Electronic device, computer program product and method of operating built-in compass

• US 7,159,326 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2005
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Linjama, Jukka
• Primary Examiner(s): Fulton; Christopher W.
• Application Number:
  US11/036,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20060156565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 333/56, 333/34, 333/54
• US Class Current: 33/356
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/38 Testing, calibrating, or compensating of compasses

Abstract

There is provided an electronic device having a built-in compass, comprising: a processing unit for controlling functions of the electronic device; an input device for giving control commands; an acceleration sensor for measuring tilt angle of the electronic device. The processing unit is configured to set a horizontal condition required for the built-in compass, the horizontal condition indicating admissible values of tilt angle of the electronic device, to detect activation of a navigation application on the basis of the input device, to send a control command to the acceleration sensor for measuring a tilt angle of the electronic device when activation of the navigation application is detected, to compare the measured tilt angle with the horizontal condition for the built-in compass, and to calculate a compass direction when, on the basis of the comparison, it is detected that the electronic device meets the horizontal condition required.

Claims

1. A method of operating a built-in compass of an electronic device, the method comprising:

setting a horizontal condition required for the built-in compass, the horizontal condition indicating admissible values of tilt angle of the electronic device;

detecting activation of a navigation application on the basis of a gesture input of an input device;

measuring a tilt angle of the electronic device when activation of the navigation application is detected;

comparing the measured tilt angle with the horizontal condition for the built-in compass;

calculating a compass direction when, on the basis of the comparison, it is detected that the electronic device meets the horizontal condition required by the built-in compass; and

giving at least one of a tactile indication and an audible indication when the calculated compass direction is available.

2. The method of claim 1, the step of calculating the compass direction further comprising:

sending an indication to a magnetometer unit for detecting magnetism when, on the basis of the comparison, it is detected that the electronic device meets the horizontal condition required by the built-in compass; and

calculating a compass direction on the basis of magnetism values detected by the magnetometer unit.

3. The method of claim 1, the step of giving at least one of a tactile indication and an audible indication about the available calculated compass direction further comprising giving one or more tactile feedback pulses or one or more vibration signals.

4. The method of claim 1, the step of giving at least one of a tactile indication and an audible indication about the available calculated compass direction further comprising giving one or more sound alarms.

5. The method of claim 1, the step of detecting activation of the navigation application on the basis of the gesture input of an input device comprising detecting the gesture input of the input device on the basis of one or more taps or shakes or a combination thereof directed to the electronic device.

6. An electronic device having a built-in compass, the electronic device comprising:

a processing unit for controlling functions of the electronic device;

an input device coupled to the processing unit for giving control commands;

an acceleration sensor coupled to the processing unit for measuring tilt angle of the electronic device;

the processing unit is further configured to set a horizontal condition required for the built-in compass, the horizontal condition indicating admissible values of tilt angle of the electronic device, to detect activation of a navigation application on the basis of a gesture input of the input device, to send a control command to the acceleration sensor for measuring a tilt angle of the electronic device when activation of the navigation application is detected, to compare the measured tilt angle with the horizontal condition for the built-in compass, to calculate a compass direction when, on the basis of the comparison, it is detected that the electronic device meets the horizontal condition required by the built-in compass, and to give at least one of a tactile indication and an audible indication when the calculated compass direction is available.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, the electronic device further comprising a magnetometer unit coupled to the processing unit for detecting magnetism;

and a calculation unit for calculating a compass direction on the basis of magnetism values detected by the magnetometer unit, wherein the processing unit is further configured to send an indication to the magnetometer unit for detecting magnetism when, on the basis of the comparison, it is detected that the electronic device meets the horizontal condition required by the built-in compass.

8. The electronic device of claim 6, the processing unit being further configured to give the at least one of a tactile indication and an audible indication about the available calculated compass direction by giving one or more tactile feedback pulses or one or more vibration signals.

9. The electronic device of claim 6, the processing unit being further configured to give the at least one of a tactile indication and an audible indication about the available calculated compass direction by giving one or more sound alarms.

10. The electronic device of claim 6, the processing unit being further configured to detect activation of the navigation application on the basis of the gesture input of the input device by detecting one or more taps or shakes, or a combination thereof directed to the electronic device.

11. A computer program product encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process for operating a built-in compass of an electronic device, the process comprising:

setting a horizontal condition required for the built-in compass, the horizontal condition indicating admissible values of tilt angle of the electronic device;

detecting activation of a navigation application on the basis of a gesture input of an input device;

measuring a tilt angle of the electronic device when activation of the navigation application is detected;

comparing the measured tilt angle with the horizontal condition for the built-in compass;

calculating a compass direction when, on the basis of the comparison, it is detected that the electronic device meets the horizontal condition required by the built-in compass; and

giving at least one of a tactile indication and an audible indication when the calculated compass direction is available.

12. An electronic device having a built-in compass, the electronic device comprising:

processing means for controlling functions of the electronic device;

input means for giving control commands;

measuring means for measuring tilt angle of the electronic device;

setting means for setting a horizontal condition required for the built-in compass, the horizontal condition indicating admissible values of tilt angle of the electronic device;

detection means for detecting activation of a navigation application on the basis of a gesture input of the input means;

control means for sending a control command to measuring means for measuring a tilt angle of the electronic device when activation of the navigation application is detected;

comparing means for comparing the measured tilt angle with the horizontal condition for the built-in compass;

calculating means for calculating a compass direction when, on the basis of the comparison, it is detected that the electronic device meets the horizontal condition required by the built-in and compass;

indication means for giving at least one of a tactile indication and an audible indication when the calculated compass direction is available.