Orientation-sensitive signal output

• US 8,015,718 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2010
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: MacDougall, Francis, Jaiswal, Riten
• Primary Examiner(s): GUADALUPE, YARITZA
• Application Number:
  US12/941,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20110050570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 309 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 measure tilt data representing tilt of a device about at least a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis; and

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 receive a selection of the first control and further configured to output an output signal based upon the selection of the first control and the tilt data,

wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure the 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 the selection of the first control at a time when the tilt data 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 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 select the output signal based on which of the at least two tilt regions corresponds to the tilt data.

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 tilt or a negative tilt 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 tilt 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 tilt about the first axis measured by the tilt sensor, the indication of magnitude of the tilt being different than the output signal.

10. A system comprising:

a tilt sensor configured to measure tilt data representing tilt of a device about at least a first axis; and

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 receive a selection of the first control and further configured to output an output signal based upon the selection of the first control and the tilt data,

wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure the tilt data 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 tilt data.

11. A system comprising:

a tilt sensor configured to measure tilt data representing tilt of a device about at least a first axis and a second axis; and

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 receive a selection of the first control and further configured to output an output signal based upon the selection of the first control and the tilt data,

wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure the tilt data with respect to at least three tilt regions defined around the first axis, and the tilt sensor is configured to measure the 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.

12. A system comprising:

a tilt sensor configured to measure tilt data representing tilt of a device about at least a first axis; and

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 receive a selection of the first control and further configured to output an output signal based upon the selection of the first control and the tilt data,

wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure the 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 the tilt data, the indication of which of the at least two tilt regions corresponds to the tilt data being different than the output signal.

13. A system comprising:

a tilt sensor configured to measure tilt data representing tilt of a device about at least a first axis and a second axis; and

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 receive a selection of the first control and further configured to output an output signal based upon the selection of the first control and the tilt data,

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 the tilt data 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 tilt data with respect to the second axis.

14. A system comprising:

a tilt sensor configured to measure tilt data representing tilt of a device about at least a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis; and

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;

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.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure the tilt data 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 tilt data.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure the 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 select the output signal based on which of the at least two tilt regions corresponds to the tilt data.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure the tilt data with respect to at least three tilt regions defined around the first axis, and the tilt sensor is configured to measure the 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.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the tilt sensor is configured to measure the 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 the selection of the first control at a time when the tilt data 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.

19. A system comprising:

a tilt sensor configured to measure tilt data representing tilt of a device about at least a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis; and

a processor 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.