Generating virtual buttons using motion sensors
First Claim
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1. A mobile device to detect user selection of one or more virtual buttons, the mobile device comprising:
- a housing comprising a first surface area associated with a first virtual button, wherein the first surface area is a subset of the complete surface area of the mobile device;
a first sensor comprising a first axis, wherein the first sensor is configured to generate a first sensor signal, wherein the first sensor signal is indicative of angular movement of the mobile device about the first axis of the first sensor;
a second sensor comprising a first axis, wherein the second sensor is configured to generate a second sensor signal, wherein the second sensor signal is indicative of linear movement of the mobile device along the first axis of the second sensor; and
a processor coupled to access information derived from the first sensor signal and coupled to access data derived from the second sensor signal, and to determine therefrom whether motion of the mobile device indicates user selection of the first virtual button, wherein a minimum sensitivity is needed to determine whether motion of the mobile device indicates user selection of the first virtual button, and wherein the first sensor is positioned at a selected distance and orientation relative to the second sensor, so that a lever arm between the first sensor and the second sensor is greater than or equal to a minimum lever arm associated with the minimum sensitivity.
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Abstract
An implementation of a system and method for using sensors such as one or more gyroscopes and/or accelerometers to sense input is provided. For example, one or more of such sensors may be use to provide virtual buttons at various areas on the housing of a mobile device, detect a force against the housing, or to detect relative movement of the mobile device.
29 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A mobile device to detect user selection of one or more virtual buttons, the mobile device comprising:
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a housing comprising a first surface area associated with a first virtual button, wherein the first surface area is a subset of the complete surface area of the mobile device; a first sensor comprising a first axis, wherein the first sensor is configured to generate a first sensor signal, wherein the first sensor signal is indicative of angular movement of the mobile device about the first axis of the first sensor; a second sensor comprising a first axis, wherein the second sensor is configured to generate a second sensor signal, wherein the second sensor signal is indicative of linear movement of the mobile device along the first axis of the second sensor; and a processor coupled to access information derived from the first sensor signal and coupled to access data derived from the second sensor signal, and to determine therefrom whether motion of the mobile device indicates user selection of the first virtual button, wherein a minimum sensitivity is needed to determine whether motion of the mobile device indicates user selection of the first virtual button, and wherein the first sensor is positioned at a selected distance and orientation relative to the second sensor, so that a lever arm between the first sensor and the second sensor is greater than or equal to a minimum lever arm associated with the minimum sensitivity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A mobile device including one or more virtual buttons, the mobile device comprising:
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a first sensing means for generating an output indicative of angular movement of the mobile device about a particular axis; a second sensing means for generating an output indicative of linear movement of the mobile device along a different axis; means for processing the output indicative of the angular movement of the mobile device about the particular axis and the output indicative of the linear movement of the mobile device along the different axis to determine therefrom whether motion of the mobile device indicates user selection of a first virtual button of the one or more virtual buttons, wherein a minimum sensitivity is needed to determine whether motion of the mobile device indicates user selection of the first virtual button, and wherein the first sensing means is positioned at a selected distance and orientation relative to the second sensing means, so that a lever arm between the first sensing means and the second sensing means is greater than or equal to a minimum lever arm associated with the minimum sensitivity; and means for implementing one or more actions based on determining that the motion of the mobile device indicates user selection of the first virtual button.
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22. A method in a mobile device of processing user selection of one or more virtual buttons, the method comprising:
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detecting angular movement of the mobile device about a first axis of a first sensor using the first sensor; detecting linear movement of the mobile device along a first axis of a second sensor using the second sensor; determining that the angular movement of the mobile device and the linear movement of the mobile device indicate user selection of a first virtual button associated with a first surface area of a housing of the mobile device less than the complete surface area of the housing of the mobile device, wherein a minimum sensitivity is needed to determine whether motion of the mobile device indicates user selection of the first virtual button, and wherein the first sensor is positioned at a selected distance and orientation relative to the second sensor, so that a lever arm between the first sensor and the second sensor is greater than or equal to a minimum lever arm associated with the minimum sensitivity. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A computer-readable product comprising instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the instructions are to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:
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accessing data indicative of angular motion of a mobile device about one or more axes; accessing data indicative of linear motion of a mobile device along one or more axes; processing the data indicative of angular motion and the data indicative of linear motion to determine if user selection of a virtual button is indicated, wherein a minimum sensitivity is needed to determine whether motion of the mobile device indicates user selection of the virtual button, and wherein a first sensor is positioned at a selected distance and orientation relative to a second sensor, so that a lever arm between the first sensor and the second sensor is greater than or equal to a minimum lever arm associated with the minimum sensitivity; in response to determining that user selection of a virtual button is indicated, generating an output associated with the virtual button. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. A mobile device comprising:
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a defined virtual button area associated with a virtual button, wherein the defined virtual button area is a portion of the surface area of the mobile device less than the complete surface area of the mobile device; one or more motion sensors included in the mobile device, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to generate a signal indicative of motion of the mobile device; and control logic to process information based on the signal indicative of the mobile device to determine if the motion of the mobile device indicates selection of the virtual button, wherein a minimum sensitivity is needed to determine whether the motion of the mobile device indicates selection of the virtual button, and wherein a first motion sensor of the one or more motion sensors is positioned at a selected distance and orientation relative to a second motion sensor of the one or more motion sensors, so that a lever arm between the first motion sensor and the second motion sensor is greater than or equal to a minimum lever arm associated with the minimum sensitivity. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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Specification