Method and apparatus for controlling a computing system

• US 8,018,435 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elite Gaming Tech LLC (Alpha Alpha Intellectual Partners LLC)
• Original Assignee: Durham Logistics LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Orchard, John T., Uhlik, Christopher R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck; Alexander S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Said; Mansour M
• Application Number:
  US11/013,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20060125782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,463 Days
• Field of Search: 345/87, 345156-158, 345164-166, 345/169, 345901-903, 700/17, 700/28, 700/46, 700/83, 379/433.04, 382/276
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 13/00 Indicating or recording presence, absence, or direction, of movement electric switches H01H; counting moving objects G06M7/00
• 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 1/1694 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 3/0346 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 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A handheld computing device is introduced comprising a motion detection sensor(s) and a motion control agent. The motion detection sensor(s) detect motion of the computing device in one or more of six (6) fields of motion and generate an indication of such motion. The motion control agent, responsive to the indications of motion received from the motion sensors, generate control signals to modify one or more of the operating state and/or the displayed content of the computing device based, at least in part, on the received indications.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a sensor configured to detect an initial motion in an initial direction meeting or exceeding an initial motion threshold and a complementary motion in a reverse direction to the initial direction meeting or exceeding a complementary motion threshold; and

a motion agent configured to;

enable a user to associate at least one control signal with at least one motion using a graphical interface;

determine a current operational state of the apparatus; and

generate a control signal associated with the detected initial and complementary motions for at least partially altering content to be displayed on a display or updating an operational state of the apparatus according to the current operational state of the apparatus;

wherein the initial or complementary motion comprises motion in one or more of at least six fields of motion, including lateral x-motion, lateral y-motion, lateral z-motion, rotation about x-axis, rotation about y-axis, or rotation about z-axis.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a computing system.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the computing system comprises one or more of a personal digital assistant (PDA), an electronic book, a portable communications device, or a portable gaming appliance.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a personal digital assistant (PDA), an electronic book, a portable communications device, or a portable gaming appliance.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a micro-accelerometer, a mercury switch, a shock detector, or a gyroscope.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion agent is configured to provide the one or more control signals to a controller in response to the initial or complementary motion occurring in at least two fields of motion.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein altering content comprises orienting at least a portion of the content based at least in part on the detected initial or complementary motion.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion agent is further configured to vary the control signals in response to a system or application having current operational control over the device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion agent is further configured to selectively generate a user interface enabling a user of the apparatus to determine how the motion agent responds to certain device movements.

10. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the apparatus comprises a controller configured to control the display;

and

wherein the motion agent is configured to bidirectionally interact with the controller.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further configured to start each initial motion from an initial position convenient for display viewing.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the complementary motion substantially returns the apparatus to the initial position.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the complementary motion brings the apparatus to a concluding position substantially level relative to the initial position.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the initial motion and the complementary motion are both generally rotational motions in a circular direction about an axis.

15. A method, comprising:

enabling a user to associate at least one control signal with at least one motion using a graphical interface;

determining if a device having a display has been placed in an initial motion in an initial direction that meets or exceeds an initial motion threshold and in a complementary motion in a reverse direction to the initial direction that meets or exceeds a complementary motion threshold;

providing the at least one control signal to a motion control device in response to determining that the initial and complementary motions are associated with the at least one control signal; and

altering content to be displayed on the display or updating an operational state of the device according to a current operational state of the device and in response to the at least one control signal;

wherein the initial or complementary motion comprises motion in one or more of at least six fields of motion, including lateral x-motion, lateral y-motion, lateral z-motion, rotation about x-axis, rotation about y-axis, or rotation about z-axis.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the altering comprises:

reconfiguring at least a portion of the content to be displayed in accordance with the initial or complementary motion.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the device having a display further comprises a display control device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the device comprises at least a portion of a computing system.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the computing system comprises one or more of a personal digital assistant (PDA), an electronic book, a portable communications device, or a portable gaming appliance.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising altering the content displayed in response to the initial or complementary motion being in at least two fields of motion.

21. A system, comprising:

a computing device having a display configured to display content;

a sensor configured to detect an initial motion in an initial direction that meets or exceeds an initial motion threshold and a complementary motion in a reverse direction to the initial direction that meets or exceeds a complementary motion threshold of the computing device; and

a motion control agent configured to;

enable a user to associate at least one control signal with at least one motion using a graphical interface shown on the display;

determine a current operational state of the computing device; and

generate a control signal associated with the initial and complementary motions to update the current operational state of the computing device or to alter the displayed content according to the current operational state of the computing device;

wherein the initial or complementary motion comprises motion in one or more of at least six fields of motion, including lateral x-motion, lateral y-motion, lateral z-motion, rotation about x-axis, rotation about y-axis, or rotation about z-axis.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the computing device comprises one or more of a personal digital assistant (PDA), an electronic book, a portable communications device, or a portable gaming appliance.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the sensor comprises a micro-accelerometer, a mercury switch, a shock detector, a gyroscope, or combinations thereof.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the motion control agent is further configured to alter the displayed content responsive in response to the initial or complementary motion being in at least two fields of motion.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the motion control agent is further configured to alter the displayed content by orienting at least a portion of the displayed content substantially in accordance with the initial or complementary motion.

26. A component, comprising:

a graphical interface configured to;

enable a user to associate at least one control signal with at least one motion;

receive an indication that a sensor has detected an initial motion in an initial direction exceeding an initial motion threshold or a complementary motion in a reverse direction to the initial direction exceeding a complementary motion threshold; and

an agent device configured to alter content displayed on a display device or to update an operational state of the display device based at least in part on a current operational state of the display device and based at least in part on the at least one control signal being associated with the initial motion or the complementary motion;

wherein the initial motion or the complementary motion comprises motion in one or more of at least six fields of motion, including lateral x-motion, lateral y-motion, lateral z-motion, rotation about x-axis, rotation about y-axis, or rotation about z-axis.

27. The component of claim 26, wherein the display device comprises at least a portion of a computing system.

28. The component of claim 27, wherein the computing system comprises one or more of a personal digital assistant (PDA), an electronic book, a portable communications device, or a portable gaming appliance.

29. The component of claim 26, wherein the graphical interface is further configured to receive signals from a micro-accelerometer, a mercury switch, a shock detector, a gyroscope, or combinations thereof.

30. The component of claim 26, wherein the motion agent is further configured to alter content displayed on the display device or to update the operational state of the display device in response to the initial or complementary motion being in at least two fields of motion.

31. The component of claim 26, wherein the motion agent is further configured to alter the content by orienting at least a portion of the content based at least in part on the initial or complementary motion.

32. An apparatus, comprising:

means for enabling a user to associate at least one control signal with at least one motion using a graphical interface means;

means for detecting an initial motion in an initial direction and a complementary motion in a reverse direction to the initial direction of a device, wherein the initial motion meets or exceeds an initial motion threshold and wherein the complementary motion that meets or exceeds a complementary motion threshold;

means for detecting a current operational state of the device; and

means for at least partially altering content to be displayed on a display of the device or for updating an operational state of the device based at least in part on a control signal associated with the detected initial or complementary motions;

wherein the initial or complementary motion comprises motion in one or more of at least six fields of motion, including lateral x-motion, lateral y-motion, lateral z-motion, rotation about x-axis, rotation about y-axis, or rotation about z-axis.

33. A non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions that when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

enabling a user to associate at least one control signal with at least one motion using a graphical interface;

detecting an initial motion in an initial direction and a complementary motion in a reverse direction to the initial direction in the computing device;

determining a current operational state of the computing device; and

at least partially altering content to be displayed on the computing device or updating an operational state of the computing device based at least in part on a control signal associated with the detected initial and complementary motion and on the current operational state of the computing device;

wherein the initial or complementary motion comprises motion in one or more of at least six fields of motion, including lateral x-motion, lateral y-motion, lateral z-motion, rotation about x-axis, rotation about y-axis, or rotation about z-axis.