Electronic device and method for controlling the same

• US 9,563,345 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2013
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MStar Semiconductor Incorporated (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huang, Yi-Chin, Ho, Chia-Chiang, Tung, Yi-Shin
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Md Saiful A
• Application Number:
  US14/092,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20140181669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

A method for controlling an electronic device is provided. The method includes detecting a first tilt angle between the electronic device and a reference plane, and controlling the electronic device to perform an operating according to the first tilt angle. The operation is associated with a user interface operation or an audio/video playback operation.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an electronic device, comprising:

detecting a first tilt angle on a first virtual plane between the electronic device and a reference plane in a first direction;

detecting a second tilt angle on a second virtual plane between the electronic device and the reference plane in a second direction; and

controlling the electronic device to perform an operation according to a combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle when the electronic device is in an unlocked state, and not performing the operation when the electronic device is in a locked state;

controlling the electronic device to operate in either the locked state or the unlocked state;

when the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle satisfy a predetermined combination in a first predetermined time period, controlling the electronic device to operate in either the locked state or the unlocked state;

wherein, the operation is associated with a user interface or an audio/video playback;

wherein, the first virtual plane and the second virtual plane are different planes; and

wherein, the electronic device is switched from the unlocked state to the locked state by a lock operation, and the lock operation is triggered by detecting a finger press on a screen of the electronic device for a second predetermined time period.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is built-in with the user interface;

the method detects the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle when the electronic device displays the user interface; and

the operation comprises changing a display status of the user interface according to the first tilt angle.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the user interface displays a plurality of icons and a selection mark;

the operation comprises the selection mark moving among the icons according to the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle; and

the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle is associated with a moving speed of the selection mark.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

the selection mark stopping moving according to the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle when the lock operation is detected.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

when the lock operation is detected and the electronic device being rotated by a second tilt angle is further detected, executing a program corresponding to an icon selected by the selection mark.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method detects the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle when the electronic device plays a plurality of image files;

and the operation comprises playing the image files according to the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle is associated with a playback speed of the image files.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle is associated with a playback order of the image files.

9. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

stopping playing the image files according to the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle when the lock operation is detected.

10. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

setting the image file being played as a desktop image of the electronic device when the lock operation is detected.

11. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

setting the image file being played as a desktop image of the electronic device when the lock operation is detected and the electronic device is rotated by the second tilt angle.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method detects the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle when the electronic device displays a part of a plurality of sets of data;

and the operation comprises changing the displayed part of the plurality of sets of data according to the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of sets of data form an image file or a webpage, and the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle is associated with a position of the part in the image file or the webpage.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of sets of data are a plurality of desktops, and the part is one of the plurality of desktops.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method detects the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle when the electronic device plays a video file;

and the operation comprises adjusting a playback speed of the video file according to the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

stopping playing the video file according to the playback speed; and

playing the video file in reverse according to a reverse playback speed corresponding to the second tilt angle.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle when a trigger operation is detected; and

when the trigger operation is released, performing the operation according to the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle at time of releasing the trigger operation.

18. An electronic device, comprising:

a screen;

a gravity sensor, configured to detect a first tilt angle on a first virtual plane between the electronic device and a reference plane in a first direction, and a second tilt angle on a second virtual plane between the electronic device and the reference plane in a second direction; and

a control unit, configured to control the electronic device to perform an operation according to a combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle when the electronic device is in an unlocked state, and configured not to perform the operation when the electronic device is in a locked state;

wherein the electronic device operates in either the locked state or the unlocked state;

wherein, when the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle satisfy a predetermined combination in a predetermined time period, the control unit controls the electronic device to operate in either the locked state or the unlocked state;

wherein, the operation is associated with a user interface or an audio/video playback;

wherein, the first virtual plane and the second virtual plane are different planes; and

wherein, the electronic device is switched from the unlocked state to the locked state by a lock operation, and the lock operation is triggered by detecting a finger press on the screen for a second predetermined time period.

19. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the screen displays the user interface, and comprises a plurality of icons and a selection mark;

the control unit moves the selection mark according to the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle; and

the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle is associated with a moving speed of the selection mark.

20. The electronic device according to claim 19, wherein the selection mark stops moving according to the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle when the control unit detects the lock operation.

21. The electronic device according to claim 20, wherein when the control unit detects the lock operation and then detects that the electronic device is rotated by the second tilt angle, a program corresponding to an icon selected by the selection mark is executed.

22. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the screen plays a plurality of image files, and the operation comprises playing the image files according to the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle.

23. The electronic device according to claim 22, wherein the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle is associated with a playback speed of the image files.

24. The electronic device according to claim 22, wherein the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle is associated with a playback order of the image files.

25. The electronic device according to claim 22, wherein when the control unit detects the lock operation, the screen stops playing the image file according to the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle.

26. The electronic device according to claim 22, wherein when the control unit detects the lock operation, the image file being played is set as a desktop image of the electronic device.

27. The electronic device according to claim 22, wherein when the control unit detects the lock operation and the gravity sensor detectors that the electronic device is rotated by the second tilt angle, the image file being played is set as a desktop image of the electronic device.

28. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the screen displays a part of a plurality of sets of data, and the operation comprises changing the displayed part of the plurality of sets of data according to the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle.

29. The electronic device according to claim 28, wherein the plurality of sets of data form an image file or a webpage, and the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle is associated with a position of the part in the image file or the webpage.

30. The electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the screen plays a video file, and the operation comprises adjusting a playback speed of the video file according to the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle.

31. The electronic device according to claim 30, wherein when the gravity sensor detects the second tilt angle, the screen stops playing the video file according to the playback speed, and plays the video in reverse according to a reverse playback speed corresponding to the second tilt angle.

32. The electronic device according to claim 18, further comprising:

a key, configured to detect a trigger operation;

wherein, when the trigger operation is detected, the gravity sensor detects the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle; and

when the key detects that the trigger operation is released, the operation is performed according to the combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle at time of releasing the key.

33. A method for controlling an electronic device, comprising:

detecting a first tilt angle on a first virtual plane between the electronic device and a reference plane in a first direction;

detecting a second tilt angle on a second virtual plane between the electronic device and the reference plane in a second direction; and

controlling the electronic device to perform an operation according to a combination of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle when the electronic device is in an unlocked state, and not performing the operation when the electronic device is in a locked state;

controlling the electronic device to operate in either the locked state or the unlocked state;

when the tilt angles satisfy a predetermined combination in a first predetermined time period, controlling the electronic device to operate in either the locked state or the unlocked state;

wherein, the operation is associated with a user interface or an audio/video playback; and

wherein, the first virtual plane and second virtual plane are different planes.