Orientation-sensitive signal output

• US 7,827,698 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GestureTek Incorporated (Winning Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: MacDougall, Francis, Jaiswal, Riten
• Primary Examiner(s): GUADALUPE, YARITZA
• Application Number:
  US12/058,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20080235965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 333/661.1, 333/661.2, 333/661.4, 333/661.5
• US Class Current: 33/366.11
• 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 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• 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 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 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation

Abstract

Orientation-sensitive signal output, in which a neutral position of a device is automatically determined in relation to at least a first axis, an angular displacement of the device is measured about at least the first axis, and shaking of the device is detected. A selection of the first control is received, and an output signal is output based at least upon the selection and the angular displacement or based upon detecting the shaking of the device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a tilt sensor configured to automatically determine a neutral position of a device in relation to at least a first axis, to measure an angular displacement of the device about at least the first axis, and to detect shaking of the device;

at least a first control located on the device; and

a processor configured to receive a selection of the first control and further configured to output an output signal based at least upon the selection and the angular displacement or based upon detecting the shaking of the device,

wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure the angular displacement of the device with respect to at least one tilt region defined around the first axis and the processor is configured to, when the processor receives the selection of the first control at a time when the angular displacement of the device is outside of any defined tilt region, provide no output, provide output corresponding to a closest defined tilt region, or provide output corresponding to a most recent output.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure the angular displacement of the device with respect to at least two tilt regions defined around the first axis, the at least two tilt regions including tilt regions that are asymmetric about the first axis and the processor is configured to select the output signal based on which of the at least two tilt regions corresponds to the angular displacement of the device.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first axis is defined outside of the device.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first axis is defined on an edge of the device.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the first axis is defined at an angle that intersects a longitudinal axis of the device.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to select a first character as the output signal when the tilt sensor measures no angular displacement or a negative angular displacement about the first axis and the processor is configured to select a second character as the output signal when the tilt sensor measures a positive angular displacement about the first axis that is greater than a threshold, the second character being different than the first character.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the tilt sensor is configured to automatically determine a common neutral position of the device in relation to at least the first axis based on past history of use of the device.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the output signal represents something other than an alphanumeric character.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to output an indication of magnitude of the angular displacement about the first axis measured by the tilt sensor, the indication of magnitude of the angular displacement being different than the output signal.

10. A system comprising:

a tilt sensor configured to automatically determine a neutral position of a device in relation to at least a first axis, to measure an angular displacement of the device about at least the first axis, and to detect shaking of the device;

at least a first control located on the device; and

a processor configured to receive a selection of the first control and further configured to output an output signal based at least upon the selection and the angular displacement or based upon detecting the shaking of the device,

wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure the angular displacement of the device with respect to more than five tilt regions defined around the first axis and the processor is configured to select the output signal based on which of the more than five tilt regions corresponds to the angular displacement of the device.

11. A system comprising:

a tilt sensor configured to automatically determine a neutral position of a device in relation to at least a first axis, to measure an angular displacement of the device about at least the first axis, and to detect shaking of the device;

at least a first control located on the device; and

a processor configured to receive a selection of the first control and further configured to output an output signal based at least upon the selection and the angular displacement or based upon detecting the shaking of the device,

wherein the tilt sensor is configured to automatically determine the neutral position of the device in relation to at least a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis, the tilt sensor is configured to measure the angular displacement of the device with respect to at least three tilt regions defined around the first axis, and the tilt sensor is configured to measure the angular displacement of the device with respect to at least two tilt regions defined around the second axis, the at least two tilt regions defined around the second axis having a different number of tilt regions than the at least three tilt regions defined around the first axis.

12. A system comprising:

a tilt sensor configured to automatically determine a neutral position of a device in relation to at least a first axis, to measure an angular displacement of the device about at least the first axis, and to detect shaking of the device;

at least a first control located on the device; and

a processor configured to receive a selection of the first control and further configured to output an output signal based at least upon the selection and the angular displacement or based upon detecting the shaking of the device,

wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure the angular displacement of the device with respect to at least two tilt regions defined around the first axis and the processor is configured to output an indication of which of the at least two tilt regions corresponds to the angular displacement of the device, the indication of which of the at least two tilt regions corresponds to the angular displacement of the device being different than the output signal.

13. A system comprising:

a tilt sensor configured to automatically determine a neutral position of a device in relation to at least a first axis, to measure an angular displacement of the device about at least the first axis, and to detect shaking of the device;

at least a first control located on the device; and

a processor configured to receive a selection of the first control and further configured to output an output signal based at least upon the selection and the angular displacement or based upon detecting the shaking of the device,

wherein the tilt sensor is configured to automatically determine the neutral position of the device in relation to at least a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis, the tilt sensor is configured to measure the angular displacement of the device with respect to the second axis, the processor is configured to output a first full tilt indicator that corresponds to the first axis and represents a first full threshold of tilt with respect to the first axis, a first partial tilt indicator that corresponds to the first axis and represents a first partial threshold of tilt with respect to the first axis that is less than the first full threshold of tilt, a second full tilt indicator that corresponds to the second axis and represents a second full threshold of tilt with respect to the second axis, and a second partial tilt indicator that corresponds to the second axis and represents a second partial threshold of tilt with respect to the second axis that is less than the second full threshold of tilt, the processor is configured to control the first full tilt indicator and the first partial tilt indicator based on the measured angular displacement of the device with respect to the first axis, and the processor is configured to control the second full tilt indicator and the second partial tilt indicator based on the measured angular displacement of the device with respect to the second axis.

14. A system comprising:

a tilt sensor configured to automatically determine a neutral position of a device in relation to at least first through third axis and to measure an angular displacement of the device about at least the first through third axis;

at least a first control located on the device and associated with a first plurality of output signals; and

a processor configured to receive a selection of the first control and further configured to output one of the first plurality of output signals based at least upon the selection and the angular displacement about the first through third axis.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein a first axis of the first through third axis has a different number of defined tilt regions than a second axis of the first through third axis.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the processor is configured to, when the processor receives the selection of the first control at a time when the angular displacement of the device is outside of any defined tilt region, provide no output.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the processor is configured to, when the processor receives the selection of the first control at a time when the angular displacement of the device is outside of any defined tilt region, provide output corresponding to a closest defined tilt region.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the processor is configured to, when the processor receives the selection of the first control at a time when the angular displacement of the device is outside of any defined tilt region, provide output corresponding to a most recent output.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein at least one of the first through third axis is defined outside of the device.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein the processor is configured to select, from among the first plurality of output signals, a first output signal when the tilt sensor measures no angular displacement or a negative angular displacement about a first axis of the first through third axis and the processor is configured to select, from among the first plurality of output signals, a second output signal when the tilt sensor measures a positive angular displacement about the first axis of the first through third axis that is greater than a threshold, the second output signal being different than the first output signal.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein the tilt sensor is configured to automatically determine a common neutral position of the device in relation to the at least first through third axis based on past history of use of the device.

22. A system comprising:

a tilt sensor configured to measure tilt data representing tilt of a device, the tilt data including a measurement corresponding to roll tilt about a first axis, a measurement corresponding to pitch tilt about a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis, and a measurement corresponding to yaw tilt about a third axis that is orthogonal to the first axis and the second axis;

at least a first control located on the device and configured to receive user input that is different than the measured tilt data; and

a processor configured to provide output based on the measured tilt data and user input received using the first control.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure at least two discrete levels of roll tilt about the first axis, at least two discrete levels of pitch tilt about the second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis, and at least two discrete levels of yaw tilt about the third axis that is orthogonal to the first axis and the second axis.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the processor is configured to provide output based on a combination of user input received using the first control and the measured tilt data representing tilt of the device at a time when the user input was received using the first control.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the processor is configured to select, from among multiple output options associated with the first control, a first output option that corresponds to the measured tilt data representing tilt of the device at the time when the user input was received using the first control and provide output based on the first output option.

26. The system of claim 22 wherein the processor is configured to receive an indication that the first control is selected, after receiving the indication that the first control is selected, detect rotational movement of the device when the first control is selected based on tilt data measured by the tilt sensor when the first control is selected, and provide output based on the detected rotational movement of the device when the first control is selected.

27. The system of claim 22 wherein the processor is configured to access tilt data measured by the tilt sensor over a period of time, analyze the accessed tilt data to determine whether or not the device is being moved back and forth in a shaking motion during the period of time, and change output being displayed in response to a determination that the device is being moved back and forth in the shaking motion.

28. The system of claim 22 wherein the processor is configured to access tilt data measured by the tilt sensor, detect shaking of the device based on the accessed tilt data, and provide output based on detecting shaking of the device.

29. The system of claim 22 wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure tilt data with respect to more than five tilt regions defined around the first axis and the processor is configured to provide output based on which of the more than five tilt regions corresponds to the tilt of the device.

30. The system of claim 22 wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure tilt data with respect to at least two tilt regions defined around the first axis, the at least two tilt regions including tilt regions that are asymmetric about the first axis and the processor is configured to provide output based on which of the at least two tilt regions corresponds to the tilt of the device.

31. The system of claim 22 wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure tilt data with respect to at least three tilt regions defined around the first axis, and the tilt sensor is configured to measure tilt data with respect to at least two tilt regions defined around the second axis, the at least two tilt regions defined around the second axis having a different number of tilt regions than the at least three tilt regions defined around the first axis.

32. The system of claim 22 wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure tilt data with respect to at least one tilt region defined around the first axis and the processor is configured to, when the processor receives user input from the first control at a time when the tilt of the device is outside of any defined tilt region, provide no output.

33. The system of claim 22 wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure tilt data with respect to at least one tilt region defined around the first axis and the processor is configured to, when the processor receives user input from the first control at a time when the tilt of the device is outside of any defined tilt region, provide output corresponding to a closest defined tilt region.

34. The system of claim 22 wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure tilt data with respect to at least one tilt region defined around the first axis and the processor is configured to, when the processor receives user input from the first control at a time when the tilt of the device is outside of any defined tilt region, provide output corresponding to a most recent output.

35. The system of claim 22 wherein the first axis is defined outside of the device.

36. The system of claim 22 wherein the first axis is defined on an edge of the device.

37. The system of claim 22 wherein the first axis is defined at an angle that intersects a longitudinal axis of the device.

38. The system of claim 22 wherein the processor is configured to provide first output when the tilt sensor measures no angular displacement or a negative angular displacement about the first axis and the processor is configured to provide second output when the tilt sensor measures a positive angular displacement about the first axis that is greater than a threshold, the second output being different than the first output.

39. The system of claim 22 wherein the tilt sensor is configured to automatically determine a common neutral position of the device in relation to at least the first axis based on past history of use of the device.

40. The system of claim 22 wherein the processor is configured to output an indication of magnitude of tilt about the first axis measured by the tilt sensor, the indication of magnitude of tilt being different than the output provided based on the measured tilt data and user input received using the first control.

41. The system of claim 22 wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure tilt data with respect to at least two tilt regions defined around the first axis and the processor is configured to output an indication of which of the at least two tilt regions corresponds to tilt of the device, the indication of which of the at least two tilt regions corresponds to tilt of the device being different than the output provided based on the measured tilt data and user input received using the first control.

42. The system of claim 22 wherein the processor is configured to output a first full tilt indicator that corresponds to the first axis and represents a first full threshold of tilt with respect to the first axis, a first partial tilt indicator that corresponds to the first axis and represents a first partial threshold of tilt with respect to the first axis that is less than the first full threshold of tilt, a second full tilt indicator that corresponds to the second axis and represents a second full threshold of tilt with respect to the second axis, and a second partial tilt indicator that corresponds to the second axis and represents a second partial threshold of tilt with respect to the second axis that is less than the second full threshold of tilt, the processor is configured to control the first full tilt indicator and the first partial tilt indicator based on tilt of the device with respect to the first axis, and the processor is configured to control the second full tilt indicator and the second partial tilt indicator based on tilt of the device with respect to the second axis.