Systems and methods for processing motion sensor generated data

• US 8,587,515 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2008
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mucignat, Andrea, James, Bryan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdulselam, Abbas
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEPP JONES, SHAWNA T
• Application Number:
  US12/186,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20100033422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,932 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/158, 702/141
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• 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

Systems and methods for processing data from a motion sensor to detect intentional movements of a device are provided. An electronic device having a motion sensor may process motion sensor data along one or more dimensions to generate an acceleration value representative of the movement of the electronic device. The electronic device may then determine whether the acceleration value changes from less than a low threshold, to more than a high threshold, and again to less than the low threshold within a particular amount of time, reflecting an intentional movement of the electronic device by the user. In response to determining that the acceleration value is associated with an intentional movement of the electronic device, the electronic device may perform a particular event or operation. For example, in response to detecting that an electronic device has been shaken, the electronic device may shuffle a media playlist.

Claims

1. A method for detecting an intentional movement of an electronic device based on a motion sensor output, comprising:

identifying the output of the motion sensor;

processing the output to generate an acceleration value;

tracking the variations of the acceleration value over time; and

determining, in response to tracking, that the acceleration value sequentially changes from less than a predefined low threshold to more than a predefined high threshold, and again to less than the low threshold, wherein the predefined low threshold is different than the predefined high threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining further comprises determining before a master timeout lapses.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the master timeout begins when the acceleration value changes from less than the low threshold to more than the low threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining further comprises determining that the acceleration value remains more than the high threshold for at least a minimum time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining further comprises determining that the acceleration value changes from more than the high threshold to less than the low threshold within a maximum time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a user instruction setting at least one of the low threshold and the high threshold.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the low threshold and the high threshold are linearly related.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the low threshold is 0.4 times the high threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein processing comprises at least one of calculating a magnitude of acceleration, applying a high pass filter, rectifying, and applying a low pass filter.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing an electronic device operation in response to determining.

11. A method for receiving an instruction to perform a particular operation in response to detecting a motion of the electronic device, comprising:

detecting a motion of an electronic device from the output of a motion sensor;

processing the output to generate an acceleration value associated with the operation;

determining that the acceleration value becomes less than a predefined low threshold, more than a predefined high threshold, and again less than the low threshold; and

performing the particular operation in response to determining, wherein the predefined low threshold is different than the predefined high threshold.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein processing further comprises processing using a process associated with the particular operation.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the low threshold and high threshold are associated with the particular operation.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

second processing and second determining using a second process, a second low threshold and a second high threshold associated with a second operation; and

performing the second operation in response to determining that the acceleration value becomes less than the second low threshold, more than the second high threshold, and again less than the second low threshold.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the second processing, the second low threshold and the second high threshold associated with the second operation are different than the processing, the predefined low threshold and the predefined high threshold associated with the particular operation.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein performing further comprises performing the second operation instead of the first operation.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising defining a priority scheme between the particular operation and the second operation.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein determining further comprises determining before a master timeout that begins when the acceleration value changes from less than the low threshold to more than the low threshold lapses.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein determining further comprises determining that the acceleration value remains more than the high threshold for at least a minimum time.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein determining further comprises determining that the acceleration value changes from more than the high threshold to less than the low threshold within a maximum time.

21. An electronic device operative to detect an input from a user, comprising:

a motion sensor operative to provide an output related to the motion of the electronic device; and

a processor operative to;

process the motion sensor output;

determine that the motion sensor output satisfies a rule associated with intentional movements of the electronic device, wherein the rule applies to all modes of the electronic device; and

generate an event in response to determining, wherein the rule comprises determining that the acceleration value changes from less than a predefined low threshold to more than a predefined high threshold, and again to less than the low threshold, and wherein the predefined low threshold is different than the predefined high threshold.

22. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the processor is further operative to:

determine that the rule is satisfied before the lapse of a master timeout that begins when the acceleration value changes from less than the low threshold to more than the low threshold;

determine that the acceleration value remains more than the high threshold for at least a minimum time; and

determine that the acceleration value changes from more than the high threshold to less than the low threshold within a maximum time.

23. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the processor is further operative to:

begin in a first state in which the acceleration value is more than the low threshold;

move to a second state when the acceleration values is less than the low threshold;

move to a third state from the second state when the acceleration value is more than the low threshold;

move to a fourth state from the third state when the acceleration value is more than the high threshold;

move to a fifth state from the fourth state when the acceleration value is less than the high threshold; and

move to a sixth state from the fifth state when the acceleration value is less than the low threshold.

24. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the processor is operative to:

determine that the electronic device has remained in the fourth state for at least a minimum time; and

move from the fourth state to the fifth state in response to determining.

25. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the processor is operative to:

determine that the electronic device has remained in the fifth state for less than a maximum time; and

move from the fifth state to the sixth state in response to determining.

26. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the processor is operative to:

determine that the electronic device has moved from the third state to the sixth state in less than a master time; and

move to the sixth sate in response to determining.

27. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the processor is further operative to at least one of:

shuffle a media playlist;

skip to a previous media item;

skip to a next media item;

change the volume of played back media;

pause media;

play media;

toggle a shuffle feature;

toggle a looping navigate a menu; and

change a displayed media item in response to determining.

28. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for detecting an intentional movement of an electronic device based on a motion sensor output, comprising computer-program logic recorded thereon for:

identifying the output of the motion sensor;

processing the output to generate an acceleration value;

tracking the variations of the acceleration value over time; and

determining, in response to tracking, that the acceleration value sequentially changes from less than a predefined low threshold, to more than a predefined high threshold, and again to less than the low threshold, wherein the predefined low threshold is different than the predefined high threshold.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, comprising additional computer-program logic recorded thereon for determining before a master timeout that begins when the acceleration value changes from less than the low threshold to more than the low threshold lapses.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, comprising additional computer-program logic recorded thereon for determining that the acceleration value remains more than the high threshold for at least a minimum time.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, comprising additional computer-program logic recorded thereon for determining that the acceleration value changes from more than the high threshold to less than the low threshold within a maximum time.