Input apparatus, control apparatus, control system, and control method

An input apparatus to which operational information is input when a user moves the input apparatus three-dimensionally, the input apparatus comprising:

• a sensor section including sensors consisting of
• a first acceleration detection section to detect a first acceleration value of the casing in a first direction x,
• a first acceleration detection section to detect a first acceleration value ax of the casing in a first direction x,
• a first angle-related value detection section to detect a first angular velocity value ωψ as a value related to an angle of the casing about an axis in a second direction y different from the first direction x,
• a second acceleration detection section to detect a second acceleration value ay of the casing in the second direction y, and
• a second angle-related value detection section to detect a second angular velocity value ωθ a value related to an angle about an axis in the first direction x;
• and
• a distance calculation means for calculating a distance from an instant center of rotation of the input apparatus within a virtual plane including an axis along a first direction to the input apparatus, and for calculating, as the distance, a distance from the instant center of rotation of the input apparatus to the first acceleration detection section based on the first acceleration value and the first angle-related value;
• and
• a velocity calculation means for calculating a first velocity value Vx of the casing in the first direction x based on the detected first acceleration value ax and the detected first angular velocity value ωψ detected, and for calculating a second velocity value Vy of the casing in the second direction y based on the detected second acceleration value ay and the detected second angular velocity ωθ value detected according to the following relationships
• Vx=ax/Δωψ*ωψ
• Vy=ay/Δωθ*ωθ
• wherein Δωψ and Δωθ are the respective first and second direction angular velocity values that have been subjected to a differentiation operation.

A control apparatus for controlling display of a pointer displayed on a screen in accordance with information transmitted from an input apparatus including a casing, a sensor section including sensors consisting of a first acceleration detection section to detect a first acceleration value of the casing in a first direction x, a first angle-related value detection section to detect a first angular velocity value ωψ as a value related to an angle of the casing about an axis in a second direction y different from the first direction x, a second acceleration detection section to detect a second acceleration value ay of the casing in the second direction y, and a second angle-related value detection section to detect a second angular velocity value ωθ as a value related to an angle about an axis in the first direction x, and a transmission means for transmitting the information on the first acceleration value and the first angle-related value, the control apparatus comprising:

• a reception means for receiving the transmitted information on the first acceleration value and the first angle-related value;
• a calculation means for calculating a first velocity value Vx of the casing in the first direction x based on the detected first acceleration value ax and the detected first angular velocity value ωψ detected, and for calculating a second velocity value Vy of the casing in the second direction y based on the detected second acceleration value ay and the detected second angular velocity ωθ value detected according to the following relationships
• Vx=ax/Δωψ*ωψ
• Vy=ay/Δωθ*ωθ
• and
• a coordinate information generation means for generating coordinate information of the pointer on the screen, that corresponds to the calculated first velocity value,
• wherein Δωψ and Δωθ are the respective first and second direction angular velocity values that have been subjected to a differentiation operation, and
• wherein ax/Δωψ and ay/Δωθ respectively represent radius gyrations of the casing about the axes in the second and first directions respectively, the radius gyrations representing distances between respective first and second center axes of rotation whose positions change with time and the respective first and second acceleration detection sections.

A control system comprising:

• an input apparatus including
• a casing,
• a sensor section including sensors consisting of
• a first acceleration detection section to detect a first acceleration value of the casing in a first direction x,
• a first angle-related value detection section to detect a first angular velocity value ax as a value related to an angle of the casing about an axis in a second direction y different from the first direction x,
• a second acceleration detection section to detect a second acceleration value ay of the casing in the second direction y, and
• a second angle-related value detection section to detect a second angular velocity value ωθ as a value related to an angle about an axis in the first direction x,
• a calculation means for calculating a first velocity value Vx of the casing in the first direction x based on the detected first acceleration value ax and the detected first angular velocity value ωψ detected, and for calculating a second velocity value Vy of the casing in the second direction y based on the detected second acceleration value ay and the detected second angular velocity ωθ value detected according to the following relationships
• Vx=ax/Δωψ*ωψ
• Vy=ay/Δωθ*ωθ
• and
• a transmission means for transmitting information on the calculated first velocity value;
• and
• a control apparatus including
• a reception means for receiving the transmitted information on the first velocity value, and
• a coordinate information generation means for generating coordinate information of a pointer on a screen, that corresponds to the received first velocity value,
• wherein Δωψ and Δωθ are the respective first and second direction angular velocity values that have been subjected to a differentiation operation, and
• wherein ax/Δωψ and ay/Δωθ respectively represent radius gyrations of the casing about the axes in the second and first directions respectively, the radius gyrations representing distances between respective first and second center axes of rotation whose positions change with time and the respective first and second acceleration detection sections.

A control system comprising:

• an input apparatus including
• a casing,
• a sensor section including sensors consisting of
• a first acceleration detection section to detect a first acceleration value ax of the casing in a first direction x,
• a first angle-related value detection section to detect a first angular velocity value ωψ as a value related to an angle of the casing about an axis in a second direction y different from the first direction x,
• a second acceleration detection section to detect a second acceleration value ay of the casing in the second direction y, and
• a second angle-related value detection section to detect a second angular velocity value ωθ as a value related to an angle about an axis in the first direction x,
• a transmission means for transmitting information on the first acceleration value and the first angle-related value;
• and
• a control apparatus including
• a reception means for receiving the transmitted information on the first acceleration value and the first angle-related value,
• a calculation means for calculating a first velocity value Vx of the casing in the first direction x based on the detected first acceleration value ax and the detected first angular velocity value ωψ detected, and for calculating a second velocity value Vy of the casing in the second direction y based on the detected second acceleration value ay and the detected second angular velocity ωθvalue detected according to the following relationships
• Vx=ax/Δωψ*ωψ
• Vy=ay/Δωθ*ωθ
• and
• a coordinate information generation means for generating coordinate information of a pointer on a screen, that corresponds to the calculated first velocity value,
• wherein ax/Δωψ and ay/Δωθ respectively represent radius gyrations of the casing about the axes in the second and first directions respectively, the radius gyrations representing distances between respective first and second center axes of rotation whose positions change with time and the respective first and second acceleration detection sections.