WO2019155070A1

WO2019155070A1 - Method for configuring a mouse comprising at least four axes

Info

Publication number: WO2019155070A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/053338
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lionel Chataignier; Geoffrey Chataignier; Léo Giorgis; Hugo Loi
Original assignee: Ark
Priority date: 2018-02-12
Filing date: 2019-02-11
Publication date: 2019-08-15
Also published as: FR3077896A1; FR3077896B1

Abstract

A method for calibrating a mouse (1) for a computer (101), the mouse comprising a base plate (2) and at least one moveable part (38), the moveable part (38) being movable with respect to the base plate (2) along two separate axes, characterised in that it comprises: - a first step (E1) of recording a reference set (R) comprising displacement measurements (ORt) of the moveable part (38) with relative to the base plate (2) over a given period of use of the mouse (1); - a second step (E2) of acquiring a current displacement measurement (OP) of the moveable part (38) relative to the base plate (2); - a step (E3) of determining a theoretical displacement (OF) of the moveable part (38) relative to the base plate (2) from said reference set (R) and from the measurement of said current displacement (OP).

Description

A method of configuring a mouse comprising at least four axes

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to a method for configuring a mouse comprising at least four axes or "degrees of freedom" and for controlling a computer application such as a three-dimensional software or a video game.

State of the art

To use certain three-dimensional software, such as computer-aided design software or to play certain video games, it is known to use an advanced mouse comprising at least four degrees of freedom (in other words four axes), or even six degrees of freedom. Such a mouse comprises a sole bearing a housing to form a movable assembly in translation in a plane along two perpendicular horizontal axes, as standard so-called two-dimensional mice. The housing of such a mouse is movable relative to the sole, so as to be inclined by turning about a horizontal longitudinal axis, and rotating about a horizontal transverse axis, which constitutes two additional axes. Alternatively or additionally, the mouse may include a protruding handle on one side of the mouse and adapted to be actuated by a thumb of a user, which is still two additional axes. The mouse can emit at least as many information signals as it has degrees of freedom, which offers software control capabilities or particularly advanced video games. Such a mouse is advantageous in that it allows more varied uses than a simple two-dimensional traditional mouse. However, some users find it difficult to exploit all the freedom of movement offered by the mouse. In addition, the manufacturing tolerances of the mouse can lead to a certain inaccuracy in its use.

Object of the invention

The object of the invention is to provide a method of configuring a mouse comprising at least four degrees of freedom overcoming the above disadvantages and improving the mice and methods of configuration of such mice known from the prior art.

To this end, the invention relates to a method for calibrating a mouse for a computer, the mouse comprising a sole and at least one moving part, the moving part being movable relative to the sole along two distinct axes, characterized in that what he understands:

a first step of recording a reference set comprising measurements of displacements of the mobile part relative to the sole over a period of use of the given mouse;

a second step of acquiring a measurement of a current displacement of the moving part relative to the sole;

- A step of determining a theoretical displacement of the movable portion relative to the sole from said reference assembly and from the measurement of said current displacement. The determining step may comprise a first substep of determining the orientation of said current displacement. The determining step may comprise a second substep of determining a subset of the reference set, the subset comprising the set of displacement measurements whose orientation differs from the orientation of said displacement. current of a value strictly below a given angle, in particular whose orientation differs from the orientation of said current displacement by a value strictly less than 15 °.

The determining step may comprise a third substep of scheduling measurements of the displacements of said subset according to an increasing value of their amplitude of displacement according to the orientation of said current displacement.

The determining step may comprise a fourth substep of identifying two reference displacement measurements of said subset such as:

the displacement amplitude according to the orientation of said current displacement of a first reference displacement is less than or equal to the displacement amplitude of said current displacement,

the displacement amplitude according to the orientation of said current displacement of a second reference displacement is greater than or equal to the displacement amplitude of said current displacement,

there is no displacement measurement of said subset whose displacement amplitude according to the orientation of said current displacement either at a time strictly greater than the amplitude of displacement according to the orientation of said current displacement of the first reference displacement and strictly less than the amplitude of displacement according to the orientation of said current displacement of the second reference displacement.

The determining step may comprise a fifth substep of calculating a parameter X such that:

Op. Ü designating the displacement amplitude of said current displacement (ÔP),

THIS _j . Ü designating the amplitude of displacement according to the orientation (Ü) of said current displacement (ÔP) of the first reference displacement (ÔE _j ),

OE _{] +1} . u designating the amplitude of displacement according to the orientation (Ü) of said current displacement (ÔP) of the second reference displacement {OE _{J +} ().

The determining step may comprise a sixth substep of calculating said theoretical displacement (ÔF), the orientation of said theoretical displacement (ÔF) being identical to the orientation of the current displacement (ÔP) and / or the amplitude of the displacement theoretical being obtained by the formula:

ÔF.Ü = (J + 1- X) / n

n denoting the number of displacement measurements (E _l ) in said subset (E), j denoting a sequence number of the measurement of the first reference displacement (ÔE _j ) when the measurements of the displacements (Ô¾ of said subset (E) are classified in an increasing order of their amplitude of displacement according to the orientation (Ü ) of said current displacement (P), and j being an integer between 0 and n-1.

The invention also relates to a computer system comprising a computer, a screen and a mouse comprising a sole and a movable part, the mobile part being movable relative to the soleplate along two distinct axes, characterized in that it implements a calibration method as described above.

The invention also relates to a mouse comprising a sole and a moving part, the mobile part being movable relative to the sole along two distinct axes, characterized in that it comprises hardware and software means which implement a method of calibration as described above.

The movable portion may be an upper housing of the mouse connected to the sole by a connecting device allowing the upper housing to tilt relative to the sole along two distinct axes, or the movable portion may be a protruding handle from a sidewall of the mouse and able to incline relative to the sole along two distinct axes. The invention also relates to a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, lead it to implement the calibration method described above. The invention also relates to a computer readable recording medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, lead the computer to implement the calibration method described above.

Finally, the invention relates to a method of using a computer mouse, the mouse comprising a soleplate and at least one movable part, the movable part preferably being movable relative to the soleplate along two distinct axes, characterized in that it implements a first phase of calibration of the mouse according to a calibration method described above, for storing at least one control rule of the mouse, and a second phase of use of the mouse during a command transmitted by the mouse following a request from a user is corrected via the at least one control rule obtained by the first phase

Brief description of the drawings

These objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in detail in the following description of a particular embodiment made in a non-limiting manner in relation to the appended figures among which:

Figure 1 is a symbolic view of a computer system according to one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a three-dimensional view from above of a six-axis mouse used by the embodiment of the invention. Figure 3 is a three-dimensional bottom view of the mouse used by the embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 schematically illustrates the steps of a method of calibrating a mouse according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 represents a set of references obtained over a certain period of use of a mouse in a method of calibrating the mouse according to the embodiment of the invention.

Figures 6 to 9 show steps of the method of calibrating a mouse according to the embodiment of the invention.

Description of an embodiment

FIG. 1 illustrates a computer system 100 comprising a computer 101, a mouse 1 and a screen 102, the screen and the mouse being connected to the computer 101. By "connected", it is understood that these elements are connected to each other. so that you can exchange information. Although represented by links 103 in FIG. 1, these links can be wireless links. The computer 101 comprises a memory 104 and a microprocessor 105, in particular able to process information signals transmitted by the mouse 1. The screen is capable of projecting an image comprising a pointer (in other words, a cursor) that the you can move on the screen by pressing the mouse.

As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the mouse 1 comprises a sole 2 carrying an upper casing 3 which has a generally convex shape favoring the grip by the user. The sole 2 has a flat bottom face 4 by which it bears on a substantially horizontal plane, such as a table or a mouse pad, marked by the two horizontal perpendicular axes x and y. The mouse 1 is thus mobile in translation on this horizontal plane along the two horizontal axes perpendicular x and y. It is also mobile in rotation about an axis normal to this plane, namely the yaw axis z. The upper casing can itself be inclined in a rolling motion relative to the sole by pivoting about the horizontal transverse axis x, and it can be inclined in a pitching motion by pivoting about the horizontal longitudinal axis y. .

The upper housing 3 of the mouse 1 is connected to the sole 2 by a connecting element (not shown) which can be a solid piece of rubber or the like having a generally outer shape called diabolo or biconical. This connecting element or diabolo extends in the vertical direction z and comprises a lower end by which it is rigidly secured to the sole 2, and an upper end by which it is rigidly secured to the upper housing 3. This connecting element can allow the upper housing 3 to pivot relative to the sole 2 around the two axes x and y. In the representation given in the figures, the xy and z axes form the axes of an indirect orthogonal coordinate system, each passing through the center of symmetry C of the diabolo. It should be noted that the connection between the sole and the upper housing prohibits movement of the upper housing vertically relative to the sole, and a rotational movement about the z axis of the upper housing relative to the sole. The rotation of the upper housing 3 relative to the sole 2 about the z axis is prohibited, in particular by the fact that the sole 2 and the upper case 3 have shapes that partially fit into each other when the assembly is mounted, with a certain clearance along the x and y axes, which allows the upper housing to bow while prohibiting it to pivot relative to the sole around the z axis.

In general, the upper housing 3 comprises a housing body 5 supporting a set of actuators and a so-called upper printed circuit, which is rigidly secured to the housing body. The casing body 5 comprises a left lateral flank 7, on which the thumb of a user gripping the mouse bears. This left lateral flank 7 comprises a handle 8, located in front and extending in a direction substantially parallel to the x axis, so as to be manipulated by the thumb of the user. The handle 8 is rotatable about the vertical axis z and about the transverse axis y. The casing body 5 also comprises a convex upper face 11, which delimits together with the left lateral flank 7 a blunt edge 12 carrying two push buttons 13 and 14 situated substantially at mid-length of the left lateral flank 7, and which are also actuable by the user's thumb. The upper front part of the casing body carries, on the one hand, a rotary wheel 16 that can be manipulated by the middle finger or the index of the user having the mouse in his hand, as well as an additional pushbutton 17 located above the wheel 16. , and that the user can also operate with his middle finger or his index finger. Alternatively, the mouse could include more or fewer buttons or actuators and / or these buttons could be positioned differently on the mouse. For example, a mouse similar to the one we describe could be obtained by symmetry so that it is suitable for left-handed people. The convex upper face 1 1 of the housing body 5 is covered by an additional curved and flexible plate 18, whose front portion has two branches 19 and 21 located on either side of the wheel 16 and the push button 17. These two branches 19 and 21 respectively constitute a so-called left-click key and a so-called right-click key operable respectively by the index and the middle finger of a right-handed user having the mouse in hand. As shown in Figure 2, the two branches 19 and 21 are spaced from the front end of the housing body 5, which is here embodied in particular by a front edge 23 having a curved shape oriented transversely. The edge 23 is thus separated longitudinally from each of these keys 21 and 22 respectively by two bearing zones marked by 24 and 26 these bearing zones forming an integral part of the front of the casing body 5. The fact that the left and right click keys are separated from the front end of the upper housing by two bearing zones 24 and 26 allows the user to tilt the upper casing in roll directly exerting efforts on these bearing areas 24 and 26, that is to say without risk of clicking unexpectedly. As regards the sole 2, it also includes a sole body 25 supporting a so-called lower printed circuit and various components. As visible in particular in Figure 3, the lower face 4 of the sole body is equipped with a set of pads 27 facilitating its sliding. It is also equipped with a laser-type displacement sensor, marked 28, and with which the translational movements along the x and y axes relative to the support are measured. Furthermore, this sole 2 comprises at its front portion a connector 29 of the mini-USB type, with which the mouse can be connected to a computer so as to transmit its information, and / or to recharge a battery built into this mouse for allow it to exchange information with the computer over a wireless link.

The so-called lower printed circuit is rigidly secured to the sole and itself carries various components including a so-called lower accelerometer rigidly attached to this printed circuit. This lower printed circuit also carries components specific to the mini-USB connector, to the laser sensor 28, and to other constituents. In a similar way, the printed circuit, said upper, is rigidly secured to the housing body 5. This upper printed circuit carries an accelerometer said upper, also rigidly secured to the printed circuit that carries it, and a set of components suitable for the wheel 16, the handle 8 and the push buttons 13, 14, 17. These two printed circuits are electrically connected to one another by a connector, so that the information from the upper printed circuit, such as the depressed state of one or the other left and right clicks, the position of the wheel 16 or the position of the handle 8 are transmitted to the lower printed circuit. As a remark, the position (in other words the inclination) of the handle 8 can be determined by means for measuring an inclination known per se.

The two accelerometers are operated jointly by a computing unit, such as a microcontroller, equipping for example the lower printed circuit, to determine the inclination of the upper case 3 with respect to the base 2.

The two accelerometers are advantageously identical electronic components so as to simplify the processing of the signals they deliver. It is advantageously accelerometers in the form of MEMS electronic components of type LIS331 DLH marketed under the trademark ST®. Each accelerometer provides signals representative of the accelerations it undergoes along three orthogonal axes that are specific to it, and these signals are addressed to the microcontroller fitted to the lower printed circuit. The signals from the accelerometers are processed by the microcontroller to determine the inclination of the upper housing 3 relative to the sole 2, on the one hand around the x axis, and on the other hand around the y axis. For this purpose, the microcontroller retrieves at each moment the signals representative of the acceleration experienced by the upper accelerometer and the lower accelerometer along the x axis. It is thus clear that the accelerometers associated with the microcontroller of the mouse constitute a means of measuring the inclination of the upper case 3 relative to the sole 2. Finally, the mouse is able to transmit six information signals to the computer 101. , each corresponding to a degree of freedom of the mouse to which are added binary information signals for each of the mouse buttons and for the wheel. A first information signal comprises information relating to the translation displacement of the mouse parallel to the transverse axis x. A second information signal comprises information relating to the movement in translation of the mouse parallel to the longitudinal axis y. A third information signal comprises information relating to the rotation of the upper case about the transverse axis x. A fourth information signal comprises information relating to the rotation of the upper housing about the longitudinal axis y. A fifth information signal comprises information relating to the rotation of the handle 8 about the vertical axis z. A sixth information signal comprises information relating to the rotation of the handle 8 about the longitudinal axis y.

The computer includes a parameterization software (ie configuration software) of the mouse acting as a filter between the information signals transmitted by the mouse and the information received by other software or applications of the computer. The parameterization software makes it possible to convert the information signals from the mouse into signals that can be used directly by the various software programs. The parameterization software is stored in the memory 104 of the computer, or even the mouse, and can be executed by its microprocessor 105. It stores in an electronic memory of the mouse one or more rules allowing it to determine the signals that it must send out, to a computer, from the solicitations it receives by a user.

For example, the mouse may be used to control software for representing a three-dimensional object such as computer-aided design software. The rotation of the upper housing 3 of the mouse relative to the sole 2 may be associated with a rotation control of the three-dimensional object displayed on the screen. Thus, the user can rotate this object along two perpendicular axes to observe it from all angles. The rotation of the handle 8 may for example be associated with a translational movement control of the three-dimensional object displayed on the screen. Thus, the user can move this object in the plane of the screen by manipulating the handle 8 with his thumb. Finally, the displacement of the pointer on the screen can be associated with the movement of the mouse on a plane as is the case when using a conventional mouse. Thus, the user can also use the mouse to access different options and commands of the software. Thus, thanks to the mouse and the dedicated parameterization software, the user can use three-dimensional software using exclusively or almost exclusively the mouse whereas previously it was necessary to combine the use of the mouse with a hand and the use of a keyboard with the other hand. Therefore, the use of such software is more accessible: they can be used with computer systems without a keyboard. Access to this software also becomes possible for people with disabilities with one arm or one hand and only the other hand to work or play. Or, the user can use his other hand to generate other commands which allows to use a computer with greater efficiency. Of course, other settings of the mouse than the one we have just presented are possible to manipulate the three-dimensional object.

In the remainder of the document, the generic term "moving part" 38 will be used to designate both the upper box 3 and the lever 8, it being understood that both are movable relative to the sole plate 2. A displacement of the movable part 38 relative to the sole may be either a translational movement or a rotational movement. According to the previously described construction, the upper casing 3 and the handle 8 are both inclinable, that is to say movable in rotation relative to the base 2, along two distinct axes. The invention could, however, be transposed to a mouse equipped with a mobile part in translation along two distinct axes with respect to the sole 2. The invention could even be transposed to a mouse equipped with a moving part in a more complex movement (associating translation and rotation) with respect to the sole 2. Figure 4 schematically illustrates the steps of a calibration method of the mouse 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The calibration method comprises a first step E1, a second step E2 and a third step E3 that we will detail.

Before the calibration is preceded, it is possible to define a reference position O of the mobile part 38 of the mouse as the natural position of the mobile part 38 in the absence of user request. This reference position can for example be determined by measuring the position of the movable portion relative to the sole when the mouse is positioned on a horizontal plane and in the absence of solicitation of the user. In the first step E1, a set of references R is recorded comprising measurements of displacements

of the movable portion 38 relative to the sole 2 over a period of use of the mouse 1 given. For this purpose, measurements are taken at a given frequency of the displacement of the mobile part relative to the sole obtained by the measuring means integrated into the mouse. For example, when the moving part corresponds to the upper case 3, the inclination of the upper case 3 is measured by means of the accelerometers of the mouse. The period of use of the mouse, which could also be called the learning period , is a period long enough to be representative of the average use of the mouse. Advantageously, the period may cover the use of several software of the computer. The determination of the duration of this period and the sampling frequency results from a compromise between the memory allocated to record all the measurements, the computation capacity of the computer and the speed of realization of the calibration process.

At the end of the first step E1, we obtain the reference set R comprising all the measurements of the displacements

over the period considered. This set R can be represented on a two-dimensional graph as it appears in FIG. 5. The two dimensions of the graph correspond to the two axes according to which the mobile part 38 can move relative to the sole 2. The graph comprises several tens each cross corresponding to a measurement of a displacement In practice, the reference assembly R could contain several hundred or even thousands, or even more advantage of displacement measurement. Each movement is characterized by amplitude and orientation. According to a vector definition, the amplitude of a displacement JR JR _V can be designated by the symbol H0Æ I, the orientation of a displacement can be expressed by a unit vector whose formula

A first envelope CR can be defined as an outline of the set of measurements of displacements 0. This envelope CR includes all displacement measurements and passes through certain displacement measurements whose amplitude is maximum in a given orientation. There is no displacement measurement 0 outside the CR envelope. As a remark, it is possible to define this envelope more or less finely by choosing a more or less important number of measures to achieve this envelope. A second envelope CF represents the maximum theoretical amplitude of displacement of the moving part in all directions. Since the shape of the second envelope CF is circular and centered on the reference position O, the moving part can be theoretically inclined by the same value in all directions. We define the radius of this second envelope as being equal to 1.

By observing the shape of the CR envelope, one can interpret the use that has been made of the mouse during the learning period. Following the example of Figure 5 and considering that the mobile part refers to the upper housing 3 of the mouse, it is found that the housing has been more easily biased to the left than to the right. However, the user has never reached the theoretical maximum amplitude whatever the direction in which the upper housing 3 has been inclined. This observation can be explained on the one hand by the fact that the user does not have the dexterity or sufficient mobility of his joints to exploit the range of motion offered by the mobile part of the mouse. On the other hand, this observation can also be explained by the manufacturing tolerances of the mouse: the various measuring means integrated into the mouse do not indicate the theoretical maximum amplitude, while the moving part is moved to a stop according to a given direction.

In the second step E2, acquisition of a measurement of a current displacement ÔP of the movable part 38 with respect to the soleplate 2 is carried out. For example, the current inclination of the upper box 3 with respect to the sole 2. This current displacement is indicated by a big cross in FIG. 6. In the case in point, the current displacement ÔP is a forward and to the left inclination of the upper case 3 according to an average amplitude with respect to the theoretical maximum amplitude. This amplitude is nevertheless relatively close to the maximum amplitudes reached by the user according to this orientation during the learning period.

In the third step E3, a theoretical displacement ÔF of the moving part 38 is determined with respect to the sole 2 from said reference assembly R and from the measurement of said current displacement ÔP. This third step E3 comprises six successive substeps E31, E32, E33, E34, E35, E36 which we will now detail.

In a first substep E31, the orientation u of said current displacement ÔP is determined. This orientation Ü can be obtained by

following formula: - r. In other words, the orientation u is obtained by dividing

IIOPII

the vector ÔP by its module u thus designates a unit vector.

In a second substep E32, a subset E of the set of reference R is determined as the set of measurements of the displacements Ô £ \ whose orientation differs from the orientation of said current displacement ÔP of a value strictly less than an angle of 15 °. This angular value could nevertheless be chosen differently, in particular as a function of the number of measurements present in the reference set R. This subset E is notably identified in FIG. 6 by a contour in bold: it is a portion angular of the reference assembly R, the angle of this angular portion A being logically equal to 30 °. In a third substep E33, the measurements of the displacements Ô \ of said subset E are ordered according to an increasing value of their amplitude of displacement according to the orientation Ü of said current displacement ÔP. This amounts to calculating for each measure of the subset E the scalar product defined by Ô £ \. u and order the result of this calculation in ascending order. The results of scalar products can be represented on an axis as shown in Figure 7. Each measurement is assigned a sequence number. The measurement of the subset E having the smallest scalar product obtains the serial number "1". The measurement of the subset E having the largest scalar product obtains the order number "n", where "n" denotes the number of displacement measurements δ in said subset E.

In a fourth substep E34, two reference displacement measurements Ô¾, OE _{J +} [of said subset E are identified such that: the amplitude of displacement according to the orientation u of said current displacement ÔP of a first reference displacement Ëj 'is less than or equal to the displacement amplitude of said current displacement ÔP,

the displacement amplitude according to the orientation u of said current displacement ÔP of a second reference displacement OE _{J +} [is greater than or equal to the displacement amplitude of said current displacement ÔP, there is no displacement measurement ÔE; of said subset E whose amplitude of displacement according to the orientation Ü of said current displacement ÔP is both strictly greater than the displacement amplitude according to the orientation u of said current displacement ÔP of the first reference displacement OE _} and strictly less than the amplitude of displacement according to the orientation Ü of said current displacement OP of the second reference displacement OE _{J +} [.

In other words, the first reference displacement measure OE _} is the displacement measure having the largest scalar product with the vector u among the set of displacement measurements of the subset E whose scalar product with Ü is less than or equal to to the current displacement module || ÔP ||. The second reference displacement measurement OE _{J +} [is the displacement measurement having the smallest scalar product with the vector Ü among the set of displacement measurements of the subset E whose scalar product with Ü is greater than or equal to the module of the current move || ÔP ||. These two reference displacement measurements

and OE _{J +} [are shown in Figure 7 and Figure 8, showing in enlarged view the detail D1 of Figure 7.

As a remark, if || ÔP || <OE u then we set E0 = O, which corresponds to the center of the graph, and we continue the iteration with j = 0 and j + 1 = 1. If || ÔP || >

OE _n . u (i.e., if the amplitude of the current displacement ÔP is strictly greater than the scalar product of any of the measurements of displacement of the subset E with the vector u), then the point P is added to the set of reference R and the theoretical displacement returned by the mouse will be of value 1.

In a fifth substep E35, a parameter X is calculated such that:

OP. Ü = XOE _j . Ü + (1- X) OE _{J + 1} . Ü OP. Ü designating the displacement amplitude of said current displacement OP, ÔE _} . Ü designating the displacement amplitude according to the orientation u of said current displacement ÔP of the first reference displacement ÔE _} , OE _{] +} . ü designating the displacement amplitude according to the orientation Ü of said current displacement ÔP of the second reference displacement OE _{J +} [. In other words, X is a barycentre coefficient for positioning ÔP. Ü with respect to ÔE _} . Ü and with respect to OE _{J +} . u.

In a sixth substep E36, said theoretical displacement ÔF is calculated. the orientation of said theoretical displacement ÔF is identical to the orientation of the current displacement ÔP. The amplitude of the theoretical displacement is obtained by the formula:

Of. u = (j + 1 - X) / n "j" denoting the order number of the measurement of the first reference displacement ÔE _} and "j" being an integer between 0 and n-1.

For example, if the current measurement OP is exactly equal to OE _n , that is to say exactly equal to the displacement measurement of the subset E having the largest scalar product with Ü, the two reference displacement measurements determined in the fourth substep E34 will be OE _n _ [and OE _n and we have: j = n-1. The parameter X calculated during the fifth substep E35 will be equal to 0. The amplitude of the theoretical displacement calculated during the sixth substep will be equal to 1. Thus, whatever the orientation sector of at least 30 °, there is at least one displacement measurement of the movable part 38 included inside the the first envelope CR making it possible to obtain, at the end of the calibration process, a theoretical displacement equal to 1. This result is also illustrated in FIG. 9: the calibration method makes it possible to spread the measurements of the displacements on the entire range within the second CF envelope.

With this calibration method, it compensates for a lack of dexterity or mobility of the user and compensates for the effects of manufacturing tolerances of the mouse.

Advantageously, the method may be repeated over the use of the mouse by the user, so that the calibration of the mouse can be refined and / or modified as the user becomes accustomed to the use of the mouse. In addition, this calibration can be implemented for all the moving parts of the mouse used to provide control instructions. It is advantageously used for a mobile part in two directions. As a variant, this mobile part may be movable in one direction, or three directions, or any number of directions greater than three.

The method may be recorded as a program in the memory 104 of the computer 101 and executed by its microprocessor 105. Alternatively, the mouse may also include a memory and a microprocessor of its own containing instructions for executing the calibration process. Thus, the mouse could advantageously be used with different computers without having to start the calibration process again. The results of the calibration finally include a rule (or several rules) for transforming an instruction of real movement, received by a request of the mouse by a user, in a theoretical displacement instruction, the latter incorporating the correction performed by the calibration method. This rule is advantageously stored on an electronic memory of the mouse, or alternatively of a computer. It can be exploited by a local microprocessor, within the mouse, or by a computer.

More generally, the invention relates to a method of using a mouse, which comprises a first phase of implementation of the calibration method described above, then a second phase of use as such of the mouse during wherein a real user command is changed to a theoretical command by the result of the calibration process, so as to distribute the user's instructions over a maximum control range adapted to his personal manipulation of the mouse.

The mouse advantageously comprises software and hardware means that allow the implementation of the method described above. In particular, the mouse comprises a computer program that modifies a request transmitted by a user to an output corrected command, taking into account at least one control rule stored on its electronic memory, this at least one rule having been established by a prior calibration process.

Claims

claims

Method for calibrating a mouse (1) for a computer (101), the mouse comprising a soleplate (2) and at least one moving part (38), the movable part (38) being movable relative to the soleplate (2), preferably in at least two distinct axes, characterized in that it comprises:

a first recording step (E1) of a reference set (R) comprising displacement measurements (ÔR [) of the mobile part (38) relative to the sole (2) over a period of use of the mouse (1) given;

a second acquisition step (E2) of a measurement of a current displacement (ÔP) of the mobile part (38) with respect to the soleplate (2);

a step of determining (E3) a theoretical displacement

(ÔF) of the movable portion (38) relative to the sole (2) from said reference assembly (R) and from the measurement of said current displacement (ÔP).

2. Calibration method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the determining step (E3) comprises a first substep (E31) for determining the orientation (Ü) of said current displacement (ÔP).

Calibration method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the determining step (E3) comprises a second substep (E32) for determining a subset (E) of the set reference (R), the subset (E) comprising the set of displacement measurements (0E _t ) whose orientation differs from the orientation of said current displacement (ÔP) by a value strictly smaller than a given angle, in particular whose orientation differs from the orientation of said current displacement (ÔP) of a value strictly less than 15 °.

4. Calibration method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the determining step (E3) comprises a third substep (E33) for scheduling measurements of displacements (¾¾ of said subset (E) according to a increasing value of their amplitude of displacement according to the orientation (ü) of said current displacement (ÔP).

Calibration method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the determining step (E3) comprises a fourth substep (E34) for identifying two reference displacement measurements (ÔE _} , OE _{J +} () of said subset (E) such that:

the amplitude of displacement according to the orientation (Ü) of said current displacement (ÔP) of a first reference displacement (E _} ) is less than or equal to the displacement amplitude of said current displacement (ÔP),

the amplitude of displacement according to the orientation (Ü) of said current displacement (ÔP) of a second reference displacement {OE _{J +} () is greater than or equal to the displacement amplitude of said current displacement (ÔP),

there is no displacement measurement (ÔE ₁ ) of said subset (E) whose displacement amplitude according to the orientation (ü) of said current displacement (ÔP) is both strictly greater than the displacement amplitude according to the orientation (Ü) of said current displacement (ÔP) of the first reference displacement (ÔE _} ) and strictly less than the displacement amplitude according to the orientation (Ü) of said current displacement (ÔP) of the second reference displacement {OE _{J +} ().

6. Calibration method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the determining step (E3) comprises a fifth substep (E35) for calculating a parameter X such that:

OP. Ü = XOE _j . Ü + (1 X) OE _{J + 1} . Ü

ÔE _j. Ü designating the amplitude of displacement according to the orientation (Ü) of said current displacement (ÔP) of the first reference displacement (ÔE _j ),

7. Calibration method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the determining step (E3) comprises a sixth substep (E36) for calculating said theoretical displacement (ÔF), the orientation of said theoretical displacement (ÔF) being identical to the orientation of the current displacement (δP) and / or the magnitude of the theoretical displacement being obtained by the formula:

Of. ü = (J + 1- X) / n

n denoting the number of displacement measurements (¾¾ in said subset (E),

j denoting a sequence number of the measurement of the first reference displacement (0 £)) when the measurements of the displacements (¾¾ of said subset (E) are classified in an increasing order of their amplitude of displacement according to the orientation ( Ü) of said current displacement (ÔP), and j being an integer between 0 and n-1.

A computer system (100) comprising a computer (101), a screen (102) and a mouse (1) comprising a sole (2) and a movable portion (38), the movable portion (38) being movable relative to the sole (2) according to two distinct axes, characterized in that it implements a calibration method according to one of the preceding claims.

9. Computer system (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the movable portion (38) is an upper housing (3) of the mouse connected to the sole (2) by a connecting device allowing the upper housing (3). ) to incline relative to the sole (2) along two distinct axes, or in that the movable part (38) is a handle (8) projecting from a side (7) of the mouse (1) and adapted to tilting relative to the sole (2) along two distinct axes.

10. Mouse (1) comprising a sole and a moving part, the movable part being movable relative to the sole along two distinct axes, characterized in that it comprises hardware and software means which implement a calibration method according to one of claims 1 to 7.

A computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer (101), cause the computer to implement the calibration method according to one of claims 1 to 7.

A computer-readable recording medium (101) or mouse (1) comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer (101) or a mouse (1), cause the computer (101) or mouse to implementing the calibration method according to one of claims 1 to 7.

13. A method of using a mouse (1) for computer (101), the mouse comprising a sole (2) and at least one movable part (38), the movable part (38) being movable relative to the sole (2), characterized in that it implements a first phase of calibration of the mouse according to a calibration method according to one of claims 1 to 7, for storing in an electronic memory of the mouse (1 ) at least one control rule of the mouse, and a second phase of use of the mouse in which a request transmitted by a user to the mouse is corrected via the at least one control rule obtained by the first calibration phase.