Electronic device and a method for controlling the functions of the electronic device as well as program product for implementing the method

• US 10,126,834 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2015
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Original Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Inventors: Blomqvist, Mikko, Laine, Tommi, Onkalo, Miia
• Primary Examiner(s): Okebato, Sahlu
• Application Number:
  US14/602,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20150138090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic device, which includes a display component, in which at least one controllable element is arranged to be visualized in its entirety, the control of which element is arranged to be based on determining a change (M) relating to the attitude or position of the device and camera means arranged to form image frames (IMAGE1, IMAGE2), and in which, in order to control the functions of the device, such as, for example, to control the element, the change is arranged to be determined, using optical data-flow algorithms, from the image frames formed by the camera means, which image frames are arranged to be compared to each other in a set manner, and on the basis of which comparison the said change is arranged to be determined. The image frames are arranged to be segmented in a selected manner, from which at least one movement vector (S_R, S_L, S_Up, S_Down) determining the said change is arranged to be determined from at least some of the segments (SEGMENT1, SEGMENT2).

Claims

1. A method comprising:

capturing, via a camera unit of a portable device, at least two images;

dividing a first image of the at least two images into a first plurality of segments, each of the first plurality of segments having a set shape and size;

selecting a fixed point from at least one segment of the first plurality of segments of the first image;

determining a first location coordinate of the selected fixed point from the at least one segment of the first plurality of segments of the first image;

dividing a second image of the at least two images into a second plurality of segments, each of the second plurality of segments having the set shape and size, the second image being the next image following the first image of the at least two images;

determining a second location coordinate of the selected fixed point from at least one segment of the second plurality of segments of the second image;

calculating a movement vector of the selected fixed point between the first determined location coordinate and the second determined location coordinate;

determining a change relative to at least the movement vector; and

controlling a visual controllable element on a display of the portable device based on the change.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising adjusting an image frequency of the camera unit to at least a movement speed of the portable device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the portable device is operable in a plurality of operating situations, wherein one of the plurality of operating situation is defined based on a movement speed of the portable device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the change is three-dimensional.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the camera unit comprises at least two cameras on opposite sides of the portable device.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising defining a mean value for at least the movement vector.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a determination frequency of the change according to an operating situation of the portable device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual controllable element comprises a pointer cursor.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second images are essentially consecutive.

10. A portable device comprising:

a display;

a camera unit;

a memory including program code;

a processor; and

the memory and the program code being configured with the processor to cause the portable device to;

capture, via the camera unit of a portable device, at least two images;

divide a first image of the at least two images into a first plurality of segments, each of the first plurality of segments having a set shape and size;

select a fixed point from at least one segment of the first plurality of segments of the first image;

determine a first location coordinate of the selected fixed point from the at least one segment of the first plurality of segments of the first image;

divide a second image of the at least two images into a second plurality of segments, each of the second plurality of segments having the set shape and size, the second image being the next image following the first image of the at least two images;

determine a second location coordinate of the selected fixed point from at least one segment of the second plurality of segments of the second image;

calculate a movement vector of the selected fixed point between the first determined location coordinate and the second determined location coordinate;

determine a change relative to at least the movement vector; and

control a visual controllable element on the display of the portable device based on the change.

11. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the camera unit includes at least two cameras on opposite sides of the portable device.

12. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the change is three-dimensional.

13. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the visual controllable element comprises a pointer cursor.

14. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the first and second images are essentially consecutive.

15. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the memory and the program code are further configured with the processor to cause the portable device to:

define a mean value for at least the movement vector.

16. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the memory and the program code are further configured with the processor to cause the portable device to:

a determination frequency of the change according to an operating situation of the portable device.

17. A computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein, the computer-readable program code adapted to be executed to:

capture, via a camera unit of a portable device, at least two images;

divide a first image of the at least two images into a first plurality of segments, each of the first plurality of segments having a set shape and size;

select a fixed point at least one segment of the first plurality of segments of from the first image;

determine a first location coordinate of the selected fixed point from the at least one segment of the first plurality of segments of the first image;

divide a second image of the at least two images into a second plurality of segments, each of the second plurality of segments having the set shape and size, the second image being the next image following the first image of the at least two images;

determine a second location coordinate of the selected fixed point from at least one segment of the second plurality of segments of the second image;

calculate a movement vector of the selected fixed point between the first determined location coordinate and the determined location coordinate;

determine a change relative to at least the movement vector; and

control a visual controllable element on a display of the portable device based on the change.