INTERACTION WITH PORTABLE DEVICES

• US 20130162527A1
• Filed: 08/18/2011
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elliptic Laboratories AS
• Original Assignee: Elliptic Laboratories AS
• Inventors: Dahl, Tobias
• Granted Patent: US 9,983,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• 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
• 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

Abstract

A portable electronic device comprises means for generating or receiving a signal indicating that it has been placed in a predetermined position. The portable electronic device is configured upon receiving said signal to enable user interaction with the portable electronic device by a touchless interaction mode. Also disclosed are various arrangements of a peripheral device and a portable electronic device which cooperate to provide a touchless interaction mode—e.g. through transducers and/or processing means being provided in the peripheral device.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device arranged to generate or receive a signal indicating that the portable electronic device has been placed in a predetermined position and wherein the portable electronic device is configured upon receiving said signal to enable user interaction with the portable electronic device by a touchless interaction mode.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 adapted to determine itself when it is in the predetermined position.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the predetermined position of the electronic device is one in which it is on, near or against a peripheral device.

5. A device as claimed in claim 3 comprising a data communication arrangement between the portable electronic device and the peripheral device.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 comprising one or more ultrasonic transmitters and/or receivers.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said touchless interaction mode comprises the use of ultrasonic signals reflected from an input object to control a function of the portable electronic device.

8. A peripheral device as claimed in claim 1 configured to give an indication that the touchless interaction mode is active.

4. A device as claimed in 3 wherein the portable electronic device is arranged to receive a signal from the peripheral device indicating that it is in said predetermined position.

9. A system comprising a portable electronic device arranged to generate or receive a signal indicating that the portable electronic device has been placed in a predetermined position on, near or against a peripheral device and wherein the portable electronic device is configured upon receiving said signal to enable user interaction with the portable electronic device by a touchless interaction mode.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the peripheral device comprises one or more transducers for implementing the touchless interaction mode.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the peripheral device comprises one or more ultrasonic transmitters and/or receivers.

12. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the peripheral device comprises means for providing electrical power to the portable electronic device.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12 comprising a data connection between the portable electronic device and the peripheral device integrated with the means for providing electrical power to the portable electronic device.

14. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the portable electronic device and the peripheral device are configured to pass signals between them to enable the touchless interaction mode.

15. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the portable electronic device is arranged to determine itself when it is in the predetermined position.

16. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the portable electronic device is arranged to receive a signal from the peripheral device indicating that it is in said predetermined position.

17. A system as claimed in claim 9 comprising a data communication arrangement between the portable electronic device and the peripheral device.

18. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the peripheral device is adapted to carry out at least some signal processing for implementing said touchless interaction mode.

19. A system as claimed in claim 18 wherein said processing comprises conversion to or from a digital signal.

20. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the peripheral device comprises a module arranged to characterise the movement of an input object and a module arranged to provide control signals to the portable electronic device based on said movement characterisation.

21. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the peripheral device is adapted to share with the portable electronic device digital processing required to convert signals from transducers provided on either or both devices into control signals to control the portable electronic device.

22. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said touchless interaction mode comprises the use of ultrasonic signals reflected from an input object to control a function of the portable electronic device.

23. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the peripheral device comprises a stand including one or more tubular support elements.

24. A system as claimed in claim 23 comprising at least one PVDF flexible ultrasonic transducer housed in said tubular support element.

25. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the peripheral device comprises a transmitter and a signal generator configured to drive the transmitter to transmit a suitable signal to permit the touchless interaction mode.

26. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the peripheral device comprises a module arranged to detect the presence of the portable electronic device in order to wake up the peripheral device.

27. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the peripheral device and/or the portable electronic device is configured to give an indication that the touchless interaction mode is active.

28. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the portable electronic device is provided with a module arranged to transmit a signal for receipt by the peripheral device for indicating the proximity and/or location of the portable electronic device with respect to the peripheral device.

29-70. -70. (canceled)