Input device and inputting method

• US 20070050087A1
• Filed: 08/01/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Tomohiro, Ishihara, Atsushi, Ohguchi, Nobuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,822,507 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• 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

Abstract

An input device is disclosed which includes: a casing; an input unit provided in the casing; an orientation detection unit configured to detect the orientation of the casing; and a command assigning unit configured to assign commands to inputs from the input unit, based on the results of detection by the orientation detection unit.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

a casing;

an input unit provided in said casing;

an orientation detection unit configured to detect the orientation of said casing; and

a command assigning unit configured to assign commands to inputs from said input unit, based on the results of detection by said orientation detection unit.

2. The input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said orientation detection unit is configured to detect the orientation of said casing by detecting the orientation of gravity exerted on said casing.

3. The input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein

two input units are provided at different positions of said casing;

and

said command assigning unit is configured to assign a first command to the input from said input unit on the upper side opposite to the side of said orientation of gravity and to assign a second command to the input from said input unit on the lower side coinciding with the side of said orientation of gravity, based on the results of detection by said orientation detection unit.

4. The input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said input unit includes two wheels rotatably mounted at different positions of said casing, and

said command assigning unit is configured to assign a first command to an input made by operating said wheel on the upper side opposite to the side of said orientation of gravity and to assign a second command to an input made by operating said wheel on the lower side coinciding with the side of said orientation of gravity, based on the results of detection by said orientation detection unit.

5. The input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said casing has a shape symmetrical on the left and right sides, a shape symmetrical on the upper and lower sides, or a shape symmetrical on the upper and lower sides and on the left and right sides.

6. The input device as set forth in claim 3, wherein

said two input units are provided at positions equidistant from the center of said casing.

7. The input device as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said command is a reproduction control command for controlling reproduction of musical data.

8. An inputting method comprising the steps of:

detecting the orientation of a casing; and

assigning commands to inputs from an input unit provided in said casing, based on the results of detection conducted in said orientation detecting step.

9. An output device comprising:

a casing;

an output unit provided in said casing;

an orientation detection unit configured to detect the orientation of said casing;

an output mode setting unit configured to set an output mode for an output from said output unit, based on the results of detection by said orientation detection unit; and

a control unit configured to control said output unit so as to output based on said output mode set by said output mode setting unit.

10. The output device as set forth in claim 9, wherein

said orientation detection unit is configured to detect the orientation of said casing by detecting the orientation of gravity exerted on said casing.

11. The output device as set forth in claim 9, wherein

a plurality of output units are provided at different positions of said casing;

and

said output mode setting unit is configured to set a first output mode in said output unit on the upper side opposite to the side of said orientation of gravity, and to set a second output mode in said output unit on the lower side coinciding with the side of said orientation of gravity, based on the results of detection by said orientation detection unit.

12. The output device as set forth in claim 9, wherein

said output unit includes loudspeakers mounted at different positions of said casing.

13. The output device as set forth in claim 9, wherein

said casing has a shape symmetrical on the left and right sides, a shape symmetrical on the upper and lower sides, or a shape symmetrical on the upper and lower sides and on the left and right sides.

14. The output device as set forth in claim 9, wherein

said output units are provided at positions equidistant from the center of said casing.

15. An outputting method comprising the steps of:

detecting the orientation of a casing;

setting an output mode for an output from an output unit provided in said casing, based on the results of detection conducted in said orientation detecting step; and

controlling said output device so as to output based on said output mode set.