Accelerometer Module for Use With A Touch Sensitive Device
First Claim
1. An apparatus for sensing acceleration, comprising:
- an electronic device having a touch sensor input to a processor; and
a module selectively securable to the electronic device adjacent the touch sensor, the module including one or more acceleration-responsive mechanisms, each acceleration-responsive mechanism including a deformable member that contacts the touch sensor over a contact area that varies in response to acceleration.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An accelerometer module for use with a touch sensor on a device, a method of detecting acceleration using a touch sensor, and a computer program product for receiving the touch sensor data and producing output representative of acceleration. The accelerometer module provides a device with a touch sensor, such as a mobile phone, with the ability to sense acceleration, orientation, or both. The accelerometer module may sense acceleration along a single axis or multiple axis. Sensing acceleration along three axis may be useful for producing a handheld game controller or for providing input to many other applications. The accelerometer module applies a force against a deformable member to change the contact area between the deformable member and the touch sensor, wherein the contact area is a function of the amount of applied acceleration.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An apparatus for sensing acceleration, comprising:
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an electronic device having a touch sensor input to a processor; and a module selectively securable to the electronic device adjacent the touch sensor, the module including one or more acceleration-responsive mechanisms, each acceleration-responsive mechanism including a deformable member that contacts the touch sensor over a contact area that varies in response to acceleration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of sensing acceleration, comprising:
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disposing a deformable member adjacent a touch sensor surface; directing an acceleration to push the deformable member against the touch sensor surface to cause a change in the degree of elastic deformation of the deformable member; and sensing a change in the contact area between the deformable member and the touch sensor as a result of the change in the degree of elastic deformation. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium and providing computer usable instructions for sensing acceleration, comprising:
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instructions for detecting a change in the contact area of a first touch sensor region associated with acceleration along a first coordinate axis; instructions for detecting a change in the contact area of a second touch sensor region associated with acceleration along a second coordinate axis; instructions for detecting a change in the contact area of a third touch sensor region associated with acceleration along a third coordinate axis; and instructions for determining an overall acceleration as the combination of the acceleration along the first coordinate axis, acceleration along a second coordinate axis, and acceleration along a third coordinate axis. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification