Image navigation in a mobile station

• US 7,859,553 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2005
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Bae, Joung-Sun
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG, JIN CHENG
• Application Number:
  US11/321,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20060209023A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,826 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-179, 345/659, 361/683, 455/556.1, 370/338, 348/333.06
• US Class Current: 345/659
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• 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 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: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

An image navigation apparatus in a mobile station comprises a tilt sensor unit adapted to sense a tilt of the mobile station based on information related to a distance between a reference point and a target point on a displayed image. The image navigation apparatus also comprises a processing unit operatively coupled to the tilt sensor, adapted to move the displayed image according to the tilt sensed by the tilt sensor. The image navigation apparatus may further comprise a display unit operatively coupled to the processing unit, adapted to show movement of the displayed image according to the tilt sensed by the tilt sensor. The tilt of the mobile station may comprise at least one of a tilt degree and a tilt direction.

Claims

1. An image navigation apparatus in a mobile station configured to process a plurality of applications, the image navigation apparatus comprising:

a display unit configured to display an image related to one of the plurality of applications;

a processing unit configured to read coordinates of a reference point and a target point on the image displayed on the display unit to calculate an angle and a distance between the target point and the reference point; and

a voltage distributing unit operatively coupled to the processing unit and configured to distribute a voltage to a tilt sensor unit, the voltage distributing unit generating a new reference voltage corresponding to the one of the plurality of applications based on the calculated angle and distance,

wherein the tilt sensor unit is configured to sense a tilt of the mobile station by using the new reference voltage, a sensitivity degree of the tilt sensor unit adjusted according to an application being executed such that the sensitivity degree is not the same for all of the plurality of applications,

wherein navigation of the displayed image is based on motion of a virtual image on the display unit,

wherein the processing unit is further configured to move the displayed image according to the tilt sensed by the tilt sensor unit,

wherein the reference point and target point are determined by a position of the displayed image moved if the displayed image is moved according to the sensed tilt, and

wherein the target point is generated according to the application being executed such that different reference points and target points are set for each of the plurality of applications.

2. The image navigation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tilt of the mobile station comprises a tilt direction.

3. The image navigation apparatus of claim 2, wherein the tilt of the mobile station further comprises a tilt degree.

4. The image navigation apparatus of claim 3, wherein the tilt degree is determined by an orientation angle of the reference point to the target point.

5. An image navigation method for a mobile station configured to process a plurality of applications, the method comprising:

displaying an image related to one of the plurality of applications;

reading coordinates of a reference point and a target point on the displayed image;

calculating an angle and a distance between the reference point and the target point based upon the read coordinates of the reference point and the target point;

generating a new reference voltage corresponding to the one of the plurality of applications based upon the calculated angle and distance;

sensing a tilt of the mobile station by using the generated new reference voltage, a sensitivity degree adjusted according to an application being executed such that the sensitivity degree is not the same for all of the plurality of applications; and

moving the displayed image according the sensed tilt,

wherein the reference point and target point are determined by a position of the displayed image moved if the displayed image is moved according to the sensed tilt, and

wherein the target point is generated according to the application being executed such that different reference points and target points are set for each of the plurality of applications.

6. The image navigation method of claim 5, wherein the tilt of the mobile station comprises a tilt direction.

7. The image navigation method of claim 5, wherein the sensing of the tilt further comprises:

processing information related to an orientation angle of the reference point to the target point.

8. The image navigation method of claim 5, wherein the mobile station comprises a mobile phone.