Device for detecting and displaying movements

The invention relates to a device for detecting and displaying Of movements.

Such devices are known from the prior art. For example, today almost every computer desktop application is used A so-called computer mouse, With which the displayed on an external screen Graphical user interface of a computer can be. Such computer mice have detection Of the movement, for example, a ball which is arranged in a recess At the bottom of the mouse. Will the Mouse is moved by the user, the ball rotates The underside and via roll sensors installed in the mouse The movement is transferred to the computer.

Other types of computer mice have the mechanical Motion detection by a ball optical sensors. At the This is determined, for example, by the measurement of the light- On which the mouse is moved, scattered or reflected Light on the movement of the mouse closed, whereby The corresponding data via a cable to a computer Should be provided.

The transmission of the motion data from the computer mouse to the computer Calculator is generally done using a cable. But it is Also known as embodiments in which the movement data Wireless to a computer.

The use of a graphical user interface as it does Is today used in conventional computer applications Has, in general, the possibility of arbitrary places On the screen display. This Is, as mentioned, most desktop applications with the So-called mouse. For portable devices, a Such a solution is not desired, however, since the user in the General no separate operating accessories to its Device. For example, this problem occurs Known personal digital assistants (PDAs) or small, So-called handheld computers (palmtops) through a pen Which is stored in the device and removed if necessary becomes. The disadvantage of this design is that The pen can easily be lost, for example, from his Holder falls out or is deposited during the work And then forgotten there. In addition, you need to operate Of the device both hands, which in many cases, specifically In mobile applications, is not desired.

Another way to get the active point of a graphical User interface is located on the device for that Provided keys and to operate them. These Solution is generally very cumbersome, as very many Key controls are necessary to move from one side of the display To come to another. The possibility of the active Point to a graphical user interface To move any space on the screen But a prerequisite for the efficient use of a Such surface.

As a further possibility for the input of data the acquisition gains Graphics or handwriting. In the case of permanently installed computer systems Also the above-mentioned computer mouse has proven its worth. This possibility Is used by many conventional computer-controlled Graphical applications.

In the case of the mobile devices mentioned, such as PDAs or palmtops, Can be controlled via a separately attached pin, Is the capture of drawings and manuscript as well But with the above-mentioned drawback, Both hands at the input, and the danger of the Pen to lose, after which the system until obtaining a Replacement pin is almost useless.

For devices in which, as mentioned above, the controller Via special keys, is the capture of graphics Or manuscripts practically impossible.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a system To provide graphical data or data Data required for use can be detected via manual movements And which is suitable for one-handed operation.

This object is achieved by a device for detecting And representing movements comprising: a housing, Position detecting means mounted on the housing for detecting Of the current position data of a reference point Of the device, data processing means for processing Position data acquired with the position detection means, And a display device which is provided on the housing Representation of an image of detected and processed position data, Wherein the data processing means are connected to a computer Device for character recognition, which comprises the (172, 174) detected by said position detecting means (172, 174) Of the current position of the reference point (14; 114) To a match with predetermined characters And which, with substantial agreement, contains at least one Characters.

This device allows for the first time the motion-induced Acquisition of data with simultaneous display of these data Or actions induced by these on the device Display device. The display device Can be, for example, a liquid crystal (LCD) display Or an electroluminescent display (using Of, for example, organic or inorganic semiconductors Or electroluminescent dyes). The Device, for example, combines the known advantages Of said computer mouse when inputting graphical data, Handwriting, or controlling a graphical user interface With the possibility of a corresponding device Only with one hand.

Before using the device according to the invention, May be necessary to ensure that these are obtained only by the supply of electrical energy Energy, such as switching on a power supply Or inserting a battery, into an active, that is Functional, state. In the description Of the device according to the invention is described in the frame Of the present application, it is assumed that the said Such functional state.

When the device is moved, the position data of the Places the reference point passes through during the movement, From the position detection means, for example, hereinafter Sensors which are still closer to one another are detected and detected by the data processing means, Such as one or more microprocessors, A small computer, or a PC. Each According to the type of data entered, these can then be displayed on the am Housing, for example as Graphical representation of the movement and / or as a movement of a Active area of ​​the user interface relative to the user interface being represented. Under the "Active area of ​​a user interface" With which certain actions or activities of the User interface. Usually, this For example, by an arrow, a pointing Hand or the like.

Furthermore, it is provided that the data processing means Are provided with means for character recognition, The change in the current rate recorded by the position - taking means Position of the reference point for a match With pre-determined signs, and this at a substantial Match at least one character. Such character recognition is particularly suitable for realization Smaller and more handy for information input Devices because a relatively bulky keyboard dispenses can be.

In a further development of the invention, Position sensing means comprises an optical sensor And / or a mechanical and / or an acceleration sensor include. Because each of these sensors have specific characteristics , It may be useful to use these sensors under certain circumstances Also to combine. Thus, for the detection of the translatory Movement of the reference point, for example, an optical Sensor can be used.

In contrast to fixed display devices, such as a Screen, it can be used for a display device moved with the housing According to the present invention That a rotation of the device is also detected. For example, it may be desirable that the orientation Of the information displayed on the display device Relative to the user remains unchanged, even if the device is rotated. For example, it can be avoided that The user while viewing the display with the eyes of the Rotation. For detecting a rotary movement About an axis extending through the reference point An optical sensor can also be used, for example will.

To both the translation and the rotation of the device For example, two optical sensors can be mounted on the housing Be installed.

Of course, to detect the movement of the device under Other also one or more of the computer mouse Known roll sensors. These are due to Of its comparatively simple construction, for example the Advantage of being cost-effective.

Particularly in mobile use of the device, That a suitable surface for the use of the Optical or mechanical sensors Is available. To address this problem, the Use of one or more acceleration sensors For detecting the movement of the reference point. These can be used, for example, as a rotation angle acceleration sensor Or as a longitudinal acceleration sensor be. In contrast to the above mentioned optical or mechanical Sensors are not using acceleration sensors Directly the change in position of the reference point, but The change in its state of motion. That means it It is detected whether the reference point is accelerated or decelerated Or whether it moves or rests uniformly. From the Change of the state of motion of the reference point Then determine the respective position data of this point. The illustrated embodiment has the advantage that One detached from a solid surface, quasi "into the Air ".

Thus, to fully capture the movement of the device For example two translation acceleration sensors And a rotation angle acceleration sensor is provided on the housing be.

Depending on the purpose of the device, a combination can also be used From one of said mechanical or optical sensors With a rotation angle acceleration sensor be.

To draw a drawing with the device according to the invention Or manuscript, it may be necessary, To inform the system when the movement of the device corresponds to the Part of a graphic or font, and when by the Movement of the device the "painting tool" only from one place On the virtual user interface to another Without leaving a "trail". This can be done, for example By an operating means, such as a button or A button, with which the graphical representation Of the position data of the reference point on the display device Started ( "activated"). Furthermore, The apparatus in this context comprises operating means, With which the graphical representation of the position data Of the reference point on the display device becomes. On the operating means for starting and ending the For example, the position data can be represented Also by the same button or the same button Which presses two operating states, for example And dissolved.

In a further embodiment, the operating means For starting and stopping the graphical representation of the position data Also means for detecting the mechanical contact Of the device to a surface of a solid article include. This can be, for example, a pressure or contact sensor be. The device can then be designed such that, That only those with existing contact to the surface determined Position data of the reference point on the display device Graphically. In this embodiment It is an intuitively quite easy to use System, since it is necessary to put on and remove a pencil Drawing or writing.

In the operation of the device according to the invention, Can be very advantageous if the data processing means comprise a Change the current position of the reference point Take into account that the one displayed on the display device Image relative to a fixed reference surface Site and / or lagstable. This leads to, That the image displayed on the display device is relative Remains essentially stationary to the user, which results in an improved Readability.

It is also advantageous in this embodiment of the invention, In this way, the handling of virtual user interfaces And / or graphics, which extend over the edge of the As shown in FIG Systems. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, The display element is similar to a display element "Window" over an opposing user in essence Site-fixed virtual user interface. Connect with it The graphics and / or user interface And the representation of different areas of the Graphics and / or user interface in a single motion. In conventional systems do not need to be on the display Graphics and / or parts of the user interface Only by so-called "scrolling" into the active Display area before processing it further Can be. In the case of the invention, however, The device is rotated by a desired amount into a desired one Direction can be moved to a position located there from the user Area of ​​the user interface or graphics.

Said reference surface can, for example, be a plane Parallel to the surface of the display device. The reference surface can also be a surface which is in the Substantially parallel to the surface of a solid object Respectively. The location and / or storage stability of the image Relative to the reference surface can, for example, be achieved thereby That an imaginary projection of the image onto the reference surface Site and / or lagstable. The thought Projection can be a parallel projection or a A point which is fixed relative to the display device Point projection.

According to the invention, the location and / or storage stability can thereby be reduced The data processing means is adapted to the data processing means Image within the display device with a The change in the current position of the reference point Complementary motion. This matches with The intuitive idea of ​​motion already mentioned above A "window" embodied by the display device, Over a fixedly fixed virtual graphic And / or virtual user interface.

When operating the system according to the invention, it may be necessary On the one hand, an overview of large areas Graphics and / or user interface. On the other hand It may be necessary to detail small areas The graphics and / or user interface edit. Therefore, it may be advantageous that the inventive Device further comprises operating means, With which the size ratio between the detected position data And that displayed on the display device Picture of the position data. Thus one can eg In a graphic "hineinzoomen" to edit details or Again "zoom out" to get an overall overview.

With this "zooming" the background of the Above-mentioned point projection for obtaining the location and / or location Lagestability of the displayed on the display device The subject matter. A point projection goes from A reference point that can be freely selected in the room. One goes Then, for example, from one on a particular reference surface Site and lay-stable image of an object For example, the representation of its outlines On the display device by determining the intersections Of the connecting line between the outlines of the image of the Object on the reference surface with the reference point of the Point projection. Is the level of the display device Between the reference surface and the reference point The representation of an object on the display device Smaller than its image on the reference surface. Is located The reference surface between the plane of the display device And the reference point, then the representation of the object On the display device as compared to its image Of the reference area.

When a point projection is used to reach the position- And bearing stability relative to a reference surface "Zooming", for example, by changing the position of the reference point And from this a different "calculation" of the On the display device. This can be done, for example, with the aforementioned operating means happen. Another possibility of "zooming" is in In this case by changing the distance of the display device From the reference surface.

When using a parallel projection to reach the Location and storage stability relative to a reference surface The "zooming" simply by using an adjustable Scaling factor in the calculation of the value on the display device Can be achieved. This scaling factor Can then, for example, be connected to the aforementioned operating means Can be set.

For a simple input possibility for characters Can also be provided according to the invention In that the data processing means are provided with character recognition means Are formed, which are different from the position detection means Recorded change in the current position Of the reference point to a match with predetermined Character and examine this at substantial agreement At least one character. Such a character recognition Makes it possible to realize smaller ones And more handy for the information input of suitable devices A relatively bulky keyboard can be dispensed with.

Specifically for mobile applications of the device according to the invention It is advantageous if the data processing device For wired or wireless communication With a remote base. On This way, the device can be connected, for example, to another device Computer or a printer or for example To a mobile radio network. In the latter case, The data processing means, for example, radio transmission means Which are used for the transmission of recorded data Movements and / or ascertained characters. To this For example, with the device according to the invention Messages which are then transmitted by means of the radio transmission means For example via a mobile radio network Can be.

Since it is particularly applicable to mobile telecommunication terminals Is desired, the rather inadequate possibilities of the Graphical user guidance, it can be particularly Can be advantageous if the device according to the invention is designed as a Mobile telecommunication terminal. In order to All of the above-mentioned advantages were obtained The production of graphics and use of graphical User interfaces in a telecommunication terminal Unify what its user-friendliness and application spectrum Significantly.

As indicated above, it is desirable to use the Control of the device according to the invention , Wherein a graphical display device is provided on the display device User interface is represented by motion Of the device. This can be done in a further education Of the invention Part of the graphical user interface from the representation A keyboard. By moving the housing Then to input font single characters "steered" And selected. The selection can be made by pressing A special selection key or a pressure- Or contact sensor, as described with respect to FIG The acquisition of graphics have already been mentioned. To this Alternatively, to the abovementioned character recognition, Simple texts and characters can be entered.

Specifically, in a combination of the device according to the invention With a telecommunication terminal it can be advantageous Be when the representation of the keyboard on the user interface A telephone keypad. In this way Could be, for example, a mobile telecommunication terminal Which can be used without a mechanical keyboard, And therefore, with a constant size, a considerable Larger display for graphics and data Respectively.

Furthermore, to operate the device according to the invention May be used to use a method in which The graphical user interface controls an arrangement Through which objects in the form of actions And contents are processable, the actions being executable And the contents are editable by the actions. In this case The objects in a control room are spatially And are accommodated in a juxtaposition, For which purpose their respective position in the operating room is requested. For example, a device, as exemplified in FIG Described above, for controlling one Of the display device (12, 112) Using the graphical user interface By movement of the device.

Further embodiments of the invention are in the subclaims contain.

The invention is explained in the following with reference to the accompanying figures For example. They represent:<dl tsize="6"><dt>FIG</dt><dd>12 is a plan view of a first embodiment Of the device according to the invention;</dd><dt>FIG</dt><dd>12 is a plan view of a second embodiment Of the device according to the invention;</dd><dt>FIG</dt><dd>A perspective view of the second embodiment Of the device according to the invention, Wherein, by means of a represented hand, an operating possibility Is shown.</dd></dl>

FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of the invention According to the invention Approximately square housing 10, on which an approximate Square display device 12. On this Is a reference point 14 of the device Represented by the tip of an arrow symbol 16 Is symbolized. The display device is shown by way of example 12 further includes characters recorded by means of the apparatus "Abc" "20" or a device according to the invention Recorded drawing 22.

The housing 10 has two grip cavities 30, to which it is connected Two fingers. Between the handles 30 there is a first control element 32, on which In turn two further, button-shaped operating elements 34, 36 are arranged. These control elements 34, 36 are Function keys, with which certain actions in the According to the invention, for example Corresponding to the known mosaics, which are arranged on a Computer mouse for operating a conventional graphic User interface.

In the illustrated embodiment, the operating element is 32 is stationary and is intended only for ergonomic reasons. A zoom factor that can be adjusted can be set by For example, on the side of the housing, Which is not shown in FIG. However, the operating element 32 can also be used as an alternative Can be rotated so as to reduce the size ratio between the Of the display device and the ( "Zooming") in real-time recorded position data.

When the housing 10 moves, the reference point 14 remains And accordingly the arrow 16 is stationary on the display device And the devices located in or on the device, shown in FIG Position sensors which are not shown measure the change Of the position. According to the recorded movement and a Under certain circumstances, the zoom factor set on the Display device 12 in FIG Opposite direction. Therefore, The arrow 16, and thus the reference point 14, for example On the writing or on the drawing or on any one Other point of the user interface.

If a drawing is to be taken, then according to the method described above The reference point to a desired Place. To start recording the graphic, The control element 34 is pressed, and when the control element is pressed Actuator 34 moves the housing as desired, Wherein a line corresponding to the movement is on the display device is shown. Shut the drawing of the line The operating element 34 is released again And the reference point moves to a new point. To this Any drawings or letters can be left Record and display.

In the same way, it is also possible under certain circumstances The display element serve. After passing the reference point 14 over a certain Element of the user interface, is used by means of a Of the keys 34 or 36 a desired action is initiated.

FIG. 2 shows a first exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG Similar second exemplary embodiment, Whereby the essential difference in the round design of the Housing and the round design of the display device 114 lies. Reference characters corresponding to FIG. 1 are assigned, Wherein, in the case of the reference symbols in FIG Before the corresponding reference symbol from FIG. 1 has been set.

FIG. 3 shows the second exemplary embodiment shown in FIG In perspective view and during operation shown. Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows how the device By means of thumb 140 and middle finger 144 of a hand Which respectively engage in one of the grip cavities 130. The operating elements can then be operated with the pointing finger 142 132, 134 and 136 are operated. Furthermore, FIG Surface 150 of a solid article such as a table, Respectively.

By means of mechanical or optical means mounted in the housing 110 Motion sensors, which are not shown in FIG. 3, The movement of the housing 110 relative to the surface 150 can be detected. The operation of the embodiment shown in FIG Device corresponds to the operation of the example shown in FIG FIG.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of the embodiment shown in FIG Second exemplary embodiment shown in FIG Dotted line. Specifically, FIG Two roller sensors 172, 174 for receiving the movement of the housing 110. The display device 112 is at the top Of the housing 110. The two roller sensors 172, 174 consist of approximately spherical openings 160, 166 on the underside of the housing 110 A freely rotatable ball 162, 168 is arranged whose rolling movement Of generally two each attached to the housing Sensor elements 164, 170, of which 4 but in each case only one 164, 170 is shown.

If the reference point and the first rolling sensor 172 are located For example in the center of the housing, the With the first roller sensor 172, of the movement Of the reference point, while the difference of the movements The second roll sensor 174 and the movement of the first roll sensor 172 corresponds to the rotation of the housing.

Reference list

<dl tsize="3" compact="compact"><dt>10</dt><dd>housing</dd><dt>12</dt><dd>display device</dd><dt>14</dt><dd>reference point</dd><dt>16</dt><dd>Arrow to the reference point</dd><dt>20</dt><dd>shown</dd><dt>22</dt><dd>illustrated graphic</dd><dt>30</dt><dd>Grasping handles</dd><dt>32</dt><dd>Operating element 1</dd><dt>34</dt><dd>Operating element 2</dd><dt>36</dt><dd>Operating element 3</dd><dt>110</dt><dd>housing</dd><dt>112</dt><dd>display device</dd><dt>114</dt><dd>reference point</dd><dt>116</dt><dd>Arrow to the reference point</dd><dt>120</dt><dd>shown</dd><dt>"122</dt><dd>illustrated graphic</dd><dt>130</dt><dd>Grasping handles</dd><dt>132</dt><dd>Operating element 1</dd><dt>134</dt><dd>Operating element 2</dd><dt>136</dt><dd>Operating element 3</dd><dt>140</dt><dd>thumb</dd><dt>142</dt><dd>index finger</dd><dt>144</dt><dd>middle finger</dd><dt>150</dt><dd>Surface of a solid object</dd><dt>160</dt><dd>Opening of the first roller sensor</dd><dt>162</dt><dd>Ball of the first roller sensor</dd><dt>164</dt><dd>Sensor element of the first roller sensor</dd><dt>166</dt><dd>Opening of the second roller sensor</dd><dt>168</dt><dd>Ball of the second roller sensor</dd><dt>170</dt><dd>Sensor element of the second roller sensor</dd><dt>172</dt><dd>first roll sensor</dd><dt>174</dt><dd>second roller sensor</dd></dl>