Method and device for inputting a user's instructions based on movement sensing

Abstract

Provided is a user instruction input device operating in a three-dimensional space. The user instruction input device includes a first sensor that senses the angular rate of the device centering on at least one axis, a second sensor that senses the acceleration of the device at least for one direction, and a processing unit that calculates a first rotation angle in a coordinate system independent of the attitude of the first device from the output value of the first sensor, calculates a second rotation angle in the coordinate system from the output value of the second sensor, and calculates the final attitude angle by combining the first rotation angle and the second rotation angle.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A user instruction input device comprising:
 an angular rate sensor adapted to sense an angular rate at which the device rotates to provide a first output;   an acceleration sensor adapted to sense an acceleration of the device to provide a second output; and   a processing unit adapted to   convert the first output of the angular rate sensor into a first rotation angle,   convert the second output of the acceleration sensor into a second rotation angle, and   compute a weighted average of the first rotation angle and the second rotation angle based on the first output and/or the second output to produce an attitude angle estimate.   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the processing unit is further adapted to determine a first weight for the first rotation angle and a second weight for the second rotation angle based on one of the first output, the second output and a combination thereof, such that the first and second weights satisfy the conditions that (i) the first and second weights are greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 1, (ii) a sum of the first and second weights is equal to 1, and (iii) as said one of the first output, the second output and the combination thereof becomes larger, the second weight becomes smaller, and wherein the processing unit is further adapted to compute the weighted average with the determined first and second weights. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the first rotation angle includes three rotation angles (Φ G , θ G , Ψ G ) in the navigation frame. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the second rotation angle includes three rotation angles (Φ XL , θ XL , Ψ XL ) in the navigation frame. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the first weight includes three weights each for a respective one of the three rotation angles (Φ G , θ G , Ψ G ). 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the second weight includes three weights each for a respective one of the three rotation angles (Φ XL , θ XL , Ψ XL ). 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the device is operable in conjunction with a display device so that a movement of the device triggers a movement of an object on the display device. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the attitude angle estimate includes at least yaw (Ψ) and pitch (θ) estimates of the device , and the processing unit is further adapted to detect a variation in yaw and pitch of the device based on the yaw (Ψ) and pitch (θ) estimates of the device, calculate a position variation (Δx, Δy) for the object from the variation in yaw and pitch of the device and output the position variation (Δx, Δy) to the display device so that the object on the display device is moved correspondingly. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the object is a pointer. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the processing unit is further adapted to perform mapping upon the variation in yaw and pitch of the device according to a predetermined mapping function to provide the position variation (Δx, Δy) for the object. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the predetermined mapping function has at least one of a depression area and a limitation area and wherein (i) if the variation in yaw and pitch of the device falls within the depression area, the variation in yaw and pitch of the device is mapped to a depressed position variation according to the predetermined mapping function and (ii) if the variation in yaw and pitch of the device falls within the limitation area, the variation in yaw and pitch of the device is mapped to a limited position variation according to the predetermined mapping function.