Sensing movement of a hand-held controller

Abstract

An input device for providing input to a computing device includes a hand-held controller movable across and above a work surface. The input device includes a mouse sensor positioned on or in the hand-held controller to sense two-dimensional (2D) translation data representing translational movement of the hand-held controller across the work surface, and a six degree of freedom (6DOF) sensor positioned on or in the hand-held controller to sense 6DOF data representing position and orientation of the hand-held controller above the work surface.

1 . A virtual reality (VR) input device for providing input to a computing device that generates a three-dimensional (3D) visualization on a display, comprising:
 a VR hand-held controller movable across and above a work surface;   a mouse sensor positioned on or in the hand-held controller to sense two-dimensional (2D) translation data representing translational movement of the hand-held controller across the work surface; and   a six degree of freedom (6DOF) sensor positioned on or in the hand-held controller to sense 6DOF data representing position and orientation of the hand-held controller above the work surface, wherein the 2D translation data and the 6DOF data are to be output to the computing device to cause a change to the 3D visualization.   
     
     
         2 . The VR input device of  claim 1 , wherein the change to the 3D visualization includes a change in a point of view of a user within the 3D visualization. 
     
     
         3 . The VR input device of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a third sensor positioned on or in the hand-held controller to sense when the hand-held controller is positioned on the work surface.   
     
     
         4 . The VR input device of  claim 3 , and further comprising:
 a multiplexer to receive the 2D translation data and the 6DOF data, and selectively output either the 2D translation data or the 6DOF data based on an output of the third sensor.   
     
     
         5 . The VR input device of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a wireless communication link shared by the mouse sensor and the 6DOF sensor to wirelessly transmit the 2D translation data and 6DOF data to the computing device.   
     
     
         6 . The VR input device of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a first wireless communication link to wirelessly transmit the 2D translation data to the computing device; and   a second wireless communication link to wirelessly transmit the 6DOF data to the computing device.   
     
     
         7 . The VR input device of  claim 1 , wherein the mouse sensor is included in a mouse attachment that is attachable to and removable from the hand-held controller by a user. 
     
     
         8 . A virtual reality (VR) system comprising:
 a VR hand-held controller including a mouse sensor to sense two-dimensional (2D) translation data representing translational movement of the hand-held controller across a work surface, and a six degree of freedom (6DOF) sensor to sense 6DOF data representing position and orientation of the hand-held controller above the work surface;   a computing device to receive the 2D translation data and the 6DOF data; and   at least one processor in the computing device to generate a three-dimensional (3D) visualization for display on a display device, and modify the 3D visualization based on the received 2D translation data and the 6DOF data.   
     
     
         9 . The VR system of  claim 8 , wherein the display device includes sensors to detect a position an orientation of the display device, and wherein the processor is to change a point of view within the 3D visualization based on at least one of the position and orientation of the display device, and the received 2D translation data and the 6DOF data. 
     
     
         10 . The VR system of  claim 8 , wherein the computing device includes a first driver to receive the 2D translation data and output mouse events to an application, and a second driver to receive the 6DOF data and output 6DOF events to the application. 
     
     
         11 . The VR system of  claim 10 , wherein the first driver outputs the mouse events to the application only when the hand-held controller is moved on the work surface, and wherein the second driver outputs the 6DOF events to the application only when the hand-held controller is moved above the work surface. 
     
     
         12 . The VR system of  claim 10 , wherein the computing device includes a third driver to detect when the hand-held controller is positioned on the work surface. 
     
     
         13 . The VR system of  claim 12 , wherein the computing device uses the 2D translation data to increase precision of horizontal components of the 6DOF data when the hand-held controller is positioned on the work surface. 
     
     
         14 . A method, comprising:
 sensing six degree of freedom (6DOF) data representing position and orientation of a hand-held controller;   determining, with at least one processor, based on the sensed 6DOF data, whether the hand-held controller is being used as a mouse on a work surface or as a virtual reality (VR) controller above the work surface;   selectively generating, with the at least one processor, mouse events and 6DOF events based on the 6DOF data and based on the determination with the at least one processor; and   generating, with the at least one processor, a three-dimensional (3D) visualization for display on a display device; and   modifying, with the at least one processor, the 3D visualization based on the received 2D translation data and the 6DOF data.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the display device comprises a VR headset with sensors to sense a position and orientation of the VR headset, and wherein the method further includes:
 modifying, with the at least one processor, a point of view within the 3D visualization based on at least one of the position and orientation of the display device, and the received 2D translation data and the 6DOF data.