Mobile terminal, mouse application program, and method for utilizing mobile terminal as wireless mouse device

• US 20070091167A1
• Filed: 10/17/2006
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Ryou, Shiina, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,809,401 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• 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 3/0317 in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides a mobile terminal having a camera unit that images a subject. The mobile terminal includes a movement determination unit determining the direction and distance in which the body of the mobile terminal moved on the basis of the shift between images sequentially captured through the camera unit in a mouse mode, a short-range wireless communication unit, and a control unit controlling the short-range wireless communication unit to transmit information representing the direction and distance, determined by the movement determination unit, by short-range wireless to an operated apparatus which includes a display unit and controls a pointer displayed on the display unit on the basis of the received information representing the direction and distance.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal having a camera unit that images a subject, comprising:

movement determination means for determining the direction and distance in which the body of the mobile terminal moved on the basis of the shift between images sequentially captured through the camera unit in a mouse mode;

short-range wireless communication means; and

control means for controlling the short-range wireless communication means to transmit information representing the direction and distance, determined by the movement determination means, by short-range wireless to an operated apparatus which includes display means and controls a pointer displayed on the display means on the basis of the received information representing the direction and distance.

2. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the camera unit includes a camera cover having a predetermined thickness, the camera unit being covered with the camera cover when the camera unit is not used and being uncovered therewith when the camera unit is used, and

when the mobile terminal is two-dimensionally moved in the mouse mode, the thickness of the camera cover provides a predetermined gap between the camera unit and an operation plane, on which the mobile terminal is placed and operated, in order to allow the camera unit to capture images of the surface of the operation plane in good condition.

3. The mobile terminal according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

wireless communication means for communicating with a wireless base station by wireless, wherein

when the wireless communication means detects the reception of an incoming call or an electronic mail, the control means controls the short-range wireless communication means to transmit information, representing the reception of the incoming call or electronic mail, by short-range wireless to the operated apparatus.

4. The mobile terminal according to claim 3, wherein

when detecting a predetermined operation after the reception of the incoming call, the control means performs a control to provide hands-free conversation during execution of the mouse mode, or

when detecting a predetermined operation after the reception of the electronic mail, the control means controls display means included in the mobile terminal to display the received electronic mail during execution of the mouse mode, or controls the short-range wireless communication means to transmit the received electronic mail by short-range wireless to the operated apparatus.

5. A mouse application program that allows a computer to function as:

movement determination control means for controlling movement determination means to determine the direction and distance in which a body with a camera unit moved on the basis of the shift between images sequentially captured through the camera unit; and

short-range wireless communication control means for controlling short-range wireless communication means to transmit information representing the direction and distance, determined by allowing the computer to function as the movement determination control means, by short-range wireless to an operated apparatus which includes display means and controls a pointer displayed on the display means on the basis of the received information representing the direction and distance.

6. A method for utilizing a mobile terminal as a wireless mouse device, the method comprising the steps of:

determining the direction and distance in which the body of the mobile terminal moved on the basis of the shift between images sequentially captured through a camera unit included in the mobile terminal; and

transmitting information representing the determined direction and distance by short-range wireless to an operated apparatus which includes display means and controls a pointer displayed on the display means on the basis of the received information representing the direction and distance.

7. A mobile terminal having a camera unit that images a subject, comprising:

a movement determination unit determining the direction and distance in which the body of the mobile terminal moved on the basis of the shift between images sequentially captured through the camera unit in a mouse mode;

a short-range wireless communication unit; and

a control unit controlling the short-range wireless communication unit to transmit information representing the direction and distance, determined by the movement determination unit, by short-range wireless to an operated apparatus which includes a display unit and controls a pointer displayed on the display unit on the basis of the received information representing the direction and distance.