Claims
- 1. A rotation detection system for detecting an angle of rotation of a physical object, comprising:
a rotation detection object adapted for being movably coupled to a physical object, at least a portion of the rotation detection object being moveable among two or more positions in relation to the physical object in response to gravitational pull; and a rotation detection mechanism for detecting one or more angles of rotation of the physical object when the at least a portion of the rotation detection object moves from a first one of the two or more positions to a second one of the two or more positions.
- 2. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 1, further including:
a position detection mechanism for detecting a position of the rotation detection object; wherein the rotation detection mechanism translates the position of the rotation detection object to one or more angles of rotation of the physical object.
- 3. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 2, wherein the rotation detection object is a pendulum.
- 4. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 2, wherein the rotation detection object includes a resonator that is arranged to output a resonator signal when an excitation signal with a predetermined frequency range is received by the resonator, wherein the rotation detection system further includes a transmitter for outputting the excitation signal to the resonator, and the position detection mechanism includes a receiver that is arranged to receive the resonator signal to enable the position detection mechanism to translate the resonator signal to the position of the rotation detection object.
- 5. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 2, wherein the physical object includes a resonator that is arranged to output a resonator signal when an excitation signal with a predetermined frequency range is received by the resonator, the rotation detection object includes a transmitter for outputting the excitation signal to the resonator, and the position detection mechanism includes a receiver that is arranged to receive the resonator signal and translate the resonator signal to the position of the rotation detection object.
- 6. A rotation detection system for detecting an orientation of a physical object, comprising:
a rotation detection object adapted for being movably coupled to a physical object, at least a portion of the rotation detection object being moveable among two or more positions in relation to the physical object in response to gravitational pull; and a rotation detection mechanism for detecting an orientation of the physical object when the at least a portion of the rotation detection object moves from a first one of the two or more positions to a second one of the two or more positions.
- 7. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 6, wherein the orientation indicates that the physical object is at least one of centered, turned left, turned right, upright, or upside down.
- 8. A rotation detection system for detection an orientation of a physical object, comprising:
a first rotation detection object; a second rotation detection object, at least a portion of the second rotation detection object being moveable among two or more positions in relation to the first rotation detection object in response to gravitational pull when the physical object is rotated about an axis of rotation; and a detection mechanism for detecting an orientation of the physical object from the movement of the at least a portion of the second rotation detection object in relation to the first rotation detection object.
- 9. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 8, wherein the first rotation detection object is adapted for being coupled to the physical object such that the first rotation detection object rotates with the physical object when the physical object is rotated about the axis of rotation, and the second rotation detection object maintains an angle that is fixed with respect to the ground.
- 10. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 9, wherein the second rotation detection object maintains an angle that is substantially 90 degrees with respect to the ground.
- 11. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 8, wherein the first rotation detection object is adapted for being coupled to the physical object such that the first rotation detection object rotates with the physical object when the physical object is rotated about the axis of rotation, and the second rotation detection object moves in relation to the first rotation detection object in response to gravity.
- 12. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 8, wherein the orientation indicates that the physical object has at least one of turned left, turned right, remains in an original position, remains upright, or has turned upside down
- 13. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 8, wherein the orientation indicates that the physical object has at least one of tilted left, has tilted right, has tilted forward, or has tilted backward.
- 14. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 8, wherein the second rotation detection object is rotatably coupled to the first rotation detection object, the first rotation detection object being capable of detecting a position of the second rotation detection object in relation to the first rotation detection object.
- 15. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 8, wherein the second rotation detection object includes a first end and a second end, the first end being rotatably coupled to the first rotation detection object, the first rotation detection object being capable of detecting a position of the second end of the second rotation detection object in relation to the first rotation detection object.
- 16. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 8, wherein the second rotation detection object is a pendulum.
- 17. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 8, wherein the first rotation detection object and the second rotation detection object together form a pendulum.
- 18. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 8, wherein the second rotation detection object includes an elongated member and a disk having a hole disposed therethrough and being adapted for sliding along the elongated member, the first rotation detection object being capable of detecting a position of the disk in relation to the first rotation detection object.
- 19. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 18, wherein the elongated member is curved.
- 20. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 18, wherein the elongated member is substantially straight.
- 21. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 8, wherein the second rotation detection object includes a detachable portion, the second rotation detection object having a concave surface in which the detachable portion is placed, the first rotation detection object being adapted for detecting a position of the detachable portion in relation to the first rotation detection object.
- 22. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 21, wherein the resonator changes its position along the concave surface when the physical object is rotated.
- 23. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 8, wherein the second rotation detection object includes a detachable portion, the second rotation detection object having a cavity in which the detachable portion is placed, the rotation detection system being adapted for detecting a position of the detachable portion in relation to the first rotation detection object.
- 24. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 23, wherein the cavity is substantially U-shaped.
- 25. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 23, wherein the cavity is substantially spherical.
- 26. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 23, wherein the first rotation detection object is adapted for detecting a position of the detachable portion in relation to the first rotation detection object.
- 27. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 23, wherein the detachable portion changes its position within the cavity when the physical object is rotated about an axis of rotation.
- 28. A rotation detection system for detection an angle of rotation of a physical object, comprising:
a first rotation detection object; a second rotation detection object, at least a portion of the second rotation detection object being moveable among two or more positions in relation to the first rotation detection object in response to gravitational pull when the physical object is rotated about an axis of rotation; and a rotation detection mechanism for detecting one or more angles of rotation of the physical object from the movement of the at least a portion of the second rotation detection object in relation to the first rotation detection object.
- 29. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 28, further including a position detection mechanism that detects a first coordinate of the second rotation detection object in relation to the first rotation detection object when the first rotation detection object is in a resting position and detects a second coordinate of the second rotation detection object in relation to the first rotation detection object when the first rotation detection object is tilted to a second non-resting position, and wherein the rotation detection mechanism is arranged to translate movement of the second rotation detection object from the first coordinate to the second coordinate to the one or more angles of rotation of the physical object.
- 30. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 28, wherein the one or more angles of rotation include at least one of an angle of rotation with respect to an x-coordinate and an angle of rotation with respect to a y-coordinate.
- 31. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 28, wherein the one or more angles of rotation are determined using a length of the second rotation detection object.
- 32. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 28, further including a position detection mechanism that detects a first coordinate of the second rotation detection object in relation to the first rotation detection object when the second rotation detection object is in a resting position and detects a second coordinate of the second rotation detection object in relation to the first rotation detection object when the second rotation detection object is moved to a second non-resting position, and wherein the rotation detection mechanism is arranged to translate movement of the second rotation detection object from the first coordinate to the second coordinate to the one or more angles of rotation of the physical object.
- 33. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 28, wherein the second rotation detection object moves in relation to the first rotation detection object in response to gravity and wherein the first rotation detection object includes a resonator and the second rotation detection object includes a platform arranged to output an excitation signal to the resonator, the rotation detection system further including a position detection mechanism for detecting a position of the resonator in relation to the platform when the platform outputs the excitation signal, wherein the rotation detection mechanism translates the position of the resonator to one or more angles of rotation of the physical object.
- 34. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 28, wherein the second rotation detection object includes a resonator and the first rotation detection object is a platform arranged to output an excitation signal to the resonator, the rotation detection system further including a position detection mechanism for detecting a position of the resonator in relation to the platform when the platform outputs the excitation signal, wherein the rotation detection mechanism translates the position of the resonator to one or more angles of rotation of the physical object.
- 35. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 34, wherein the second rotation detection object includes a first end and a second end, the first end being rotatably coupled to the first rotation detection object and the second end having the resonator affixed thereto.
- 36. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 34, wherein the second rotation detection object includes an elongated member and a disk having a hole disposed therethrough and being slidably coupled to the elongated member, wherein the resonator is affixed to the disk.
- 37. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 34, wherein the second rotation detection object has a concave surface in which the resonator is placed.
- 38. The rotation detection system as recited in claim 34, wherein the second rotation detection object includes a cavity in which the resonator is placed.
- 39. A method of detecting an angle of rotation of a physical object, comprising:
detecting a first position of a second object in relation to a first object when the physical object is in a first location, the second object being moveable among two or more positions in relation to the first object in response to gravitational pull when the physical object is rotated about an axis of rotation; detecting movement of the second object in relation to the first object from the first position to a second position when the physical object is in a second location upon being rotated about the axis of rotation; and ascertaining an orientation of the physical object from the movement of the second object in relation to the first object.
- 40. The method as recited in claim 39, wherein ascertaining an orientation of the physical object includes ascertaining one or more angles of rotation of the physical object.
- 41. The method as recited in claim 40, further comprising:
rotating an image of the physical object corresponding to the one or more angles of rotation of the physical object.
- 42. The method as recited in claim 39, further comprising:
modifying an image of the physical object on a display to illustrate the orientation of the physical object.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/018,023 filed Feb. 2, 1998 entitled “Computer Method and Apparatus for Interacting with a Physical System” by Piernot, et al., which is herein incorporated by reference.
[0002] This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/144,951 filed Sep. 1, 1998 entitled “Detecting Physical Object States Using Electromagnetic Sensors” by Vescovi, et al., Attorney Docket No. INT1P021, which is herein incorporated by reference.
[0003] This application is also related to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/169746 filed Dec. 8, 1999 entitled “Detecting Rotation of a Physical Object Using Gravity” by Vescovi, et al., which is herein incorporated by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60169746 |
Dec 1999 |
US |