System and method for navigating a mobile device user interface with a directional sensing device

• US 8,175,798 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2011
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Orr, Kevin Howard, Kornilovsky, Alexander, Skarine, Alexei
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US13/194,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20110279481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 284 Days
• Field of Search: 701/35, 701/36, 701/200, 701/210, 701/211, 701/214, 340/988, 340/990, 345/156
• US Class Current: 701/400
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• 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 1/1694 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/34 for rolling or scrolling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display

Abstract

An electronic mobile device includes a display for displaying a graphical element. A tilt sensor is configured to sense first and second tilt angles of the mobile device. A processor is coupled to the display and the tilt sensor and configured to move the graphical element relative to the display in a first direction based on the first tilt angle, and to move the graphical element relative to the display in a second direction based on the second tilt angle.

Claims

1. An electronic mobile device comprising:

a display for displaying a graphical element;

a tilt sensor configured to sense first and second tilt angles of the mobile device; and

a processor coupled to the display and the tilt sensor and configured to;

move the graphical element relative to the display in a first direction based on the first tilt angle; and

move the graphical element relative to the display in a second direction based on the second tilt angle.

2. The electronic mobile device of claim 1 wherein the first tilt angle relates to forward backward tilting and the second tilt angle relates to side-to-side tilting, the first and second tilt angles being orthogonal.

3. The electronic mobile device of claim 1 wherein the processor does not alter the position of the graphical element unless at least one of the first and second tilt angles exceed a threshold.

4. The electronic mobile device of claim 1 wherein the graphical element'"'"'s position in the first direction is altered at a rate based on the first tilt angle.

5. The electronic mobile device of claim 1 wherein the graphical element'"'"'s position in the first direction is altered at a rate based on an amount of time that the first tilt angle has exceeded a threshold.

6. The electronic mobile device of claim 1 wherein the graphical element'"'"'s position in the first direction is altered at a rate based on a number of different thresholds the first tilt angle has exceeded.

7. The electronic mobile device of claim 1 wherein the processor stores a current first tilt angle as a first reference tilt angle and a current second tilt angle as a second reference tilt angle, relative to which subsequently-sensed first and second tilt angles are compared by the processor.

8. A method comprising:

displaying a graphical element on a display of an electronic mobile device;

sensing first and second tilt angles of the mobile device;

moving the graphical element relative to the display in a first direction based on the first tilt angle; and

moving the graphical element relative to the display in a second direction based on the second tilt angle.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the first tilt angle relates to forward backward tilting and the second tilt angle relates to side-to-side tilting, the first and second tilt angles being orthogonal.

10. An electronic mobile device comprising:

a display for displaying a graphical element;

a sensor configured to sense at least one tilt angle of the mobile device and generate a sensor signal; and

a processor coupled to the display and the sensor and configured to;

receive the sensor signal and alter the position of the graphical element on the display based on changes in the sensor signal.

11. The electronic mobile device of claim 10, wherein the at least one tilt angle includes a first tilt angle and a second tilt angle, the first tilt angle relates to forward backward tilting and the second tilt angle relates to side-to-side tilting, the first and second tilt angles being orthogonal.

12. The electronic mobile device of claim 11, wherein the processor stores a current first tilt angle as a first reference tilt angle and a current second tilt angle as a second reference tilt angle, relative to which subsequently-sensed first and second tilt angles are compared by the processor.

13. The electronic mobile device of claim 10, wherein the processor alters the position of the graphical element when the at least one tilt angle exceeds a threshold.

14. The electronic mobile device of claim 10, wherein the graphical element'"'"'s position is altered in a first direction at a rate based on the at least one tilt angle.

15. The electronic mobile device of claim 10, wherein the graphical element'"'"'s position is altered in a first direction at a rate based on an amount of time that the at least one tilt angle has exceeded a threshold.

16. The electronic mobile device of claim 10, wherein the graphical element'"'"'s position is altered in a first direction at a rate based on a number of different thresholds the at least one tilt angle has exceeded.

17. A method comprising:

displaying a graphical element on a display of an electronic mobile device;

generating a signal indicative of at least one tilt angle of the mobile device; and

altering a position of the graphical element on the display based on changes in the generated signal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one tilt angle includes a first tilt angle and a second tilt angle, the first tilt angle relates to forward backward tilting and the second tilt angle relates to side-to-side tilting, the first and second tilt angles being orthogonal.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the position of the graphical element is altered when the at least one tilt angle exceeds a threshold.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the graphical element'"'"'s position is altered in a first direction at a rate based on the at least one tilt angle.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the position of the graphical element is altered in a first direction at a rate based on an amount of time that the at least one tilt angle has exceeded a threshold.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the position of the graphical element is altered in a first direction at a rate based on a number of different thresholds the at least one tilt angle has exceeded.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein a current first tilt angle is stored as a first reference tilt angle and a current second tilt angle is stored as a second reference tilt angle, relative to which subsequently-sensed first and second tilt angles are compared.