Optical system for determining the roll orientation of a remote unit relative to a base unit
US5574479A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 7, 1994 |
| Grant date | Nov 12, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 7, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F3/0325
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system for determining the pointing orientation of a remote unit relative to a base unit. The fixed base unit comprises at least one light source for emitting at least one light beam, and a polarizer for polarizing light emitted by said light source in at least one particular predetermined orientation. The movable remote unit comprises a photodetector for detecting light emitted by said light source means of the fixed base unit and determining components of pitch, yaw and roll of the remote unit relative to the base unit. The remote unit transmits signals related to the pitch, yaw and roll to the base unit. Either the base unit or the remote unit may compute corrected pitch and yaw of the remote unit on the basis of the roll of the remote unit. The roll information may be used alone to rotate an icon in a graphical user interface on a television or computer screen.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.