DEVICE FOR UNDERWATER USE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING SAME

• US 20090085865A1
• Filed: 09/17/2008
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Liquivision Products, Inc. (Huish Outdoors LLC)
• Original Assignee: Liquivision Products, Inc. (Huish Outdoors LLC)
• Inventors: FATTAH, Eric Abdel
• Application Number:
  US12/212,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20090085865A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/02 Divers' equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/26 Communication means, e.g. means for signalling the presence of diverselectric communication in general H04
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 5/06 by using barometric means
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/00 Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• 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 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1636 Sensing arrangement for detection of a tap gesture on the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves

Abstract

A method of controlling a device for underwater use includes detecting a user-interaction with the electronic device based on signals received from an accelerometer, and performing an operation as a result of the user-interaction.

Claims

1. An electronic device for underwater use, the device comprising

a housing for sealing internal components therein;

a display device framed by the housing;

an accelerometer housed in the housing; and

a controller connected to the accelerometer and the display device and housed in the housing, the controller for receiving signals from the accelerometer, determining a user-interaction event based on the signals received from the accelerometer, and performing an operation in response to the interaction event.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the user-interaction event comprises a user tapping the housing of the electronic device.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the accelerometer is a three-axis accelerometer for determining user-tapping in more than one direction.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein user-tapping in a first direction results in performance of a first operation and user-tapping in a second direction results in performance of a second operation, the first operation being different from the second operation.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the operation comprises navigation of a screen displayed on the display device.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the operation comprises one of causing a display change upon powering up of the electronic device, movement of a cursor in a menu-list of items and selection of one of said items from said menu-list.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises first and second controllers, the first controller for receiving the signals from the accelerometer, detecting the user-interaction event and signaling to the second controller, the occurrence of the user-interaction event, the second controller performing said operation.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, comprising a pressure sensor connected to the controller for determining an underwater depth for display on the display device.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, comprising a fill material within the housing for providing a hermetic seal.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the fill material comprises an epoxy.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the epoxy is semi-rigid when cured.

12. A method of controlling an electronic device for underwater use, the method comprising:

detecting a user-interaction with the electronic device based on signals received from an accelerometer; and

performing an operation in response to detecting the user-interaction.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein performing the operation comprises causing a change in a display device of the underwater device.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein detecting the user-interaction comprises detecting a user tap on the underwater device.

15. The method according to claim 14, comprising determining a direction of the user tap on the underwater device prior to performing said operation.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein performing the operation comprises performing one of multiple operations, dependent on the direction of the user tap.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein performing an operation comprises navigating a screen displayed on the display device.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein performing the operation comprises one of causing a display change upon powering up of the electronic device, movement of a cursor in a menu-list of items and selection of one of said items from said menu-list.