Abstract: Methods for processing information transmitted from a pointing device with at least one button towards a graphical interface operating according to received display motion coordinates and notifications are provided. A method includes intercepting sensed motion coordinates and the button status transmitted from the pointing device. The method further includes determining the display motion coordinates and the notifications based on an evolution of the sensed coordinates and an evolution of the button status, to remove an unintentional motion included in the sensed motion coordinates. The method then includes outputting the display motion coordinates and the notifications towards the graphical interface.

Abstract: A bias value associated with a sensor, e.g., a time-varying, non-zero value which is output from a sensor when it is motionless, is estimated using at least two, different bias estimating techniques. A resultant combined or selected bias estimate may then be used to compensate the biased output of the sensor in, e.g., a 3D pointing device.

Abstract: Systems and methods according to the present invention describe 3D pointing devices which enhance usability by transforming sensed motion data from a first frame of reference (e.g., the body of the 3D pointing device) into a second frame of reference (e.g., a user's frame of reference). One exemplary embodiment of the present invention removes effects associated with a tilt orientation in which the 3D pointing device is held by a user.

Abstract: A bias value associated with a sensor, e.g., a time-varying, non-zero value which is output from a sensor when it is motionless, is estimated using a ZRO-tracking filter which is a combination of a moving-average filter and a Kalman filter having at least one constraint enforced against at least one operating parameter of the Kalman filter. It achieves faster convergence on an estimated bias value and produces less estimate error after convergence. A resultant bias estimate may then be used to compensate the biased output of the sensor in, e.g., a 3D pointing device.

Abstract: A method of returning target scenes from a user link request is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: receiving a user link request on a user interface; comparing the received user link request to a plurality of entries in a lookup table; for each entry in the plurality of entries in the lookup table that matches the received user link request, identifying a target scene that corresponds to the matched entry in the lookup table; determining a closest one of the target scenes if multiple entries in the lookup table match the user link request; and transitioning to the closest target scene.

Abstract: Systems and methods according to the present invention describe 3D pointing devices which enhance usability by transforming sensed motion data from a first frame of reference (e.g., the body of the 3D pointing device) into a second frame of reference (e.g., a user's frame of reference). One exemplary embodiment of the present invention removes effects associated with a tilt orientation in which the 3D pointing device is held by a user.

Abstract: Systems and methods according to the present invention provide a control framework for organizing, selecting and launching media items including graphical user interfaces coupled with an optional 3D control device for collection of the basic control primitives of point, click, scroll, hover and zoom which permit for easy and rapid selection of media items, e.g., movies, songs etc., from large or small collections. The remote control maps natural hand movements and gestures into relevant commands while the graphical display uses images, zooming for increased/decreased levels of detail and continuity of GUI objects to provide easy organization, selection and navigation among the media items by a user.

Abstract: A 3D pointing device for use with a content delivery system is provided. The pointing device can operate in one of at least one of two modes: a first 3D or scrolling mode, and a second non-3D mode that can also be referred to as an up-down-left-right (UDLR) mode. The pointing device can include one or more directional sensors, to provide orientation and movement information. For either of the at least two modes, an optical finger navigation module is provided that can detect movement of a user's finger or object across its screen, and provides a predetermined threshold that must be exceeded before movement information is generated from the OFN module. The pointing device can generate scroll and UDLR commands based on the information from the orientation and movement sensors, as well as the OFN module, or can provide the information from the orientation and movement sensors to a user interface that can generate the appropriate scrolling or UDLR commands for use by the content delivery system.

Abstract: A method of returning target scenes from a user link request is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: receiving a user link request on a user interface; comparing the received user link request to a plurality of entries in a lookup table; for each entry in the plurality of entries in the lookup table that matches the received user link request, identifying a target scene that corresponds to the matched entry in the lookup table; determining a closest one of the target scenes if multiple entries in the lookup table match the user link request; and transitioning to the closest target scene.

Abstract: Systems and methods according to the present invention provide a control framework for organizing, selecting and launching media items including graphical user interfaces coupled with an optional 3D control device for collection of the basic control primitives of point, click, scroll, hover and zoom which permit for easy and rapid selection of media items, e.g., movies, songs etc., from large or small collections. The remote control maps natural hand movements and gestures into relevant commands while the graphical display uses images, zooming for increased/decreased levels of detail and continuity of GUI objects to provide easy organization, selection and navigation among the media items by a user.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods calibrate attitude dependent magnetometer alignment parameters of a magnetometer mounted together with other angular position sensors on a device without prior knowledge of the local magnetic field and allowing a constant but unknown offset of the yaw angle in the reference attitudes with respect to an earth-fixed coordinate system. The method includes acquiring magnetic field measurements from the magnetometer and corresponding estimated angular positions subject to an unknown yaw offset relative to a gravitational reference system. The method further includes iteratively computing a scale and vector components of a quaternion representing a misalignment matrix, an inclination angle of local magnetic field, and a yaw angle offset, using an extended Kalman filter (EKF) infrastructure with a specific designed model and constraints, based on the magnetic field measurements and the corresponding estimated angular positions.

Abstract: A method for tracking dynamic near fields and correcting a magnetic field measured together with an angular position having an unknown yaw offset relative to a gravitational reference system includes calculating a magnetic field difference between a magnetic field based on the measured magnetic field and the angular position, and a previous total magnetic field, estimating current near fields to be a sum of previous near fields and a portion of the calculated magnetic field difference, computing a magnitude difference, and an angular difference between the measured magnetic field corrected using the estimated current near fields and a fixed vector, comparing the magnitude difference and the angle difference with noise, and if the current measured magnetic field is consistent with the previously tracked magnetic near fields, updating the angular position and correcting the measured magnetic field for the current near field effects using the updated angular position.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for calibrating attitude-independent parameters of a 3-D magnetometer are provided. A calibration method includes storing and updating data related to a N×9 matrix T and a N×1 matrix U extended for each measurement with an additional row and an additional element, respectively, the additional row and the additional element being calculated based on values measured by the 3-D magnetometer for the respective measurement. The method further includes calculating analytically (1) a symmetric non-orthogonal 3×3 matrix D representing scaling and skew of the 3-D magnetometer measured values and (2) a vector b representing bias of the 3-D magnetometer measured values, using the stored data and a singular value decomposition (SVD) method.

Abstract: Systems and methods according to the present invention provide a control framework for organizing, selecting and launching media items including graphical user interfaces coupled with an optional 3D control device for collection of the basic control primitives of point, click, scroll, hover and zoom which permit for easy and rapid selection of media items, e.g., movies, songs etc., from large or small collections. The remote control maps natural hand movements and gestures into relevant commands while the graphical display uses images, zooming for increased/decreased levels of detail and continuity of GUI objects to provide easy organization, selection and navigation among the media items by a user.

Abstract: Systems and methods according to the present invention provide methods, devices and systems for delivering media content to users. Broadcast audio and video streams can be synchronized for substantially simultaneous output by users. User feedback can be used to compose playlists of synchronized media.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide techniques for associating advertisements with relevant content on a user interface. A method for placing advertisements on a user interface includes providing a user interface having a plurality of user interface screens, at least some of the plurality of user interface screens containing user-selectable control objects, and determining which of a plurality of advertisements to display on a user interface screen based on at least one of the following criteria: topical relevance, contextual relevance, path relevance and cognitive prominence.

Abstract: A forward pointing direction associated with a handheld device is estimated or determined by, for example, calculating a center of rotation of the device. A resultant combined or selected bias estimate may then be used to compensate the biased output of the sensor in, e.g., a 3D pointing device.

Abstract: A bias value associated with a sensor, e.g., a time-varying, non-zero value which is output from a sensor when it is motionless, is estimated using at least two, different bias estimating techniques. A resultant combined or selected bias estimate may then be used to compensate the biased output of the sensor in, e.g., a 3D pointing device.

Abstract: Systems and methods according to the present invention provide a user interface for scrolling through lists of information on user interfaces.

Abstract: A 3D pointing device for use with a content delivery system is provided. The pointing device can operate in one of at least one of two modes: a first 3D or scrolling mode, and a second non-3D mode that can also be referred to as an up-down-left-right (UDLR) mode. The pointing device can include one or more directional sensors, to provide orientation and movement information. For either of the at least two modes, an optical finger navigation module is provided that can detect movement of a user's finger or object across its screen, and provides a predetermined threshold that must be exceeded before movement information is generated from the OFN module. The pointing device can generate scroll and UDLR commands based on the information from the orientation and movement sensors, as well as the OFN module, or can provide the information from the orientation and movement sensors to a user interface that can generate the appropriate scrolling or UDLR commands for use by the content delivery system.