METHOD, APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR ENTRY OF DATA OR COMMANDS BASED ON TAP DETECTION
First Claim
1. An electronic device, comprising:
- a processor;
a memory coupled to the processor;
a housing having an outside surface, the housing at least partially enclosing the processor and the memory;
at least one tap sensor for providing a tap signal in response to a user'"'"'s tap on the outside surface of the housing;
a position detecting mechanism to determine the position of a user'"'"'s tap on the outside surface of the housing based on the tap signal;
a matching mechanism residing in the memory and executed by the processor to match the determined position of the user'"'"'s tap and one or more virtual buttons configured on the outside surface of the housing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic device includes a housing that encloses a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. One or more tap sensors provide a tap signal in response to a user'"'"'s tap on an outside surface of the housing. A position detecting mechanism determines the position of a user'"'"'s tap on the outside surface of the housing based on the tap signal. In one embodiment, the position of the user'"'"'s tap is determined through triangulation using the tap signal from each of plural accelerometers mounted at different locations. A matching mechanism compares the determined position of the user'"'"'s tap and one or more virtual buttons configured on the outside surface of the housing. In accordance with the preferred embodiments, the size and location of one or more virtual buttons are dynamically configured by the user and/or by a software program loaded on the electronic device.
51 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electronic device, comprising:
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a processor;
a memory coupled to the processor;
a housing having an outside surface, the housing at least partially enclosing the processor and the memory;
at least one tap sensor for providing a tap signal in response to a user'"'"'s tap on the outside surface of the housing;
a position detecting mechanism to determine the position of a user'"'"'s tap on the outside surface of the housing based on the tap signal;
a matching mechanism residing in the memory and executed by the processor to match the determined position of the user'"'"'s tap and one or more virtual buttons configured on the outside surface of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for entry of data or commands into an electronic device, comprising the steps of:
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providing an electronic device with a housing having an outside surface, wherein the housing at least partially encloses a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, and wherein the housing has associated therewith at least one tap sensor that provides a tap signal in response to a user'"'"'s tap on the outside surface of the housing;
determining the position of a user'"'"'s tap on the outside surface of the housing based on the tap signal;
matching the determined position of the user'"'"'s tap and one or more virtual buttons configured on the outside surface of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer program product for entry of data or commands into an electronic device that includes a housing having an outside surface, wherein the housing at least partially encloses a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the housing has associated therewith at least one tap sensor that provides a tap signal in response to a user'"'"'s tap on the outside surface of the housing, the computer program product comprising a plurality of computer executable instructions provided on computer readable signal bearing media, the program performing the steps of:
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determining the position of a user'"'"'s tap on the outside surface of the housing based on the tap signal;
matching the determined position of the user'"'"'s tap and one or more virtual buttons configured on the outside surface of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification