Mobile device operation using grip intensity

• US 9,541,993 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2011
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Balasundaram, Sai Prasad, Graumann, David, Raffa, Giuseppe, Sharma, Sangita
• Primary Examiner(s): Simpson, Lixi C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham Lu, Ngan T
• Application Number:
  US13/997,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20130335319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,838 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• 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 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

Mobile device operation using grip intensity. An embodiment of a mobile device includes a touch sensor to detect contact or proximity by a user of the mobile device; a memory to store indicators of grip intensity in relation to the touch sensor; and a processor to evaluate contact to the touch sensor. The processor is to compare a contact with the touch sensor to the indicators of grip shape and firmness to determine grip intensity, and the mobile device is to receive an input for a function of the mobile device based at least in part on determined grip intensity for the mobile device.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a touch sensor to detect contact or proximity by a user of the mobile device, the touch sensor being a capacitive touch screen for the mobile device;

a memory to store indicators of grip shape and firmness for contact that is detected by the capacitive touch screen, the indicators of grip shape and firmness including data regarding contact shapes for the capacitive touch screen for varying levels of grip intensity; and

a processor to evaluate contact to the capacitive touch screen;

wherein the processor is to;

compare a contact that is detected by the capacitive touch screen to the indicators of grip shape and firmness for the capacitive touch screen, and

determine a level of grip intensity on the mobile device, wherein the determination of the level of grip intensity is based on the comparison between the contact that is detected by the capacitive touch screen and the indicators of grip shape and firmness for the capacitive touch screen; and

wherein the mobile device is to receive an input for a function of the mobile device based at least in part on the determined level of grip intensity on the mobile device.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the data regarding contact shapes includes data describing a shape of a hand supporting the mobile device in a resting position.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the function is a scrolling function of the mobile device for scrolling displayed data.

4. The mobile device of claim 3, wherein a speed of the scrolling of displayed data is to be modified based on the determined level of grip intensity on the mobile device.

5. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein the speed of scrolling increases in proportion to the level of grip intensity.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the input for the function of the mobile device is a request for the activation and deactivation of the function based on the determined level of grip intensity on the mobile device.

7. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the input includes a first squeeze of the mobile device to activate the function and a second squeeze of the mobile device to deactivate the function.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the determined level of grip intensity is one of a first level of grip intensity for a loose grip on the mobile device and a second level of grip intensity for a firm grip on the mobile device, the first level of grip intensity being less than the second level of grip intensity.

9. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the mobile device does not include a sensor to directly detect grip intensity.

10. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein determining a level of grip intensity further includes determining a change in grip intensity compared to an initial grip intensity.

11. A method comprising:

receiving data regarding contact that is detected by a touch sensor of a mobile device by a user of the mobile device, the touch sensor being a capacitive touch screen for the mobile device;

comparing the data regarding the touch sensor to indicators of grip shape and firmness for contact that is detected by the capacitive touch screen, the indicators of grip shape and firmness including data regarding contact shapes for the capacitive touch screen for varying levels of grip intensity;

determining a level of grip intensity on the mobile device, wherein the determination of the level of grip intensity is based on the comparison between the contact detected by the capacitive touch screen and the indicators of grip shape and firmness for the capacitive touch screen; and

receiving an input for a function of the mobile device based at least in part on the determined level of grip intensity on the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data regarding contact shapes includes data describing a shape of a hand supporting the mobile device in a resting position.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the function is a scrolling function of the mobile device for scrolling displayed data.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising modifying a speed of the scrolling of displayed data based on the determined level of grip intensity on the mobile device.

15. A system comprising:

a transmitter to transmit data and a receiver to receive data;

an omnidirectional antenna for data transmission, data reception, or both;

a processor to process data for the system;

a capacitive touch screen including a touch sensor to detect contact or proximity by a user of the system; and

a memory to store data for the system, the data including indicators of grip shape and firmness for contact that is detected by the capacitive touch screen to determine a level of grip intensity in relation to the capacitive touch screen, the indicators of grip shape and firmness including data regarding contact shapes for the capacitive touch screen for varying levels of grip intensity;

wherein the processor is to;

compare a contact that is detected by the capacitive touch screen to the indicators of grip shape and firmness for the capacitive touch screen, and

determine a level of grip intensity on the system, wherein the determination of the level of grip intensity is based based on the comparison between the contact detected by the capacitive touch screen and the indicators of grip shape and firmness for the capacitive touch screen; and

wherein the system is to receive an input for a function of the system based at least in part on the determined level of grip intensity on the system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the data regarding contact shape includes data describing a shape of a hand supporting the system in a resting position.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the function is a scrolling function of the system for controlling scrolling of displayed data on the capacitive touch screen.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein a speed of the scrolling of displayed data is to be modified based on the determined level of grip intensity on the system.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the input for the function of the system is a request for the activation and deactivation of the function based on the determined level of grip intensity on the system.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving data regarding contact that is detected by a touch sensor of a mobile device by a user of the mobile device, the touch sensor being a capacitive touch screen for the mobile device;

comparing the data regarding the capacitive touch screen to indicators regarding grip shape and firmness for contact that is detected by the capacitive touch screen, the indicators of grip shape and firmness including data regarding contact shapes for the capacitive touch screen for varying levels of grip intensity;

determining a level of grip intensity on the mobile device, wherein the determination of the level of grip intensity is based on the comparison between the contact detected by the capacitive touch screen and the indicators of grip shape and firmness for the capacitive touch screen; and

receiving an input for a function of the mobile device based at least in part on the determined level of grip intensity on the mobile device.

21. The medium of claim 20, wherein the data regarding contact shapes includes data describing a shape of a hand supporting the mobile device.

22. The medium of claim 20, wherein the function is a scrolling function of the mobile device for scrolling displayed data.