Detecting the location of a user-mounted device using multiple magnetometers

Abstract

A computer-implemented method (600) for determining the location of a user-mounted device (100) includes collecting magnetic field measurements (610) associated with at least one magnetic object (110) coupled to the user-mounted device (100) using a plurality of magnetometers (300), the plurality of magnetometers (300) being configured to generate a sensing volume and associated with a magnetometer plane (310). The user-mounted device (100) is operable on an interaction surface (210) defined within the sensing volume. Additionally, the computer-implemented method (600) includes determining a user-mounted device location (630) relative to the interaction surface (210) based on magnetic object location data (620) generated from the collected magnetic field measurements, the interaction surface (210) having an interaction surface configuration in which at least two interaction surface portions (210a, 210b) are positioned at different portion distances (c1, c2) relative to the magnetometer plane (310).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims the benefit of European Patent Application No. 22306731.5, filed November 24, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the field of location tracking of passive accessories, and more particularly to a computer-implemented method for determining the location of a user-mounted device and a system for determining the location of a user-mounted device. [Background technology]

[0003] In the art of determining and / or tracking the location of a device held or worn by a user (i.e., a user-mounted device), it is known to provide multiple magnetometers to measure magnetic fields associated with magnetic objects placed within the user-mounted device. The magnetometer measurements enable the location of the magnetic objects to be determined and / or tracked within the sensing volume. In a current application, the magnetic objects may be placed within a writing device (e.g., a stylus) that a user operates on a writing support during user movement. Based on the magnetic field measurements associated with the magnetic objects, the location 30 of the writing device on the writing support may be determined and reproduced on a visual screen.

[0004] Determining and / or tracking the location of a user-mounted device using a magnetic object requires the definition of an interaction surface, i.e., the surface on which the user-mounted device operates. Magnetic objects are usually spaced apart from the interaction surface. In current applications of writing devices operating on writing supports, the interaction surface is assumed to be strictly parallel to and directly above the magnetometer plane (e.g., a plane defined by multiple magnetometers). One example would be a writing device operated directly on the display of a tablet that includes multiple magnetometers positioned below the display. However, this is rarely the case due to manufacturing tolerances for multiple magnetometers and interaction surfaces, specific magnetometer placements, non-uniform interaction surfaces, and / or specific placements of the interaction surfaces. More specifically, the multiple magnetometers may not be positioned exactly in the same magnetometer plane and / or may be positioned at an angle relative to the interaction surface. Assuming the interaction surface is strictly parallel may limit applications for determining and / or tracking the user-mounted device location. In other examples, the user-mounted device may be operated on a non-uniform interaction surface, for example, an interaction surface having a different position and / or orientation relative to the magnetometer plane (e.g., a spiral notebook used as a support for a computer mouse or as a support for a writing and / or drawing device that may include a non-uniform surface). However, assuming that the interaction surface is strictly parallel to and directly above the magnetometer plane may result in an inaccurate determination and / or tracking of the location of the user-mounted device relative to the interaction surface, and therefore an inaccurate reproduction on the viewing screen.

[0005] It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a computer-implemented method and system for determining the location of a user-carried device with greater accuracy and reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method for determining a location of a user-carried device as defined in claim 1 and to a system for determining a location of a user-carried device as defined in claim 12. The dependent claims set forth embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method for determining a location of a user-mounted device is provided. The computer-implemented method includes collecting magnetic field measurements associated with at least one magnetic object using a plurality of magnetometers. The plurality of magnetometers are configured to generate a sensing volume and are associated with a magnetometer plane. The at least one magnetic object is coupled to the user-mounted device, and the user-mounted device is operable on an interaction surface defined within the sensing volume. The computer-implemented method further includes generating magnetic object location data associated with the at least one magnetic object based on the collected magnetic field measurements. The computer-implemented method also includes determining a user-mounted device location relative to the interaction surface based on the magnetic object location data, the interaction surface having an interaction surface configuration in which at least two interaction surface portions are positioned at different partial distances relative to the magnetometer plane. Because the computer-implemented method determines the location of the user-mounted device relative to the interaction surface, taking into account the interaction surface configuration in which the at least two interaction surface portions are positioned at different partial distances relative to the magnetometer plane, the location of the user-mounted device can be determined and / or tracked with greater accuracy. Furthermore, the reproduction of the user-mounted device as a virtual object can be achieved with greater accuracy and reliability. Any manufacturing tolerances associated with multiple magnetometers and interaction surfaces, specific magnetometer placement, non-uniform interaction surfaces and / or specific placement of interaction surfaces may be considered and / or compensated for.

[0008] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a system for determining a location of a user-mounted device includes a user-mounted device operable on an interaction surface, the user-mounted device including at least one magnetic object. The system further includes a plurality of magnetometers configured to generate a sensing volume and associated with a magnetometer plane. The interaction surface is defined within the sensing volume. The plurality of magnetometers are configured to collect magnetic field measurements associated with the at least one magnetic object. The interaction surface includes an interaction surface configuration in which at least two interaction surface portions are arranged at different partial distances relative to the magnetometer plane. Furthermore, the system is configured to execute a computer-implemented method according to the first aspect of the present disclosure. When determining the location of the user-mounted device relative to the interaction surface, the system takes into account the interaction surface configuration in which the at least two interaction surface portions are arranged at different partial distances relative to the magnetometer plane. This allows the location of the user-mounted device relative to the interaction surface to be determined and / or tracked with greater accuracy. Furthermore, the reproduction of the user-mounted device as a virtual object can be achieved with greater accuracy and reliability. Any manufacturing tolerances associated with multiple magnetometers and interaction surfaces, specific magnetometer placement, non-uniform interaction surfaces and / or specific placement of interaction surfaces may be considered and / or compensated for. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] Other features will become apparent from the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this disclosure. The drawings are intended to further explain the disclosure and enable those skilled in the art to practice it. However, these drawings are intended as non-limiting examples. Common reference symbols in different figures indicate similar or similar features. [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for determining the location of a user-carried device according to the present disclosure; [Figure 2]1 is a more detailed schematic diagram of a system for determining the location of a user-carried device according to the present disclosure, wherein the interaction surface comprises a first interaction surface configuration. [Figure 3] 1 is a more detailed schematic diagram of a system for determining the location of a user-carried device according to the present disclosure, wherein the interaction surface comprises a second interaction surface configuration. [Figure 4A] 1 is a more detailed schematic diagram of a system for determining the location of a user-carried device according to the present disclosure, wherein the interaction surface comprises a first interaction surface configuration. [Figure 4B] 1 is a more detailed schematic diagram of a system for determining the location of a user-carried device according to the present disclosure, wherein the interaction surface comprises a first interaction surface configuration. [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for determining the location of another user-carried device according to the present disclosure. [Figure 6A] 1 is a schematic diagram of a user-mounted device comprising at least one magnetic object. [Figure 6B] 1 is a schematic diagram of a user-mounted device comprising at least one magnetic object. [Figure 7A] 1 is a schematic diagram of a user-mounted device comprising at least one magnetic object, the magnetic object being rotatable about a second user-mounted device axis. [Figure 7B] 1 is a schematic diagram of a user-mounted device comprising at least one magnetic object, the magnetic object being rotatable about a second user-mounted device axis. [Figure 8A] 1 is a schematic diagram of a user-mounted device comprising at least one magnetic object, the magnetic object being rotatable about a first user-mounted device axis. [Figure 8B] 1 is a schematic diagram of a user-mounted device comprising at least one magnetic object, the magnetic object being rotatable about a first user-mounted device axis. [Figure 9] 1 is a schematic diagram of a plurality of magnetometers arranged in rows and columns relative to an interactive support. [Figure 10]1 is a schematic diagram of a user-mounted device being moved over an interactive support surface. [Figure 11] 1 illustrates a computer-implemented method for determining the location of a user-equipped device, according to one aspect of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a computer-implemented method for determining the location of a user-carried device and a system for determining the location of a user-carried device according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system 10 for determining the location of a user-mounted device 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. More specifically, the system 10 may be suitable for electrically and / or electronically determining the location of a passive user-mounted device 100. In other words, the system 10 may be suitable for determining and / or tracking the location of the user-mounted device 100 within a sensing volume. The system 10 includes a user-mounted device 100 operable on an interaction surface 210. The user-mounted device 100 may include or be coupled to at least one magnetic object 110. Furthermore, the system 10 includes a plurality of magnetometers 300 configured to generate a sensing volume and associated with a magnetometer plane 310. The interaction surface 210 is defined within the sensing volume. More specifically, the plurality of magnetometers 300 may be configured to generate a sensing volume having an elliptical shape. In other words, the multiple magnetometers 300 enable measurement and tracking of a magnetic field associated with at least one magnetic object 110 within an elliptical volume, and therefore in three dimensions. An interaction surface may be disposed within this elliptical sensing / tracking volume. The multiple magnetometers 300 are configured to collect magnetic field measurements associated with at least one magnetic object 110. The interaction surface 210 comprises an interaction surface configuration in which at least two interaction surface portions 210a, 210b are disposed at different partial distances relative to a magnetometer plane 310. The first and second interaction surface configurations are described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The system 10 is configured to execute a computer-implemented method 600 for determining the location of the user-mounted device 100, which will also be described in detail below. More specifically, the system 10 is configured to collect magnetic field measurements associated with at least one magnetic object 110 using the multiple magnetometers 300. The multiple magnetometers 300 may be configured to collect magnetic field measurements associated with at least one magnetic object 110 within the sensing volume up to a maximum measurement distance. In an embodiment, the maximum measurement distance may be 18 cm, more specifically 15 cm.Furthermore, the system 10 is configured to generate magnetic object location data associated with at least one magnetic object 110 based on the collected magnetic field measurements. Additionally, the system 10 is configured to determine a user-mounted device location relative to the interaction surface 210 based on the magnetic object location data. When determining the location of the user-mounted device 100 relative to the interaction surface 210, the system 10 considers and / or takes into account the above-described interaction surface configuration in which at least two interaction surface portions 210a, 210b are positioned at different portion distances c1, c2 relative to the magnetometer plane 310. This allows the location of the user-mounted device 100 relative to the interaction surface 210 to be determined and / or tracked with greater accuracy. Furthermore, the reproduction of the user-mounted device 100 as a virtual object can be achieved with greater accuracy and reliability. Any manufacturing tolerances associated with multiple magnetometers 300 and interaction surfaces 210, specific magnetometer arrangements, non-uniform interaction surfaces 210, and / or specific arrangements of the interaction surfaces 210 can be considered and / or compensated for.

[0012] The plurality of magnetometers 300 may be fixedly disposed within a magnetometer body 320 (see, e.g., FIG. 2 ), which defines fixed positions and / or orientations of the plurality of magnetometers (300) relative to one another. A magnetometer plane 310 may be defined by a plane extending through a majority of the plurality of magnetometers 300. More specifically, the magnetometer plane 310 may extend through a center, or more specifically, a geometric center, of a majority of the plurality of magnetometers 300. In other words, a majority of the magnetometers of the plurality of magnetometers 300 may be disposed in a common plane, i.e., the magnetometer plane 310. However, one or more magnetometers of the plurality of magnetometers 300 may be spaced apart and / or tilted relative to the common plane due to, for example, manufacturing issues and / or tolerances and / or manufacturing design constraints. The magnetometer plane 310 may additionally or alternatively be defined by a plane in which most of the magnetometers of the plurality of magnetometers 300 are disposed.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1 , the system 10 may include a reference coordinate system XYZ having a first reference axis X, a second reference axis Y, and a vertical reference axis Z. The first reference axis X and the second reference axis Y may be defined on the magnetometer plane 310 and may be orthogonal to each other. The vertical reference axis Z may be orthogonal to the magnetometer plane 310. Furthermore, the vertical reference axis Z may extend through the centers of the multiple magnetometers 300. In other words, the multiple magnetometers 300 may be disposed at specific positions and / or orientations within the magnetometer body 320. The vertical axis Z may extend through the centers of the multiple magnetometers 300 disposed within the magnetometer body 320, more specifically, orthogonal to the magnetometer plane 310.

[0014] Referring to FIG. 9 , an arrangement of multiple magnetometers relative to an interaction surface 210 defined on an interaction support 200 is shown. As outlined above, the multiple magnetometers 300 are configured to measure magnetic fields associated with at least one magnetic object 110. The system 10 can be configured to determine magnetic object location data relative to a reference coordinate system XYZ based on collected magnetic field measurements within the sensing volume. The magnetic object location data can indicate a magnetic object position and / or magnetic object orientation associated with at least one magnetic object 110 relative to the reference coordinate system XYZ, more specifically, the magnetometer plane 310. The magnetic object orientation can be defined by a set of magnetic object orientation angles δ1, δ2, δ3 relative to the reference coordinate axes. More specifically, each magnetic object orientation angle δ1, δ2, δ3 can be measured between the magnetic moment vector 120 and each of the axes X, Y, and Z of the reference coordinate system XYZ. For example, as shown in FIG. 3 , the first magnetic object orientation angle δ1 may be defined between the first reference axis X and the magnetic moment vector 120, more specifically in the XZ plane. As outlined above, each magnetometer of the plurality of magnetometers 300 may be configured to measure a magnetic field associated with at least one magnetic object 110 in the direction of the first reference axis X, the second reference axis Y, and / or the perpendicular reference axis Z. In other words, each magnetometer of the plurality of magnetometers 300 may be configured to perform magnetic field measurements in the direction of one axis (i.e., one dimension), two axes (i.e., two dimensions), or three axes (i.e., three dimensions). The number of magnetometers provided may depend on the size of the interaction surface 210 on which the user-mounted device 100 operates. In other words, the larger the interaction surface 210, the more magnetometers 300 may be provided. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 , the plurality of magnetometers 300 may be arranged in rows and columns. However, it is also possible that multiple magnetometers may be randomly arranged within magnetometer body 320. A calibration procedure may be used to determine the precise location (more specifically, position and / or orientation) and measurement axis of each magnetometer within magnetometer body 320 relative to a reference coordinate system. Additionally, the sensitivity and / or offset of each magnetometer may also be calibrated.9 as being arranged in a magnetometer plane 310 (i.e., in the same plane with respect to the vertical reference axis Z). However, as outlined above, one or more of the magnetometers may be spaced apart from the magnetometer plane 310, and more specifically, spaced apart in the direction of the vertical reference axis Z.

[0015] 9, the plurality of magnetometers 300 may be arranged in rows k and columns l within the magnetometer body 320. FIG. 9 shows some magnetometers S of the plurality of magnetometers 300. k,l Each magnetometer S k,l is the vertical magnetometer axis z, which can be located at the intersection of row k and column l. M The adjacent magnetometer S k,l , S k,l+1 , S k,l-1 is the distance d along line k l,l+1 and d l,l-1 The adjacent magnetometers S k,l , S k+1,l , S k-1,l is the distance d along column l k,k+1 and d k,k-1 As outlined above, each magnetometer S k,l The distance d between k , d l may be equal or different.

[0016] The location of the user-mounted device 100 may include the device position and / or the device orientation relative to the interaction surface 210. The term "at least one magnetic object" may refer to an object that may have a component made of a magnetic material, i.e., a material having magnetic properties measurable by the magnetometers 300. The user-mounted device 100 and / or the at least one magnetic object 210 may be mobile, i.e., freely movable within the reference coordinate system XYZ. In other words, during a user action (i.e., a user action of the user-mounted device 100 and / or the at least one magnetic object 110), the location of the user-mounted device 100 relative to the interaction surface 210 may be manipulated by the user within the sensing volume.

[0017] 1, the system 10 may further comprise a processing unit 400 configured to execute a computer-implemented method 600 for determining the location of the user-equipped device 100. However, in other embodiments, the system 10 may be connectable to an external processing unit configured to execute a computer-implemented method 600 for determining the location of the user-equipped device 100.

[0018] 2 and 3 , an interaction surface 210 including an interaction surface configuration in which at least two interaction surface portions 210a, 210b are disposed at different partial distances c1, c2 relative to the magnetometer plane 310 will be described in detail. The interaction surface 210 may be at an interaction surface distance c relative to the magnetometer plane 310. The interaction surface 210 may include a first interaction surface portion 210a and at least one second interaction surface portion 210b. The first interaction surface portion 210a and the at least one second interaction surface portion 210b may be spaced apart from each other. The first interaction surface portion 210a may be disposed at a first partial distance c1 relative to the magnetometer plane 310. The second interaction surface portion 210b may be disposed at a second partial distance 210b relative to the magnetometer plane 310. More specifically, the interaction surface distance c, the first partial distance c1, and / or the second partial distance c2 may be measured orthogonally to the magnetometer plane 310. In some embodiments, two interaction surface portions 210a, 210b may be provided. In embodiments, more than two interaction surface portions may be provided.

[0019] As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the interaction surface 210 may have a first interaction surface configuration. In the first interaction surface configuration, the interaction surface 210 may be at least partially tilted with respect to the magnetometer plane 310. By partially tilted, it is meant that at least a partial surface of the interaction surface 210 may be tilted with respect to the magnetometer plane 310, while other portions of the interaction surface 210 may be, for example, parallel to the magnetometer plane 310. As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the tilt of the interaction surface 210 with respect to the magnetometer plane 310 may be measured by a tilt angle β1, more specifically in the XZ plane. The tilt of the interaction surface 210 in the reference coordinate system may be described by a set of interaction surface tilt angles β1, β2, and β3. More specifically, the first interaction surface portion 210a and at least one second interaction surface portion 210b may be positioned on the same partial plane p at different first and second partial distances c1 and c2 with respect to the magnetometer plane 310. In other words, in the first interaction surface configuration, the interaction surface 210 may be defined on a single plane in which a first interaction surface portion 210a and at least one second interaction surface portion 210b are defined.

[0020] FIG. 3 shows an interaction surface 210 with a second interaction surface configuration. In this embodiment, the interaction surface 210 may be substantially parallel to the magnetometer plane 310. However, the first interaction surface portion 210a may be disposed on a first partial plane p1 at a first partial distance c1 from the magnetometer plane 310. At least one second interaction surface portion 210b may be disposed on a second partial plane p2 at a second partial distance c2 from the magnetometer plane 310. The first partial plane p1 may be spaced apart from the second partial plane p2. As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 3, the first partial plane p1 may be substantially parallel to the second partial plane p2. In other words, the interaction surface 210 with the second interaction surface configuration may be stepped. The user-mounted device 100 may be operated on the first interaction surface portion 210a and / or the second interaction surface portion 210b (e.g., on the first or second step of the interaction surface 210). During user operation, the first interaction surface portion 210a may be positioned between the multiple magnetometers 300 and the user K. At least one second interaction surface portion 210b may be positioned to the side of the multiple magnetometers 300 and / or the magnetometer plane 310. An example of such an arrangement may be an electronic device, such as a tablet, placed on a table and equipped with multiple magnetometers. The first interaction surface portion 210a may be a surface, such as a display of the tablet, and the second interaction surface portion 210b may be a surface surrounding the tablet within the sensing volume. The user may operate the user-mounted device 100 on both the interaction surface portions 210a and 210b. The system 10 may be configured to determine the location of the user-mounted device 100 relative to the interaction surface 210, which includes both the interaction surface portions 210a and 210b, more specifically, is positioned on different planes p1 and p2.

[0021] Although not explicitly shown in the figures, a combination of a first interaction surface configuration with a second interaction surface configuration may also be possible. In one example, the interaction surface 210 may comprise a second interaction surface configuration as shown in Figure 3. However, the first interaction surface portion 210a and / or at least one second interaction surface 210b may be at least partially tilted with respect to the magnetometer plane 310, as shown in the embodiment of Figure 2.

[0022] The user-mounted device 100 may be electrically passive and / or electronically passive. Electrically passive means that the user-mounted device 100 does not include a power source (e.g., a battery) and / or a means for receiving power (e.g., wireless power transmission via an induction coil) to power the electronic functions of the user-mounted device 100. Electronically passive means that no computation or processing is performed (or occurs) on the user-mounted device 100. The at least one magnetic object 110 may be a permanent magnet. In an embodiment, the at least one magnetic object 110 may be configured to generate a non-zero magnetic field. The magnetic object may include a paramagnetic or diamagnetic material. In an embodiment, the at least one magnetic object 110 may include a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material.

[0023] The system 10 may be configured to assume contact between the user-mounted device 100 and the interaction surface 210, more specifically, taking into account the particular interaction surface configuration of the interaction surface 210 described above. The contact and / or location of the user-mounted device 100 relative to the interaction surface 210 may be determined by the system 10 executing a computer-implemented method as described below. During user activity, the system 10 may be configured to track the movement of the user-mounted device 100 relative to the interaction surface 210 over a period of time. More specifically, the system 10 may be configured to determine a trajectory of the user-mounted device 100 relative to the interaction surface 210. In an embodiment, the user-mounted device 100 may be tracked over a period of time including multiple time samples. At each time sample, the location of the user-mounted device 100 relative to the interaction surface 210 may be determined.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1-4B and 10 , the system 10 may include an interaction support 200 having an interaction support surface 230. The interaction surface 210 may be at least a partial surface of the interaction support surface 230. The interaction support 200 may not include ferromagnetic properties, e.g., ferromagnetic particles. In embodiments, the interaction support 200 may be a piece of furniture, a notebook, an electronic device, a screen, a wall, or a mouse pad. In some embodiments, the interaction support may be a portion of a keyboard, more specifically, the lower portion. The interaction surface 210 may be defined based on a first set of geometric parameters associated with the interaction support 200. More specifically, the type of the interaction support 200 may be a known type, such as a notebook or a mouse pad. Such an interaction support 200 may be defined by a set of predetermined geometric parameters. A partial surface of the interaction support surface 230 may be used as the interaction surface 210. Thus, the set of predetermined parameters may include data, more specifically, geometric data, associated with the interaction surface configuration of the interaction surface 210. As an example, these parameters may indicate the position and / or orientation of the interaction surface 210 relative to a reference coordinate system XYZ. In an embodiment, the first set of geometric parameters may be determined by interaction surface recognition, described below. In an embodiment, the user-mounted device 100 may be a computer mouse, a keyboard, a toy, a stylus, or a dial. In an embodiment, the user-mounted device 100 may be an accessory tool, for example, a ruler.

[0025] 1, the system 10 may be configured to track the movement of the at least one magnetic object 110 in at least five degrees of freedom. The at least five degrees of freedom may include a translation of the at least one magnetic object 110 along a first reference axis X, a second reference axis Y, and a perpendicular reference axis Z, a first rotation about the first reference axis X, and a second rotation about the second reference axis Y.

[0026] For example, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4A, and 4B, at least one magnetic object 110 may have a magnetic moment vector 120 and / or a magnetic object position vector associated with the magnetic field of the at least one magnetic object 110. More specifically, the system 10 may be configured to determine the magnetic moment vector 120 and / or the magnetic object position vector based on magnetic field measurements. The system 10 may be configured to implement a mathematical model relating each measurement of a magnetometer of the plurality of magnetometers 300 to the location (more specifically, the position and / or the orientation) of the at least one magnetic object 110 in a reference coordinate system XYZ. The model may typically be constructed from physical equations of electromagnetics, more specifically, equations of magnetostatics. To establish this model, the at least one magnetic object 110 may be approximated by a dipole. Each magnetometer of the plurality of magnetometers 300 may be a vector magnetometer and may be configured to measure magnetic fields in one, two, or three dimensions (as already described above). The magnetic moment vector 120 may define a magnetic object orientation and / or a magnetic object strength (e.g., the magnetic field strength of the magnetic object 110) relative to a reference coordinate system XYZ, more specifically, relative to the magnetometer plane 310. The magnetic object position vector may define a magnetic object position and / or a magnetic object distance relative to a reference coordinate system XYZ, more specifically, relative to the magnetometer plane 310.

[0027] 2, the interaction surface 210 may comprise an interaction surface coordinate system in which the interaction surface 210 is oriented along a first interaction surface axis x s and the first interaction surface axis x s The second interaction surface axis y is perpendicular to s The vertical interaction surface axis z s may be orthogonal to the interaction surface 210.

[0028] A first relative orientation of the at least one magnetic object 110 with respect to the interaction surface 210 may be defined based on a first set of tilt angles θ1, θ2, θ3. More specifically, the first set of tilt angles may be defined between the determined magnetic moment vector 120 and the interaction surface 210. In the example shown in FIG. 2, θ1 is the angle of the first interaction surface axis x s and the magnetic moment vector 120, specifically in the XZ plane. More specifically, the first interaction surface axis x s The orientation of magnetic moment vector 120 relative to the

[0029] 6A to 8B, the user-carried device 100 is configured to move along a first device axis x d and the first device axis x d The second device axis, y, is perpendicular to d and the vertical device axis z d and a vertical device axis z d may be perpendicular to the device contact surface or contact point 130 and / or perpendicular to the first device axis x d and the second device axis y d The device contact surface or contact point 130 may be a part of the user-mounted device that may contact the interaction surface 210 during a user action. In the example shown in FIGS. 6A-8B where the user-mounted device 100 may be a computer mouse, the user-mounted device 100 may have a contact surface 130 that contacts the interaction surface 210. In the example shown in FIG. 2 where the user-mounted device 100 may be a writing device where only the writing tip of the writing device contacts the interaction surface 210 during a user action, the user-mounted device 100 may have a contact point 130 that contacts the interaction surface 210. The device coordinate system may be defined within the geometric center of the user-mounted device 100.

[0030] 10, the movement of the user-mounted device 100 on the interaction surface 10 is shown. In this embodiment, the user-mounted device 100 may be a computer mouse. The user-mounted device 100 may include a first control feature 140a and a second control feature 140b (described in more detail below). During user movement, the user-mounted device 100 moves to a position x on the interaction surface 210. d , y d From position dx d , dy d The system 10 may be configured to track this movement based on the magnetic object location data.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 6A to 8B , the user-mounted device 100 may include a housing 150. At least one magnetic object 110 may be disposed in the housing 150. In another embodiment, the at least one magnetic object 110 may be coupled to the housing 150. In an initial state of the user-mounted device 100, a second relative position and / or a second relative orientation of the at least one magnetic object 110 with respect to the user-mounted device 100 may be defined based on a second set of geometric parameters. The second set of geometric parameters may define the geometric position and / or the geometric orientation of the at least one magnetic object 110 with respect to the user-mounted device 100. The second relative orientation of the at least one magnetic object 110 with respect to the user-mounted device 210 may be defined based on a second set of tilt angles γ1, γ2, and γ3. More specifically, the second set of tilt angles γ1, γ2, and γ3 may be measured between the magnetic moment vector 120 and each axis of the device coordinate system 210. In the examples shown in FIGS. 6A and 7A, γ is the vertical device axis z d and magnetic moment vector 120. In the initial state of user-carried device 100, magnetic moment vector 120 is oriented along the vertical device axis z d It may be tilted relative to

[0032] However, in other embodiments, for example, as shown in FIG. 6B, in the initial state of user-carried device 100, magnetic moment vector 120 is aligned with the vertical device axis z d In one embodiment, in the initial state of the user-mounted device 100, at least one magnetic object 100 may extend parallel to the vertical device axis z d extends through magnetic moment vector 120. However, in other embodiments, in the initial state of user-mounted device 100, at least one magnetic object 110 may be arranged within housing 150 such that magnetic moment vector 120 is aligned with the vertical device axis z. d 6B).

[0033] 6A to 8B, at least one magnetic object 110 may be movable relative to the user-mounted device 100, more specifically, at least one magnetic object 110 may be rotatable and / or translatable relative to the user-mounted device 100 (and / or the housing 150). The user-mounted device 100 may be in an initial state when at least one magnetic object 110 is at an initial location relative to the user-mounted device 100, more specifically, the housing 150. In other words, the user-mounted device 100 may be in an initial state when at least one magnetic object 110 is not rotated and / or translated relative to the user-mounted device 100. As described above, the device coordinate system may be defined at the geometric center of the user-mounted device 100. In the initial state, the at least one magnetic object 110 may be tilted and / or spaced apart from the device coordinate system and / or the geometric center of the user-mounted device 100. The user-mounted device 100 may be in an active state when at least one magnetic object 110 is at an active location relative to the initial location (and / or relative to the user-mounted device 100 and / or housing 150). In other words, the user-mounted device 100 may be in an active state when at least one magnetic object 110 is rotated and / or translated relative to the user-mounted device 100, more specifically from the initial location. In the active state, the magnetic object orientation and / or magnetic object position of the at least one magnetic object 110 relative to the device coordinate system may be different compared to the initial state.

[0034] 6B illustrates a translation 160 of at least one magnetic object relative to the device coordinate system from an initial location to an actuation location. In the example of FIG. 6B, a second magnetic object 110b may be disposed within the housing 150 and is translated from the initial location to the actuation location. The second magnetic object 110b is aligned with the first device axis x d and the perpendicular device axis z d Such a translation 160 from the initial location to the actuation location is expressed as dx m and dz mAlthough only the second magnetic object 110b has been described, the above-mentioned features may equally apply to the at least one magnetic object 110. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the at least one magnetic object 110 may be fixedly disposed within the housing 150. In this case, the at least one magnetic object 110 may not be translatable 160 and / or rotatable relative to the user-mounted device 100 (and / or the housing 150).

[0035] 7A-8B, rotation of at least one magnetic object 110 relative to the user-mounted device 100 and / or housing 150 is shown. In FIGS. 7A and 7B, the at least one magnetic object 110 rotates about a second device axis y d 7A, in the initial state, the at least one magnetic object 110 is aligned with the magnetic moment vector 120 perpendicular to the device axis z. d Note that in its initial location, the at least one magnetic object 110 is tilted by an angle γ measured between the vertical device axis z d 7A and 7B, first rotation 170 may be defined by a first rotation angle α1 measured between the initial location (i.e., the initial position and / or orientation of the magnetic moment vector in the initial state) and magnetic moment vector 120. In FIG. 7A, first rotation angle α1 may have a positive value. In FIG. 7B, first rotation angle α1 may have a negative value.

[0036] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, at its initial location and / or initial state, the at least one magnetic object 110 is aligned with the vertical device axis z d In other words, the first device axis x d The tilt angle γ2 about the first device axis x may be 0. The at least one magnetic object 110 may be d, from the initial location to the actuation location. Such second rotation 180 is performed about the vertical device axis z d and the magnetic moment vector 120. In FIG. 8A, the second rotation angle α2 may have a positive value, and in FIG. 8B, the second rotation angle α2 may have a negative value. It should be understood that, although not explicitly shown in the figures, combinations of the above-described rotations 170, 180 and / or translations 160 are also possible. The translation 160 of the at least one magnetic object 110 from the initial location to the actuation location is, in the example of FIG. 6B, about the first device axis x d and the vertical device axis z d However, the device axis x d , y d , z d More specifically, the first device axis x d , the second device axis y d and / or the vertical device axis z d Any combination of translations along may be possible.

[0037] The system 10 may be configured to detect the translation 160 and / or rotation 170, 180 of at least one magnetic object 110 relative to the user-mounted device 100. Referring again to FIG. 6B , the user-mounted device 100 may include at least two magnetic objects 110a, 110b having different relative orientations. The system 10 may be configured to determine magnetic object location data for each of the at least two magnetic objects 110a, 110b. More specifically, the system 10 may be configured to determine the magnetic moment vectors 120a, 120b for each of the at least two magnetic objects 110a, 110b. Furthermore, the system 10 may be configured to determine the magnetic object position, magnetic object orientation, and / or magnetic object distance of each of the at least two magnetic objects 110a, 110b relative to a reference coordinate system XYZ, more specifically, the magnetometer plane 310 and / or the interaction surface 210. As shown in FIG. 6B , the first magnetic object 110a may have a first magnetic moment vector 120a. The second magnetic object 110b may have a second magnetic moment vector 120b. The first magnetic moment vector 120a may be tilted relative to the second magnetic moment vector 120b. In the example shown in FIG. 6B , the first magnetic moment vector 120a may be substantially perpendicular to the second magnetic moment vector 120b. The first magnetic object 110a may be fixedly coupled to the user-mounted device 100. This means that the first magnetic object 110a may not be rotatable and / or translatable relative to the user-mounted device 100. The first magnetic object 110b may be disposed within the housing 150. The second magnetic object 110b may be rotatable and / or translatable relative to the user-mounted device 100 and / or the first magnetic object 110a.

[0038] The system 10 may be configured to track the movement of each of the at least two magnetic objects 110a, 110b with at least five degrees of freedom. The system 10 may be configured to track the movement of the at least two magnetic objects 110a, 110b with at least six degrees of freedom. In addition to the at least five degrees of freedom defined above, a user-mounted device 100 comprising at least two magnetic objects 110a, 110b may enable determining a third relative position and / or a third relative orientation of the at least two magnetic objects 110a, 110b with respect to each other. Each of the at least two magnetic objects 110a, 110b may have a magnetic field that may differ in strength and / or shape. The system 10 may be configured to distinguish between the magnetic objects based on their magnetic field strength and / or magnetic field shape.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 1-5 , the user-mounted device 100 may include at least one manipulation feature 140, more specifically, at least one manipulation feature coupled to the housing 150. The at least one manipulation feature 140 may be translatable and / or rotatable relative to the user-mounted device 100, more specifically, relative to the housing 150. The at least one magnetic object 110 may be coupled to the at least one manipulation feature 140. More specifically, the at least one magnetic object 110 may be operatively, e.g., mechanically, coupled to the at least one manipulation feature 140. The translation and / or rotation of the at least one manipulation feature 140 relative to the housing 150 may cause the translation and / or rotation of the at least one magnetic object 110 relative to the housing 150. The at least one manipulation feature 140 may be actuated by a user. In an initial state of the user-mounted device 100, the at least one manipulation feature 140 and / or the at least one magnetic object 110 may be at an initial location. In the actuation state of the user-mounted device 100, at least one operation feature 140 and / or at least one magnetic object 110 may be at an actuation location. In other words, when at least one operation feature 140 is not actuated by the user, the user-mounted device may be in an initial state. More specifically, in the initial state, at least one operation feature 140 and / or at least one magnetic object 110 may be at an initial location. When at least one operation feature 140 is actuated by the user, the user-mounted device 100 may be in an actuation state. More specifically, in the actuation state, at least one operation feature 140 and / or at least one magnetic object 110 may be at an actuation location. Referring to the example shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B , the actuation of at least one operation feature 140 may cause a rotation of the user-mounted device 100 along the second device axis y 110 as described above. d Depending on the direction of actuation of the at least one manipulation feature 140, the first rotation angle α1 may have a positive or negative value. Additionally or alternatively, with reference to FIGS. 8A and 8B , actuation of the at least one manipulation feature 140 may result in a first rotation 170 about the first device axis x dDepending on the direction of actuation of the at least one manipulation feature 140, the second rotation angle α2 may have a positive or negative value. Referring to FIG. 6B, actuation of the at least one manipulation feature may result in a second rotation 180 about the first device axis x d , the second device axis y d , and / or the vertical device axis z d may result in a translation 160 of the at least one magnetic object 110 along the

[0040] The user-mounted device 100 may include a biasing element (not shown) configured to bias at least one manipulation feature 140 and / or at least one magnetic object 110 from an actuated location to an initial location, more specifically, when the at least one manipulation feature 140 is not actuated. More specifically, when a user actuates (e.g., applies a force to) the at least one manipulation feature 140, the at least one manipulation feature 140 and the at least one magnetic object 110 may be moved from the initial location to the actuated location. In this case, the biasing element may be biased. When the user releases the force on the at least one manipulation feature 140, the at least one manipulation feature 140 and the at least one magnetic object 140 may be biased from the actuated location to the initial location.

[0041] In an embodiment, the user-mounted device 100 may include a plurality of operation features 140a, 140b, 140c, and 140d. At least one magnetic object 110 may be coupled to one or more of the operation features 140a, 140b, 140c, and 140d. The user-mounted device 100 may include an equal or fewer number of magnetic objects 110 than the number of operation features 140. In an embodiment, at least one magnetic object 110 may be coupled to at least two of the operation features 140a, 140b, 140c, and 140d. In an embodiment, the user-mounted device 100 may include a plurality of magnetic objects 110, and the user-mounted device 100 may include a plurality of operation features 140a, 140b, 140c, and 140d. Each magnetic object of the plurality of magnetic objects 110 may be coupled to one or more of the plurality of manipulation features 140a, 140b, 140c, 140d.

[0042] At least one manipulation feature 140 may be associated with at least one trigger event. The system 10 may be configured to determine an individual trigger event based on the translation and / or rotation of the at least one magnetic object 110 relative to the user-mounted device 100 described above, more specifically, caused by the translation of the at least one manipulation feature 140 operably coupled to the at least one magnetic object 110. More specifically, the system 10 may be configured to determine a positional and / or rotational deviation between an initial location and an activation location. In other words, a specific translation and / or rotation of the at least one magnetic object 110 relative to the user-mounted device 100 may be detectable by the system 10. Based on the detected specific translation and / or rotation, the system 10 may be configured to convert this movement into a trigger event associated with the translation and / or rotation. In one example, the system 10 may be coupled to a database. The database may include data associating at least one trigger event with a specific translation and / or rotation of the at least one magnetic object 110 from the initial location to the activation location. The system 10 may be configured to transmit data to and / or receive data from a database. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, a first rotation 170 may be associated with a first trigger event. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, a second rotation 180 may be associated with a second trigger event. Individual trigger events may be, for example, click functions, scroll functions, select functions, and / or keyboard functions. If multiple magnetic objects are provided, additional trigger events may be determined based on the rotation and / or translation of the magnetic objects relative to one another and may be detectable by the system 10. At least one trigger event may be initiated by user manipulation (e.g., actuation and / or release of actuation) of the user-mounted device 100 within the sensing volume M, more specifically, electrically and / or electronically of the user-mounted device 100.The at least one trigger event may be used to cause and / or control an action in a digital environment (i.e., an environment controlled by a computer or computer network), more specifically, a virtual environment, based on user input. More specifically, the at least one trigger event may implement user input on the user-mounted device 100 as an action in the digital environment, e.g., a virtual environment. For example, the at least one user-mounted device 100 may be used with an electronic device 700, e.g., a tablet, a mobile phone, a laptop, a computer, a virtual reality (VR) set, or a television. The at least one trigger event may cause and / or control an action on the electronic device 700 based on user input on the user-mounted device 100.

[0043] As described above, the at least one trigger event may be a scroll event and / or a click event. The scroll event and / or the click event may be applied to a variety of different application fields. The scroll event may trigger a scroll action in a digital environment, more specifically, a virtual environment, based on a user input, such as "scroll up" and "scroll down" on a display. The scroll event may cause or provide control of rotational and / or translational movement of a virtual object in the virtual environment associated with the user input. For example, the scroll event may trigger a scroll action including scrolling through a file or data, or rotational or translational movement of a virtual object associated with selecting an option from multiple options. The scroll action may also include rotating a body in the virtual environment and / or changing a viewpoint in the virtual environment. Additionally, a scrolling action may include one or more of: moving a cursor in two opposite directions (e.g., horizontally or vertically on an output device), moving a display element (e.g., a page, a cursor) that may be controlled by the user-mounted device 100, a directional step, flipping through a menu, flipping through a selection list, or adjusting (e.g., increasing or decreasing) a parameter (e.g., a setting or configuration). A click event can trigger a click action (more specifically, of a virtual object) in a digital environment, more specifically, a virtual environment, based on user input. A click event can include, for example, selecting an object (such as a button, a file, an icon, or another object), selecting an item, selecting a list, or selecting an item on a list. A click event can trigger the following actions: A click event can trigger an action that provides additional information and / or properties of the selected object, item, or text (e.g., a character, word, phrase).A click event may trigger a single-click action (or left-click action), a double-click action, a triple-click action, a right-click action, and / or a click-and-drag action within the virtual environment. A single-click action may refer to selecting an object within the virtual environment. A double-click action may open a file or run a program within the virtual environment. A click-and-drag action may include clicking, holding, and moving an object and may be used, for example, to highlight or drag-select text or an object. A triple-click action may be used to select a paragraph of text. A right-click action may perform a special action, for example, to open a list with additional information and / or properties about the selected object, as described above. The action triggered by a click event depends on the user's input on the user-mounted device 100. For example, a click event may cause a double-click action when the user provides two rapid successive inputs on the user-mounted device 100. The above-described features enable a variety of new application areas for the user-mounted device 100, such as, for example, a computer mouse, a keyboard, a dial, a mouse scroll element (e.g., a wheel), a joystick, a control for an electronic device (e.g., an audio control or a visual control), a control of software settings or visualization (e.g., graphics software or design software), or a control of a computer game.

[0044] In the example shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B , a first operating feature 140a may be provided and a second operating feature 140b may be provided. Each of the first operating feature 140a and the second operating feature 140b may be operably coupled to at least one magnetic object 110. In this example, the user-mounted device 100 may be, for example, a computer mouse. The first operating feature 140a may be a click operating feature, and the second operating feature 140b may be a scroll operating feature. Activating the first operating feature 140a may result in a first rotation 170 of the at least one magnetic object 110 (see, for example, FIG. 7A ). Depending on the direction of activation, the first rotation angle α1 may have a positive value or a negative value. The system 10 may be configured to detect the first rotation angle α1 and convert the rotation into a click event, including a first click event or a second click event, depending on the first rotation angle value. In other words, the first rotation 170 may be associated with a click event. If the first rotation angle α1 has a positive value, it may be associated with a first click event. If the first rotation angle α1 has a negative value, it may be associated with a second click event. The first click event may trigger the left-click action, double-click action, triple-click action, and / or click-and-drag action described above. The second click event may trigger the right-click action described above. Activating the second operation feature 140b may result in a second rotation 180 of the at least one magnetic object 110 (see, for example, FIG. 8A ). Depending on the activation, the second rotation angle α2 may have a positive or negative value. The system 10 may be configured to detect the second rotation angle α2 and convert the rotation into a scroll event. The scroll event may include a first scroll event or a second scroll event. The distinct scroll events may depend on the second rotation angle value. The second rotation 180 may be associated with a scroll event. If the second rotation angle α2 has a positive value, it may be associated with a first scroll event (e.g., “scroll up”).If the second rotation angle α2 has a negative value, it may be associated with a second scroll event (eg, "scroll down").

[0045] Referring to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 , the user-mounted device 100 may be a keyboard. The control features 140 may be coupled to keyboard buttons. More specifically, the keyboard may be electrically passive and / or electronically passive. At least one magnetic object 110 may be coupled to two control features 140. In another embodiment, at least one magnetic object 110 may be coupled to four control features. As an example, the user-mounted device may have 76 control features. In a first embodiment, the user-mounted device 100 may have 38 magnetic objects, each coupled to two control features. In another embodiment, the user-mounted device 100 may have 19 magnetic objects, each operably coupled to four control features. At least one magnetic object 110 may have a first side and a second side. The first side may be coupled to a first control feature, and the second side may be coupled to a second control feature. In an embodiment, at least one magnetic object 110 may further include a third side and a fourth side. The third side may be coupled to a third manipulation feature, and the fourth side may be coupled to a fourth manipulation feature. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 , a first magnetic object 110a may be coupled to a first manipulation feature 140a. A second magnetic object 110b may be coupled to a second manipulation feature 140b, a third manipulation feature 140c, and a fourth manipulation feature 140d. Based on the individual actuations of the manipulation features 140b, 140c, and 140d, the second magnetic object 110b (i.e., at least one magnetic object 110) may be at a specific magnetic object location, position, and / or distance relative to the reference coordinate system XYZ and / or the interaction surface 210. The system 10 may be configured to determine these parameters and associate a specific magnetic object location, position, and / or distance with a specific trigger event. Such a trigger event may be, for example, the output of a character associated with a respective control feature 140b, 140c, 140d.

[0046] In an embodiment, the user-mounted device 100 may include a single magnetic object 110b and multiple manipulation features 140b, 140c, and 140d, and the magnetic object 110b may be coupled to each of the multiple manipulation features 140b, 140c, and 140d. In this embodiment, rotation and / or translation of each manipulation feature may result in a specific location (including position and / or orientation) of the single magnetic object 110b relative to the reference coordinate system XYZ and / or the interaction surface 210. Each specific location of the single magnetic object 110b may be associated with a respective manipulation feature.

[0047] 1-3 , the system 10 may include at least one output device 510, which may be configured to represent, more specifically, visually represent, the user-mounted device 100 as a virtual object. In an embodiment, the output device 510 may be a visual screen or display. The system 10 may include an electronic device 500. The output device 510 may be incorporated into the electronic device 500. In an embodiment, the electronic device may be a tablet, a mobile phone, a laptop, a computer, a virtual reality (VR) set, or a television. In an embodiment, the processing unit 400 may be incorporated into the electronic device 500. Furthermore, the electronic device 500 may include a user interface configured to interact with the user U and / or receive user input. In an embodiment, the user interface may be incorporated into the output device 510. The plurality of magnetometers 300 may be configured to receive data from and / or transmit data to the processing unit 400 and / or an external processing unit. The system 10 may include data storage connected to the processing unit 400. The data storage may comprise primary data storage, such as RAM, and secondary data storage, which may be integrated into and / or connected to the electronic device 500.

[0048] In an embodiment, the electronic device 500 may be a VR set, more specifically, an XR headset, which may be a device configured to be worn on a user's head and allow the user to experience a virtual environment (virtual reality environment, i.e., VR environment) in real life. In an embodiment, the user-mounted device 100 may be represented or reproduced (i.e., displayed) as a virtual object in the VR environment, allowing the user to recognize where the user-mounted device 100 is located. Multiple magnetometers 300 may be provided to generate a sensing volume M in which the user-mounted device 100 is operated. The magnetic object location data described herein may indicate a magnetic object position and / or a magnetic object orientation associated with at least one magnetic object 110 relative to a reference coordinate system XYZ, more specifically, the magnetometer plane 310. The user-mounted device location may be determined relative to the interaction surface 210 based on the magnetic object location data. The reference coordinate system XYZ may be fixed in the VR environment. The position and / or orientation of at least one magnetic object 110 and / or the user-mounted device 100 may be calculated relative to the VR set, more specifically, represented relative to the XR headset, and represented and particularly displayed for the user via the XR headset. In embodiments, the reference coordinate system XYZ may be dynamically evaluated from the XR headset's tracking of the VR environment. In some embodiments, the interaction surface location may be calculated based on the XR headset data, more specifically, the XR headset may generate a first set of geometric parameters associated with the interaction surface 210. In embodiments, it may also be possible to provide an additional tracking system affixed to the magnetometers 300, such as IR tracking, electromagnetic tracking, and / or camera-based tracking. Scrolling events and / or clicking events may generally be indicated as trigger events, and the triggered action may also be represented in the VR environment, more specifically, displayed to the user U via a display configured in the XR headset. The representation in the VR environment may be achieved by changing the rendering parameters of the user-mounted device 100, such as color or light, and / or adding specific sounds.In some embodiments, the interaction surface 210 may be modeled in a VR environment, displayed to a user via an XR headset, and / or used as input to represent an interaction between the user-mounted device 100 and the interaction surface 210 in the VR environment (e.g., representing the user-mounted device 100 being operated on the interaction surface 210 in the VR environment). In some embodiments, the user-mounted device location and / or the interaction surface location (more specifically, including the interaction surface 210 with the interaction surface configuration as described) may be represented in the VR environment. More specifically, as described, generating magnetic object location data 620, determining user-mounted device location 630 relative to the interaction surface 210, and / or representing 680 the user-mounted device 100 on the output device(s) 510 may be performed with respect to the interaction surface 210 (i.e., the interaction surface configuration and / or at least one output device 510 being virtually represented in the VR environment). Thus, the interaction of the user-mounted device 100 with the interaction surface 210 and / or at least one output device 510 (i.e., based on user manipulation within the detection volume) can be represented within the VR environment and displayed to the user U via the XR headset.

[0049] The multiple magnetometers 300 may be connected electronically (e.g., via a wire or data bus) or wirelessly to the processing unit 400, an external processing unit, and / or the electronic device 500. In embodiments, the multiple magnetometers 300 may be integrated into a wall, furniture, a notebook, the electronic device 500, a screen, and / or a mouse pad. In some embodiments, the multiple magnetometers 300 may be integrated into a keyboard. When the multiple magnetometers 300 are configured on a wall, the interaction surface 210 may be a screen or display positioned in front of the multiple magnetometers 300.

[0050] As already mentioned above, the system 10 is configured to execute a computer-implemented method for determining the location of a user-mounted device 100. The computer-implemented method will now be described in detail. Fig. 11 schematically illustrates a computer-implemented method 600 for determining the location of a user-mounted device 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. More specifically, a computer-implemented method 600 for determining the location of an electrically and / or electronically passive user-mounted device may be provided. The computer-implemented method 600 may be suitable for determining and / or tracking the location of the user-mounted device 600 within a sensing volume.

[0051] 11 , the computer-implemented method 600 includes collecting magnetic field measurements 610 associated with at least one magnetic object 110 using a plurality of magnetometers 300. The plurality of magnetometers 300 are configured to generate a sensing volume and are associated with a magnetometer plane 310. The at least one magnetic object 110 is coupled to a user-mounted device 100. More specifically, the user-mounted device 100 may include at least one magnetic object 110. The user-mounted device 100 may be operable on an interaction surface 210 defined within the sensing volume. The computer-implemented method further includes generating magnetic object location data 620 associated with the at least one magnetic object 110 based on the collected magnetic field measurements. Furthermore, the computer-implemented method 600 includes determining a user-mounted device location 630 relative to the interaction surface 210 based on the magnetic object location data, the interaction surface 210 having an interaction surface configuration in which at least two interaction surface portions 210a, 210b are arranged at different partial distances c1, c2 relative to the magnetometer plane 310. The interaction surface configuration has already been described in detail above. Since the determination of the location of the user-mounted device 100 relative to the interaction surface 210 by the computer-implemented method takes into account the interaction surface configuration in which at least two interaction surface portions 210a, 210b are arranged at different partial distances c1, c2 relative to the magnetometer plane 310, the location of the user-mounted device 100 can be determined and / or tracked with greater accuracy. Furthermore, the representation, more specifically the reproduction, of the user-mounted device 100 as a virtual object can be provided with greater accuracy and reliability. Any manufacturing tolerances associated with the plurality of magnetometers 300 and interaction surface 210, the particular magnetometer arrangement, the non-uniform interaction surface, and / or the particular arrangement of the interaction surface may be considered and / or compensated for.

[0052] The computer-implemented method 600 may further include defining the above-mentioned reference coordinate system XYZ and / or magnetometer plane 310. The user-mounted device location 630 may include a device position and / or a device orientation of the user-mounted device 100 relative to the interaction surface 210. The collected magnetic field measurements may be indicative of a magnetic field associated with at least one magnetic object 110.

[0053] Generating magnetic object location data 620 may include generating magnetic field measurement data 621 based on the collected magnetic field measurements. The magnetic field measurement data may indicate magnetic field position, magnetic field orientation, and / or magnetic field strength relative to a reference coordinate system XYZ. The magnetic field strength may be greater than 100 A / m. In an embodiment, the magnetic moment of at least one magnetic object is greater than 0.01 A / m. 2 It may be larger than that.

[0054] Generating the magnetic object location data 620 may include processing 622 the magnetic field measurement data to associate the magnetic field measurement data with the magnetic object location data. The magnetic object location data may indicate a magnetic object position and / or a magnetic object orientation associated with at least one magnetic object 110 relative to a reference coordinate system XYZ, more specifically, the magnetometer plane 310. The processed magnetic field measurement data may include a magnetic moment vector 120 and / or a magnetic object position vector of at least one magnetic object 110. As already mentioned above, the magnetic moment vector 120 may indicate a magnetic object orientation relative to a reference coordinate system XYZ, more specifically, the magnetometer plane 310. The magnetic object position vector may indicate a magnetic object position and / or a magnetic object distance relative to the reference coordinate system XYZ, more specifically, the magnetometer plane 310. The magnetic moment vector 120 and / or the magnetic object position vector may be calculated by applying a mathematical model. The model may be constructed from physical equations of electromagnetism. In this model, at least one magnetic object 120 may be approximated as a dipole. The magnetic moment vector 120 may indicate the magnetic field strength and / or magnetic object orientation, which may vary based on the distance to the multiple magnetometers.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 11 , determining the user-mounted device location 630 may include determining an interaction surface location 640. The interaction surface location may indicate the interaction surface position, interaction surface orientation, and / or interaction surface distance c relative to a reference coordinate system XYZ, more specifically, the magnetometer plane 310. As described above, the interaction surface location 640 may be defined based on a first set of geometric parameters associated with the interaction surface 210. More specifically, the first set of geometric parameters may indicate the geometric shape of the interaction surface 210. The set of geometric parameters may include a point and a normal vector on the interaction surface 210 (thereby defining an infinite surface), at least three coplanar points defining a finite surface, a center point, a radius, and a normal vector in the case of a disk-shaped surface, and / or two axes and a point defined on the surface (e.g., two dimensions may define a rectangular surface). The above-described interaction surface configuration may be based on the first set of geometric parameters. The interaction surface 210 may include a set of partial surfaces having different orientations and / or positions from each other. The computer-implemented method 600 may determine the interaction surface 210 based on a first set of geometric parameters, which allows for determining a user-mounted device location on any surface, even on a complex surface (e.g., due to the polygonal shape of the surface, curved surfaces).

[0056] The first set of geometric parameters may include predetermined geometric parameters associated with the interaction surface 210. As outlined above, the interaction support 200 may comprise the interaction support surface 230. The interaction surface 210 may be at least a partial surface of the interaction support surface 230. Defining the interaction surface 210 may include receiving input data, more specifically from a database, regarding the particular type of interaction support 200 for which the interaction surface 210 is defined. The particular type of interaction support 200 may include predetermined geometric parameters associated with the interaction support 200. The particular predetermined geometric parameters may be stored in a database that associates the type of interaction support 200 with the geometric parameters. In embodiments, receiving the input data may include prompting the user to select an interaction support 200 to be used with the user-mounted device 100. In other embodiments, receiving the input data may include deriving the set of geometric parameters associated with the interaction surface 210 from a database.

[0057] In an embodiment, the first set of geometric parameters may be determined based on interaction surface recognition. The interaction surface recognition may be a calibration procedure or an automatic recognition procedure. As an example, for calibration, the computer-implemented method 600 may instruct the user via a user interface to place the user-mounted device 100 at at least three different points on the interaction surface 210, where the at least three points may not be aligned (preferably, the three points may form an equilateral triangle). Based on these points, the computer-implemented method 600 may calculate a normal to the interaction surface 210. More specifically, the interaction surface position and / or interaction surface orientation may be determined by calculating an average of the at least three points. The automatic recognition procedure may be based on an automatic calculation of the first set of geometric parameters based on a normal vector or a set of normal vectors.

[0058] Determining the user-mounted device location 630 may include deriving an interaction surface configuration 650 of the interaction surface 210 based on the interaction surface location. The configured interaction surface may indicate that the interaction surface 210 is at least partially tilted with respect to the magnetometer plane 210 or that the interaction surface 210 is substantially parallel to the magnetometer plane 310. In an embodiment, determining the user-mounted device location 630 may include determining a first interaction surface configuration 651 that indicates that the interaction surface 210 is at least partially tilted with respect to the magnetometer plane 210, more specifically, determining when at least two interaction surface portions 210a, 210b are positioned on the same partial plane p at different distances c1, c2 with respect to the magnetometer plane 310. More specifically, the first interaction surface configuration may be defined as described above. The computer-implemented method 600 may include determining that the first interaction surface portion 210a and the at least one second interaction surface portion 210b are disposed on the same partial plane p at different distances c1, c2 relative to the magnetometer plane 310. In an embodiment, determining the user-mounted device location 630 may include determining a second interaction surface configuration 652 indicating that the interaction surface 210 is substantially parallel to the magnetometer plane 310, more specifically, determining when the first interaction surface portion 210a of the interaction surface 210 is disposed on the first partial plane p1 at a first partial distance c1 relative to the magnetometer plane 310, and when the at least one second interaction surface portion 210b of the interaction surface 210 is disposed on the second plane p2 at a second partial distance p2 relative to the magnetometer plane 310. More specifically, the second interaction surface configuration may be defined as described above. More specifically, the computer-implemented method 600 may include determining that the first interaction surface portion 210a is disposed on a first partial plane p1 and that the at least one second interaction surface portion 210b is disposed on a second partial plane p2. The first partial plane p1 may be substantially parallel to the second partial plane p2, but may be spaced apart from the first partial plane p1.In other words, in this embodiment, the interaction surface 210 may be stepped. The computer-implemented method 600 may include determining that at least one second interaction surface portion 210b may be positioned to the side of the plurality of magnetometers 300 and / or the magnetometer plane 310. The computer-implemented method 600 may include determining that the first interaction surface portion 210a may be positioned above the magnetometer plane, i.e., on the side of the magnetometer plane that faces the user during user movement. This means that the first interaction surface portion 210a may be positioned between the magnetometer plane 310 and the user during user movement. In other embodiments, determining the user-mounted device location 630 may include determining a combination of the first and second interaction surface configurations described above.

[0059] Determining the user-mounted device location 630 may include determining a first magnetic object location 660. The first magnetic object location may indicate a first relative position and / or a first relative orientation of the at least one magnetic object 110 with respect to the interaction surface 210 described above. Determining the first magnetic object location 660 may be based on the magnetic object location data and the interaction surface location. In an embodiment, determining the first magnetic object location 660 may further include determining a first relative distance 661 between the at least one magnetic object 110 and the interaction surface 210. The first relative distance may be measured from the interaction surface 210 to the first relative position, more specifically, to the first relative position of the at least one magnetic object 110. The first relative distance may be measured orthogonal to the interaction surface 210. This may be done by defining a virtual normal vector on the interaction surface 210 for the at least one magnetic object 110.

[0060] In an embodiment, determining the first magnetic object location 660 may include determining, based on the first relative position described above, whether the at least one magnetic object 110 is located on a side of the interaction surface 110 facing toward the user during operation of the user-mounted device 100, or on a side of the interaction surface 110 facing away from the user during operation of the user-mounted device 100. In other words, it may be determined on which side of the interaction surface 210 the at least one magnetic object 110 is operated during user operation. More specifically, it may be determined on which side of the interaction surface 210 the at least one magnetic object is operated based on the algebraic sign of a virtual normal vector from the interaction surface 210 to the relative position of the at least one magnetic object 110.

[0061] Determining the first magnetic object location 660 may include deriving the magnetic moment vector 120 from the magnetic object location data and determining a first virtual intersection I1 of the magnetic moment vector 120 and the interaction surface 210. This may be done by calculating the intersection of the magnetic moment vector 120 and the interaction surface 210. As described above, the first relative orientation may be defined by a first set of tilt angles θ1, θ2, θ3 measured between the interaction surface 210 and the magnetic moment vector 120, more specifically, measured between the axes of the interaction surface coordinate system and the magnetic moment vector 120. If the user-mounted device 100 is a writing device (e.g., a stylus) as shown in FIG. 2 , calculating the first set of tilt angles θ1, θ2, θ3 may be used to assume a contact point 130 of the user-mounted device 100 on the interaction surface 210.

[0062] Determining the user-mounted device location 630 may further include determining a second magnetic object location 670 indicating a second relative position and / or a second relative orientation of the at least one magnetic object 110 with respect to the user-mounted device 100. Determining the second magnetic object location 670 may be based on the first magnetic object location 660 and the second set of geometric parameters described above. In an embodiment, the second set of geometric parameters may include predetermined geometric parameters indicating the geometric position and geometric orientation of the at least one magnetic object 100 with respect to the user-mounted device 100, more specifically, in the initial state of the user-mounted device 100 (described in detail above).

[0063] Determining the second magnetic object location 670 may include detecting a position and / or orientation deviation 671 of a second relative orientation and / or second relative position caused by a translation and / or rotation of the at least one magnetic object 110 relative to the user-mounted device 100. More specifically, in this case, the user-mounted device 100 may be in an activated state. The position and / or orientation deviation may refer to a translation 160 and / or rotation 170, 180 (e.g., a first rotation and a second rotation) of the at least one magnetic object 110 from an initial location to an activated location, as described in detail above. Determining the second magnetic object location 670 may include determining at least one trigger event associated with the position and / or orientation deviation in response to detecting the position and / or orientation deviation. In the example shown in FIGS. 7A-8B , an orientation deviation (i.e., a first rotation and / or a second rotation) may be detected. As an example, a first trigger event may be determined based on the orientation deviation indicating the first rotation 170. A second trigger event may be determined based on the orientation deviation indicating the second rotation 180 .

[0064] Determining the user-mounted device location 630 may include assuming a user-mounted device contact 631 between the user-mounted device 100 and the interaction surface 210. Assuming a user-mounted device contact 631 between the user-mounted device 100 and the interaction surface 210 may be based on a first magnetic object location 660 and may be based on a second magnetic object location 660. As outlined above, the user-mounted device 100 is oriented along a vertical device axis z d Assuming a user-mounted device contact 631 may include, for example, a vertical device axis z as shown in FIG. d and the interaction surface 210. More specifically, the distance between the contact surface or contact point 130 and the at least one magnetic object 110 may be known based on the second magnetic object location, which more specifically indicates the magnetic object location relative to the device coordinate system and / or the geometry of the user-mounted device 100.

[0065] The computer-implemented method 600 may further include representing 680, or more specifically reproducing, the user-mounted device 100 as a virtual object on at least one output device 510. The movement of the virtual object on the output device 510 may be based on a virtual reproduction of the location of the user-mounted device 100 relative to the interaction surface 210, or more specifically, based on the determined user-mounted device location.

[0066] The computer-implemented method 600 may further include initializing the plurality of magnetometers 300 and the user-mounted device 100, more specifically, when a user initiates a user action. In an embodiment, the user-mounted device 100 may be tracked over a period of time including multiple time samples. At each time sample, the computer-implemented method 600 may include determining a user-mounted device location relative to the interaction surface 210 and may store the determined location for each time sample.

[0067] In an embodiment, the computer-implemented method 600 may further include applying a filter to filter the determined user-mounted device location. Magnetic and electronic noise and environmental variations may result in a non-smooth location determination over time. Based on the filtering, a smooth location trajectory of the user-mounted device relative to the interaction surface may be achieved. The filter may be a low-pass filter or a Kalman filter, more specifically an extended Kalman filter or an unscented Kalman filter.

[0068] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a computer system may be configured to perform the above-described computer-implemented method 600. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program may be configured to perform the above-described computer-implemented method 600. Furthermore, a computer-readable medium or signal having the computer program stored thereon may be provided.

[0069] More specifically, the described computer-implemented method 600 may include or be executable via a computer or computer network, the computer or computer network comprising at least one processing unit (e.g., processor) and at least one data storage (i.e., memory). The described procedural logic may be held in the form of executable code in the at least one data storage and executed by the at least one processing unit. The systems and subsystems may transmit data to the at least one processing unit, e.g., they may also receive instructions from the at least one processing unit. This allows the processing unit to direct user-initiated and / or automatically generated queries to the system 10. The system 10 is not limited to a particular hardware environment. Thus, distributed devices coupled via a network may execute the techniques described herein. The present disclosure also includes electrical signals and computer-readable media defining instructions that, when executed by a processing unit, implement the techniques described herein. As mentioned above, the system 10 may comprise at least one database. Alternatively or additionally, the system 10 may access a database in the cloud (via a communication interface). System 10 may include at least one communication interface for coupling to a plurality of magnetometers, a processing unit, and / or a database. The communication interface may include one or more of a network, the Internet, a local area network, a wireless local area network, a broadband cellular network, and / or a wired network. In an example, system 10 may be coupled to one or more features via a server hosted in the cloud.

[0070] While the present concept has been described above and defined in the appended claims, it should be understood that the concept in embodiments may be defined according to the following embodiments. Embodiment 1. A computer-implemented method (600) for determining the location of a user-equipped device (100), comprising: - collecting magnetic field measurements (610) associated with at least one magnetic object (110) using a plurality of magnetometers (300), the plurality of magnetometers (300) being configured to generate a sensing volume and associated with a magnetometer plane (310); At least one magnetic object (110) is coupled to the user-mounted device (100); a user-mounted device (100) operable on an interaction surface (210) defined within the sensing volume; - generating magnetic object location data (620) associated with at least one magnetic object (110) based on the collected magnetic field measurements; - determining a user-mounted device location (630) relative to an interaction surface (210) based on the magnetic object location data, the interaction surface (210) comprising an interaction surface configuration in which at least two interaction surface portions (210a, 210b) are positioned at different portion distances (c1, c2) relative to a magnetometer plane (310); A computer-implemented method (600) comprising:

[0071] Embodiment 2. The computer-implemented method (600) of embodiment 1, wherein the magnetometer plane (310) is defined by a plane that extends through a majority of the plurality of magnetometers (300).

[0072] Embodiment 3. defining a reference coordinate system (XYZ) having a first reference axis (X), a second reference axis (Y), and a vertical reference axis (Z), the first reference axis (X) and the second reference axis (Y) being defined on a magnetometer plane (310) and being orthogonal to each other, and the vertical reference axis (Z) being orthogonal to the magnetometer plane (310) and extending through the center of the plurality of magnetometers (300); The computer-implemented method (600) according to embodiment 1 or embodiment 2, comprising:

[0073] Embodiment 4. A computer-implemented method (600) according to any one of embodiments 1 to 3, wherein the user-mounted device location (630) comprises a device position and / or device orientation of the user-mounted device (100) relative to the interaction surface (210).

[0074] Embodiment 5. The computer-implemented method (600) of any one of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the collected magnetic field measurements are indicative of a magnetic field associated with at least one magnetic object (110).

[0075] Embodiment 6. Generating magnetic object location data (620) comprises: A computer-implemented method (600) described in any one of embodiments 3 to 5, comprising generating magnetic field measurement data (621) based on the collected magnetic field measurements, the magnetic field measurement data indicating magnetic field position, magnetic field orientation and / or magnetic field strength relative to a reference coordinate system (XYZ).

[0076] Embodiment 7. Generating magnetic object location data (620) comprises: A computer-implemented method (600) as described in embodiment 6, comprising processing (622) the magnetic field measurement data to associate the magnetic field measurement data with magnetic object location data, the magnetic object location data indicating a magnetic object position and / or magnetic object orientation associated with at least one magnetic object (110) relative to a reference coordinate system (XYZ), more specifically, a magnetometer plane (310).

[0077] Embodiment 8. A computer-implemented method (600) as described in embodiment 7, wherein the processed magnetic field measurement data comprises a magnetic moment vector (120) and / or a magnetic object position vector of at least one magnetic object (110), the magnetic moment vector (120) indicating the magnetic object orientation relative to a reference coordinate system (XYZ), more specifically, the magnetometer plane (310).

[0078] Embodiment 9. Determining a user-equipped device location (630) includes: A computer-implemented method (600) according to any one of embodiments 3 to 8, comprising determining an interaction surface location (640), the interaction surface location indicating the interaction surface position, interaction surface orientation, and / or interaction surface distance (c) relative to a reference coordinate system (XYZ), more specifically, the magnetometer plane (310).

[0079] Embodiment 10. A computer-implemented method (600) as described in embodiment 9, wherein the interaction surface location (640) is defined based on a first set of geometric parameters associated with the interaction surface (210), and more specifically, the first set of geometric parameters indicates the geometric shape of the interaction surface (210).

[0080] Embodiment 11. The computer-implemented method (600) of embodiment 10, wherein the first set of geometric parameters includes predetermined geometric parameters associated with the interaction surface (210).

[0081] Embodiment 12. The computer-implemented method (600) of embodiment 10, wherein the first set of geometric parameters is determined based on an interactive surface recognition procedure.

[0082] Embodiment 13. Determining a user-equipped device location (630) includes: A computer-implemented method (600) described in any one of embodiments 9 to 12, comprising deriving an interaction surface configuration (650) of the interaction surface (210) based on the interaction surface location, wherein the interaction surface configuration (650) indicates that the interaction surface (210) is at least partially inclined with respect to the magnetometer plane (210) or that the interaction surface (210) is substantially parallel to the magnetometer plane (310).

[0083] Embodiment 14. Determining a user-equipped device location (630) includes: A computer-implemented method (600) according to embodiment 13, comprising determining a first interaction surface configuration (651) indicating that the interaction surface (210) is at least partially inclined relative to the magnetometer plane (210), more specifically determining when at least two interaction surface portions (210a, 210b) are positioned on the same partial plane (p) at different distances (c1, c2) relative to the magnetometer plane (310).

[0084] Embodiment 15. Determining a user-equipped device location (630) includes: A computer-implemented method (600) as described in embodiment 13 or embodiment 14, comprising determining a second interaction surface configuration (652) indicating that the interaction surface (210) is substantially parallel to the magnetometer plane (310), more specifically, determining when a first interaction surface portion (210a) of the interaction surface (210) is positioned on a first partial plane (p1) at a first partial distance (c1) from the magnetometer plane (310), and when at least one second interaction surface portion (210b) of the interaction surface (210) is positioned on a second plane (p2) at a second partial distance (p2) from the magnetometer plane (310).

[0085] Embodiment 16. Determining a user-equipped device location (630) includes: A computer-implemented method (600) described in any one of embodiments 1 to 15, comprising determining a first magnetic object location (660) indicating a first relative position and / or a first relative orientation of at least one magnetic object (110) with respect to an interaction surface (210).

[0086] Embodiment 17. A computer-implemented method (600) according to embodiment 16 when dependent on embodiment 9, wherein determining the first magnetic object location (660) is based on magnetic object location data and interaction surface location.

[0087] Embodiment 18. Determining a first magnetic object location (660) comprises: A computer-implemented method (600) as described in embodiment 15 or embodiment 16, comprising determining a first relative distance (661) between at least one magnetic object (110) and the interaction surface (210), wherein the first relative distance is measured from the interaction surface (210) to a first relative position and is perpendicular to the interaction surface (210).

[0088] Embodiment 19. Determining a first magnetic object location (660) comprises: A computer-implemented method (600) described in any one of embodiments 16 to 18, comprising determining, based on the first relative position, whether at least one magnetic object (110) is located on a side of the interaction surface (110) facing toward the user during operation of the user-mounted device (100), or on a side of the interaction surface (110) facing away from the user during operation of the user-mounted device (100).

[0089] Embodiment 20. Determining a first magnetic object location (660) comprises: deriving a magnetic moment vector (120) from the magnetic object location data; 20. The computer-implemented method (600) of any one of embodiments 17 to 19, comprising determining a first virtual intersection (I1) of the magnetic moment vector (120) and the interaction surface (210).

[0090] Embodiment 21. The computer-implemented method (600) of embodiment 20, wherein the first relative orientation is defined by a first set of tilt angles measured between the interaction surface (210) and the determined magnetic moment vector (120).

[0091] Embodiment 22. Determining the user-equipped device location (630) includes: A computer-implemented method (600) described in any one of embodiments 1 to 21, comprising determining a second magnetic object location (670) indicating a second relative position and / or a second relative orientation of at least one magnetic object (110) with respect to the user-mounted device (100).

[0092] Embodiment 23. A computer-implemented method (600) described in embodiment 22 when dependent on embodiment 16, wherein determining a second magnetic object location (670) is based on the first magnetic object location (660) and a second set of geometric parameters.

[0093] Embodiment 24. A computer-implemented method (600) as described in embodiment 23, wherein the second set of geometric parameters includes predetermined geometric parameters indicating the geometric position and geometric orientation of at least one magnetic object (100) relative to the user-mounted device (100), more specifically in the initial state of the user-mounted device (100).

[0094] Embodiment 25. Determining the second magnetic object location (670) comprises: Detecting a deviation (671) in the position and / or orientation of the second relative orientation and / or second relative position caused by a translation and / or rotation of at least one magnetic object (110) relative to the user-mounted device (100), more specifically when the user-mounted device (100) is in an operational state; In response to detecting the deviation in position and / or orientation, determining at least one trigger event associated with the deviation in position and / or orientation; 25. The computer-implemented method (600) according to any one of embodiments 22 to 24, comprising:

[0095] Embodiment 26. Determining a user-equipped device location (630) includes: A computer-implemented method (600) described in any one of embodiments 22 to 25 when dependent on embodiment 16, comprising assuming user-mounted device contact (631) between the user-mounted device (100) and the interaction surface (210) based on the first magnetic object location (660) and based on the second magnetic object location (660).

[0096] Embodiment 27. The user-mounted device (100) is mounted on a vertical device axis (z d ), and assuming user-mounted device contact (631) is a vertical device axis (z d 27. The computer-implemented method (600) of embodiment 26, comprising determining a second virtual intersection (I2) between the first point (I1) and the interaction surface (210).

[0097] Embodiment 28. A computer-implemented method (600) described in any one of embodiments 1 to 27, comprising representing (680) a user-mounted device (100) as a virtual object on at least one output device (510), wherein movement of the virtual object on the at least one output device (510) is based on a virtual reproduction of the location of the user-mounted device (100) relative to the interaction surface (210).

[0098] Embodiment 29. A computer system configured to execute the computer-implemented method according to any one of embodiments 1 to 28.

[0099] Embodiment 30. A computer program configured to execute the computer-implemented method according to any one of embodiments 1 to 28.

[0100] Embodiment 31. A computer-readable medium or signal storing the computer program according to embodiment 30.

[0101] Embodiment 32. A system (10) for determining the location of a user-equipped device (100), comprising: a user-mounted device (100) operable on an interaction surface (210), the user-mounted device (100) comprising at least one magnetic object (110); a plurality of magnetometers (300) configured to generate a sensing volume and associated with a magnetometer plane (310); an interaction surface (210) defined within the sensing volume; a plurality of magnetometers (300) configured to collect magnetic field measurements associated with at least one magnetic object (110); the interaction surface (210) comprises an interaction surface configuration in which at least two interaction surface portions (210a, 210b) are arranged at different portion distances relative to the magnetometer plane (310); The system (10) is configured to execute the computer-implemented method (600) described in any one of embodiments 1 to 28. System (10).

[0102] Embodiment 33. The system (10) of embodiment 32, wherein the system (10) comprises a processing unit (400) configured to execute the computer-implemented method (600).

[0103] Embodiment 34. A system (10) according to embodiment 32 or embodiment 33, wherein the system (10) is connectable to an external processing unit configured to execute the computer-implemented method (600).

[0104] Embodiment 35. A system (10) according to any one of embodiments 32 to 34, wherein the interaction surface (210) comprises a first interaction surface portion (210a) and at least one second interaction surface portion (210b).

[0105] Embodiment 36. A system (10) as described in embodiment 35, wherein the first interaction surface portion (210a) is positioned at a first partial distance (c1) relative to the magnetometer plane (310), and the second interaction surface portion (210b) is positioned at a second partial distance (210b) relative to the magnetometer plane (310), and more specifically, the first partial distance (c1) and the second partial distance (c2) are measured perpendicular to the magnetometer plane (310).

[0106] Embodiment 37. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 32 to 36, wherein the interaction surface (210) has a first interaction surface configuration, and the interaction surface (210) is at least partially inclined with respect to the magnetometer plane (310).

[0107] Embodiment 38. A system (10) described in embodiment 37 when dependent on embodiments 35 and 36, wherein the first interaction surface portion (210a) and at least one second interaction surface portion (210b) are arranged on the same partial plane (p) at different first and second partial distances (c1, c2) relative to the magnetometer plane (310).

[0108] Embodiment 39. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 32 to 36, wherein the interaction surface (210) has a second interaction surface configuration, and the interaction surface (210) is substantially parallel to the magnetometer plane (310).

[0109] Embodiment 40. A system (10) as described in embodiment 39 when dependent on embodiments 35 and 36, wherein the first interaction surface portion (210a) is arranged on a first partial plane (p1) at a first partial distance (c1) relative to the magnetometer plane (310), and at least one second interaction surface portion (210b) is arranged on a second plane (p2) at a second partial distance (c2) relative to the magnetometer plane (310).

[0110] Embodiment 41. A system (10) described in embodiment 39 or embodiment 40 when dependent on embodiment 35, wherein during user operation, a first interaction surface portion (210a) is positioned between the multiple magnetometers (300) and the user (K), and at least one second interaction surface portion (210b) is positioned to the side of the multiple magnetometers (300) and / or the magnetometer plane (310).

[0111] Embodiment 42. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 32 to 41, wherein the magnetometer plane (310) is defined by a plane extending through the majority of the plurality of magnetometers (300).

[0112] Embodiment 43. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 32 to 42, comprising a reference coordinate system (XYZ) having a first reference axis (X), a second reference axis (Y), and a vertical reference axis (Z), wherein the first reference axis (X) and the second reference axis (Y) are defined on the magnetometer plane (310) and are perpendicular to each other, and the vertical reference axis (Z) is perpendicular to the magnetometer plane (310) and extends through the center of the multiple magnetometers (300).

[0113] Embodiment 44. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 32 to 43, wherein the system (10) is configured to assume contact between the user-mounted device (100) and the interaction surface (210).

[0114] Embodiment 45. A system (10) according to any one of embodiments 32 to 44, wherein the user-mounted device (100) is electrically passive and / or electronically passive.

[0115] Embodiment 46. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 32 to 45, wherein during user action, the system (10) is configured to track the movement of the user-mounted device (100) relative to the interaction surface (210) over a period of time.

[0116] Embodiment 47. A system (10) according to any one of embodiments 32 to 46, wherein the interaction surface (210) is at a distance (c) to the magnetometer plane (310).

[0117] Embodiment 48. A system (10) according to any one of embodiments 32 to 47, wherein the system (10) comprises an interactive support (200) having an interactive support surface (230), and the interactive surface (210) is at least a partial surface of the interactive support surface (230).

[0118] Embodiment 49. The system (10) according to embodiment 48, wherein the interactive support (200) is a piece of furniture, a notebook, an electronic device, a screen, a wall or a mouse pad.

[0119] Embodiment 50. A system (10) according to embodiment 48 or embodiment 49, wherein the interaction surface (210) is defined based on a first set of geometric parameters associated with the interaction support (200).

[0120] Embodiment 51. A system (10) according to any one of embodiments 32 to 50, wherein at least one magnetic object (110) is a permanent magnet.

[0121] Embodiment 52. A system (10) according to any one of embodiments 32 to 51, wherein the user-mounted device (100) is a computer mouse, a keyboard, a toy, a stylus, or a dial.

[0122] Embodiment 53. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 32 to 52, wherein the system (10) is configured to track the movement of at least one magnetic object (110) in at least five degrees of freedom.

[0123] Embodiment 54. A system (10) as described in embodiment 53 when dependent on embodiment 43, wherein the at least five degrees of freedom include translation of at least one magnetic object (110) along a first reference axis (X), a second reference axis (Y) and a vertical reference axis (Z), a first rotation around the first reference axis (X), and a second rotation around the second reference axis (Y).

[0124] Embodiment 55. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 32 to 54, wherein at least one magnetic object (110) is movable relative to the user-mounted device (100), more specifically, at least one magnetic object (110) is rotatable and / or translatable relative to the user-mounted device (100).

[0125] Embodiment 56. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 43 to 55, wherein at least one magnetic object (110) has a magnetic moment vector (120) and / or a magnetic object position vector associated with the at least one magnetic object (110), the magnetic moment vector (120) defining the magnetic object orientation relative to a reference coordinate system (XYZ), more specifically the magnetometer plane (310), and the magnetic object position vector defining the magnetic object position and / or magnetic object distance relative to the reference coordinate system (XYZ), more specifically the magnetometer plane (310).

[0126] Embodiment 57. A system (10) as described in embodiment 56, wherein a first relative orientation of at least one magnetic object (110) with respect to the interaction surface (210) is defined based on a first set of tilt angles, more specifically, the first set of tilt angles is measured between the magnetic moment vector (120) and the interaction surface (210).

[0127] Embodiment 58. The user-mounted device (100) is configured to move along a first device axis (x d ) and the first device axis (x d The second device axis (y d ) and the vertical device axis (z d ) and a vertical device axis (z d ) is perpendicular to the device contact surface or contact point (130) and / or perpendicular to the first device axis (x d ) and the second device axis (y d 58. The system (10) of any one of embodiments 32 to 57, wherein the plane is perpendicular to the plane defined by

[0128] Embodiment 59. In the initial state of the user-mounted device (100), the magnetic moment vector (120) is aligned with the vertical device axis (z d ), or the magnetic moment vector is perpendicular to the device axis (z d ) is inclined relative to the system (10) of embodiment 58 when dependent on embodiment 56.

[0129] Embodiment 60. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 32 to 59, wherein a second relative position and / or a second relative orientation of at least one magnetic object (110) with respect to the user-mounted device (100) is defined based on a second set of geometric parameters, more specifically, the second set of geometric parameters defines the geometric position and geometric orientation of the at least one magnetic object (110) with respect to the user-mounted device (100), more specifically in the initial state of the user-mounted device (100).

[0130] Embodiment 61. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 32 to 60, wherein the user-mounted device (100) comprises at least two magnetic objects (110a, 110b) having different relative orientations to each other, and the system (10) is configured to generate magnetic object location data for each of the at least two magnetic objects (110a, 110b).

[0131] Embodiment 62. A system (10) as described in embodiment 61, wherein the system (10) is configured to track the movement of at least two magnetic objects (110a, 110b) in at least six degrees of freedom.

[0132] Embodiment 63. A system (10) described in embodiment 61 or embodiment 62, wherein the user-mounted device (100) comprises a first magnetic object (110a) fixedly coupled to the user-mounted device (100), and the user-mounted device (100) comprises a second magnetic object (110b) that is rotatable and / or translatable relative to the user-mounted device (100) and / or the first magnetic object (110a).

[0133] Embodiment 64. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 32 to 63, wherein the system (10) comprises at least one output device (510), and the at least one output device (510) is configured to reproduce the user-mounted device (100) as a virtual object.

[0134] Embodiment 65. A system (10) according to embodiment 64, wherein the system (10) comprises an electronic device (500), and at least one output device (510) is integrated into the electronic device (500).

[0135] Embodiment 66. A system (10) according to embodiment 65 when dependent on embodiment 33, wherein the processing unit (400) is incorporated into the electronic device (500).

[0136] Embodiment 67. A system (10) described in embodiment 65 or embodiment 66, wherein the electronic device (500) has a user interface configured to interact with a user (U).

[0137] Embodiment 68. A system (10) according to any one of embodiments 64 to 67, wherein the output device (510) is a display or visual screen.

[0138] Embodiment 69. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 34 to 68 when dependent on embodiment 33, wherein a plurality of magnetometers among the magnetometers (300) are configured to receive data from the processing unit (400) and / or an external processing unit and / or to transmit data to the processing unit and / or an external processing unit.

[0139] Embodiment 70. A system (10) according to any one of embodiments 32 to 69, wherein the plurality of magnetometers (300) are integrated into a wall, furniture, notebook, electronic device, screen, and / or mouse pad.

[0140] Embodiment 71. A system (10) according to any one of embodiments 33 to 70, wherein the system (10) comprises a data storage connected to the processing unit (400).

[0141] Embodiment 72. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 32 to 71, wherein the user-mounted device (100) has at least one operating feature (140), and the at least one operating feature (140) is translatable and / or rotatable relative to the user-mounted device (100).

[0142] Embodiment 73. A system (10) according to embodiment 72, wherein at least one magnetic object (110) is coupled to at least one manipulation feature (140).

[0143] Embodiment 74. A system (10) described in embodiment 72 or embodiment 73, wherein the user-mounted device (100) is a keyboard and the operating feature (140) is coupled to a keyboard button, and more specifically, the keyboard is electrically passive and / or electronically passive.

[0144] Embodiment 75. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 72 to 74, wherein the user-mounted device (100) has a plurality of operation features (140a, 140b, 140c, 140d), and at least one magnetic object (110) is coupled to one or more operation features (140a, 140b, 140c, 140d) of the plurality of operation features (140a, 140b, 140c, 140d).

[0145] Embodiment 76. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 72 to 75, wherein the user-mounted device (100) has magnetic objects (110) equal to or less than the operation features (140).

[0146] Embodiment 77. A system (10) described in embodiment 75 or embodiment 76, wherein at least one magnetic object (110) is coupled to at least two operating features (140b, 140c, 140d) of the plurality of operating features (140a, 140b, 140c, 140d).

[0147] Embodiment 78. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 72 to 77, wherein at least one operation feature (140) is associated with at least one trigger event, and the system (10) is configured to determine individual trigger events based on the translation and / or rotation of at least one magnetic object (110) relative to the user-mounted device (100).

[0148] Embodiment 79. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 72 to 78, wherein in the initial state of the user-mounted device (100), at least one operation feature (140) and / or at least one magnetic object (110) is in an initial location, and in the operating state of the user-mounted device (100), at least one interaction feature (140) and / or at least one magnetic object (110) is in an operating location.

[0149] Embodiment 80. A system (10) as described in embodiment 79, wherein the user-mounted device (100) comprises a biasing element configured to bias at least one interaction feature (140) and / or at least one magnetic object (110) from an activation location to an initial location.

[0150] Embodiment 81. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 72 to 80, wherein the user-mounted device (100) comprises only one magnetic object (110b) and a plurality of operating features (140b, 140c, 140d), and the magnetic object (110b) is coupled to each of the plurality of operating features (140b, 140c, 140d).

[0151] Embodiment 82. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 32 to 81, wherein the plurality of magnetometers (300) are fixedly disposed in a magnetometer body (320) that defines fixed positions and / or orientations of the plurality of magnetometers (300) relative to each other.

[0152] Embodiment 83. A system (10) described in any one of embodiments 32 to 82, wherein the plurality of magnetometers (300) are configured to generate a sensing volume having an elliptical shape.

[0153] Embodiment 84. A system (10) as described in embodiment 83, wherein the multiple magnetometers (300) are configured to collect magnetic field measurements associated with at least one magnetic object (110) within the detection volume up to a maximum measurement distance (d2), the maximum measurement distance (d2) being 18 cm, more specifically 15 cm, and in particular the maximum measurement distance (d2) being defined between the farthest point on the interaction surface (210) and the closest magnetometer among the multiple magnetometers (300). [Explanation of symbols]

[0154] [Table 1]

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method (600) for determining the location of a user-equipped device (100), comprising: - collecting magnetic field measurements (610) associated with at least one magnetic object (110) using a plurality of magnetometers (300), the plurality of magnetometers (300) being configured to generate a sensing volume and associated with the magnetometer plane (310), the magnetometer plane (310) being defined by a plane extending through a majority of the plurality of magnetometers (300); the at least one magnetic object (110) is coupled to a user-mounted device (100); the user-mounted device (100) is operable on an interaction surface (210) defined within the sensing volume; generating magnetic object location data (620) associated with said at least one magnetic object (110) based on said collected magnetic field measurements; - determining a user-mounted device location (630) relative to the interaction surface (210) based on the magnetic object location data, the interaction surface (210) comprising an interaction surface configuration in which at least two interaction surface portions (210a, 210b) are arranged at different portion distances (c1, c2) relative to the magnetometer plane (310); A computer-implemented method (600) comprising:

2. Generating magnetic object location data (620) includes: generating magnetic field measurement data (621) based on the collected magnetic field measurements, the magnetic field measurement data indicating magnetic field position, magnetic field orientation and / or magnetic field strength relative to a reference coordinate system (XYZ), more specifically: processing (622) the magnetic field measurement data to relate the magnetic field measurement data to magnetic object location data, the magnetic object location data indicating a magnetic object position and / or a magnetic object orientation associated with the at least one magnetic object (110) relative to the reference coordinate system (XYZ), more specifically relative to the magnetometer plane (310); The computer-implemented method (600) of claim 1, comprising:

3. Determining a user-equipped device location (630) 3. The computer-implemented method (600) of claim 1 or claim 2, comprising determining an interaction surface location (640), the interaction surface location indicating an interaction surface position, an interaction surface orientation, and / or an interaction surface distance (c) relative to a reference coordinate system (XYZ), more specifically a magnetometer plane (310).

4. 4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the interaction surface location is defined based on a first set of geometric parameters associated with the interaction surface, more specifically, the first set of geometric parameters indicates a geometric shape of the interaction surface, and in particular, the first set of geometric parameters includes predetermined geometric parameters associated with the interaction surface.

5. Determining a user-equipped device location (630) 5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising: deriving an interaction surface configuration of the interaction surface based on the interaction surface location, the interaction surface configuration indicating that the interaction surface is at least partially tilted relative to the magnetometer plane, or that the interaction surface is substantially parallel to the magnetometer plane.

6. Determining a user-equipped device location (630) 6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising determining a first interaction surface configuration that indicates that the interaction surface is at least partially tilted relative to the magnetometer plane, more specifically, determining when the at least two interaction surface portions are positioned on the same partial plane at different distances relative to the magnetometer plane.

7. Determining a user-equipped device location (630) Determining a first magnetic object location (660) indicative of a first relative position and / or a first relative orientation of the at least one magnetic object (110) with respect to the interaction surface (210), more specifically determining a first magnetic object location (650), comprises: The computer-implemented method (600) of any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising determining, based on the first relative position, whether the at least one magnetic object (110) is located on a side of the interaction surface (110) facing towards the user during operation of the user-mounted device (100) or on a side of the interaction surface (110) facing away from the user during operation of the user-mounted device (100).

8. Determining a user-equipped device location (630) The computer-implemented method (600) of any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising determining a second magnetic object location (670) indicative of a second relative position and / or a second relative orientation of the at least one magnetic object (110) with respect to the user-mounted device (100).

9. Determining a second magnetic object location (670) includes: detecting a deviation (671) of the position and / or orientation of the second relative orientation and / or the second relative position caused by a translation and / or a rotation of the at least one magnetic object (110) relative to the user-mounted device (100), more specifically when the user-mounted device (100) is in an operational state; In response to detecting the deviation in position and / or orientation, determining at least one trigger event associated with the deviation in position and / or orientation; The computer-implemented method (600) of claim 8, comprising:

10. Determining a user-equipped device location (630) The computer-implemented method (600) of claim 8 or claim 9 when dependent on claim 7, comprising assuming user-mounted device contact (631) between the user-mounted device (100) and the interaction surface (210) based on the first magnetic object location (650) and based on the second magnetic object location (660).

11. The computer-implemented method (600) of any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising representing (680) the user-mounted device (100) as a virtual object on at least one output device (510), wherein movement of the virtual object on the output device (510) is based on a virtual reproduction of the location of the user-mounted device (100) relative to the interaction surface (210).

12. A system (10) for determining the location of a user-equipped device (100), comprising: a user-mounted device (100) operable on an interaction surface (210), the user-mounted device (100) comprising at least one magnetic object (110); a plurality of magnetometers (300) configured to generate a sensing volume and associated with a magnetometer plane (310); the interaction surface (210) is defined within the sensing volume; the plurality of magnetometers (300) are configured to collect magnetic field measurements associated with the at least one magnetic object (110); the interaction surface (210) comprises an interaction surface configuration in which at least two interaction surface portions (210a, 210b) are arranged at different portion distances relative to the magnetometer plane (310); The system (10) is configured to execute the computer-implemented method (600) according to any one of claims 1 to 11. System (10).

13. The system (10) of claim 12, wherein the interaction surface (210) comprises a first interaction surface configuration, the interaction surface (210) being at least partially tilted with respect to the magnetometer plane (310).

14. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the interaction surface comprises a first interaction surface portion and at least one second interaction surface portion, the interaction surface comprises a second interaction surface configuration, the interaction surface is substantially parallel to the magnetometer plane, and more specifically, during user operation, the first interaction surface portion is positioned between the plurality of magnetometers and a user, and the at least one second interaction surface portion is positioned to the side of the plurality of magnetometers and / or the magnetometer plane.

15. A system (10) as described in any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein a second relative position and / or a second relative orientation of the at least one magnetic object (110) with respect to the user-mounted device (100) is defined based on a second set of geometric parameters, more specifically, the second set of geometric parameters defines the geometric position and geometric orientation of the at least one magnetic object (110) with respect to the user-mounted device (100), more specifically in an initial state of the user-mounted device (100).

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