Portable navigation device and method with active elements
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A portable electronic device comprising:
- a housing;
at least three active elements disposed at different positions on or in the housing;
a user interface configured to receive an input specifying a destination; and
circuitry configured todetect a current position of the portable electronic device;
determine a destination direction to the destination from the current position;
detect a terminal direction of the housing;
calculate an angle θ
1 between the terminal direction and a reference direction;
calculate an angle θ
2 between the destination direction and the reference direction;
calculate an angular difference between the destination direction and the terminal direction based on angle θ
1 and angle θ
2; and
determine respective tactile sensation intensities of the at least three active elements based on the angular difference to control the at least three active elements to indicate the destination direction in the palm of a user in accordance with the tactile sensation intensities.
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Abstract
A portable navigation device and method are capable of presenting a destination direction to a user without resorting to visual sensation with a relatively simple configuration. Vibration elements are disposed on or in different positions of a housing. The respective vibration intensities of the vibration elements are determined on the basis of an angular difference θ between a destination direction Vn and a terminal direction Vd. The vibration elements are respectively controlled in accordance with the determined vibration intensities. The position of a vibration, which is obtained as a result of blending vibrations of the vibration elements is sensed by a user.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A portable electronic device comprising:
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a housing; at least three active elements disposed at different positions on or in the housing; a user interface configured to receive an input specifying a destination; and circuitry configured to detect a current position of the portable electronic device; determine a destination direction to the destination from the current position; detect a terminal direction of the housing; calculate an angle θ
1 between the terminal direction and a reference direction;calculate an angle θ
2 between the destination direction and the reference direction;calculate an angular difference between the destination direction and the terminal direction based on angle θ
1 and angle θ
2; anddetermine respective tactile sensation intensities of the at least three active elements based on the angular difference to control the at least three active elements to indicate the destination direction in the palm of a user in accordance with the tactile sensation intensities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A tactile sensory navigation method comprising:
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detecting a current position of a portable device with a position detecting section of said portable device; receiving an input for specifying a destination; detecting a destination direction to the destination from the current position; detecting a terminal direction of the portable device, said active device including at least three active elements disposed at different positions on or in a housing of the portable device; calculating an angle θ
1 between the terminal direction and a reference direction;calculating an angle θ
2 between the destination direction and the reference direction;calculating with a processor an angular difference between the destination direction and the terminal direction based on angle θ
1 and angle θ
2;determining with an active element control section respective tactile sensation intensities of the at least three active elements on the basis of the angular difference; and driving the at least three active elements to indicate the destination direction in the palm of a user in accordance with the determined tactile sensation intensities. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A portable navigation device comprising:
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a housing having a substantially rectangular shape; a first active element disposed at one corner of the housing; a second active element disposed at a second corner of the housing; a third active element disposed at a third corner of the housing; a user input configured to receive an input specifying a destination; and circuitry configured to detect a current position; detect a destination direction to the destination from the current position; detect a terminal direction of the housing; calculate an angle θ
1 between the terminal direction and a reference direction;calculate an angle θ
2 between the destination direction and the reference direction;calculate an angular difference between the destination direction and the terminal direction based on angle θ
1 and angle θ
2; anddetermine respective tactile sensation intensities of each of the first, second and third elements based on the angular difference to control each of the first, second and third active elements in accordance with the tactile sensation intensities.
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Specification