ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND INPUT METHOD

• US 20140137630A1
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Published: 05/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Yagi, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,347,968 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/1.37
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/02 of speedometers
• 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

An electronic device includes a storage unit that stores reference data for executing each of functions, an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration of the electronic device in at least two axes perpendicular to each other, a motion detection unit that detects a consecutive motion of the electronic device based on the acceleration of the electronic device and generates data of the detected motion of the electronic device, a correction range determination unit that determines a correction range based on data of a motion in a predetermined section of the data of the motion of the electronic device, a correction unit that corrects the motion of the electronic device to a rectilinear motion when the motion of the electronic device is in the correction range, and an execution control unit that judges each of the functions to be executed based on the motion of the electronic device and the reference data.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a storage unit configured to store reference data of a motion of the electronic device for executing each of functions;

an acceleration sensor configured to detect acceleration of the electronic device in at least two axes perpendicular to each other;

a motion detection unit configured to detect a consecutive motion of the electronic device on the basis of the acceleration of the electronic device in each axis detected by the acceleration sensor and generates data of the detected motion of the electronic device;

a correction range determination unit configured to determine a reference direction and a reference position on the basis of data of a motion in a predetermined section, among the data of the motion of the electronic device generated by the motion detection unit, and determines a correction range which has, as boundaries, a plurality of straight lines intersecting a straight line with a predetermined threshold angle in the reference direction at the reference position;

a correction unit configured to correct the motion of the electronic device to a rectilinear motion in the reference direction when the motion of the electronic device detected by the motion detection unit is in the correction range determined by the correction range determination unit; and

an execution control unit configured to judge each of the functions to be executed on the basis of the motion of the electronic device and the reference data.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the acceleration sensor detects acceleration of the electronic device in each of three axes perpendicular to each other, and

wherein the correction range determination unit determines the reference direction and the reference position in a three-dimensional space, and sets, as the correction range, an inside of a cone which has the reference position as a vertex, the straight line in the reference direction as a generatrix, and the predetermined threshold angle as an angle of a lateral surface for the generatrix.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, further comprising a coordinate system determination unit configured to judge a gravity direction on the basis of acceleration of the electronic device detected by the acceleration sensor, and determines a reference coordinate system having the judged gravity direction as one axis,

wherein the storage unit stores reference data including a direction of a motion of the electronic device in the reference coordinate system, and

wherein the motion detection unit detects the motion of the electronic device in the reference coordinate system.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, further comprising a display unit,

wherein the coordinate system determination unit sets, as the reference coordinate system, an orthogonal coordinate system that has a direction, to which a display surface of the display unit faces and which is perpendicular to the gravity direction, and a direction, which is perpendicular to the direction and the gravity direction, as axes.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a contact detection unit that is provided on a lateral surface of the electronic device, and detects whether or not there is a contact and a contact position,

wherein the motion detection unit detects a motion of the electronic device only when the contact detection unit detects a contact.

6. An input method comprising:

a step of detecting a consecutive motion of an electronic device on the basis of acceleration of the electronic device in each axis detected by an acceleration sensor which detects acceleration of the electronic device in at least two axes perpendicular to each other, and generating data of the detected motion of the electronic device;

a step of determining a reference direction and a reference position on the basis of data of a motion in a predetermined section, among the generated data of the motion of the electronic device, and determining a correction range which has, as boundaries, a plurality of straight lines intersecting a straight line with a predetermined threshold angle in the reference direction at the reference position;

a step of correcting the motion of the electronic device to a rectilinear motion in the reference direction when the detected motion of the electronic device is in the determined correction range; and

a step of judging a function to be executed on the basis of the motion of the electronic device and reference data of a motion of the electronic device for executing each function.