ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING FINGER MOVEMENT BASED MUSICAL TONE GENERATION AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20100102939A1
• Filed: 10/28/2008
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: AuthenTec Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: STEWART, Arthur Leslie
• Granted Patent: US 8,471,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/384.100
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 1/00 Comparing elements, i.e. elements for effecting comparison directly or indirectly between a desired value and existing or anticipated values
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/34 Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/161 with 2D or x/y surface coordinates sensing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection

Abstract

An electronic device may include a finger biometric sensor and an audio output transducer. The electronic device may further include a controller cooperating with the finger biometric sensor for determining at least one biometric characteristic of a user'"'"'s finger. The controller may also cooperate with the finger biometric sensor for causing the audio output transducer to generate at least one musical tone changing based upon movement of a user'"'"'s finger relative to the finger biometric sensor.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a finger biometric sensor;

an audio output transducer; and

a controller cooperating with said finger biometric sensor for determining at least one biometric characteristic of a user'"'"'s finger;

said controller also cooperating with said finger biometric sensor for causing said audio output transducer to generate at least one musical tone changing based upon movement of the user'"'"'s finger relative to said finger biometric sensor.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1 wherein said controller cooperates with said finger biometric sensor for causing said audio output transducer to generate the at least one musical tone changing based upon a velocity of the user'"'"'s finger relative to said finger biometric sensor.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1 wherein said controller cooperates with said finger biometric sensor for causing said audio output transducer to generate the at least one musical tone having a pitch that changes based upon the movement of the user'"'"'s finger relative to said finger biometric sensor.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1 wherein said controller also cooperates with said finger biometric sensor for performing at least one navigation function.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1 wherein said controller also cooperates with said finger biometric sensor for performing at least one authentication function.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1 wherein said finger biometric sensor comprises a slide biometric finger sensor;

wherein said controller generates a finger velocity signal based upon said slide biometric finger sensor; and

wherein said controller cooperates with said slide finger biometric sensor for causing said audio output transducer to generate the at least one musical tone changing based upon the finger velocity signal.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1 further wherein said controller permits selecting a musical instrument for the at least one musical tone.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1 further comprising a wireless link coupling said audio output transducer and said controller.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1 further comprising at least one of a display and a keypad coupled to said controller.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a finger biometric sensor;

an audio output transducer; and

a controller cooperating with said finger biometric sensor for determining at least one biometric characteristic of a user'"'"'s finger;

said controller also cooperating with said finger biometric sensor for causing said audio output transducer to generate at least one musical tone having a pitch that changes based upon a velocity of the user'"'"'s finger relative to said finger biometric sensor.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10 wherein said finger biometric sensor comprises a slide biometric finger sensor;

wherein said controller generates a finger velocity signal based upon said slide biometric finger sensor.

12. The electronic device according to claim 10 further wherein said controller permits selecting a musical instrument for the at least one musical tone.

13. The electronic device according to claim 10 further comprising a wireless link coupling said audio output transducer and said controller.

14. The electronic device according to claim 10 further comprising at least one of a display and a keypad coupled to said controller.

15. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a housing;

a wireless transceiver carried by said housing;

a finger biometric sensor carried by said housing;

an audio output transducer carried by said housing; and

a controller cooperating with said finger biometric sensor for determining at least one biometric characteristic of a user'"'"'s finger for authenticating the user and enabling operation of said wireless transceiver;

said controller also cooperating with said finger biometric sensor for causing said audio output transducer to generate at least one musical tone changing based upon movement of the user'"'"'s finger relative to said finger biometric sensor.

16. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 15 wherein said controller cooperates with said finger biometric sensor for causing said audio output transducer to generate the at least one musical tone changing based upon a velocity of the user'"'"'s finger relative to said finger biometric sensor.

17. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 15 wherein said controller cooperates with said finger biometric sensor for causing said audio output transducer to generate the at least one musical tone having a pitch that changes based upon the movement of the user'"'"'s finger relative to said finger biometric sensor.

18. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 15 further wherein said controller permits selecting a musical instrument for the at least one musical tone.

19. A method of playing at least one musical tone using an electronic device comprising a finger biometric sensor, an audio output transducer, and a controller coupled to the finger biometric sensor and the audio output transducer, the method comprising:

using the controller cooperating with the finger biometric sensor for determining at least one biometric characteristic of a user'"'"'s finger; and

further using the controller also cooperating with the finger biometric sensor for causing the audio output transducer to generate the at least one musical tone changing based upon movement of the user'"'"'s finger relative to the finger biometric sensor.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein using the controller comprises using the controller to generate the at least one musical tone changing based upon a velocity of the user'"'"'s finger relative to the finger biometric sensor.

21. The method according to claim 19 wherein using the controller comprises using the controller to generate the at least one musical tone having a pitch that changes based upon the movement of the user'"'"'s finger relative to the finger biometric sensor.

22. The method according to claim 19 further comprising using the controller to permit selecting a musical instrument for the at least one musical tone.