Hand-held controller using sensors for hand disambiguation

Abstract

A hand-held controller includes a handle extending in a longitudinal direction. The handle is shaped and dimensioned to be grasped by a hand of a user. A ring is attached to an end of the handle and surrounds a thumb of the user when the handle is grasped by the hand of the user. The ring has an annular surface defining a plane that forms a predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal direction. The ring also has a curved outer surface. A sensor is embedded within the ring or mounted on a side surface of the handle to detect whether the hand of the user grasping the handle is a right hand of the user or a left hand of the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hand-held controller, comprising:
 a handle extending in a longitudinal direction, the handle shaped and dimensioned to be grasped by a hand of a user; and   a first sensor mounted on a first side surface of the handle and a second sensor mounted on a second side surface of the handle opposite to the first side surface, the first sensor and the second sensor configured to generate signals responsive to interactions with the hand of the user and transmit the signals to a processor to determine whether the hand of the user grasping the handle is a right hand of the user or a left hand of the user, wherein determining whether the hand of the user grasping the handle is the right hand or the left hand comprises:
 comparing a first value of a first signal generated by the first sensor and a second value of a second signal generated by the second sensor, 
 responsive to the first value being larger than the second value, determining that the hand is the right hand, and 
 responsive to the second value being larger than the first value, determining that the hand is the left hand. 
   
     
     
         2 . The hand-held controller of  claim 1 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are optical proximity sensors configured to emit infrared light. 
     
     
         3 . The hand-held controller of  claim 1 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are capacitive sensors. 
     
     
         4 . The hand-held controller of  claim 1 , wherein the hand-held controller is capable of controlling a head-mounted display. 
     
     
         5 . The hand-held controller of  claim 1 , further comprising a wireless communication interface configured to transmit wireless signals indicating whether the hand of the user grasping the handle is the right hand of the user or the left hand of the user. 
     
     
         6 . The hand-held controller of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is carried by the hand-held controller. 
     
     
         7 . The hand-held controller of  claim 1 , wherein the processors is carried by an external device that is in communication with the hand-held controller. 
     
     
         8 . The hand-held controller of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a ring attached to an end of the handle and having:
 an annular surface defining a plane that forms a predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal direction, and 
 a curved outer surface. 
   
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 determining, by a first sensor mounted on a first side surface of a handle of a hand-held controller and contacted by one of a finger or a palm of a hand of a user grasping the handle, a first signal generated responsive to the first sensor interacting with the hand;   determining, by a second sensor mounted on a second side surface of the handle of the hand-held controller and contacted by another of the finger or the palm of the hand of the user grasping the handle, a second signal generated responsive to the second sensor interacting with the hand;   determining whether the hand of the user grasping the handle is a right hand of the user or a left hand of the user, determining whether the hand of the user grasping the handle is the right hand or the left hand comprising:
 comparing a first value of a first signal generated by the first sensor and a second value of a second signal generated by the second sensor, 
 responsive to the first value being larger than the second value, determining that the hand is the right hand, and 
 responsive to the second value being larger than the first value, determining that the hand is the left hand. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are optical proximity sensors configured to emit infrared light. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are capacitive sensors. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the hand-held controller is capable of controlling a head-mounted display. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising transmitting wireless signals indicating whether the hand of the user grasping the handle is the right hand of the user or the left hand of the user. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein determining whether the hand of the user grasping the handle is the right hand or the left hand is performed by a processor that is carried by the hand-held controller. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein determining whether the hand of the user grasping the handle is the right hand or the left hand is performed by a processor that is carried by an external device that is in communication with the hand-held controller. 
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 a hand-held controller comprising:
 a handle extending in a longitudinal direction, the handle shaped and dimensioned to be grasped by a hand of a user; and 
 a first sensor mounted on a first side surface of the handle and a second sensor mounted on a second side surface of the handle opposite to the first side surface, the first sensor and the second sensor configured to generate signals responsive to interactions with the hand of the user; and 
   a processor configured to receive the signals from the first sensor and the second sensor and determine whether the hand of the user grasping the handle is a right hand of the user or a left hand of the user, wherein determining whether the hand of the user grasping the handle is the right hand or the left hand comprises:
 comparing a first value of a first signal generated by the first sensor and a second value of a second signal generated by the second sensor, 
 responsive to the first value being larger than the second value, determining that the hand is the right hand, and 
 responsive to the second value being larger than the first value, determining that the hand is the left hand. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are optical proximity sensors configured to emit infrared light. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are capacitive sensors. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a head-mounted display configured to be controlled by the hand-held controller. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is carried by the hand-held controller.