METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING A DEVICE

• US 20120112930A1
• Filed: 11/09/2010
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ivanov, Plamen A., Valentine, Mark F., Richards, Daniel L., Vuppu, Sandeep P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,723,699 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling a device is provided herein. During operation, a user'"'"'s headset is tapped upon in order to control a device. More particularly, a user'"'"'s headset (or the device itself) uses circuitry that allows the headset or the device to detect user taps (for example on either earpiece of the connected 3.5 mm jack stereo headset, or the housing of the headset). The taps serve as user inputs to control the device. Because a user can control a device simply by tapping upon a headset, the device can be accessed without necessitating the need to wake the device to access control functions (e.g., music control functions).

Claims

1. A method for controlling a device, the method comprising the steps of:

determining by a tap detector, that a user has tapped upon a headset, wherein the user'"'"'s tap upon the headset does not press any hardware or software keys located on the headset;

controlling by circuitry, functionality based on the reception of the tap upon the headset.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of controlling functionality comprises the steps of:

determining how many taps were received; and

controlling a function of the device based on how many taps were received.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of controlling functionality comprises the steps of:

determining how many taps were received;

determining whether a left or right speaker was tapped; and

controlling a function of the device based on how many taps were received and whether the left or the right speaker was tapped.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

filtering a signal received from the headset in order to better receive the user'"'"'s tap upon the headset.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of filtering the signal received from the headset comprises the step of:

subtracting an output signal from the signal received from the headset.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

determining a phase difference between an output signal and the signal received from the headset.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the device comprises a mobile telephone, a portable music player, a laptop computer, or a notepad.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of controlling comprises at least one of the following:

muting or un-muting a volume

increasing the volume;

decreasing the volume;

answering a phone call;

hanging up a phone call; and

placing a call to a particular number.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving the user'"'"'s tap upon the headset comprises the step of receiving the user'"'"'s tap upon a speaker of the headset.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of receiving the tap comprises the step of receiving the tap via a transducer allowing bi-directional energy transfer.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a tap detector determining that a user has tapped upon a headset, wherein the user'"'"'s tap upon the headset does not press any hardware or software keys located on the headset;

logic circuitry controlling functionality of a device based on the reception of the tap upon the headset.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the logic circuitry controls the function of the device by:

determining how many taps were received; and

controlling a function of the device based on how many taps were received.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the logic circuitry controls the function of the device by:

determining how many taps were received;

determining whether a left or right speaker was tapped; and

controlling the function of the device based on how many taps were received and whether the left or the right speaker was tapped.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

a filter for filtering a signal received from the headset in order to better receive the user'"'"'s tap upon the headset.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the filter subtracts an output signal from the signal received from the headset.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a phase detector determining a phase difference between an output signal and the signal received from the headset.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the device comprises a mobile telephone, a portable music player, a laptop computer, or a notepad.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein controlling comprises at least one of the following:

muting or un-muting a volume

increasing the volume;

decreasing the volume;

answering a phone call;

hanging up a phone call; and

placing a call to a particular number.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the user'"'"'s tap is received upon a speaker of the headset.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the tap is by a transducer allowing bi-directional energy transfer.