Motion sensitive input control

• US 8,970,475 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2009
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Haggerty, Myra Mary, Mansfield, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Sitta, Grant
• Assistant Examiner(s): HERMANN, KIRK W
• Application Number:
  US12/488,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20100321286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

A motion sensitive input control configured to prevent unintended input caused by inadvertent movement of a computing device. In one embodiment, unintended input can be prevented by disregarding an input event if a change in motion of the computing device is detected simultaneously with or immediately prior to the detected input event. In another embodiment, unintended input can be prevented by reducing the sensitivity of an input device during a motion-based state associated with the computing device. In this manner, the likelihood of inadvertent motion of a computing device causing an unintended input event can be reduced.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

an input device configured to detect an input event applied to an input area of the computing device, wherein the detected input event can include a touch begin event, a touch move event, and a touch end event, and

a processor configured to

detect a state of the computing device associated with motion;

at least partially reduce a sensitivity to touch of the input device during the detected state by increasing a magnitude threshold for detecting the input event or increasing a time threshold for detecting the input event; and

wherein the processor is configured to detect the state associated with motion based on a network connection state associated with the computing device.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to detect the state associated with motion based on the particular type of network connection state associated with the computing device.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein

the computing device further comprises a camera, and

the processor is configured to detect the state associated with motion based on output from the camera.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises a mobile telephone.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises a media player.

13. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to detect the state associated with motion based on an increased possibility of unintended input events being received by the input device.

6. A method comprising:

detecting a state of a computing device associated with motion, the state indicating an increased possibility of unintended input events being received by the input device;

partially reducing a sensitivity to touch of an input device associated with the computing device during the detected state by increasing a threshold associated with a magnitude of a detected measure of an input that determines whether the input can be recognized as an input event or by increasing a threshold associated with how long the input must be recognized in order for the input to be recognized as the input event;

monitoring the computing device to determine if the previously detected state of the computing device associated with motion persists; and

restoring the sensitivity to touch of the computing device once it is determined that the detected state of the computing device associated with motion has ended;

wherein detecting the state of the computing device associated with motion comprises detecting the state associated with motion based on one of a network connection state associated with the computing device or a time at which the device is operated without regard to a location at which the device is located.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising reducing the sensitivity to touch of the input device by increasing a threshold associated with a magnitude of a detected measure of an input that determines whether the input can be recognized as an input event.

8. The method of claim 6, comprising reducing the sensitivity to touch of the input device by increasing a threshold associated with how long an input must be recognized in order for the input to be recognized as an input event.

9. A laptop computing device comprising:

a capacitive trackpad configured to detect a tap applied to the trackpad; and

a processor configured to

detect a state of the computing device associated with motion, the state indicating an increased possibility of unintended input events being received by the input device,

partially reduce a sensitivity of the capacitive trackpad to taps during the detected state;

monitor the computing device to determine if the previously detected state of the computing device associated with motion persists; and

restore the sensitivity to touch of the computing device once it is determined that the detected state of the computing device associated with motion has ended;

wherein the processor is configured to detect the state associated with motion based on a network connection state associated with the computing device.

10. The laptop computing device of claim 9, comprising reducing the sensitivity of the capacitive trackpad by increasing a threshold associated with how hard an object must tap the trackpad to trigger a tap input event.

11. A computing device comprising:

an input device configured to detect an input event applied to an input area of the computing device; and

a processor configured to

detect a state of the computing device associated with motion,

partially reduce a sensitivity to touch of the input device during the detected state;

monitor the computing device to determine if the previously detected state of the computing device associated with motion persists; and

restore the sensitivity to touch of the computing device once it is determined that the detected state of the computing device associated with motion has ended;

wherein the processor is configured to detect the state associated with motion based on a network connection state associated with the computing device.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to detect the state associated with motion which corresponds to an increased likelihood of inadvertent motion of the computing device.

14. A computing device comprising:

an input device configured to detect an input event applied to an input area of the computing device, wherein the detected input event can include a touch begin event, a touch move event, and a touch end event, and

a processor configured to

detect a state of the computing device associated with motion;

at least partially reduce a sensitivity to touch of the input device during the detected state; and

wherein the processor is configured to detect the state associated with motion based on a time at which the device is operated without regard to a location at which the device is located.

15. The computing device of claim 14, wherein

the computing device further comprises a camera, and

the processor is configured to detect the state associated with motion based on output from the camera.

16. A laptop computing device comprising:

a capacitive trackpad configured to detect a tap applied to the trackpad; and

a processor configured to

detect a state of the computing device associated with motion, the state indicating an increased possibility of unintended input events being received by the input device,

partially reduce a sensitivity of the capacitive trackpad to taps during the detected state;

monitor the computing device to determine if the previously detected state of the computing device associated with motion persists; and

restore the sensitivity to touch of the computing device once it is determined that the detected state of the computing device associated with motion has ended;

wherein the processor is configured to detect the state associated with motion based on a time at which the device is operated without regard to a location at which the device is located.

17. The laptop computing device of claim 16, comprising reducing the sensitivity of the capacitive trackpad by increasing a threshold associated with how hard an object must tap the trackpad to trigger a tap input event.

18. A computing device comprising:

an input device configured to detect an input event applied to an input area of the computing device; and

a processor configured to

detect a state of the computing device associated with motion,

partially reduce a sensitivity to touch of the input device during the detected state;

monitor the computing device to determine if the previously detected state of the computing device associated with motion persists; and

restore the sensitivity to touch of the computing device once it is determined that the detected state of the computing device associated with motion has ended;

wherein the processor is configured to detect the state associated with motion based on a time at which the device is operated without regard to a location at which the device is located.

19. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to detect the state associated with motion which corresponds to an increased likelihood of inadvertent motion of the computing device.