Electronic apparatus

• US 8,624,838 B2
• Filed: 07/04/2005
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
• Original Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
• Inventors: Kusuda, Hirohisa, Nishide, Yasuhiro, Tsujino, Daisuke, Yamazaki, Jun, Katayama, Takashi, Moroto, Mineko
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARINELLI, PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US11/632,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20080254821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,109 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 178 1801- 2004
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• 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 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 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object

Abstract

An electronic apparatus includes key operation means, control means, detection means, storage means and memory means. The detection means detects motion of the electronic apparatus. The storage means stores motion identification data obtained from detection data on a motion after a predetermined key operation in the key operation means after predetermined guidance information is outputted or data obtained by computing the detection data, in the memory means. The control means executes the specific process according to the comparison results between detection data obtained by detecting a motion of the electronic apparatus after the motion identification data is stored or data obtained by computing the detection data, and the motion identification data.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a display;

key operation means including keys to be operated by a user;

detection means for detecting a motion of the electronic apparatus;

memory means for storing motion identification data for identifying the motion of the electronic apparatus, wherein the motion identification data is stored in response to a predetermined key operation by the user on the key operation means, wherein the motion identification data includes reference data that is determined in response to the predetermined key operation and that identifies a range of motion of the electronic apparatus corresponding to a specific process executed on the electronic apparatus, the range of motion being set using the predetermined key operation, and wherein the reference data is used to control the specific process according to the range of motion that is set using the predetermined key operation, wherein the predetermined key operation is operated at least a first time to start a setting process for setting the range of motion and is operated at least a second time to finish the setting process for setting the range of motion;

guidance information output means for outputting guidance information for guiding an operation of the electronic apparatus for generating motion of the electronic apparatus corresponding to the specific process after the predetermined key operation;

storage means for storing detection data on the motion of the electronic apparatus, the motion being detected by the detection means after the predetermined key operation and after the guidance information output means outputs the guidance information; and

control means for executing the specific process according to the comparison results between the detection data, obtained by detecting the motion of the electronic apparatus with the detection means after storing the motion identification data, and the motion identification data, wherein the specific process includes altering an image displayed on the display according to the comparison results between the detection data and the motion identification data, and

wherein the display guides operation of the predetermined key operation for the setting process to set the range of motion using the guidance information displayed on the display according to the following;

(a) the guidance information guides operation of the predetermined key operation to start a setting process for a maximum pitch angle, guides tilting of the electronic apparatus to a pitch angle selected by a user as the maximum pitch angle, and, while the electronic apparatus is at the pitch angle selected as the maximum pitch angle, guides operation of the predetermined key operation again to finish the setting process for the maximum pitch angle;

(b) the guidance information guides operation of the predetermined key operation to start a setting process for a maximum roll angle, guides tilting of the electronic apparatus to a roll angle selected by a user as the maximum roll angle, and, while the electronic apparatus is at the roll angle selected as the maximum roll angle, guides operation of the predetermined key operation again to finish the setting process for the maximum roll angle; and

(c) the guidance information guides operation of the predetermined key operation to start a setting process for a maximum yaw angle, guides tilting of the electronic apparatus to a roll angle selected by a user as the maximum yaw angle, and, while the electronic apparatus is at the yaw angle selected as the maximum yaw angle, guides operation of the predetermined key operation again to finish the setting process for the maximum yaw angle.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the guidance information output means outputs various guidance information for a plurality of specific processes that the control means can execute;

the storage means performs, for the plurality of specific processes, a process for storing the detection data on the motion of the electronic apparatus detected by the detection means after the predetermined key operation and after the guidance information output means outputs one piece of guidance information or the data obtained by computing the detection data, as motion identification data corresponding to the specific process relating to the one piece of guidance information, in the memory means; and

the control means compares the detection data obtained by detecting the motion with detection means or the data obtained by computing the detection data and a plurality of motion identification data stored in the memory means, and executes the specific process corresponding to the motion identification data including the detection data or the data obtained by computing the detection data.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein acceleration means for detecting acceleration generated in the electronic apparatus is used as the detection means.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the acceleration detection means detects a magnitude and direction of the acceleration.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein attitude change detection means for detecting an attitude change of the electronic apparatus is used as the detection means.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein rotation detection means for detecting rotation angular displacement or rotation angular velocity and rotation direction generated in the electronic apparatus is used as the attitude change detection means.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein acceleration means for detecting acceleration generated in the electronic apparatus is used as the detection means.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the acceleration detection means detects a magnitude and direction of the acceleration.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein attitude change detection means for detecting an attitude change of the electronic apparatus is used as the detection means.

10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein rotation detection means for detecting rotation angular displacement or rotation angular velocity and rotation direction generated in the electronic apparatus is used as the attitude change detection means.

11. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a display;

key operation means including keys to be operated by a user;

detection means for detecting an attitude of the electronic apparatus;

basic attitude data memory means for storing basic attitude data for identifying a basic attitude of the electronic apparatus, wherein the basic attitude data is stored in response to a key operation by the user of a specific key of the key operation means, wherein the basic attitude data includes reference data that is determined in response to the key operation and that identifies a range of motion of the electronic apparatus corresponding to a specific process executed on the electronic apparatus, the range of motion being set using the key operation, and wherein the reference data is used to control the specific process according to the range of motion that is set using the key operation, wherein the key operation is operated at least a first time to start a setting process for setting the range of motion and is operated at least a second time to finish the setting process for setting the range of motion;

storage means for storing detection data on the attitude of the electronic apparatus detected by the detection means after storing the basic attitude data; and

control means for executing the specific process based on differences between the detection data, obtained by detecting the attitude of the electronic apparatus with the detection means after storing the basic attitude data, and the basic attitude data, wherein the specific process includes altering an image displayed on the display according to the differences between the detection data and the basic attitude data, and

wherein the display guides operation of the predetermined operation for the setting process to set the range of motion using guidance information displayed on the display according to the following;

(a) the guidance information guides operation of the key operation to start a setting process for a maximum pitch angle, guides tilting of the electronic apparatus to a pitch angle selected by a user as the maximum pitch angle, and, while the electronic apparatus is at the pitch angle selected as the maximum pitch angle, guides operation of the key operation again to finish the setting process for the maximum pitch angle;

(b) the guidance information guides operation of the key operation to start a setting process for a maximum roll angle, guides tilting of the electronic apparatus to a roll angle selected by a user as the maximum roll angle, and, while the electronic apparatus is at the roll angle selected as the maximum roll angle, guides operation of the key operation again to finish the setting process for the maximum roll angle; and

(c) the guidance information guides operation of the key operation to start a setting process for a maximum yaw angle, guides tilting of the electronic apparatus to a roll angle selected by a user as the maximum yaw angle, and, while the electronic apparatus is at the yaw angle selected as the maximum yaw angle, guides operation of the key operation again to finish the setting process for the maximum yaw angle.

12. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a display;

an interface operation device including an interface to be operated by a user;

a sensor that detects attitude and motion of the electronic apparatus;

a memory that stores reference attitude data from the sensor identifying a reference attitude of the electronic apparatus in response to an operation of a predetermined operation by the user on the interface operation device, wherein the reference attitude data identifies a range of motion of the electronic apparatus corresponding to a specific process executed on the electronic apparatus, the range of motion being set using the predetermined operation, and wherein the reference attitude data is used to control the specific process according to the range of motion that is set using the predetermined operation, wherein the predetermined operation is operated at least a first time to start a setting process for setting the range of motion and is operated at least a second time to finish the setting process for setting the range of motion; and

a controller that executes the specific process based on differences between the reference attitude data and detection data obtained after storing the reference attitude data in the memory by detecting, using the sensor, at least one of;

an acceleration and a change in attitude of the electronic apparatus, wherein the specific process includes altering an image displayed on the display according to the differences between the reference attitude data and the detection data, and

wherein the display guides operation of the predetermined operation for the setting process to set the range of motion using guidance information displayed on the display according to the following;

(a) the guidance information guides operation of the predetermined operation to start a setting process for a maximum pitch angle, guides tilting of the electronic apparatus to a pitch angle selected by a user as the maximum pitch angle, and, while the electronic apparatus is at the pitch angle selected as the maximum pitch angle, guides operation of the predetermined operation again to finish the setting process for the maximum pitch angle;

(b) the guidance information guides operation of the predetermined operation to start a setting process for a maximum roll angle, guides tilting of the electronic apparatus to a roll angle selected by a user as the maximum roll angle, and, while the electronic apparatus is at the roll angle selected as the maximum roll angle, guides operation of the predetermined operation again to finish the setting process for the maximum roll angle; and

(c) the guidance information guides operation of the predetermined operation to start a setting process for a maximum yaw angle, guides tilting of the electronic apparatus to a roll angle selected by a user as the maximum yaw angle, and, while the electronic apparatus is at the yaw angle selected as the maximum yaw angle, guides operation of the predetermined operation again to finish the setting process for the maximum yaw angle.

13. The electronic apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the specific process is a process of an application executed on the electronic apparatus.

14. The electronic apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the sensor detects a magnitude and direction of the acceleration of electronic apparatus.

15. The electronic apparatus according to claim 12, wherein sensor detects rotation angular displacement or rotation angular velocity and rotation direction generated in the electronic apparatus.

16. The electronic apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the electronic apparatus is a mobile communication terminal.

17. The electronic apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the electronic apparatus is a gaming machine.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing software for altering an image displayed on an electronic apparatus, the software comprising:

executable code that provides an interface of the electronic apparatus to be operated by a user;

executable code that receives data identifying attitude and motion of the electronic apparatus determined by a sensor;

executable code that stores reference attitude data from the sensor identifying a reference attitude of the electronic apparatus at a time of operation of a predetermined operation on the interface, wherein the reference attitude data identifies a range of motion of the electronic apparatus corresponding to a specific process executed on the electronic apparatus, the range of motion being set using the predetermined operation, and wherein the reference attitude data is used to control the specific process according to the range of motion that is set using the predetermined operation, wherein the predetermined operation is operated at least a first time to start a setting process for setting the range of motion and is operated at least a second time to finish the setting process for setting the range of motion;

executable code that executes the specific process based on differences between the reference attitude data and detection data obtained after storing the reference attitude data in the memory by detecting, using the sensor, at least one of an acceleration and a change in attitude of the electronic apparatus, wherein the specific process includes altering an image displayed on the electronic apparatus according to the differences between the reference attitude data and the detection data; and

executable code that displays guidance information for guiding operation of the predetermined operation for the setting process to set the range of motion according to the following;

(a) the guidance information guides operation of the predetermined operation to start a setting process for a maximum pitch angle, guides tilting of the electronic apparatus to a pitch angle selected by a user as the maximum pitch angle, and, while the electronic apparatus is at the pitch angle selected as the maximum pitch angle, guides operation of the predetermined operation again to finish the setting process for the maximum pitch angle;

(b) the guidance information guides operation of the predetermined operation to start a setting process for a maximum roll angle, guides tilting of the electronic apparatus to a roll angle selected by a user as the maximum roll angle, and, while the electronic apparatus is at the roll angle selected as the maximum roll angle, guides operation of the predetermined operation again to finish the setting process for the maximum roll angle; and

(c) the guidance information guides operation of the predetermined operation to start a setting process for a maximum yaw angle, guides tilting of the electronic apparatus to a roll angle selected by a user as the maximum yaw angle, and, while the electronic apparatus is at the yaw angle selected as the maximum yaw angle, guides operation of the predetermined operation again to finish the setting process for the maximum yaw angle.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 18, wherein the specific process is a process of an application executed on the electronic apparatus.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 18, wherein the electronic apparatus is at least one of:

a mobile communication terminal and a gaming machine.