Motion activated user interface for mobile communications device

• US 20090153341A1
• Filed: 12/13/2007
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: SPALINK, Karin
• Granted Patent: US 8,203,528 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/669
• 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 1/1694 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 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883

Abstract

Disclosed is a system for interpreting motion of a mobile communications device as input to the mobile communications device. The system includes a processor for executing the various software components, a display, a microphone, a speaker, storage means for storing one or more motions and associated actions, a motion detecting device, and a sensing and interpretation application. The sensing and interpretation application detects motion of the mobile communications device via the motion detecting device. It then determines the current mode of the mobile communications device and compares the detected motion against a database of motions. Each stored motion is associated with a mode and an action to be performed by the mobile communications device. Upon finding a match between the detected motion and a motion in the storage means, the action associated with the detected motion and the current mode of the mobile communications device is performed.

Claims

1. A method of interpreting motion of a mobile communications device as input to the mobile communications device, the method comprising:

detecting a specific type of motion with respect to the mobile communications device;

determining a current mode of the mobile communications device;

comparing the detected motion against a stored database of motions wherein each stored motion is associated with a mode of the mobile communications device and an action to be performed by the mobile communications device; and

upon finding a match, within tolerable limits, between the detected motion and a motion in the stored database of motions, performing the action associated with the detected motion and the current mode of the mobile communications device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising training the mobile communications device to recognize a specific motion wherein said training comprises:

selecting a mode to be associated with a specific motion;

selecting an action to be performed within the selected mode;

detecting a motion of the mobile communications device wherein the motion is user defined;

associating the detected motion with the selected mode and the selected action; and

storing the associated detected motion with the selected mode and the selected action in the stored database of motions.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the current mode of the mobile communications device includes one of a phone mode, a picture mode, a music mode, a game mode, camera mode, a contacts mode, a settings mode, and a null mode.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the null mode acts as a superseding mode such that any motions and actions associated within the null mode supersede motions and actions in other modes.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein an action includes one of a command or instruction that can be issued by an application within the mobile communications device, an audible output based on a recorded audio file, an audible output based on a text-to-speech conversion, a visual output, and a mechanical output.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein motion is detected using an accelerometer within the mobile communications device.

7. A computer readable medium storing a computer program product for interpreting motion of a mobile communications device as input to the mobile communications device, the computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for detecting a specific type of motion with respect to the mobile communications device;

computer program code for determining a current mode of the mobile communications device;

computer program code for comparing the detected motion against a stored database of motions wherein each stored motion is associated with a mode of the mobile communications device and an action to be performed by the mobile communications device,

wherein the mode includes one of a phone mode, a picture mode, a music mode, a game mode, camera mode, a contacts mode, a settings mode, and a null mode, and

wherein an action includes one of a command or instruction that can be issued by an application within the mobile communications device, an audible output based on a recorded audio file, an audible output based on a text-to-speech conversion, a visual output, and a mechanical output; and

upon finding a match, within tolerable limits, between the detected motion and a motion in the stored database of motions, computer program code for performing the action associated with the detected motion and the current mode of the mobile communications device.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7 further comprising computer program code for training the mobile communications device to recognize a specific motion wherein said computer program code for training comprises:

computer program code for selecting a mode to be associated with a specific motion;

computer program code for selecting an action to be performed within the selected mode wherein an action includes one of a an audible output based on a recorded audio file, an audible output based on a text-to-speech conversion, a visual output, and a mechanical output;

computer program code for detecting a motion of the mobile communications device wherein the motion is user defined;

computer program code for associating the detected motion with the selected mode and the selected action; and

computer program code for storing the associated detected motion with the selected mode and the selected action in the stored database of motions.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the null mode acts as a superseding mode such that any motions and actions associated within the null mode supersede motions and actions in other modes.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 7 wherein motion is detected using an accelerometer within the mobile communications device.

11. A system for interpreting motion of a mobile communications device as input to the mobile communications device, the system comprising:

a processor for executing the various software components of the mobile communications device;

a display coupled with the processor;

a microphone coupled with the processor for recording audio;

a speaker coupled with the processor for outputting audio;

storage means coupled with the processor for storing one or more motions and associated actions;

a motion detecting device coupled with the processor; and

a sensing and interpretation application coupled with the processor for;

detecting a specific type of motion with respect to the mobile communications device via the motion detecting device;

determining a current mode of the mobile communications device;

comparing the detected motion against a database of motions in the storage means wherein each stored motion is associated with a mode of the mobile communications device and an action to be performed by the mobile communications device; and

upon finding a match, within tolerable limits, between the detected motion and a motion in the storage means, performing the action associated with the detected motion and the current mode of the mobile communications device.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the sensing and interpretation application can train the mobile communications device to recognize a specific motion by:

selecting a mode to be associated with a specific motion;

selecting an action to be performed within the selected mode;

detecting a motion of the mobile communications device via the motion detecting device wherein the motion is user defined;

associating the detected motion with the selected mode and the selected action; and

storing the associated detected motion with the selected mode and the selected action in the storage means.

13. The system of claim 11 further comprising a text-to-speech engine coupled with the processor for converting text strings that can be associated with an action to audible output that can be output by the speaker.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the mode of the mobile communications device includes one of a phone mode, a picture mode, a music mode, a game mode, camera mode, a contacts mode, a settings mode, and a null mode.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the null mode acts as a superseding mode such that any motions and actions associated within the null mode supersede motions and actions in other modes.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein an action includes one of a command or instruction that can be issued by an application within the mobile communications device, an audible output based on recorded audio file that can be output by the speaker, an audible output based on a text-to-speech conversion that can be output by the speaker, a visual output that can be displayed by the mobile communications device display, a visual output that can be displayed by other lights visible on the mobile communications device, and a mechanical output.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein motion detecting device is an accelerometer.