MOTION-BASED DEVICE OPERATIONS

• US 20120306770A1
• Filed: 06/03/2011
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Moore, Christopher, Mullens, Christopher T., Novick, Gregory, Huang, Ronald K., Vieta, William Matthew, Tu, Xiaoyuan
• Granted Patent: US 8,952,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/00 Drugs for disorders of the alimentary tract or the digestive system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 1/04 for ulcers, gastritis or reflux esophagitis, e.g. antacids, inhibitors of acid secretion, mucosal protectants
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 19/02 for joint disorders, e.g. arthritis, arthrosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/00 Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/16 Anti-Parkinson drugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/28 for treating neurodegenerative disorders of the central nervous system, e.g. nootropic agents, cognition enhancers, drugs for treating Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 27/02 Ophthalmic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 29/00 Non-central analgesic, antipyretic or antiinflammatory agents, e.g. antirheumatic agents; Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs [NSAID]
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 3/04 Anorexiants; Antiobesity agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/04 Antibacterial agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/00 Antineoplastic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 7/04 Antihaemorrhagics; Procoagulants; Haemostatic agents; Antifibrinolytic agents
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 209/44 Iso-indoles; Hydrogenated iso-indoles
• 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: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means

Abstract

Methods, program products, and systems of motion-based device operations are described. A mobile device can coordinate operations of a motion sensor and a proximity sensor. The mobile device can determine a gesture event using the motion sensor. The mobile device can determine a proximity event using the proximity sensor. The mobile device can use the gesture event and proximity event to confirm one another, and determine that the mobile device has moved in proximity to a target object following a specified gesture. Upon confirmation, the mobile device can perform a specified task.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining a motion reading from one or more motion sensing devices of a mobile device;

detecting a gesture event based on the motion reading, including determining that the motion reading indicates that the mobile device moves towards a target object in one or more specified fashions;

detecting a proximity event, including obtaining a proximity reading from a proximity sensor of the mobile device, the proximity reading indicating that the mobile device is located proximate to an object;

determining, based on the gesture event and the proximity event, that the mobile device has moved to a location proximate to the target object; and

then

performing a task in response.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

performing the task includes changing an input mode of the mobile device from a touch input mode to a speech input mode.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein changing the input mode to the speech input mode includes configuring the mobile device to accept at least one of a speech command or a dictation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the motion reading indicates that the mobile device moves towards the target object comprises:

comparing the motion reading to one or more pre-stored motion patterns, the one or more pre-stored motion patterns being associated with a gesture of moving the mobile device toward the target object, each pre-stored motion pattern corresponding to a manner of movement of the gesture; and

determining that the mobile device is moving in a gesture towards the object based on results of the comparing.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the proximity event comprises:

setting the proximity sensor to operate in a passive mode in which a trigger of the proximity sensor causes an event notification of a proximity event; and

detecting the proximity event when the proximity sensor operates in the passive mode.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining that the mobile device has moved to the location proximate to the target object comprises:

determining that the mobile device has moved to the location proximate to the target object when the proximity event is detected within a threshold time period before detecting the gesture event.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the mobile device has moved to the location proximate to the target object comprises:

setting the proximity sensor to switch from a passive mode to an active mode upon detection of the gesture event, wherein when operating in the active mode, a trigger of the proximity sensor causes an event notification of a proximity event, a turning off of a backlight of a display, and a turning off of a touch input of a touch-sensitive input device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining that the mobile device has moved to the location proximate to the target object includes determining that the mobile device has moved to the location proximate to the target object when the proximity event is detect within a threshold time period after detecting the gesture event.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the object includes at least a portion of a human face.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more motion sensing devices include at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a light sensor, or a gravimeter.

11. A computer product configured to cause one or more mobile devices to perform operations comprising:

obtaining a motion reading from one or more motion sensing devices of a mobile device;

detecting a gesture event based on the motion reading, including determining that the motion reading indicates that the mobile device moves towards a target object in one or more specified fashions;

detecting a proximity event, including obtaining a proximity reading from a proximity sensor of the mobile device, the proximity reading indicating that the mobile device is located proximate to an object;

determining, based on the gesture event and the proximity event, that the mobile device has moved to a location proximate to the target object; and

then

performing a task in response.

12. The product of claim 11, wherein:

performing the task includes changing an input mode of the mobile device from a touch input mode to a speech input mode.

13. The product of claim 12, wherein changing the input mode to the speech input mode includes configuring the mobile device to accept at least one of a speech command or a dictation.

14. The product of claim 11, wherein determining that the motion reading indicates that the mobile device moves towards the target object comprises:

comparing the motion reading to one or more pre-stored motion patterns, the one or more pre-stored motion patterns being associated with a gesture of moving the mobile device toward the target object, each pre-stored motion pattern corresponding to a manner of movement of the gesture; and

determining that the mobile device is moving in a gesture towards the object based on results of the comparing.

15. The product of claim 11, wherein detecting the proximity event comprises:

setting the proximity sensor to operate in a passive mode in which a trigger of the proximity sensor causes an event notification of a proximity event; and

detecting the proximity event when the proximity sensor operates in the passive mode.

16. The product of claim 15, wherein determining that the mobile device has moved to the location proximate to the target object comprises:

determining that the mobile device has moved to the location proximate to the target object when the proximity event is detected within a threshold time period before detecting the gesture event.

17. The product of claim 11, wherein determining that the mobile device has moved to the location proximate to the target object comprises:

setting the proximity sensor to switch from a passive mode to an active mode upon detection of the gesture event, wherein when operating in the active mode, a trigger of the proximity sensor causes an event notification of a proximity event, a turning off of a backlight of a display, and a turning off of a touch input of a touch-sensitive input device.

18. The product of claim 17, wherein determining that the mobile device has moved to the location proximate to the target object includes determining that the mobile device has moved to the location proximate to the target object when the proximity event is detect within a threshold time period after detecting the gesture event.

19. The product of claim 11, wherein the object includes at least a portion of a human face.

20. The product of claim 11, wherein the one or more motion sensing devices include at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a light sensor, or a gravimeter.

21. A system, comprising:

one or more mobile devices configured to perform operations comprising;

obtaining a motion reading from one or more motion sensing devices of a mobile device;

detecting a gesture event based on the motion reading, including determining that the motion reading indicates that the mobile device moves towards a target object in one or more specified fashions;

detecting a proximity event, including obtaining a proximity reading from a proximity sensor of the mobile device, the proximity reading indicating that the mobile device is located proximate to an object;

determining, based on the gesture event and the proximity event, that the mobile device has moved to a location proximate to the target object; and

then

performing a task in response.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein:

performing the task includes changing an input mode of the mobile device from a touch input mode to a speech input mode.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein changing the input mode to the speech input mode includes configuring the mobile device to accept at least one of a speech command or a dictation.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein determining that the motion reading indicates that the mobile device moves towards the target object comprises:

comparing the motion reading to one or more pre-stored motion patterns, the one or more pre-stored motion patterns being associated with a gesture of moving the mobile device toward the target object, each pre-stored motion pattern corresponding to a manner of movement of the gesture; and

determining that the mobile device is moving in a gesture towards the object based on results of the comparing.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein detecting the proximity event comprises:

setting the proximity sensor to operate in a passive mode in which a trigger of the proximity sensor causes an event notification of a proximity event; and

detecting the proximity event when the proximity sensor operates in the passive mode.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein determining that the mobile device has moved to the location proximate to the target object comprises:

determining that the mobile device has moved to the location proximate to the target object when the proximity event is detected within a threshold time period before detecting the gesture event.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein determining that the mobile device has moved to the location proximate to the target object comprises:

setting the proximity sensor to switch from a passive mode to an active mode upon detection of the gesture event, wherein when operating in the active mode, a trigger of the proximity sensor causes an event notification of a proximity event, a turning off of a backlight of a display, and a turning off of a touch input of a touch-sensitive input device.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein determining that the mobile device has moved to the location proximate to the target object includes determining that the mobile device has moved to the location proximate to the target object when the proximity event is detect within a threshold time period after detecting the gesture event.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the object includes at least a portion of a human face.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more motion sensing devices include at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a light sensor, or a gravimeter.