Methods and systems for providing sensory information to devices and peripherals

• US 8,004,493 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2007
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Keen, Dan, Westerman, Wayne Carl, Herz, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kevin M
• Assistant Examiner(s): CERULLO, LILIANA P
• Application Number:
  US11/811,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20080303681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 710 1- 74, 178 1801- 1907, 381/388, 340901-904
• US Class Current: 345/158
• 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 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• 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 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 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• 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: Y10S 345/901 Electronic book with display

Abstract

Peripherals and data processing systems are disclosed which can be configured to interact based upon sensor data. In at least certain embodiments, a method for sensing motion and orientation information for a device includes receiving a motion event from at least one sensor located in a device. The method further includes determining an orientation for a display of the device. The method further includes determining whether the device is currently moving. The method further includes determining whether the device moves within an angle with respect to a ground reference for a first time period. The method further includes switching the orientation of the display of the device if the device moves in excess of the angle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a device vector associated with a device, the device vector indicates an orientation of the device including a direction with respect to a horizontal ground reference;

determining a peripheral vector associated with a peripheral of the device, the peripheral vector indicates an orientation of the peripheral including a direction with respect to the horizontal ground reference;

generating an audio signal associated with an event from the device; and

determining whether the peripheral vector and the device vector point towards each other in response to the audio signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

silencing the audio signal when the peripheral vector points towards the device vector in response to the audio signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the peripheral vector points towards the device vector in response to the audio signal based on the peripheral vector not pointing towards the device vector prior to the audio signal being generated.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

ignoring the audio signal when the peripheral vector does not point towards the device vector in response to the audio signal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the peripheral vector does not point towards the device vector in response to the audio signal based on the peripheral vector pointing towards the device vector prior to and after the audio signal is generated.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining of the peripheral vector occurs based on a user wearing the peripheral.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises at least one of:

a calendar event, a phone call, an alarm event, a to do event, an email event, and a reminder event.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio signal represents a voice command.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

acknowledging the voice command if the peripheral vector moves in a vertical direction with respect to a ground reference.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

rejecting the voice command if the peripheral vector moves in a horizontal direction with respect to the ground reference.

11. A machine readable non-transitory medium storing executable program instructions which when executed cause a data processing system to perform a method comprising:

determining a device vector associated with a device, the device vector indicates an orientation of the device including a direction with respect to a horizontal ground reference;

determining a peripheral vector associated with a peripheral of the device, the peripheral vector indicates an orientation of the peripheral including a direction with respect to the horizontal ground reference;

generating an audio signal associated with an event from the device; and

determining whether the peripheral vector and the device vector point towards each other in response to the audio signal.

12. The machine readable non-transitory medium of claim 11, further comprising:

silencing the audio signal when the peripheral vector points towards the device vector in response to the audio signal.

13. The machine readable non-transitory medium of claim 12, wherein the peripheral vector points towards the device vector in response to the audio signal based on the peripheral vector not pointing towards the device vector prior to the audio signal being generated.

14. The machine readable non-transitory medium of claim 12, further comprising:

ignoring the audio signal when the peripheral vector does not point towards the device vector in response to the audio signal.

15. The machine readable non-transitory medium of claim 14, wherein the peripheral vector does not point towards the device vector in response to the audio signal based on the peripheral vector pointing towards the device vector prior to and after the audio signal is generated.

16. The machine readable non-transitory medium of claim 11, wherein determining of the peripheral vector occurs based on a user wearing the peripheral.

17. The machine readable non-transitory medium of claim 11, wherein the event comprises at least one of:

a calendar event, a phone call, an alarm event, a to do event, an email event, and a reminder event.

18. The machine readable non-transitory medium of claim 11, wherein the audio signal represents a voice command.

19. The machine readable non-transitory medium of claim 18, further comprising:

acknowledging the voice command if the peripheral vector moves in a vertical direction with respect to a ground reference.

20. The machine readable non-transitory medium of claim 19, further comprising:

rejecting the voice command if the peripheral vector moves in a horizontal direction with respect to the ground reference.

21. A system comprising:

a peripheral;

a device for use with the peripheral;

wherein the peripheral comprises;

a peripheral interface to couple the peripheral to the device;

at least one peripheral sensor to sense a user of the peripheral;

a peripheral processor coupled to the peripheral interface and to the at least one peripheral sensor, the peripheral processor configured to determine a peripheral vector indicating an orientation of the peripheral including a direction with respect to a horizontal ground reference;

wherein the device comprises;

an interface to couple the device to the peripheral;

at least one sensor to sense the user;

a processor coupled to the interface and to the at least one sensor, the processor configured to determine a device vector indicating an orientation of the device including a direction with respect to a horizontal ground reference;

initiate an audio signal associated with an event; and

determine whether the peripheral vector and the device vector point towards each other in response to the audio signal.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to silence the audio signal when the peripheral vector points towards the device vector in response to the audio signal.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the peripheral vector points towards the device vector in response to the audio signal based on the peripheral vector not pointing towards the device vector prior to the audio signal being generated.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured to ignore the audio signal when the peripheral vector does not point towards the device vector in response to the audio signal.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the peripheral vector does not point towards the device vector in response to the audio signal based on the peripheral vector pointing towards the device vector prior to and after the audio signal is generated.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein determining of the peripheral vector occurs based on a user wearing the peripheral.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the event comprises at least one of:

a calendar event, a phone call, an alarm event, a to do event, an email event, and a reminder event.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the audio signal represents a voice command.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

acknowledging the voice command if the peripheral vector moves in a vertical direction with respect to a ground reference.

30. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

rejecting the voice command if the peripheral vector moves in a horizontal direction with respect to the ground reference.

31. The system as in claim 21 wherein the peripheral interface comprises a wireless transceiver which wirelessly couples the device to the peripheral and wherein the peripheral further comprises a speaker coupled to the peripheral interface and a microphone coupled to the peripheral interface and wherein the wireless transceiver transmits first audio data from the microphone to the device and wherein the wireless transceiver receives second audio data from the device and passes the second audio data to the speaker and wherein the device comprises a wireless mobile telephone transceiver.

32. The system as in claim 31 wherein at least one of the peripheral processor and the processor receive data from at least one of the at least one peripheral sensor and the at least one sensor and determine, based on the data, whether to use the speaker and the microphone for a phone call communicated through the wireless mobile telephone transceiver.

33. The system as in claim 32 wherein the at least one peripheral sensor comprises at least one of (a) a proximity sensor;

(b) an ambient light sensor;

(c) a temperature sensor;

(d) an accelerometer;

(e) a position sensor;

(f) an orientation sensor; and

(g) a sound sensor; and

wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of (a) a proximity sensor;

(b) an ambient light sensor;

(c) a temperature sensor;

(d) an accelerometer;

(e) a position sensor;

(f) an orientation sensor; and

(g) a sound sensor.

34. The system as in claim 33 wherein the peripheral processor configures the speaker and the microprocessor automatically in response to outputs from the at least one peripheral sensor and the at least one sensor.

35. The system as in claim 34 wherein the speaker and the microphone are enabled to provide output/input capabilities for a phone call when the at least one peripheral sensor senses that the peripheral is next to the user'"'"'s ear and wherein the speaker and the microphone are not enabled to provide the output/input capabilities when the at least one sensor senses that the device is next to the user'"'"'s ear.

36. The system as in claim 35 wherein the peripheral interface transmits the output from the at least one peripheral sensor to the device which processes the output from the at least one peripheral sensor and the output from the at least one sensor and determines whether to enable the speaker and the microphone and transmits an instruction to the peripheral indicating whether to enable the speaker and the microphone.

37. The system as in claim 35 wherein the peripheral processor, through the peripheral interface, receives the output from the at least one sensor and processes the output from the at least one sensor and the output from the at least one peripheral sensor to determine whether to enable the speaker and the microphone.

38. An apparatus comprising:

means for determining a device vector associated with a device, the device vector indicates an orientation of the device including a direction with respect to a horizontal ground reference;

means for determining a peripheral vector associated with a peripheral of the device, the peripheral vector indicates an orientation of the peripheral including a direction with respect to the horizontal ground reference;

means for generating an audio signal associated with an event from the device; and

means for determining whether the peripheral vector and the device vector point towards each other in response to the audio signal.