Electrical device, control method, and program

• US 9,192,065 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2011
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Minezawa, Satoshi, Higuma, Toshiyasu, Koizumi, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Erdman, Chad
• Application Number:
  US13/813,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20130120917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,758 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/12 Power saving techniques of remote control or controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/00 Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus casings, cabinets, drawers H05K5/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

An acceleration sensor detects an acceleration. A timer measures elapsed time. A calculation means calculates jerk J of a remote controller on the basis of an acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor. A factor determination means determines whether a user is holding the remote controller in his/her hand on the basis of the change of the jerk J that is obtained from an index value calculated by the calculation means and an amount of time measured by the timer. A sleep control means turns on display of a display if the factor determination means determines that the user is holding the remote controller in his/her hand.

Claims

1. An electrical device that a user uses in his/her hand comprising:

an acceleration sensor configured to detect an acceleration;

a timer configured to measure elapsed time;

a calculator configured to calculate an index value regarding movement of the electrical device on the basis of an acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor;

a determiner configured to determine whether the user is holding the electrical device on the basis of change of the index value that is obtained from the index value calculated by the calculator and an amount of time measured by the timer; and

an operation controller configured to cancel a sleep state of the electrical device if the determiner determines that the user is holding the electrical device in his/her hand, and wherein

the determiner determines that the user is not holding the electrical device in his/her hand,

if the index value exceeds a first threshold value at a first time point, then decreases to less than the first threshold value and remains without exceeding the first threshold value again while the amount of time after the first time point exceeds a first period, the first period being a predetermined time threshold, and

if the index value exceeds a second threshold value greater than the first threshold value without decreasing to less than the first threshold value after the first time point, or if the index value exceeds the second threshold value by the time a second period shorter than the first period has passed after the first time point,

the determiner determines that the user is holding the electrical device in his/her hand,

if the index value exceeds the first threshold value at the first time point, then decreases to less than the first threshold value and exceeds the first threshold value again and the amount of time from the first time point to a point of exceeding the first threshold value again is within the first period and longer than the second period that is shorter than the first period, and

if the index value does not exceed the second threshold value greater than the first threshold value.

2. The electrical device according to claim 1, wherein

the determiner determines that the user is not holding the electrical device in his/her hand,

if the index value exceeds the first threshold value at the first time point, then decreases to less than the first threshold value and exceeds the first threshold value again at a second time point while the amount of time from the first time point to the second time point exceeds the second period, and

if the index value exceeds the second threshold value by the time a third period shorter than the first period has passed since the second time point.

3. The electrical device according to claim 1, wherein

the determiner further determines that the user is not holding the electrical device in his/her hand,

if the index value exceeds the second threshold value greater than the first threshold value.

4. The electrical device according to claim 1, wherein

the determiner further determines that the user is not holding the electrical device in his/her hand,

if a frequency component of the index value includes a component higher than a predetermined threshold value.

5. The electrical device according to claim 1, wherein

at least one of the respective threshold values, the respective periods, and an interval between calculations of the index value by the calculator can be adjusted.

6. The electrical device according to claim 1, wherein

the index value regarding movement of the electrical device is either jerk that is the rate of change of the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor, or a value obtained by subtracting the gravity acceleration from the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor.

7. The electrical device according to claim 1, wherein

the operation controller stops operation of at least one of the acceleration sensor, the timer, the calculator or the determiner where the electrical device is not in the sleep state.

8. The electrical device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display configured to display information;

a communicator configured to communicate with an external device to receive information when the sleep state of the electrical device is cancelled; and

an operating portion configured to be operated by the user,

wherein the operation controller

causes the electrical device to be in the sleep state once a predetermined amount of time has passed since an operation by the operating portion stops, and

causes the display to display information received by the communicator when the sleep state of the electrical device is cancelled.

9. The electrical device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a gripper configured to be gripped by the user,

wherein the acceleration sensor is disposed in a predetermined distance from the gripper.

10. The electrical device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a failure detector configured to detect a failure of the acceleration sensor on the basis of an acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor.

11. A method of controlling an electrical device that a user uses in his/her hand, the method comprising:

a calculation step to calculate an index value regarding movement of the electrical device on the basis of an acceleration detected by an acceleration sensor in the electrical device;

a determination step to determine whether the user is holding the electrical device in his/her hand on the basis of change of the index value that is obtained from the index value calculated at the calculation step and an amount of time measured by a timer; and

an operation control step to cancel a sleep state of the electrical device if it is determined that the user is holding the electrical device in his/her hand at the determination step, and wherein

in the determination step, determines that the user is not holding the electrical device in his/her hand,

if the index value exceeds the first threshold value at a first time point, then decreases to less than the first threshold value and remains without exceeding the first threshold value again while the amount of time after the first time point exceeds a first period, the first period being a predetermined time threshold, and

if the index value exceeds a second threshold value greater than the first threshold value without decreasing to less than the first threshold value after the first time point, or if the index value exceeds the second threshold value by the time a second period shorter than the first period has passed after the first time point,

in the determination step, determines that the user is holding the electrical device in his/her hand,

if the index value exceeds the first threshold value at the first time point, then decreases to less than the first threshold value and exceeds the first threshold value again and the amount of time from the first time point to a point of exceeding the first threshold value again is within the first period and longer than the second period that is shorter than the first period, and

if the index value does not exceed the second threshold value greater than the first threshold value.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for execution by a computer to control an electrical device that a user uses in his/her hand to function to:

calculate an index value regarding movement of the electrical device on the basis of an acceleration detected by an acceleration sensor in the electrical device;

determine whether the user is holding the electrical device in his/her hand on the basis of change of the index value that is obtained from the index value that is calculated and an amount of time measured by a timer; and

cancel a sleep state of the electrical device if the user is determined to be holding the electrical device in his/her hand, and wherein

the user is determined to be not holding the electrical device in his/her hand,

if the index value exceeds the first threshold value at a first time point, then decreases to less than the first threshold value and remains without exceeding the first threshold value again while the amount of time after the first time point exceeds a first period, the first period being a predetermined time threshold, and

if the index value exceeds a second threshold value greater than the first threshold value without decreasing to less than the first threshold value after the first time point, or if the index value exceeds the second threshold value by the time a second period shorter than the first period has passed after the first time point,

the user is determined to be holding the electrical device in his/her hand,

if the index value exceeds the first threshold value at the first time point, then decreases to less than the first threshold value and exceeds the first threshold value again and the amount of time from the first time point to a point of exceeding the first threshold value again is within the first period and longer than the second period that is shorter than the first period, and

if the index value does not exceed the second threshold value greater than the first threshold value.