Accelerometer based extended display

• US 8,514,066 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2007
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Harmon, John Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, SIGMUND N
• Application Number:
  US11/818,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20080309508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,260 Days
• Field of Search: 340/686.1, 340/539, 345/156, 345/163, 715/856, 600/595
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention recite a method and system for displaying data on a portable electronic device. In one embodiment, a first portion of accessed data is displayed on a portable electronic device. A motion detector responsive to motion in at least a single direction then detects a movement of the portable electronic device from a first position to a second position. In response to the motion detector detecting the movement, a second portion of the accessed data is automatically displayed by the portable electronic device.

Claims

1. A method for displaying data on a portable electronic device, said method comprising:

displaying a first portion of accessed data on said portable electronic device;

utilizing a geographic position receiver to receive a first geographic position of said portable electronic device;

utilizing an accelerometer to detect a movement of said portable electronic device from a first position to a second position utilizing a motion detector responsive to motion in at least a single direction;

determining a vector between said first position of said portable electronic device and said second position of said portable electronic device;

determining said second portion of the accessed data based upon said determining of said vector;

correlating said first position with said first portion of the accessed data;

determining a second vector from said first portion of the accessed data which correlates said second position with said second portion of the accessed data;

determining a second geographic position of said portable electronic device based upon said vector and said first geographic position; and

automatically displaying a second portion of the accessed data in response to detecting said movement.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said detecting further comprises:

utilizing a motion sensing device which is removably coupleable with said portable electronic device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

using a position determining component for determining a first geographic position of said portable electronic device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

determining an orientation of said portable electronic device relative to the Earth'"'"'s surface; and

displaying a second instance of accessed data in response to detecting the movement of said portable electronic device from an essentially horizontal orientation to an essentially vertical orientation.

5. The method as recited in claim 3 further comprising:

determining an azimuth from said portable electronic device to an object; and

identifying said object based upon said first geographic position and said azimuth.

6. The method as recited in claim 4 wherein said displaying a second instance of accessed data further comprises;

displaying data about said object when said portable electronic device is moved to said essentially vertical orientation.

7. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein said displaying said second instance of accessed data comprises displaying an image of said object.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising;

automatically initiating the shutting down of said portable electronic device in response to detecting movement of said portable electronic device in excess of a pre-determined parameter.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

verifying said movement as a valid input event.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a reset position of said accessed data; and

displaying said accessed data at said reset position.

11. An electronic data accessing system comprising:

a geographic position input signal receiver coupled with a position determining component and with a navigation controller, said geographic position receiver for receiving a first geographic position of said portable electronic device;

a motion input detector comprising an accelerometer, said motion input detector configured to generate a motion input signal in response to detecting movement of the portable electronic device from a first position to a second position;

a motion input signal receiver coupled to said motion input detector and which receives said motion input signal;

a correlator coupled with said motion signal receiver for correlating a first portion of an instance of accessed data with said first position and a second portion of said instance of accessed data with said second position; and

a data accessor coupled to said correlator and coupled to a output display generator, said data accessor for causing said second portion of said instance of accessed data to be displayed via said output display generator.

12. The electronic data accessing system of claim 11 wherein said motion input detector is removably coupled with said portable electronic device.

13. The electronic data accessing system of claim 11 wherein said motion input detector is further for indicating a vector between said first position and said second position and wherein said correlator determines said second portion of said instance of accessed data based upon said vector.

14. The electronic data accessing system of claim 13 wherein said navigation controller further comprises a position deriver which determines a second geographic position of said portable electronic device based upon said vector and said first geographic position.

15. The electronic data accessing system of claim 13 further comprising:

an orientation signal receiver coupled with an orientation determining device and with said data accessor, said orientation signal receiver for receiving an indication of the movement of said portable electronic device from an essentially horizontal orientation to an essentially vertical orientation.

16. The electronic data accessing system of claim 14 further comprising:

an azimuth signal receiver coupled with an azimuth determination component and with said navigation controller, said azimuth signal receiver for receiving an indication of an azimuth from said portable electronic device to an object, and

an object identification component coupled with said navigation controller, said object identification component for identifying said object based upon said first geographic position and said azimuth.

17. The electronic data accessing system of claim 15 wherein said data accessor is further coupled to said orientation signal receiver and to said object identification component, and wherein said data accessor accesses a second instance of data about said object in response to a signal indicating that said portable electronic device has been moved to said essentially vertical orientation.

18. The electronic data accessing system of claim 16 wherein said second instance of data comprises an image of said object.

19. The electronic data accessing system of claim 11 further comprising:

a shut-down initiator coupled with said motion input signal receiver, said shut-down initiator for initiating a shut-down routine in response to receiving a motion input signal indicating movement of said portable electronic device in excess of a pre-determined parameter.

20. The electronic data accessing system of claim 11 further comprising:

an input verifier bus for verifying a movement of said portable electronic device as a valid input event.

21. The electronic data accessing system of claim 11 further comprising:

a reset initiator for causing said display device to display a designated reset portion of said accessed data.