Remote control device with pointing capacity

A moveable remote control device for use in a display system that includes a display screen and a processor electronically connected to the display screen, the moveable remote control device transmitting to the processor angular orientation information of the moveable remote control device so that a selected user input function may be generated on the display screen, the remote control device comprising:

• receiving means for receiving an electromagnetic signal emitted from a remote location;
• orientation means for establishing an initial angular orientation of the remote control device, data corresponding to the initial angular orientation being transmitted from the remote control device to the processor;
• first means for measuring a first component of an angular displacement of the remote control device about a first axis and relative to the initial angular orientation;
• second means for measuring a second component of the angular displacement of the remote control device about a second axis and with respect to the initial angular orientation, the second axis being non-parallel with the first axis;
• mapping means for translating movement data for the remote control device corresponding to the first component and the second component of the angular displacement into at least cursor movement data, wherein said mapping means are dynamically modified or selected based on either (i) a particular computing task a user is performing, or (ii) a particular region of the display screen to which user input is directed;
• and
• transmitting means for sending the cursor positioning data to the processor.

A computer input system for generating a selected user input function on a display screen based on user interaction with a remote control device, the computer input system comprising:

• emitter means for emitting a signal from a first location to a remote control device at a second location, wherein the signal has an incident direction at the second location;
• receiver means for receiving from the remote control device, data corresponding to an angular displacement between the incident direction of the emitted signal and at least one selected axis of the remote control device;
• mapping means for translating the received data corresponding to angular displacement into cursor movement data, wherein said mapping means are dynamically modified or selected based on either (i) a particular computing task a user is performing, or (ii) a particular region of the display screen to which user input is directed;
• and
• processor means for generating the selected user input function on the display screen in response to the mapped data.

A computer input system for generating a selected user input function on a display screen based on user interaction with a remote control device, the computer input system comprising:

• an emitter that emits a signal from a first location to a remote control device at a second location, wherein the signal has an incident direction at the second location;
• a receiver that detects data transmitted by the remote control device, wherein the received data corresponds to an angular displacement between the incident direction of the signal and at least one selected axis of the remote control device;
• a mapping module that comprises one or more mapping functions or rules applied to the received angular displacement data when translating the received angular displacement data into cursor positioning data, wherein the mapping functions or rules are dynamically selected based on (i) a particular computing task a user is performing, or (ii) a particular region of the display screen to which user input is directed;
• and
• a processor that generates the selected user input function on the display screen in response to the mapped data.