Conveying commands to a mobile terminal through body actions

• US 7,702,282 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2007
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ahlgren, Erik, Sandegard, Anette, .ANG.berg, Kristoffer, Lessing, Robert Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao; Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, MONG-THUY THI
• Application Number:
  US11/622,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20080014989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/456.1, 455/517, 455/412, 455/575, 455/419, 455/420, 455/410, 455/411, 455/41.1, 455/100, 455/423, 455/404.2, 455/557, 455/564, 340/540
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

Interactions with a trigger device and/or body motions, such as motions detected with an accelerometer, may be used to augment user input interaction with a mobile terminal. In one implementation, logic senses when a first trigger device enters close proximity to the mobile terminal. A command for the mobile terminal is then executed based on the trigger device. The trigger device may be, for example, integrated with jewelry or clothing.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

an accelerometer; and

a processor to;

sense a first trigger device when the mobile terminal enters a first predetermined proximity of the first trigger device;

begin recording an output of the accelerometer when the first trigger device is sensed;

sense a second trigger device when the mobile terminal enters a second predetermined proximity of the second trigger device;

stop the recording of the output of the accelerometer when the second trigger device is sensed;

analyze the recorded output of the accelerometer to determine a match with a predefined movement of a set of predefined movements corresponding to a plurality of commands; and

execute one of the plurality of commands associated with the one predefined movement that is matched, the one of the plurality of commands relating to operation of the mobile terminal.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, where the first predetermined proximity comprises a distance of approximately three centimeters or less to the mobile terminal.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, where the processor senses the first trigger device using a passive mode of operation in which the first trigger device receives power from the mobile terminal.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, where the command comprises a command to dial a predetermined number.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, where the processor identifies the first trigger device from among a plurality of different trigger devices.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, where the first trigger device is embedded in jewelry or clothing.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, where the command comprises a security related command that disables or hides functionality of the mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is not within the predetermined proximity of the first trigger device.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, where the processor uses near field communication (NFC) protocol.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, where the processor uses radio frequency identification (RFID) techniques.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, where the first trigger device differs from the second trigger device.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, where a location of the first trigger device differs from a location of the second trigger device.

12. A method implemented in a mobile terminal comprising:

sensing a presence of a first trigger device when the mobile terminal comes within a predetermined proximity of the first trigger device;

recording an output of an accelerometer of the mobile terminal, beginning when the presence of the first trigger device is sensed;

ceasing recording the output of the accelerometer when a presence of a second trigger device is sensed;

analyzing the recorded output of the accelerometer to determine if the output is indicative of a particular predefined motion of a set of predefined motions respectively corresponding to a plurality of commands associated with operation of the mobile terminal; and

performing an action, at the mobile terminal, pursuant to a corresponding one of the plurality of commands when the output is indicative of the particular predefined motion.

13. The method of claim 12, where the first trigger device is embedded in jewelry or clothing.

14. The method of claim 13, where the predetermined proximity of the mobile terminal is a distance of approximately three centimeters or less to the mobile terminal.

15. The method of claim 12, where the first trigger device does not include an internal power supply.

16. The method of claim 12, where the one of the plurality of commands comprises a command to dial a predetermined number or answer a ringing of the mobile terminal.

17. The method of claim 12, where sensing the first trigger device includes identifying the first trigger device from among a plurality of possible different trigger devices.

18. The method of claim 12, where sensing the first trigger device is based on near field communication (NFC) protocol.

19. The method of claim 12, where sensing the first trigger device is based on radio frequency identification (RFID) techniques.