ORIENTATION-SENSITIVE SIGNAL OUTPUT

• US 20080235965A1
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GestureTek Incorporated (Winning Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: MacDougall, Francis, JAISWAL, Riten
• Granted Patent: US 7,827,698 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 33/366.11
• 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 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• 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 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 3/0233 Character input methods
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation

Abstract

Orientation-sensitive signal output, in which a neutral position of a device is automatically determined in relation to at least a first axis, an angular displacement of the device is measured about at least the first axis, and shaking of the device is detected. A selection of the first control is received, and an output signal is output based at least upon the selection and the angular displacement or based upon detecting the shaking of the device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

automatically determining a neutral position of a device in relation to at least a first axis, the device comprising at least a first control associated with a first plurality of output signals;

measuring an angular displacement of the device about at least the first axis;

receiving a selection of the first control; and

outputting one of the first plurality of output signals based at least upon the selection and the angular displacement,

wherein the neutral position of the device is determined in relation to at least a second axis, orthogonal to the first axis, and in relation to at least a third axis orthogonal to the first axis and the second axis, and

wherein the angular displacement includes a first-axis component, a second-axis component, and a third-axis component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first axis and the second axis intersect at a center of the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first axis and the second axis intersect at a periphery portion of the device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the device further includes at least second through tenth controls each associated with second through tenth pluralities of output signals, respectively.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first control is a button.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a telephone.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the output signal.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an indication of a defined tilt region corresponding to the angular displacement.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the indication of the defined tilt region corresponding to the angular displacement further comprises the output signal associated with the selection and the angular displacement.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising inputting the selection via a keyboard.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first axis and the second axis intersect within the device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first control is associated with at least six output signals.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first control is associated with at least twenty six output signals, each output signal representing an alphabetic character.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining a plurality of tilt regions about the first axis, wherein one of the first plurality of output signals is also output based upon the plurality of tilt regions.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising more than three tilt regions within a 180°

region about the first axis.

16. The method of claim 1,

wherein, when the selection is received:

a first output signal is output if the first component is within a first first-axis tilt region and if the second-axis component is within a first second-axis tilt region,

a second output signal is output if the first component is within the first first-axis tilt region and if the second-axis component is within a second second-axis tilt region,

a third output signal is output if the first component is within the first first-axis tilt region and if the second-axis component is within a third second-axis tilt region,

a fourth output signal is output if the first component is within a second first-axis tilt region and if the second-axis component is within the first second-axis tilt region,

a fifth output signal is output if the first component is within the second first-axis tilt region and if the second-axis component is within the second second-axis tilt region,

a sixth output signal is output if the first component is within the second first-axis tilt region and if the second-axis component is within the third second-axis tilt region,

a seventh output signal is output if the first component is within a third first-axis tilt region and if the second-axis component is within the first second-axis tilt region,

an eighth output signal is output if the first component is within the third first-axis tilt region and if the second-axis component is within the second second-axis tilt region, and/or

a ninth output signal is output if the first component is within the third first-axis tilt region and if the second-axis component is within the third second-axis tilt region.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the neutral position of the device is automatically determined after receiving the selection of the first control.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the neutral position of the device is automatically determined during the selection of the first control.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring the angular displacement of the device using optical flow.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically determining the neutral position of the device further comprises determining the neutral position without requiring a manual calibration.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the angular displacement of the device about at least the first axis is measured without referencing gravity.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the one of the first plurality of output signals further comprises a menu navigation command.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting shaking of the device; and

outputting a second output signal based upon detecting the shaking of the device.

24. A computer-implemented method comprising:

automatically determining a neutral position of a device in relation to at least first through third axis, the device comprising at least a first control associated with a first plurality of output signals;

measuring an angular displacement of the device about at least the first through third axis;

receiving a selection of the first control; and

outputting one of the first plurality of output signals based at least upon the selection and the angular displacement about the first through third axis.

25. A computer-implemented method comprising:

automatically determining a neutral position of a device in relation to at least a first axis, the device comprising at least a first control associated with a first plurality of output signals;

measuring an angular displacement of the device about at least the first axis;

receiving a selection of the first control;

outputting one of the first plurality of output signals based at least upon the selection and the angular displacement,

detecting shaking of the device; and

outputting a second output signal based upon detecting the shaking of the device.

26. A device comprising:

a tilt sensor configured to automatically determine a neutral position of a device in relation to at least a first axis, to measure an angular displacement of the device about at least the first axis, and to detect shaking of the device;

at least a first control; and

a processor configured to receive a selection of the first control and further configured to output an output signal based at least upon the selection and the angular displacement or based upon detecting the shaking of the device.

27. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a machine-readable medium, the computer program product comprising instructions that, when read by a machine, operate to cause data processing apparatus to:

automatically determine a neutral position of a device in relation to at least a first axis, the device comprising at least a first control associated with a first plurality of output signals;

measure an angular displacement of the device about at least the first axis;

receive a selection of the first control; and

output one of the first plurality of output signals based at least upon the selection and the angular displacement,

wherein the neutral position of the device is determined in relation to at least a second axis, orthogonal to the first axis, and in relation to at least a third axis orthogonal to the first axis and the second axis, and

wherein the angular displacement includes a first-axis component, a second-axis component, and a third-axis component.

28. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a machine-readable medium, the computer program product comprising instructions that, when read by a machine, operate to cause data processing apparatus to:

automatically determine a neutral position of a device in relation to at least first through third axis, the device comprising at least a first control associated with a first plurality of output signals;

measure an angular displacement of the device about at least the first through third axis;

receive a selection of the first control; and

output one of the first plurality of output signals based at least upon the selection and the angular displacement about the first through third axis.

29. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a machine-readable medium, the computer program product comprising instructions that, when read by a machine, operate to cause data processing apparatus to:

automatically determine a neutral position of a device in relation to at least a first axis, the device comprising at least a first control associated with a first plurality of output signals;

measure an angular displacement of the device about at least the first axis;

receive a selection of the first control;

output one of the first plurality of output signals based at least upon the selection and the angular displacement;

detect shaking of the device; and

output a second output signal based upon detecting the shaking of the device.