MXPA00010533A - Control device and method of controlling an object - Google Patents

Abstract

A control device, for example a computer mouse, has image-recording means which are adapted to be moved, preferably manually, for controlling an object, for example a cursor on a computer screen, as a function of the movement of the image-recording means. The control device is adapted to record a plurality of images with partially overlapping contents when the image-recording means are being moved, the partially overlapping contents of the images enabling image-processing means to generate control signals indicating how the image-recording means have been moved. A method of controlling and a control device based on the turning of the image-recording means are also shown.

Description

DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONTROL TO CONTROL AN OBJECT FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a control device having image recording means which are adapted to move, preferably manually, to control an object as a function of the movement of the image recording means. The invention also relates to a method for controlling an object.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Currently, personal computers are usually equipped with a control device, a so-called computer mouse, which is used to position a cursor on the computer screen. The positioning is carried out by the user passing the mouse over a surface, the movement of the hand indicates how the mouse should be positioned. The mouse generates positioning signals that indicate how the mouse has moved and therefore how the cursor should be moved. Currently, the most common type of mouse has a sphere on its underside, which rotates as a result of friction against the surface when the mouse is passed over it and which in this connection drives the position detectors which they generate the positioning signals. Normally, the mouse can also be used to provide instructions to the computer through the intermediation of one or more buttons on which the user presses. Optical computer mice are also known. JP 09190277 shows an optical mouse having a CCD line detector for the X axis and a CCD line detector for the Y axis. The data recorded by means of the CCD line detectors at a certain time are compared with data recorded in a subsequent time, whereby the movement of the mouse in the X direction and in the Y direction can be determined. In this way a mouse is used to control a virtual object. However, there are other control devices whose structure is similar to that of a mouse, but which are used instead to control physical objects. Additionally, there are control devices to control objects in two dimensions, that is, in a plane, or in three dimensions, that is to say in a space. WO 98/11528 describes a control device that provides a computer with three-dimensional information. The device is based on three accelerometers which are placed in mutually perpendicular directions and which are capable of measuring the acceleration or inclination in one to three directions. The device can be placed, for example, on the user's head or can be handled by hand. A computer mouse for supplying three-dimensional information to a computer is described in the U.S. patent. 5,506,605. This computer mouse is hand held and is designed to hold freely in space. Additionally, it may comprise detectors for measuring various physical properties that are subsequently interpreted by appropriate electronic means, converted to digital format, and fed into the computer. The position of the mouse in space is determined by position detectors, which can be based on light, acceleration, gyroscopes, etc. In the embodiment described, use is made of an ultrasonic detector and a magnetic detector. Based on the information fed, the computer can subsequently generate tactile feedback in the form of vibrations, which, for example, provide the user with information related to the location of the mouse in relation to its desired location.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved control device and an improved method for controlling an object which are suitable for two-dimensional and three-dimensional control of physical as well as virtual objects. This object is achieved by control devices according to claims 1 and 23 and by a method according to claim 24. Preferred embodiments are set forth in the subclaims. In this way, according to a first aspect, the invention relates to a control device having image recording means that are adapted to be moved by a user, preferably manually, to control an object, which may be physical or virtual, as a function of the movement of the image recording media. The image recording means are adapted to record a plurality of images with partially overlapping contents when being moved, the partially overlapping contents allow the determination of how the image recording means have been moved. The invention is therefore based on the idea of using images to determine how a unit has moved. This technology can be used for two-dimensional as well as three-dimensional control. It is advantageous because it requires few detectors and no movable part. All movement information is contained in the contents of the overlapping images. Because the device records surrounding images, an "absolute" position indication is obtained, which makes it possible to detect when the image recording means are in a specific position, which, for example, is not possible when they are used. control devices based on acceleration measurement. In addition to movement, the turn can also be detected and used to control an object. In another embodiment, the control device is designed to control an object in a plane. In this case, the superimposed images allow to determine not only the movement of the image recording means but also their rotation in the plane, which, for example, is not possible when using a traditional mouse with a sphere. Accordingly, the control device is advantageously adapted to control the angular position of the object in the plane. When the device is designed for control in a plane, the image recording means is advantageously provided with a light sensitive detector means having a two-dimensional detector surface, a so-called area detector, for recording the images. In this context, a two-dimensional surface detector refers to the fact that the surface of the detector must be capable of forming an image of a surface with a matrix of pixels. CCD detectors and CMOS detectors are examples of suitable detectors. Therefore, a single detector is sufficient to provide control in a plane. In an alternate mode, the device is designed to control an object in a space. In this case also, the control device is advantageously adapted to control the angular position of the object, in whose connection the control can take place around three axes. In an economic mode, it may be sufficient that the device has two light-sensitive detectors each having a two-dimensional detection surface for recording said images in two different directions. However, for more precise control in space, it is preferable that the image recording means comprise three detectors for recording the images in three directions, preferably perpendicular. This makes it possible to determine the translation along three mutually perpendicular axes as well as the rotation around these three axes by means of relatively simple calculations. Suitably, the control device has image processing means for providing control signals to control the object. The image processing means can be located on the same physical cover as the image recording medium, the output signals from this physical cover thereby constitute the control signals for controlling the object to be controlled. However, the image processing means can also be located in another physical cover, for example in a computer whose cursor constitutes the object to be controlled, or in a computer which in turn controls, or is part of, a physical object that is controlled by means of the control device, the control signals from the image processing means constitute the control signals to control the object. In this context, it should be noted that the control signals output from the image processing means may require additional processing before they can be used for direct control of the object. The image processing means are advantageously implemented with the help of a processor and software, but can also be implemented completely with the help of hardware. The image processing means are suitably adapted to determine the relative positions of the images with the help of the contents that are partially superimposed to provide said control signals. If the control device is used for three-dimensional control, it is carried out appropriately in parallel with respect to all the detectors. The distance and direction of the movement, and therefore the current position, can be determined based on the relative positions of the images. Advantageously, the control device has a calibration mode, in which the image recording means are moved in a manner that allows the image processing means to relate the relative positions of the images with actual movement of the images. means of image registration. As an alternative, the control device could be provided with a distance meter that measures the distance to the surfaces that are being imaged with the help of the detectors, but that could, of course, be more expensive. The image processing means are suitably adapted to generate said control signals based on at least one motion vector that is obtained from the relative positions of the images. Additionally, or alternatively, the image processing means may be adapted to generate said control signals on the basis of at least one rotation indication obtained from the relative position of the images. The control signals can therefore be used to control the rotation of an object as well as its movement, which is an advantage compared to traditional mechanical computer mice. In the case of a control device for three-dimensional control, the image processing means may combine information from all the detectors with respect to the relative positions of the images in order to generate a motion vector and a rotation vector. In this way, the position of the image recording means can be determined unequivocally. In other words, the control device can perform a digitization of the movement performed by a hand when moving the image recording means in order to allow a computer to control an object based on this movement. In one embodiment, the image processing means can be adapted to generate the control signals based on the speed at which the image recording means have been moved, the speed being determined from the relative positions of the images and the frequency of image registration. Suitably, the receiver of the control signals must know that the control signals are control signals so that he will know how the signals are to be processed in a subsequent manner. Accordingly, the image processing means is preferably adapted to emit said control signals so that a receiver can identify the control signals as designed to control an object. This can be done, for example, by the use of a predetermined protocol. An advantage of using an image-based control device is that it makes it possible to determine when the image recording means are in a predetermined position., because this position can be defined by means of one or several images. For example, it is possible to detect when the image registration means have returned to their original position. For this purpose, the image processing means are adapted to store at least one reference image and to compare subsequently recorded images with this image in order to generate a signal in the case of essentially complete overlap. For example, the user can define a certain position as a reference position by pressing the button on the control device in this position. If the image recording means and the image processing means are located in different physical covers, the image recording means may advantageously comprise a transmitter for wireless transmission of images from the image recording means to the recording media. image processing. Moreover, especially if the image recording and image processing means are located in the same physical housing, it can be an advantage if the image processing means comprises a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the control signals, for example to a computer whose cursor is to be controlled. In both cases, the control device is very easy to use because no flexible disk is required for the transfer of information. For example, a user may have a personal image registration means or control device and use it with different computers or receivers of the control signals. The transmitter can be an IR transmitter, a radio transmitter, which, for example, uses the so-called Bluetooth standard or some other transmitter which is suitable for wireless transfer of information between two units located reasonably close to each other. In a preferred embodiment, the control device is a computer mouse, i.e. a device that can be connected to a computer and used to position a cursor in one, two, or several dimensions. The control device can be used in a first absolute mode or in a second relative mode. In absolute mode, the movement of the controlled object is proportional to the movement of the image recording means. In other words, the object moves in a manner corresponding to the movement of the image recording means, regardless of where they are located. In the relative mode, however, the control device is configured such that the speed or acceleration of the controlled object increases as the distance increases between the image recording means and a predefined origin of coordinates. In this way, it becomes possible to achieve a faster movement of the object by holding the image registration means farther from the predefined origin, while, at the same time, precision control can be achieved by holding the image registration means in a manner closest to the origin. According to a second aspect of the invention, it relates to a control device having image recording means that are adapted to rotate, preferably manually, to control an object as a function of the rotation of the recording means of image. The control device is adapted to record a plurality of images with partially overlapping contents when the image recording means are rotated, the contents that partially overlap the images allow the determination of how the recording means of image have rotated. This control device is therefore based on the same idea as the control device described above, but instead of controlling the object as a function of the movement of the image recording means, it is controlled as a function of its rotation. This control device can, for example, be a tracking sphere. The modalities discussed above are also applicable to a large degree to the turn control device, and the same advantages are obtained. According to a third aspect of the invention, it relates to a method for controlling an object, comprising the steps of moving a control device; registering, with the aid of the control device, a plurality of images with contents that overlap during the movement of the control device; and determining the movement of the control device with the help of the contents of the overlapping images. The same advantages as those described with respect to the devices mentioned above are obtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be described in more detail below in order to illustrate embodiments with reference to the appended drawings, in which: Figure 1 schematically shows one embodiment of a control device according to the invention. Figure 2 is a block diagram of the electronic circuitry part of a mode of the control device according to the invention. Figure 3 schematically shows a second embodiment of a control device according to the invention. Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of a control device for two-dimensional control. Figure 5 schematically shows an "open box" in which the control device of figure 3 can be used. Figure 6 shows schematically a movement of the control device according to the invention from a point (x , y, z) to a point (x + dx, y + dy, z + dz) in an orthonormal coordinate system with the axes ex, ey, and ez. Figure 7 shows schematically which translation scalars are emitted from the respective detectors when the control device moves (the index shows which detector generates the respective scalars); and Figure 8 schematically shows how the control device is designed to move in the calibration mode.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES The control device according to the invention can be implemented in modalities of essentially two main types. A first embodiment of the control device according to the invention will be described below, the mode of which is designed to be used as a two-dimensional mouse. Next, a second mode of the control device will be described, whose mode is designed to be used as a three-dimensional mouse. Finally, the operation of the two-dimensional and three-dimensional mouse will be described. In both described modes, the image recording means and the image processing means are located on the same physical cover, from which the control signals are emitted. As mentioned above, the image processing means can also be located in a separate physical cover. It is very simple for the person of skill to carry out this modification.

Design of the control device In the first embodiment of the control device shown in Figure 1, it comprises a cover 1 which has approximately the same shape as a conventional marker pen. A short side of the cover has a window 2, by means of which the images are read on the device. The window 2 is somehow sunk into the cover in order not to wear against the underlying surface. The cover 1 contains essentially an optical part 3, a part of electronic circuitry 4, and a power supply part 5. The optical part 3 comprises a light emitting diode 6, a lens system 7, a recording medium image in the form of a light-sensitive detector 8, which constitutes the interface with the electronic circuitry part 4. The task of the LED 6 is to illuminate a surface that is currently located under the window in the case where the control device It is held directly against a surface or very close to it. A diffuser 9 is mounted opposite the LED 6 to diffuse the light. The lens system 7 has the task of projecting an image of the surface located below the window 2 onto the light sensitive detector 8 as accurately as possible. In this example, the light-sensitive detector 8 comprises a square, two-dimensional CCD unit (CCD = coupled charging device) with an integrated A / D converter. Said detectors are commercially available. The detector 8 is mounted at a small angle to the sale 2 and on its own circuit board 11. The power supply to the control device is obtained from a battery 12, which is mounted in a separate compartment on the cover. The block diagram in figure 2 schematically shows the part of electronic circuitry 4. This is located on a circuit board and comprises a processor 20, which through the intermediation of a common conductor 21 is connected to a ROM 22, in which the processor programs are stored, to a read / write memory 23, which constitutes the working memory of the processor and in which the images are stored from the detector, to a logic control unit 24, as well as to the detector 8 and the LED 6. The processor 20, the common conductor 21, the memories 22 and 23, the logic control unit 24, as well as the associated software together constitute the image processing means.

The control logic unit 24 is in turn connected to a number of peripheral units, comprising a radio transceiver 26 for transferring information to / from an external computer, buttons 27, by means of which the user can control the recording means. of images and which can also be used as the control buttons of a traditional mouse, as well as an indicator 29, for example an LED, which indicates when the mouse is ready to be used. The control signals to the memories, the detector, and the peripheral units are generated in the logic control unit 24. The control logic also handles the generation and prioritization of interrupts to the processor. The buttons 27, the radio transceiver 26, and the LED 6 are accessed by writing and reading the processor in a register in the logic control unit 24. The buttons 27 generate interruptions to the processor 20 when they are activated. Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the control device according to the invention. Like the first embodiment, this embodiment comprises a pen-shaped cover 31. In addition to the window 32 on a short side of the cover, the device has two additional windows 32 'and 32. "Each of the windows 32, 32 ', 32' is somehow sunk into the cover so that it will not wear out or scratch in case the control device hits a surface when it is in use, or when it is in the inactive position. As in the previous case, the cover 1 contains essentially a part of optics 33, a part of electronic circuitry 34, and a part of power supply 5. The part of optics 33 comprises a lens package (not shown) with systems of three lenses and a set of detectors (not shown) with three light-sensitive detectors constituting the interface to the electronic circuitry part 34 for windows 32, 32 ', 32"respectively.There is no light emitting diode in this embodiment, the control device is designed to be held at a distance from the surfaces from which images are formed and, consequently, in most cases, the ambient light is sufficient to allow the images to be recorded. The lens system has the task of projecting images of the surfaces to which the windows 32, 32 ', 32"are directed on the light-sensitive detectors as accurately as possible. ble. As in the previous embodiment, the light-sensitive detectors comprise square, two-dimensional CCD units with integrated A / D converters. Each detector is mounted on its own circuit board. In this embodiment, too, the power supply to the control device is obtained from a battery, which is mounted in a separate compartment on the cover. In this second embodiment, the design of the electronic circuitry part is essentially the same as that described above with respect to the first embodiment. The electronic circuitry part is shared by all three detectors.

Application of the device as a two-dimensional mouse The device according to the first embodiment can be used as a mouse to provide movement information, by means of which a cursor can be controlled on a computer screen. The user directs the window 2 of the control device to a surface in the form of a pattern, for example a mouse pad. The user presses one of the buttons 27 to activate the image recording means whereby the processor 20 commands the LED 6 to start generating strobe pulses at a predetermined frequency, suitably at least 50 Hz. Subsequently, the The user passes the control device on the surface in the same way as if it were a traditional mouse, whereby the images with contents that are partially overlapped are recorded by the detector 8 and are stored in the read / write memory 23. The images are stored as images, that is, with the help of a plurality of pixels, each having a gray scale value on a scale from white to black. The flow chart in Figure 4 shows the operation of the two-dimensional mouse in more detail. In step 400, a starting image is recorded. In step 401, the following image is recorded. The contents of this image overlap partially with the contents of the previous image. As soon as an image has been recorded in step 401, the procedure begins to determine how it superimposes the previous image, step 402, ie in whose relative position the best match between the contents of the images is obtained. This determination is carried out by translating the images vertically and horizontally in relation to each other, and rotating the images in relation to each other. For this purpose, each position of possible overlap between the images is examined at the pixel level, and an overlay measurement is determined as follows: 1) For each pixel position that is superimposed, the gray scale values of the two pixels relevant are added if the last one is not white. Said pixel position in which none of the pixels is white is designated a plus position. 2) The gray scale sums for all plus positions are added. 3) The neighbors of each pixel position are examined. If a superimposed pixel position is not a neighbor of a plus position and consists of a pixel that is white and a pixel position that is not white, the gray scale value of the non-white pixel is subtracted, possibly multiplied by a constant, of the sum in point 2). 4) Select the overlap position that provides the highest overlap measurement as stated above. Our Swiss patent application No. 9704924-1 and the application of E.U.A. 024 641 describe an alternative way of matching the images in order to find the best overlap position. The content of those applications is incorporated herein by reference. As soon as the best overlap position between the current image and the previous image has been determined, the previous image is discarded, whereby the current image becomes the previous image in relation to the next registered image. When determining the relative position of the two images, a motion vector is obtained, which indicates how far and in which direction the image recording medium has moved between the registration of the two images. If the mouse has also been rotated between the two images, a measurement of this rotation is also obtained. Subsequently, a control signal, step 403, including the motion vector and the rotation measurement, is transmitted by the radio transceiver 26 to the computer for which the control device is operating as a mouse. The computer uses the movement vector and the rotation measurement to position the cursor on its screen. Subsequently, the flow returns to step 401. In order to increase the speed, the steps can be carried out partially in parallel, for example starting the recording of the next image while the current image is being put together with the previous image. When the mouse is activated, buttons 27 can be used as push buttons to provide instructions to the computer.

Application of the device as a three-dimensional mouse The device according to the second embodiment can be used as a mouse to provide movement information, by means of which a three-dimensional cursor can be controlled on a computer screen, that is to say on a computer screen. space. As described above, the three-dimensional mouse comprises three detectors 32, 32 ', 32"having two-dimensional, light-sensitive detection surfaces.The main axes of the detectors are oriented along the axes x-, y-, and z- in an orthogonal coordinate system and have a two-dimensional spatial resolution of nxn pixels and a time resolution of m images per second.Each lens system provides a field of vision with a viewing angle of v radians for the surface of associated detection When the device is in use, the mouse movements are carried out in an "open box" 50 according to figure 5, which is defined by at least two lateral walls 51 and 52 that are oriented to angles straight in relation to each other, and a floor 53. It is also possible that the mouse can be handled freely in space, but this requires more complicated calculation algorithms than those that will be described immediately. When the device is in use, the previous method to determine the relative position of images is used for each detector. Accordingly, the operation in this case can also be described by means of the flow chart in Figure 4, but instead of recording individual images, a set of images consisting of three images is simultaneously recorded. A motion vector and a rotation vector are thus generated with the aid of the images recorded by each light sensitive detector, whose vectors describe the movement carried out by the mouse between the registration of two consecutive images. These vectors are then included in a control signal that is transmitted to the object to be controlled by the mouse. Additionally, in order to allow the successful use of the mouse, it is necessary that the light conditions are such that the light-sensitive detectors are capable of recording images of sufficiently high quality to allow their processing as described above. In order to further facilitate the reader's understanding of how the movement of the mouse can control the object, a description of the calculations carried out to determine the movement of the mouse will be provided by way of example, with reference to Figure 6. In the calculations it is immediately assumed that the algorithm to match the image is of a simple type which for each detector simply calculates the translation of two mutually perpendicular directions between two images. Assume that the mouse is located in the position (x, y, z) and that it has a rotation that can be described by means of the orthonormal rotation matrix R. The mouse x axis therefore points in the direction R »ex , the y axis points in the direction R »ey, and the z axis points in the direction R» ez. Also suppose that between the registration of two images, the mouse carries out a translation movement and / or a rotation movement according to: (x, y, z)? (x + dx, y + dy, z + dz) R? R • dR In the local coordinate system of the mouse, the translation vectors can be defined as shown in Figure 7. The first detector records the movement in the x and y directions, the second detector records the movements in the y and z directions, and the third detector record the movements in the x and z directions. Consequently, for any triplet of consecutive images, the translation scalars (x1, y1, y2, z2, x3, x3) describe the detected movement of the mouse. The translation scalars consist of the outputs from the image matching algorithm for each detector. In order to calculate the mouse rotation, the effect of a rotation on the translation scalars. Suppose the mouse rotates through an angle a, which is small enough what sine a = a. In order to be clearer, it is also assumed that the rotation takes place around the z axis by radians az. This rotation results in the scalars: n n y2 = _ az and x3 = - az v v where n is the number of pixels along one side of the detector and v is the viewing angle of the detection surface, expressed in radians. In this way, the following applies to all axes: 0 n "V 0 n V 0 0 1 0 0 n V av i a 2 2 n n 'V 0 z2 OL, x3 0 0 n 3 n V 0 0 By knowing the values of the translation scalars, which are output signals from the image equalization algorithm, the number of pixels n of the detection surface along one side and the angle of v view of the detector, it is therefore possible to calculate a rotation vector (ax, ay, az) for the rotation of the mouse around the x-, y- and z- axes.

In addition, in order to calculate the translation movement, the functional distance from each detector to the ambient geometry must be known. The functional distance is a constant that relates the output from the image matching algorithm to the translational movement. The functional distance is determined by means of a calibration that will be described below. In the special case where the mouse moves within an "open box" 50 as described above, the functional distance corresponds to the geometric distance from the middle of the mouse to the respective walls 51, 52 and 53 of the box 50. In order to be clearer, a translation of a distance dx along the x-axis is observed. According to this, the effect of the Translation with respect to the scalars x1 and x3 will be respectively: x1 = n dx 2c? so v 2 x3 = n dx 2d? tan v_ 2 In the present, di and d3 are the functional distances from the mouse to the projected surfaces with respect to (x1, y1) and (x3, z3). The The following is obtained if this is generalized to all the axes: 2d1 tand¬ n 2d \ ad. il 2d2tan - ^ - il 23tan n 23tan - ^ - By knowing the values of the translation scalars, which are obtained as output signals of the image matching algorithm, the number of pixels n of the detection surface along one side, the field of view v of the detector and the functional distances d? -d3 to the projected surfaces, it is therefore possible to calculate a translation vector (dx, dy, dz) for the translation of the mouse along the axes x-, y and z- . To summarize, the translation scalars (x1, y1, y2, z2, x3, z3) that are obtained in the image matching, therefore depend on the rotation as well as the translation of the mouse. Knowing these and other parameters described above, we can obtain a translation vector (dx.dy.dz) and a rotation vector (ax, ay, az) solving the following system of equations, which has the capacity to solve. These vectors are then included in a control signal that is transmitted to the object controlled by the mouse, whose signal indicates the new position of the object.

The calibration, ie the calculation of the functional distances di, d2 and d3, can be carried out by moving the mouse along the edges of the open box. The mouse moves along the axes x-, y- and z- according to a sequence A-B-C shown in Figure 8. Each movement gives rise to two equations, which together give the following system of equations: d, -0.5 = n d -0.5 = n G -0.5 = n 2x tan- 2y2 tan- 2 ^ tan ^. or, +0.5 n d -0.5 = n a3 -0.5 = n 2x3 tan- 2y tan-j '2 * 3 tan ^.

This system of overdefined equations contains all the information required to calculate the values of the functional distances di, d2 and d3. Furthermore, by means of the mouse according to this mode, the user can choose at a certain moment to store the images that the detectors are currently recording in a memory. Subsequently, each group of registered images is compared to the group of stored images and when there is a complete overlap, a signal is generated to the user. This allows precision control of an object because the user can find their way back to the exact position in which the mouse was located on a previous occasion. Naturally, the same principles can be used in the case of two-dimensional control of an object. In another mouse application, only the rotation movement is detected. In this case, no calibration is required and it is sufficient to solve the equation presented above in connection with the discussion related to rotation. In this application, for example, the mouse can be mounted on a helmet or the like which is used by the user and which, for example, is used in various types of virtual reality applications.

Claims (25)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. - A control device having image recording means that are adapted to move, preferably manually, to control an object as a function of the movement of the image recording means; characterized in that the control device is adapted to register a plurality of images with partially overlapping contents when the image recording means are moved, the contents partially overlapping the images allow the determination of how the images have been moved. means of image registration.

2. A control device according to claim 1, further characterized in that the control device is adapted to control said object in a plane.

3. A control device according to claim 2, further characterized in that the control device is adapted to control the angular position of said object in said plane.

4.- A control device in accordance with the claim 2 or 3, further characterized in that it additionally comprises a light sensitive detector means (8) having a two dimensional detection surface for recording the images.

5. - A control device according to claim 1, further characterized in that the control device is designed to control said object in a space.

6. A control device according to claim 5, further characterized in that the control device is adapted to control the angular position of said object in said space.

7. A control device according to claim 5 or 6, further characterized in that it additionally comprises at least two light-sensitive detector means (8) having a two-dimensional detection surface for recording images in two different directions.

8.- A control device in accordance with the claim 5 or 6, further characterized in that it additionally comprises three light sensitive detector means (8) having a two dimensional detection surface for recording the images in three linearly independent directions.

9. A control device according to any of claims 1-8, further characterized in that it additionally comprises image processing means (20-24) for providing control signals to control said object.

10. A control device according to claim 9, further characterized in that the image processing means (20-24) are adapted to determine the relative positions of the images with the help of the contents that are partially overlapped to provide said control signals.

11. A control device according to any of claims 5-8, further characterized in that it additionally comprises image processing means (20-24) that are adapted to determine the relative positions of the images with the help of the contents which partially overlap simultaneously with respect to all of the light sensitive detector means (8) to provide said control signals.

12. A control device according to claim 11, further characterized in that the control device additionally has a calibration mode, in which the image recording means are moved in a manner that allows the processing means of image (20-24) relate the relative positions of the images with a current movement of the image recording media.

13. A control device according to any of claims 10-12, further characterized in that the image processing means (20-24) are adapted to generate control signals based on at least one motion vector that is obtains from the relative positions of the images.

14. A control device according to any of claims 10-13, further characterized in that the image processing means (20-24) are adapted to generate control signals based on at least one rotation indication obtained from the relative positions of the images.

15. A control device according to any of claims 10-14, further characterized in that the image processing means (20-24) are adapted to generate control signals based on the speed at which the means of Image registration have been moved, the speed is determined from the relative positions of the images.

16. A control device according to claims 9-15, further characterized in that the image processing means (20-24) are adapted to emit control signals in a way that allows a receiver to identify the control signals as designed to control an object.

17. A control device according to any of claims 9-16, further characterized in that the image processing means (20-24) are further adapted to store a reference image and compare images subsequently recorded with that image with in order to generate a signal in the case of an essentially complete superposition.

18. A control device according to any of claims 9-17, further characterized in that the image processing means (20-24) comprise a transmitter (26) for wireless transmission of the control signals.

19. - A control device according to any of claims 9-18, further characterized in that the image recording means comprise a transmitter (26) for wireless transmission of images to the image processing means (20-24).

20. A control device according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the control device is a mouse.

21. A control device according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the device has a first mode of operation in which the control device is adapted to control the object in a way that allows its movement to be proportional to the movement of the image recording media.

22. A control device according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the device has a second operating mode in which the control device is adapted to control the object so that the speed of its movement is proportional to the distance between the image registration means and a predefined origin.

23. A control device having image recording means that are adapted to rotate, preferably manually, to control an object as a function of the rotation of the image recording means; further characterized in that the control device is adapted to record a plurality of images with partially overlapping contents when the image recording means rotates, the contents that partially overlap the images allow to determine how the image recording means have rotated .

24.- A method for controlling an object, comprising the steps of moving a control device; registering, with the aid of the control device, a plurality of images with contents that are superimposed during the movement of the control device, and determining the movement of the control device with the help of the contents of the overlapping images.

25. A method for controlling an object according to claim 24, further characterized in that it comprises the step of determining the relative position of the images with the help of the contents that are partially overlapped to provide control signals to control the object.