Motion-based input system for handheld devices

• US 20020167699A1
• Filed: 04/25/2002
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caveo Investments LLC
• Original Assignee: Caveo Technology, LLC
• Inventors: Lee, W. David, Laneman, Jerry Nicholas, Verplaetse, Christopher, Evans, Thomas P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,861,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/154
• 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 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1636 Sensing arrangement for detection of a tap gesture on the housing
• 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 3/0346 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: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1436 with motion detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

A motion-based input system including a motion sensor coupled to a device. The motion sensor provides a motion signal corresponding to the movement of the device. The system further includes a processor responsive to the motion signal and configured to distinguish between a tap command and a position command and provides, in response to a tap command, one or more actions, and in response to a position command, one or more different actions to control and operate the device.

Claims

1. A motion-based input system comprising:

a motion sensor coupled to a device, the motion sensor providing a motion signal corresponding to the movement of the device; and

a processor responsive to the motion signal and configured to;

distinguish between a tap command and a position command and to provide, in response to a tap command, one or more actions, and in response to a position command, one or more different actions to control and operate the device.

2. The motion-based input system of claim 1 wherein the processor detects a tap command by computing the power spectral density of the motion signal and comparing the energy level of the computed power spectral density of the motion signal with a predetermined threshold energy level for a predetermined threshold frequency range.

3. The motion-based input system of claim 2 in which the predetermined threshold levels are configurable to adjust the sensitivity of the tap detected by the processor.

4. The motion-based input system of claim 3 in which the predetermined threshold frequency detected by the processor is greater than or equal to 5 Hz.

5. The motion-based input system of claim 2 in which the predetermined threshold levels are stored in a memory.

6. The motion-based input system of claim 1 in which the processor is a microprocessor.

7. The motion-based input system of claim 1 further including an interface between the processor an operating system resident on the device.

8. The motion-based input system of claim 7 further including controlling software to control and operate the device based on the processor actions.

11. The motion-based input system of claim 8 in which the controlling software is programmed to display a graphical representation which indicates the direction of a current or a proposed position command.

12. The motion-based input system of claim 11 in which a continuous input mode provides continuous cursor or pointer movement in the direction of the current position command.

13. The motion-based input system of claim 12 in which the rate of cursor or pointer movement provided by the continuous input mode is proportional to the magnitude of the position command.

14. The motion-based input system of claim 13 in which the controlling software is programmed to display a graphical representation to indicate the direction of the continuous cursor or pointer movement.

15. The motion-based input system of claim 11 in which a stepped input mode indicates the direction of a proposed position command and moves the cursor or pointer in the direction of the proposed position command in response to a tap command.

16. The motion-based input system of claim 15 in which the controlling software is programmed to display a graphical representation to indicate the direction of the proposed position command.

17. The motion-based input system of claim 11 in which the processor is configured to select a continuous input mode or a stepped input mode depending on an active software application.

19. The motion-based input system of claim 18 wherein the processor detects a tap command by computing the power spectral density of the motion signal and comparing the energy level of the computed power spectral density of the motion signal with a predetermined threshold energy level for a predetermined threshold frequency range.

20. The motion-based input system of claim 19 in which predetermined threshold frequency detected by the processor is greater than or equal to 5 Hz.

9. The motion-based input system of claim I in which the motion sensor is an accelerometer.

10. The motion-based input system of claim I in which the device is an electronic device.

18. A motion-based input system comprising:

a motion sensor coupled to a device, the motion sensor providing a motion signal corresponding to the movement of the device; and

a processor, responsive to the motion signal and configured to;

detect a tap command; and

provide, in response to the tap command, one or more actions to operate and control the device.

21. A motion-based input system comprising:

a motion sensor coupled to a device, the motion sensor providing a motion signal corresponding to the movement of the device; and

a processor responsive to the motion signal and configured to;

detect an impulse command, and provide, in response to the impulse command, one or more actions to control and operate the device

22. A motion-based input system comprising:

a motion sensor coupled to a device, the motion sensor providing a motion signal corresponding to the movement of the device; and

a processor, responsive to the motion signal and configured to;

distinguish between a tap command and a tilt command and to provide, in response to the tap command one or more actions and in response to the tilt command, one or more different actions to control and operate the device.

23. A motion-based input system comprising:

a motion sensor coupled to a device, the motion sensor providing a series of motion signals corresponding to movements of the device; and

a processor, responsive to the series of motion signals, configured to;

detect a series of tap commands; and

to provide, in response to the series of tap commands, one or more actions to operate and control the device.

24. A motion-based input system comprising:

a motion sensor coupled to a device, the motion sensor providing a series of motion signals corresponding to movements of the device; and

a processor, responsive to the motion signals and configured to;

distinguish between a series of tap commands and a series of position commands on the device, and to provide in response to the series of tap commands, one or more actions, and in response to the series of position commands, one or more different actions to operate and control the device.

25. A motion-based input system comprising:

motion sensing means coupled to a device for sensing motion and providing a motion signal corresponding to the movement of the device; and

processing means responsive to the motion signal and configured to;

distinguish between tap commands and position commands and to provide, in response to the tap commands one or more actions and in response to the position commands one or more different actions to control and operate the device.

26. A method for processing input commands for a device, the method comprising:

detecting a motion signal corresponding to movement of the device;

analyzing the motion signal to distinguish between a tap command and a position command; and

providing, in response to a tap command, one or more actions and providing in response to a position command, one or more different action, to control and operate the device.

27. A motion-based input system comprising:

a motion sensor coupled to a device, the motion sensor providing a motion signal corresponding to the movement of the device; and

a first action or series of actions associated with a tap on the device;

a second action or series of actions associated with other movement of the device;

a processor responsive to the motion signal and configured to;

distinguish between a tap on the device and other movement of the device; and

to provide, in response to a tap, said first action or series of actions and in response to the other movement, said second action or series of actions to control and operate the device.