Gyroscopic pointer and method
US5898421A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 7, 1996 |
| Grant date | Apr 27, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 7, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F3/0346
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A vertical gyroscope is adapted for use as a pointing device for controlling the position of a cursor on the display of a computer. A motor at the core of the gyroscope is suspended by two pairs of orthogonal gimbals from a hand-held controller device and nominally oriented with its spin axis vertical by a pendulous device. Electro-optical shaft angle encoders sense the orientation of a hand-held controller device as it is manipulated by a user and the resulting electrical output is converted into a format usable by a computer to control the movement of a cursor on the screen of the computer display. For additional ease of use, the bottom of the controller is rounded so that the controller can be pointing while sitting on a surface. A third input is provided by providing a horizontal gyroscope within the pointing device. The third rotational signal can be used to either rotate a displayed object or to display or simulate a third dimension.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.