Ergonomic physical interaction zone cursor mapping

US9342160B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC · US

Inventors

• Richard St. Clair Bailey · Plantation Gardens, US
• David Bastien · Kirkland, US
• Mark Schwesinger · Bellevue, US
• Emily Yang · Seattle, US
• Adam Smith · San Francisco, US
• Oscar E. Murillo · Seattle, US
• Tim Franklin · Seattle, US
• Jordan Andersen · Kirkland, US
• Christian Klein · Portland, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 26, 2015
• Grant date: May 17, 2016
• Expiry date: May 26, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06V40/28
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Users move their hands in a three dimensional (“3D”) physical interaction zone (“PHIZ”) to control a cursor in a user interface (“UI”) shown on a computer-coupled 2D display such as a television or monitor. The PHIZ is shaped, sized, and positioned relative to the user to ergonomically match the user's natural range of motions so that cursor control is intuitive and comfortable over the entire region on the UI that supports cursor interaction. A motion capture system tracks the user's hand so that the user's 3D motions within the PHIZ can be mapped to the 2D UI. Accordingly, when the user moves his or her hands in the PHIZ, the cursor correspondingly moves on the display. Movement in the z direction (i.e., back and forth) in the PHIZ allows for additional interactions to be performed such as pressing, zooming, 3D manipulations, or other forms of input to the UI.