Selecting a target device in a device network

Abstract

A device network to process signals has target devices, selecting devices that are movable relative to the target devices, and controllers. The controllers are in communication with the target devices and the selecting devices. Each of the selecting devices has a position sensor and an orientation sensor to provide spatial and angular co-ordinates of position and orientation when pointing to a target device and upon receiving a user input. Each of the selecting devices also has a signal processor to generate a control signal having the position and orientation data. This control signal is then transmitted by a transmitter, via a radio frequency channel, to a controller. Upon receiving the control signal, the controller determines whether, for example, a target device has been selected by a selecting device by comparison of the orientation data with a derived orientation based on the position data and the known position of the target devices.

1 - 16 . (canceled)  
   
   
       17 . A method for selecting one or more target devices in a device network, said method comprising the steps of: 
 generating a control signal from a selecting device, said control signal having position and orientation data of said selecting devices;    determining whether said one or more target devices can be identified based on said position and orientation data; and    generating a target control signal to activate an identified target device.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said determining step is performed by deriving a target orientation from the selecting device location and actual target location, and comparing said derived orientation with said orientation data.  
   
   
       19 . A method for selecting a target, said method comprising the steps of: 
 generating a control signal from a selecting device, said control signal having position and orientation data of said selecting devices; and    determining whether a target of known location can be identified based on said position and orientation data.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said determining step is performed by deriving a target orientation from the selecting device location and actual target location, and comparing said derived orientation with said orientation data.  
   
   
       21 - 22 . (canceled)  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising displaying at said selecting device pointing indicia for pointing to said target devices with reference to a pointing axis along which the selecting device is aligned when selecting the one or more target devices.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising determining if the target devices are within an angular window along the pointing axis.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising selecting the least loaded target device if the pointing axis is aligned with more than one target device.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising displaying at said selecting device pointing indicia for pointing to said target with reference to a pointing axis along which the selecting device is aligned when selecting the target.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising determining if the target is within an angular window along the pointing axis.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising selecting a least loaded target device if the pointing axis is aligned with more than one target device.  
   
   
       29 . A computer program product embodied in a tangible media comprising: 
 computer readable program codes coupled to the tangible media for selecting one or more target devices in a device network, the computer readable program codes configured to cause the program to:    generate a control signal from a selecting device, said control signal having position and orientation data of said selecting devices;    determine whether said one or more target devices can be identified based on said position and orientation data; and    generate a target control signal to activate an identified target device.    
   
   
       30 . The computer program product of  claim 29 , wherein the program code configured to cause the program to determine whether said one or more target devices can be identified is further configured to derive a target orientation from the selecting device location and actual target location, and comparing said derived orientation with orientation data.  
   
   
       31 . The computer program product of  claim 29 , further comprising program code configured to display at said selecting device pointing indicia for pointing to said target devices with reference to a pointing axis along which the selecting device is aligned when selecting the one or more target devices.  
   
   
       32 . The computer program product of  claim 31 , further comprising program code configured to cause the program to determine if the target devices are within an angular window along the pointing axis.  
   
   
       33 . The computer program product of  claim 31 , further comprising program code configured to cause the program to select the least loaded target device if the pointing axis is aligned with more than one target device.