Electronic device

• US 8,830,077 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2008
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mosaid Technologies Incorporated (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Uemura, Takeshi, Nozoe, Toshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMALL, NAOMI J
• Application Number:
  US12/741,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20100265082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,121 Days
• Field of Search: 340/671, 345/169, 345/145, 345/158
• US Class Current: 340/671
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/00 Gyroscopes; Turn-sensitive devices using vibrating masses; Turn-sensitive devices without moving masses; Measuring angular rate using gyroscopic effects
• 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 3/017 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: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing

Abstract

An electronic device includes a case, an angular velocity sensor fixed to the case, a data memory storing plural reference profiles, an output unit operating in a plurality of operation modes corresponding to the reference profiles, and a processor controlling the output unit. The angular velocity sensor sends a signal according to an angular velocity applied to the case. The processor is operable to receive the signal sent from the angular velocity sensor, to select a reference profile out of the plural reference profiles according to the received signal, and to cause the output unit to operate in an operation mode out of the plural operation modes corresponding to the selected reference profile. A user can operate this electronic device with a quick response.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a case;

an angular velocity sensor fixed to the case and sending a plurality of signals according to a plurality of components of an angular velocity applied to the case, the plurality of components of the angular velocity being about a plurality of axes, respectively;

a data memory storing a reference profile;

an output unit operating in an operation mode corresponding to the reference profile; and

a processor operable to cause the output unit to operate according to the plurality of signals sent from the angular velocity sensor,

wherein the reference profile contains a plurality of components which are compared with the plurality of signals, respectively,

wherein the processor is operable to;

cause the output unit to operate in an operation mode; and

determine, according to one signal of the plurality of signals, whether or not the processor causes the output unit to operate in the operation mode wherein, if the amplitude of the one signal is larger than a predetermined amplitude, the processor does not change the operation mode of the output unit.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising

an A/D converter provided between the angular velocity sensor and the processor, and converting the signal sent from the angular velocity sensor to a digital signal,

wherein the plurality of reference profiles stored in the data memory are digital data.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising

a sound source memory storing a sound source,

wherein the processor is operable to cause the output unit to output the stored sound source in the operation mode corresponding to the selected reference profile.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising

a sound source memory storing a plurality of sound sources,

wherein the processor is operable to

select a sound source out of the plurality of sound sources corresponding to the selected reference profile, and

cause the output unit to output the selected sound source.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a display producing an indication changing according to the operation mode out of the plurality of operation modes corresponding to the selected reference profile.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, if a ratio of the amplitude of the one signal to a maximum amplitude out of the plurality of signals is larger than a predetermined ratio, the processor does not change the operation mode of the output unit.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the operational mode is one or more of:

a pause mode, a play mode, a fast-forward play mode, and a rewind play mode.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein a data memory stores a plurality of reference profiles, the output unit is operable in a plurality of operation modes corresponding to the reference profiles, the processor is operable to select a reference profile out of the plurality of reference profiles by comparing the plurality of signals with the plurality of components of each of the plurality of the reference profiles.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis perpendicular to each other are defined with respect to the case, and the Y-axis is set in a longitudinal direction of the case, and the angular velocity sensor sends processor signals Sx, Sy, and Sz indicating angular velocities about the X, Y, and Z axes applied on the case, wherein, if the ratio of the amplitude of the signal Sy to an amplitude of the signal Sx or the signal Sz is larger than the predetermined ratio, the processor does not change the operation mode of the output unit.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of components contained in the reference profile is a combination of a predetermined amplitude of an angular velocity in an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis perpendicular to each other defined with respect to the case, each of the combination of the predetermined amplitude of the angular velocity in the X axis, Y axis, and Z axis corresponds to a different command to operate the electronic device.

11. An electronic device comprising:

a case;

an angular velocity sensor fixed to the case and sending a plurality of signals according to a plurality of components of an angular velocity applied to the case, the plurality of components of the angular velocity being about a plurality of axes, respectively;

a data memory storing a reference profile;

an output unit configured to operate the electronic device according to a command corresponding to the reference profile; and

a processor operable to cause the output unit to operate according to the signals sent from the angular velocity sensor,

wherein the reference profile contains a plurality of components which are compared with the plurality of signals, respectively,

wherein the processor is configured to operate to;

cause the output unit to operate the electronic device according to the command; and

determine, according to one signal of the plurality of signals, whether or not the processor causes the output unit to operate the electronic device according to the command wherein, if the amplitude of the one signal is larger than a predetermined amplitude, the processor is configured to not change the command of the operation of the output unit.

12. An electronic device comprising:

a case;

an angular velocity sensor fixed to the case and sending a plurality of signals according to a plurality of components of an angular velocity applied to the case, the plurality of components of the angular velocity being about a plurality of axes, respectively;

a data memory storing a reference profile;

an output unit operating in an operation mode corresponding to the reference profile; and

a processor operable to cause the output unit to operate according to the signals sent from the angular velocity sensor,

wherein the reference profile contains a plurality of components which are compared with the plurality of signals, respectively,

wherein the processor is operable to;

cause the output unit to operate in an operation mode; and

determine, according to one signal of the plurality of signals, whether or not the processor causes the output unit to operate in the operation mode, and

wherein, if a ratio of the amplitude of the one signal to a maximum amplitude out of the plurality of signals is larger than a predetermined ratio, the processor does not change the operation mode of the output unit.