Simplified control input to a mobile device

• US 9,992,320 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2017
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schmehl, Ian C., Cansler, James Leonard, White, Scott Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Rego, Dominic
• Application Number:
  US15/701,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20170374191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 267 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• 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 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A method of operating a mobile device includes receiving, from a motion sensor, motion information indicative of mobile device motion, recognizing a motion pattern indicated by the motion information, identifying a particular function corresponding to the motion pattern, and determining whether the particular function comprises a function for remotely controlling a remotely controlled device. Responsive to determining the particular function is a function for remotely controlling a remotely controlled device, a remote control command corresponding to the particular function is wirelessly sent to the remotely controlled device. If the particular function is a function for remotely controlling a remotely controlled device, the particular function is executed via a wireless network.

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising:

a processor;

a wireless transceiver;

a motion sensor;

a display; and

a memory, accessible to the processor, including processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from the motion sensor, motion information indicative of mobile device motion;

recognizing a motion pattern indicated by the motion information;

identifying a particular function corresponding to the motion pattern;

determining whether the particular function comprises a first type of function, wherein the first type of function includes functions for remotely controlling a remotely controlled device;

responsive to determining the particular function is of the first type of function, wirelessly sending a remote control command corresponding to the particular function to the remotely controlled device; and

responsive to determining the particular function is not of the first type of function, executing the particular function via a wireless network.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein:

the motion sensor is configured to detect;

linear and rotational translations of the mobile device; and

linear and rotational acceleration of the mobile device; and

the motion sensor includes at least one of;

an accelerometer; and

a gyroscope.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone and the wireless network comprises a digital cellular network.

4. The mobile device of claim 3, wherein the particular function comprises sending a text message.

5. The mobile device of claim 3, wherein the motion pattern is associated with a particular phone number and wherein the particular function comprises automatically calling, by the mobile phone, the particular phone number.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the remotely controlled device comprises a set top box and wherein the remote control command comprises a command for interacting with an electronic programming guide interface.

7. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the remote control command comprises a power command to remotely control power provided to the remotely controlled device.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

an audio interface configured to output an audible signal, wherein the operations include;

responsive to recognizing the motion pattern, outputting, by the audio interface, an audible signal.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the operations include:

wirelessly receiving an acknowledgement of the remote control command from the remotely controlled device; and

outputting, by the audio interface, a second audible signal responsive to the acknowledgement of the remote control command.

10. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

a touch interface for receiving touch input, wherein the operations include

receiving, from the touch interface, trace information indicative of a trace of the touch interface of the user input;

recognizing a trace pattern indicated by the motion information;

identifying a particular function corresponding to the trace pattern;

an

performing the particular function responsive to detecting a particular trace pattern corresponding to a trace of finger of the user on a touch interface of-the mobile device.

11. A method of operating a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving, from the motion sensor, motion information indicative of mobile device motion;

recognizing a motion pattern indicated by the motion information;

identifying a particular function corresponding to the motion pattern;

determining whether the particular function comprises a first type of function, wherein the first type of function includes functions for remotely controlling a remotely controlled device;

responsive to determining the particular function is of the first type of function, wirelessly sending a remote control command corresponding to the particular function to the remotely controlled device; and

responsive to determining the particular function is not of the first type of function, executing the particular function via a wireless network.

12. The mobile device method of claim 11, wherein:

the motion sensor is configured to detect;

linear and rotational translations of the mobile device; and

linear and rotational acceleration of the mobile device; and

the motion sensor includes at least one of;

an accelerometer; and

a gyroscope.

13. The mobile device method of claim 11, wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone and the wireless network comprises a digital cellular network.

14. The mobile device method of claim 13, wherein the particular function comprises sending a text message.

15. The mobile device method of claim 13, wherein the motion pattern is associated with a particular phone number and wherein the remote control command comprises automatically calling, by the mobile phone, the particular phone number.

16. The mobile device method of claim 11, wherein the remotely controlled device comprises a set top box and wherein the remote control command comprises a command for interacting with an electronic programming guide interface.

17. The mobile device method of claim 11, wherein the remote control command comprises a power command to remotely control power provided to the remotely controlled device.

18. The mobile device method of claim 11, further comprising:

responsive to recognizing the motion pattern, outputting, by an audio interface an audible signal.

19. The mobile device method of claim 18, further comprising:

wirelessly receiving an acknowledgement of the remote control command from the remotely controlled device; and

outputting, by the audio interface, a second audible signal responsive to the acknowledgement of the remote control command.

20. The mobile device method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, from a touch interface, trace information indicative of a trace of the touch interface of the user input;

recognizing a trace pattern indicated by the motion information;

identifying a particular function corresponding to the trace pattern;

an

performing the particular function responsive to detecting a particular trace pattern corresponding to a trace of finger of the user on a touch interface of-the mobile device.