in the subset, the second position is calculated using the relative mode if the first position entered the subset from the surface, and using the absolute mode, if the first position entered the subset from the virtual space outside of the subset;
wherein the surface is a rectangle of coordinates (W, H) in a frame of reference of the surface, the first position having first coordinates (x1, y1) and the second position having second coordinates (x2, y2) in said frame of reference, and wherein the second coordinates are calculated:
in the absolute mode, by a saturation of the first coordinates to the edges of the surface, by a formula of the type (x2, y2)=(min(max(0, x1); W); min(max(0; y1); H));
in the relative mode, by:
the application of the variation (dx1, dy1) of the first coordinates (x1, y1) by a formula of the type: (x2, y2)=(x2+dx1, y2+dy1);
the saturation of the second coordinates (x2, y2) to the edges of the subset, by a formula of the type (x2, y2)=(min(max(0, x2); W); min(max(0; y2); H)).

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the second position is calculated according to one of the first position and the variations of the first position using a first gain g1 when the first position is located within the surface and a second gain g2 when the first position is located inside the subset.

6. A system for controlling a virtual object on a surface comprising:
at least one of a c

Assignees

• Movea

Inventors

• Grenet Pierre
• Aujay Guillaume

Classifications

• G06F3/04812

  Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects · CPC title

• G06F2203/04801

  Cursor retrieval aid, i.e. visual aspect modification, blinking, colour changes, enlargement or other visual cues, for helping user do find the cursor in graphical user interfaces · CPC title

• G06F3/0383

  Signal control means within the pointing device · CPC title

• G06F3/0346 Primary

  with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors · CPC title