Abstract: 3D shutter glasses with a synchronization signal sent through a stereo headphone wire are presented. In some embodiments, the 3D shutter glasses receive a synchronization signal through the same wire that transmits audio data to headphones or other audio devices. The synchronization signal may be combined with the audio data through various techniques so as to not disrupt the audio a listener hears, but to still provide the data to the 3D shutter glasses to synchronize with a display.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods of use are presented for a smart shell that can be fitted by an end user to a video game controller that routes signals from various buttons or other sensors on the smart shell to a video game console. Signals can flow from the video game console back to the shell to operate tactile feedback motors, lights, or speakers. The smart shell can be clipped to the game controller by the end user and released after a game is played. The smart shell can be in the shape of a gun with sensors to determine which grips are being held and a sensor to determine if a player is holding the gun's scope to his face. Logic using the three sensors can robustly determine whether the user is holding the gun as a pistol, machine gun, or a sniper rifle, and can reflect the player's choice of style in the video game.

Abstract: Active shutter 3D glasses with multiple optical detectors, such as photodiodes, are described that detect a frame rate of a 3D television or other 3D display by using independent component analysis. The detected frame rate is used to update a clock onboard the 3D glasses that times the active shutters, thereby synchronizing the shutters to the 3D display. A switch can reverse the shutters in case the left eye/right eye images are shown oppositely.

Abstract: A headphone device includes a first and a second ear piece coupled to an assembly, wherein the assembly facilitates the placement of the first and second ear piece in relation to a user's ears. A motion transducer is coupled to the first or second ear piece, whereby the motion transducer measures real-time pitch and roll movement associated with the user's head. An electronic compass is also coupled to the first or second ear piece, and measures real-time yaw movement associated with the user's head. A processing device associated with each of the first and second ear piece processes an audio signal according to a head-related-transfer-function selected from a plurality of head-related-transfer-functions on the basis of the measured pitch, roll, and yaw movement of the user's head. The processed audio signal is then applied to the first and second ear piece, and generates a virtual three-dimensional sound corresponding to the selected head-related-transfer-function.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems, are described for tracking a video game player's head under different ambient lighting conditions and switching between tracking techniques as lighting conditions change. Based on measurements of ambient lighting conditions, a camera hooked to a game console can (1) track a player's face using facial tracking techniques, (2) track reflective material on the player's 3-D glasses, or (3) turn on or up illumination LEDs mounted on the 3-D glasses.

Abstract: Images of a least a portion of a structurally encoded pattern formed on a surface from a camera can be analyzed to determine a position of a camera. The structurally encoded pattern can include a plurality of elements. Each element can be encoded with information identifying a location and orientation of the element with respect to the surface. A computer program can identify at least a portion of one or more pattern elements in the image and determine the position of the camera relative to the surface from the information encoded in the one or more pattern elements in the image.

Abstract: A capacitive input apparatus and method are disclosed. The apparatus includes a mat and a probe. The mat has a dielectric layer sandwiched between a common conductive layer and a patterned conductive layer having a grid pattern containing plural conductive regions. Each conductive region is selectively coupled to a corresponding capacitance sensor that is responsive to a signal capacitively coupled to a corresponding one of the conductive regions. The probe can be worn on a user's feet and can change a capacitive coupling of the signal. A degree of the change of the signal varies with a degree of proximity of the probe to the corresponding one of the conductive regions. In the method, a capacitive coupling of the signal can be changed with the probe. Measurements collected from the capacitance sensor can provide input to a computer program based on values of one or more measurements.

Abstract: A magnetic input apparatus and method for a computer device are disclosed. A grid pattern of magnetic sensors can include a plurality of Hall elements. Each Hall element is selectively coupled to a Hall voltage sensor. A source of magnetic field can be placed in proximity to the grid pattern and one or more Hall voltage measurements for one or more of the regions can be collected with the Hall voltage sensor. The measurements can be analyzed to determine a position of the source of the magnetic field with respect to the grid pattern. Input can be provided to the computer program based on the determined position of the source of the magnetic field.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing input to an interactive program are presented. An interactive system includes a display for displaying an interactive program and a controller device. The position and motion of the controller device are determined based on perspective distortion of the display in captured images of the display taken at the controller. In an interactive region, various interactive zones are defined, each of which have an associated specified function for an action of the controller device. When the controller device is determined to be within one of the interactive zones, the functionality of the action of the controller device is set to the specified function associated with that interactive zone.

Abstract: Methods and systems for interfacing a controller device with an interactive program executing at a computer are presented. A controller includes a camera for capturing images of a display. The position of the controller is determined based on the perspective distortion, size, location and orientation of the display in the captured images. The controller may additionally include an IR projector and an IR camera. The IR projector generates an IR beam, which creates a projection on a surface. The IR camera captures IR images of the projection. The distance of the controller from the surface and its relative orientation are determined based on analysis of the IR images.

Abstract: A headphone device includes a first and a second ear piece coupled to an assembly, wherein the assembly facilitates the placement of the first and second ear piece in relation to a user's ears. A motion transducer is coupled to the first or second ear piece, whereby the motion transducer measures real-time pitch and roll movement associated with the user's head. An electronic compass is also coupled to the first or second ear piece, and measures real-time yaw movement associated with the user's head. A processing device associated with each of the first and second ear piece processes an audio signal according to a head-related-transfer-function selected from a plurality of head-related-transfer-functions on the basis of the measured pitch, roll, and yaw movement of the user's head. The processed audio signal is then applied to the first and second ear piece, and generates a virtual three-dimensional sound corresponding to the selected head-related-transfer-function.

Abstract: Methods and systems for communicating information through a USB device using suspend/resume states are presented. A USB host stops transmitting Start-of-Frame (SOF) packets to a USB device, causing the USB device to enter a sleep/suspend state. The USB host then restarts the transmission of SOF packets to trigger the USB device back into a normal/resume state. The USB host repeats this process in a temporal pattern corresponding to a message, such that a circuit monitoring the USB device can determine the message.

Abstract: Methods and systems for communicating information through a USB device with A/D converters are presented. Active components which provide analog signals to the A/D converters are switched off to cause spikes in the analog signals/channels. The spikes are digitized by the A/D converters and sent to the host through a USB interface. The active components are switched on and off in a pattern corresponding to a message, such that the host can determine the message from the resulting spikes. If multiple active components and A/D converters are used, then multiple ‘bits’ can be transmitted simultaneously using the different channels.

Abstract: A printed circuit board (PCB) antenna assembly having a metal shroud and a method of making the same are presented. The shroud reduces radio frequency (RF) interference from the rear of the PCB antenna while not introducing unwanted nulls in front of the antenna. The metal shroud has a back panel and two angled side panels and is set so that the back panel is parallel to the PCB antenna and set at a determined distance from the PCB antenna. The shroud can be formed by applying a metallized paint to a non-conducting cover with properly oriented surfaces.

Abstract: A wireless communication system operating within a predetermined frequency band comprises a wireless data receiving device; and two or more wireless data originating devices each having a respective unique identifier which is transmitted to the wireless data receiving device from time to time; in which: the wireless data originating devices are arranged to communicate with the wireless data receiving device on frequency channels selected from respective different subsets of the predetermined frequency band.

Abstract: A method and system are provided in which a speech recognition system and one or more other input modalities are run in parallel. The system is especially useful in easing the Chinese input obstruction due to the difficulty of conforming Chinese ideograms to typical processor system input devices. The system allows a user to concurrently input information using different modalities. For example, a user may input spoken words and written characters (or data through other modalities). Each modality produces a list of possible words and their probability of being the input. If the most probable possible word is the same for both modalities then it is selected as the input. If not, an acoustic profile of the most probable speech input or an average acoustic profile of the possible speech inputs is used to validate a possible word of the other modalities or present a list of more probable possibilities to the user. The user may modify the written characters (or other input) from the provided possibilities.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a method is provided in which a user in a system is allowed to specify a relative preference for each representation in a set of representations in which information generated from an application domain can be presented to the user. The user is allowed to configure one or more parameters associated with each representation to quantify one or more rendering features corresponding to the respective representation in one or more modalities in which information from the application domain can be presented to the user. In response to an information presentation request to present information to the user, one or more combinations of representations and modalities are selected to be used for the presentation request that can be accommodated by available resources, based upon a set of criteria including the user preferences and resource consumption estimation associated with the presentation request.

Abstract: Consumer electronic devices have been developed with enormous information processing capabilities, high quality audio and video outputs, large amounts of memory, and may also include wired and/or wireless networking capabilities. Additionally, relatively unsophisticated and inexpensive sensors, such as microphones, video camera, GPS or other position sensors, when coupled with devices having these enhanced capabilities, can be used to detect subtle features about users and their environments. A variety of audio, video, simulation and user interface paradigms have been developed to utilize the enhanced capabilities of these devices. These paradigms can be used separately or together in any combination. One paradigm automatically creating user identities using speaker identification. Another paradigm includes a control button with 3-axis pressure sensitivity for use with game controllers and other input devices.

Abstract: A method and system are provided in which a speech recognition system and one or more other input modalities are run in parallel. The system is especially useful in easing the Chinese input obstruction due to the difficulty of conforming Chinese ideograms to typical processor system input devices. The system allows a user to concurrently input information using different modalities. For example, a user may input spoken words and written characters (or data through other modalities). Each modality produces a list of possible words and their probability of being the input. If the most probable possible word is the same for both modalities then it is selected as the input. If not, an acoustic profile of the most probable speech input or an average acoustic profile of the possible speech inputs is used to validate a possible word of the other modalities or present a list of more probable possibilities to the user. The user may modify the written characters (or other input) from the provided possibilities.

Abstract: A method of scene simplification includes concurrently simplifying a plurality of objects in a scene represented by a hierarchical scene graph. The objects are represented as polygonal meshes and the hierachical scene graph includes a plurality of nodes, each node storing a mesh. The scene is a three dimensional scene and the objects are representations of three dimensional objects. Concurrently simplifying the plurality of objects includes determining an initial least level of detail polygon reduction ratio (LPPR) for at least one mesh, generating levels of detail variables for at least one mesh using the LPRR, and generating a simplified version of at least one mesh by using the levels of detail variables. The total number of polygons in a rendered scene may be set to correspond to a predetermined polygon budget.