Method and apparatus using multiple sensors in a device with a display

• US 20020021278A1
• Filed: 06/06/2001
• Published: 02/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sinclair, Michael J., Horvitz, Eric J., Hinckley, Kenneth P., Pierce, Jeffrey Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,289,102 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• 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: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

In a device having a display, at least one sensor signal is generated from a sensor in the device. One or more context values are then generated from the sensor signal. The context values indicate how the device is situated relative to one or more objects. At least one of the context values is then used to control the operation of one or more aspects of the device.

Claims

1. A method in a device having a display, the method comprising:

generating at least one sensor signal using at least one sensor in the device;

generating one or more context values that indicate how the device is situated relative to one or more objects based on the at least one sensor; and

a control step for using a context value to control the operation of one or more aspects of the device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein generating one or more context values comprises generating a tilt context value that indicates how the device is tilted relative to the earth.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the control step for using a context value to control the operation of one or more aspects of the device comprises changing the orientation of an image on the display based on the tilt context value.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the control step for using a context value to control the operation of one or more aspects of the device further comprises changing the mapping of directional inputs relative to the display.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein generating a context value further comprises generating a flat context value that indicates that the device is laying flat and wherein the control step for using a context value to control the operation of one or more aspects of the device further comprises selecting an orientation for an image on the display by finding a tilt context value that was maintained for longer than a set period of time before the flat context value was generated.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the step for using a context value to control the operation of one or more aspects of the device comprises changing the contrast level on a display based on the tilt context value.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the step for using a context value to control the operation of one or more aspects of the device comprises scrolling an image on the display based on the tilt context value, the rate of scrolling being based on the difference between a current tilt context value and an initial tilt context value that was determined when scrolling was initiated.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein scrolling an image comprises removing at least one tool bar from the display while scrolling the image.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the control step for using a context value to control the operation of one or more aspects of the device comprises changing the orientation of an image on the display based on a tilt context value unless the tilt context value is being used to control scrolling of an image on the display.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein generating one or more context values comprises generating a holding context value that indicates that the user is holding the device and at least one orientation context value that indicates that the device is in an orientation consistent with the user wanting to use the device and wherein the control step for using a context value to control the operation of one or more aspects of the device comprises placing the device in a full power mode based on the holding context value and the orientation context value.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein generating one or more context values comprises generating a holding context value that indicates that the user is holding the device and wherein the control step for using a context value to control the operation of one or more aspects of the device comprises preventing the device from entering an idle mode based on the holding context value.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein generating one or more context values comprises generating a sequence of proximity context values that indicate the proximity between the device and an object and wherein the control step for using a context value to control the operation of one or more aspects of the device comprises preventing the device from entering an idle mode based on the sequence of proximity context values.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the control step for using a context value to control the operation of one or more aspects of the device comprises allowing the device to enter an idle mode if all of the proximity context values in the sequence of proximity context values are the same.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein generating one or more context values comprises generating a holding context value that indicates that the user is holding the device and at least one orientation context value that indicates that the device is in an orientation consistent with the user wanting to use the device and wherein the control step for using a context value to control the operation of one or more aspects of the device comprises activating an application based on the holding context value and the orientation context value.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein activating an application comprises activating a sound capturing application so that it captures sound.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the at least one sensor comprises a tilt sensor.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein the control means uses the sensor signal from the tilt sensor to scroll an image on the display, the scrolling being controlled in part based on the difference between a current signal from the tilt sensor and a signal from the tilt sensor when tilt scrolling is initiated.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein scrolling further comprises removing at least one tool bar from the display during scrolling.

20. The device of claim 17 wherein the control means uses the sensor signal from the tilt sensor to set the orientation of an image on the display.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein the control means does not change the orientation of the image on the display when a portion of the image is being scrolled.

22. The device of claim 20 wherein the device further comprises a directional input and wherein the control means further uses the sensor signal from the tilt sensor to set a mapping between the directional input and a direction relative to an image on the display.

23. The device of claim 20 wherein the sensor signal from the tilt sensor indicates that the device is positioned so that the display is substantially parallel to the earth and wherein the control means uses this sensor signal to set the orientation of the image on the display to a last stable image orientation.

24. The device of claim 17 wherein the control means uses the sensor signal from the tilt sensor to adjust the contrast on the display.

25. The device of claim 17 wherein the at least one sensor further comprises a touch sensor.

26. The device of claim 25 wherein the control means uses the sensor signals from the tilt sensor and touch sensor to determine whether to place the device in a full power mode.

27. The device of claim 25 wherein the control means uses the sensor signals from the touch sensor to determine whether to place the device in an idle power mode.

28. The device of claim 25 wherein the control means uses the sensor signals from the tilt sensor and touch sensor to determine whether to activate an application.

29. The device of claim 17 wherein the at least one sensor further comprises a proximity sensor.

30. The device of claim 29 wherein the control means uses the sensor signals from the proximity sensor to determine whether to place the device in an idle power mode.

16. A device with a display, the device comprising:

at least one sensor that generates a sensor signal indicative of the orientation of the device relative to the earth;

control means for using the sensor signal to control the operation of at least one aspect of the device.