Methods and apparatuses for operating a portable device based on an accelerometer

• US 9,829,999 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2016
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wehrenberg, Paul J., Leiba, Aaron, Williams, Richard C., Falkenburg, David R., Gerbarg, Louis G., Chang, Ray L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sasinowski, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US15/270,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20170010693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1605 Multimedia displays, e.g. with integrated or attached speakers, cameras, microphones
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1636 Sensing arrangement for detection of a tap gesture on the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• 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 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for operating a portable device based on an accelerometer are described. According to one embodiment of the invention, an accelerometer attached to a portable device detects a movement of the portable device. In response, a machine executable code is executed within the portable device to perform one or more predetermined user configurable operations. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Claims

1. A method of operating a portable device, the method comprising:

displaying a request to enter a password on a display;

detecting a movement of the portable device using an accelerometer attached to the portable device;

associating the movement with entry of a portion of the password;

determining a direction of the movement based on movement data provided by the accelerometer;

comparing the determined direction of the movement with a predetermined direction of movement associated with the portion of the password to determine whether the determined direction matches the predetermined direction; and

if the determined direction matches the predetermined direction, indicating the portion of the password has been entered.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein:

the portion of the password is a first portion of the password; and

the method further comprises receiving a second portion of the password by an input device.

3. The method as in claim 2, further comprising determining whether the second portion of the password matches a predetermined portion of the password.

4. The method as in claim 3, further comprising if the first portion of the password has been entered and the second portion of the password matches the predetermined portion of the password, indicating the password has been entered.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein:

the detected movement is a first movement;

the direction is a first direction;

the movement data is a first movement data; and

the method further comprises;

detecting a second movement of the portable device using the accelerometer;

determining a second direction of the second movement based on second movement data provided by the accelerometer;

determining a sequence of movements based at least on the first direction and the second direction;

comparing the determined sequence of movements with a predetermined sequence of movements to determine whether the determined sequence of movements matches the predetermined sequence of movements; and

if the determined sequence of movements matches the predetermined sequence of movements, indicating the portion of the password has been entered.

6. The method as in claim 5, wherein:

the portion of the password is a first portion of the password; and

the method further comprises;

receiving a second portion of the password by an input device;

determining whether the second portion of the password matches a predetermined portion of the password; and

if the first portion of the password has been entered and the second portion of the password matches the predetermined portion of the password, indicating the password has been entered.

7. The method as in claim 1, wherein the predetermined direction is user configurable using a user interface.

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein the movement of the portable device comprises movement that is parallel with a surface of the portable device.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein the movement of the portable device comprises a rotation of the portable device about an axis that is parallel with an edge of the portable device.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein the predetermined direction of movement comprises a predetermined direction and a predetermined threshold of movement.

11. A portable device, comprising:

a display;

an accelerometer;

a memory having instructions stored therein; and

a processor coupled to the accelerometer, the memory, and the display, wherein the processor executes instructions from the memory to;

display a request to enter a password on the display;

detect whether the portable device is moving using the accelerometer;

associate the movement with the entry of a portion of the password;

determine a direction of the movement based on movement data provided by the accelerometer;

compare the determined direction of the movement with a predetermined direction of movement to determine whether the determined direction matches the predetermined direction; and

if the determined direction matches the predetermined direction, indicate the portion of the password has been entered.

12. The portable device as in claim 11, wherein

the portion of the password is a first portion of the password;

the portable device further comprises an input device; and

the processor executes instructions from the memory to receive a second portion of the password from the input device.

13. The portable device as in claim 12, wherein the processor executes instructions from the memory to determine whether the second portion of the password matches a predetermined portion of the password.

14. The portable device as in claim 13, wherein the processor executes instructions from the memory to indicate the password has been entered if the first portion of the password has been entered and the second portion of the password matches the predetermined portion of the password.

15. The portable device as in claim 11, wherein:

the detected movement is a first movement;

the direction is a first direction;

the movement data is a first movement data; and

the processor executes instructions from the memory to;

detect a second movement of the portable device using the accelerometer;

determine a second direction of the second movement based on second movement data provided by the accelerometer;

determine a sequence of movements based at least on the first direction and the second direction;

compare the determined sequence of movements with a predetermined sequence of movements to determine whether the determined sequence of movements matches the predetermined sequence of movements; and

if the determined sequence of movements matches the predetermined sequence of movements, indicate the portion of the password has been entered.

16. The portable device as in claim 15, wherein

the portion of the password is a first portion of the password;

and

the processor executes instructions from the memory to;

receive a second portion of the password by an input device;

determine whether the second portion of the password matches a predetermined portion of the password; and

if first portion of the password has been entered and the second portion of the password matches the predetermined portion of the password, indicate the password has been entered.

17. The portable device as in claim 11, wherein the movement of the portable device comprises at least one of:

a movement that is parallel with a surface of the portable device;

or

a rotation of the portable device about an axis that is parallel with an edge of the portable device.

18. The portable device as in claim 11, wherein the predetermined direction of movement comprises a predetermined direction and a predetermined threshold of movement.