Function selection by detecting resonant frequencies

• US 9,182,853 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2013
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Wennemer, Dietmar Frank, Mankowski, Peter, Jendli, Wael, Kyowski, Timothy, Forrester, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Edun, Muhammad N
• Application Number:
  US14/011,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20150062090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1636 Sensing arrangement for detection of a tap gesture on the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0433 in which the acoustic waves are either generated by a movable member and propagated within a surface layer or propagated within a surface layer and captured by a movable member
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0436 in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/40 Filling a planar surface by adding surface attributes, e.g. colour or texture
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

A function of an electronic device is selected by detecting a resonant frequency generated by a tapping on a selection region of a device housing. The function of the device is selected based on the detected resonant frequency.

Claims

1. A method of selecting a function of a device, comprising:

detecting a resonant frequency generated by a tapping on a selection region of a device housing; and

selecting a function of the device based on the detected resonant frequency,

wherein the selection region includes a first selection feature forming a first shape in the device housing and a second selection feature forming a second shape in the device housing,

the first and second selection features comprise concentric geometric shapes, and

the concentric geometric shapes of the first selection feature have at least one of a different number and a different diameter than the concentric geometric shapes of the second selection feature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first selection feature and the second selection feature having different resonant frequencies, and

wherein selecting the function includes selecting a first function based on detecting a resonant frequency generated by tapping the first selection feature and selecting a second function based on detecting a resonant frequency generated by tapping the second selection feature.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first shape has a diameter different than the second shape.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the resonant frequency is detected by at least one of an accelerometer and a gyroscope.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection region and the device housing surrounding the selection region are part of a same piece of a rigid material.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a function based on the detected resonant frequency includes estimating a location of the tapping on the selection region.

7. An electronic device, comprising:

a device housing having a selection region including a first selection feature and a second selection feature, the first selection feature configured to generate a different resonant frequency than the second selection feature in response to tapping each of the first and second selection features;

a sensor to detect the resonant frequencies generated by the first and second selection features; and

a processing circuit configured to receive sensor data from the sensor corresponding to the detected resonant frequency from each of the first and second selection features and to select a function of the electronic device based on the sensor data corresponding to the detected resonant frequency,

wherein the first selection feature defines a first cavity in the device housing and the second selection feature defines a second cavity in the device housing

the first and second cavities are made up of concentric shapes, and

at least one of a number, depth and diameter of the concentric shapes of the first cavity is different than the second cavity.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the first and second cavities having different volumes.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the first and second cavities are located on an outer surface of the device housing.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the first and second cavities are located on an inner surface of the device housing.

11. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the concentric shapes are made up of steps in the device housing, such that an outer shape of the concentric shapes is shallower than an inner shape of the concentric shapes.

12. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the first and second selection features include protrusions extending outward from a surface of the device housing.

13. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the selection region and a non-selection region surrounding the selection region are part of a same piece of rigid material.

14. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the sensor includes an accelerometer.

15. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the sensor includes a gyroscope.

16. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the processing circuit is configured to estimate a location of the tapping on the selection region based on the detected resonant frequency.

17. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the electronic device does not include any of a touchpad, a keypad, and a display screen.

18. An electronic device, comprising:

a device housing having a selection region including a first selection feature and a second selection feature, the first selection feature configured to generate a different resonant frequency than the second selection feature in response to tapping each of the first and second selection features;

a sensor to detect the resonant frequencies generated by the first and second selection features; and

a processing circuit configured to receive sensor data from the sensor corresponding to the detected resonant frequency from each of the first and second selection features and to select a function of the electronic device based on the sensor data corresponding to the detected resonant frequency,

wherein the first selection feature includes a first end closest to the second selection feature and a second end opposite the first end, and the second selection feature includes a first end closest to the first selection feature and a second end opposite the first end,

the second selection feature comprising a grid of cavities, and

a volume of the cavities increases in a direction from the second end of the first selection feature to the second end of the second selection feature.