iPHONE FREQUENCY SENSOR/MAGNIFIER APPLICATION

• US 20140168170A1
• Filed: 12/17/2012
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lazarescu, Paul Orri, Goodman, Daniel, Raghavan, Adithya
• Granted Patent: US 9,430,098 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/177
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/00 Measuring characteristics of vibrations in solids by using direct conduction to the detector G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 13/00 Measuring resonant frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/028 Material parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02854 Length, thickness
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/12 by measuring frequency or resonance of acoustic waves measuring frequency or resonant frequency of mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in general G01H1/06, G01H3/04, G01H13/00; acoustic resonators G10K11/04; vibration or shock testing of structures G01M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves

Abstract

Devices, using emitted acoustic signals and received vibrations, determine resonant frequencies of a surface or other object, and determine useful information about that surface, including size, thickness, and material. Received vibrations include impulse vibrations from striking that surface with a finger or stylus, or from a frequency or from a swept-sinusoid emitted by the device. The device can adjust its frequency output to use the surface as an amplifier for alarms or speakers, or a center frequency for sonic output. Using an accelerometer, devices sense impulse vibrations, translating those impulses into information, such as keystrokes, game controls, mice, or musical instrument controls. Devices can emulate keyboards and input devices using tabletops. Devices can coordinate signals through multiple media, including air, surface, or EMF channels.

Claims

1. A method, including steps of:

emitting an acoustic signal from a device, said device coupled to an object having a resonant frequency;

receiving, by said device, one or more vibrations from said object, said vibrations being in response to said acoustic signal and said resonant frequency;

determining one or more characteristics of said object in response to said vibrations and said resonant frequency.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein:

said acoustic signal includes an impulse response of one or more of;

a haptic interface, a speaker.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein:

said characteristics of said object include one or more of;

a material, a shape, a size, a thickness, an impulse response to said acoustic signal.

4. A method as in claim 1, including steps of:

adjusting operation of said device in response to said characteristics of said object.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein:

said steps of adjusting operation include one or more of;

emitting an acoustic signal having a center frequency near said resonant frequency,

emitting an acoustic signal including said resonant frequency.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein:

said device includes an electronic communication element.

7. A method as in claim 6, wherein:

said device includes a cellular telephone.

8. A method, including steps of:

receiving a signal by a device, said signal having been propagated from one or more physical impulses imposed on a particular location on an object, said object having including one or more resonant frequencies;

determining, by said device, in response to said signal and in response to said resonant frequencies, said location;

performing an action, by said device, in response to said location.

9. A method as in claim 8, including steps of:

adjusting operation of said device in response to said resonant frequency.

10. A method as in claim 8, including steps of:

emitting an acoustic signal from said device;

said acoustic signal having a center frequency near said resonant frequency.

11. A method as in claim 8, including steps of:

emitting an acoustic signal from said device;

said acoustic signal including said resonant frequency.

12. A method as in claim 8, wherein:

said steps of performing an action are responsive to a number of said physical impulses.

13. A method as in claim 8, wherein:

said steps of performing an action include steps of;

emulating one or more of;

a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, a trackpad, a game controller.

14. A method, including steps of:

receiving a signal by a device, said signal having been propagated from one or more physical impulses imposed on a particular location on an object, said object having including one or more resonant frequencies;

determining, by said device, in response to said signal and in response to said resonant frequencies, a number of said physical impulses;

performing an action, by said device, in response to said number.

15. A method as in claim 14, including steps of:

adjusting operation of said device in response to said resonant frequency.

16. A method as in claim 14, including steps of:

emitting an acoustic signal from said device;

said acoustic signal having a center frequency near said resonant frequency.

17. A method as in claim 14, including steps of:

emitting an acoustic signal from said device;

said acoustic signal including said resonant frequency.

18. A method as in claim 14, wherein:

said steps of performing an action include steps of;

emulating one or more of;

a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, a trackpad, a game controller.

19. Apparatus including:

a first device coupled to an object having a resonant frequency, said first device including an acoustic signal emitter and a second signal emitter;

a second device coupled to said object, said second device including an acoustic signal receiver and a second signal receiver;

a substantially solid acoustic transmission medium coupled to said first device and said second device, said acoustic transmission medium having an impulse response to an acoustic signal;

said second signal emitter and said second signal receiver being disposed to transmit a signal including information describing said acoustic signal;

one or more of said first device and said second device including a processor and instructions interpretable by said processor to determine one or more characteristics of said impulse response in response to said acoustic signal and said second signal.

20. Apparatus as in claim 19, including:

a cellular telephone disposed in one or more of;

said first device, said second device.

21. Apparatus as in claim 19, including:

electromagnetic components disposed in one or more of;

said first device, said second device.

22. Apparatus as in claim 19, including instructions interpretable by said processor to determine:

an acoustic signal having a center frequency near a resonant frequency, said resonant frequency being defined in response to said impulse response.

23. Apparatus as in claim 19, including instructions interpretable by said processor to determine:

an acoustic signal including a resonant frequency, said resonant frequency being defined in response to said impulse response.

24. Apparatus as in claim 19, wherein:

said first device and said second device collectively include one or more of;

a haptic interface, a speaker.

25. Apparatus including:

a device acoustically coupleable to an object, said device including

an acoustic signal receiver;

a processor and instructions interpretable by said processor to define a plurality of regions with respect to said object;

said instructions interpretable by said processor to determine a particular region receiving a physical impulse in response to one or more resonant frequencies for said object;

said instructions interpretable by said processor to direct said device to perform an action associated with said region in response to said physical impulse and in response to said resonant frequencies.

26. Apparatus as in claim 25, including instructions interpretable by said processor to determine:

an acoustic signal having a center frequency near a resonant frequency, said resonant frequency being defined in response to said impulse response.

27. Apparatus as in claim 25, including instructions interpretable by said processor to determine:

an acoustic signal including a resonant frequency, said resonant frequency being defined in response to said impulse response.

28. Apparatus as in claim 25, wherein:

said action associated with said region is responsive to a number of said physical impulses.

29. Apparatus as in claim 25, wherein:

said instructions directing said device to perform an action include instructions directing said device to

emulate one or more of;

a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, a trackpad, a game controller.

30. Apparatus including:

a device acoustically coupleable to an object, said device including

an acoustic signal receiver;

a processor and instructions interpretable by said processor to define one or more regions with respect to said object;

said instructions interpretable by said processor to determine a particular region receiving one or more physical impulses in response to one or more resonant frequencies for said object;

said instructions interpretable by said processor to direct said device to perform an action associated with said region in response to a number of said physical impulses and in response to said resonant frequencies.

31. Apparatus as in claim 30, including instructions interpretable by said processor to determine:

an acoustic signal having a center frequency near a resonant frequency, said resonant frequency being defined in response to said impulse response.

32. Apparatus as in claim 30, including instructions interpretable by said processor to determine:

an acoustic signal including a resonant frequency, said resonant frequency being defined in response to said impulse response.

33. Apparatus as in claim 30, wherein:

said instructions directing said device to perform an action include instructions directing said device to;

emulate one or more of;

a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, a trackpad, a game controller.

34. A method, including steps of:

emitting a first signal from a first device, said first signal including one or more acoustic components, said first device acoustically coupled to an object having a resonant frequency;

emitting a second signal from said first device, said second signal including information describing said acoustic signal;

receiving, by a second device, said first signal and said second signal, said first signal being mediated by an impulse response;

determining, by one or more of said first device and said second device, characteristics of said impulse response, in response to said first signal and said second signal.

35. A method as in claim 34, including steps of:

adjusting operation of one or more of;

said first device, said second device,

in response to said resonant frequency.

36. A method as in claim 34, including steps of:

emitting an acoustic signal from one or more of;

said first device, said second device,

said acoustic signal having a center frequency near said resonant frequency,

said acoustic signal including said resonant frequency.

37. A method as in claim 34, wherein:

one or more of;

said first device, said second device,

is disposed upon a surface of a medium, said medium carrying said acoustic components.

38. A method as in claim 34, wherein:

said impulse response is responsive to a medium carrying said acoustic components.

39. A method as in claim 34, wherein:

said second signal includes one or more components embedded in said first signal.

40. A method as in claim 34, wherein:

said steps of emitting said first signal includes operating one or more of;

a haptic interface, a speaker.

41. A method as in claim 34, wherein:

said second signal includes one or more electromagnetic components.

42. A method as in claim 41, wherein:

said first device includes a cellular telephone.