Terminal capable of controlling attribute of application based on motion and method thereof

• US 9,413,870 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2012
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hong, Hyun-Su
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Linh K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Tam
• Application Number:
  US13/604,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20130067422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 715/863, 715/864, 345/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• 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: 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 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• 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 terminal controls an application attribute based on a motion. The terminal includes a motion measurement unit, an attribute mapping unit, an attribute control unit, and a controller. The motion measurement unit measures a motion of the terminal. The attribute mapping unit classifies motion directions of the terminal, classifies a motion degree, and maps an attribute type and a control strength of an application installed in the terminal in response to each motion direction and each motion degree. The attribute control unit activates an attribute control of the application based on a motion of the terminal. When the attribute control of the application is activated by the attribute control unit and the motion of the terminal is measured by the motion measurement unit, the controller controls an attribute of the application based on the attribute type and the control strength mapped by the attribute mapping unit.

Claims

1. A terminal configured to control an application attribute, the terminal comprising:

an attribute mapping device including one or more integrated circuits configured to;

classify each motion direction of the terminal and each motion degree of each of the motion directions,

map each attribute type of at least one application installed in the terminal to the motion direction, and

map each level of control strength of each of the attribute types to each of the motion degrees;

a motion measurement device configured to measure a first motion of the terminal; and

a controlling device including one or more integrated circuits configured to;

identify a first attribute type of the at least one application mapped by the attribute mapping device in response to a first motion direction of the first measured motion,

identify a first level of control strength of the first attribute type mapped by the attribute mapping device in response to the first motion degree of the first motion direction, and

adjust the identified first attribute type and the identified level of control strength of the first attributed type for the at least one application, wherein the identified first level of control strength of the first attributed type is repeatedly adjusted for a time duration that the first level of control strength is identified beyond a predetermined time duration.

2. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

an application selecting device including one or more integrated circuits configured to select an application to execute among the at least one application.

3. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the attribute mapping device is configured to map each of the attribute types comprising at least one of a forward attribute type, a backward attribute type, a play attribute type, a pause attribute type, and a volume attribute type based on the motion direction with respect to at least one of a video player and an audio player.

4. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the attribute mapping device is configured to classify a range regarding at least one of a velocity in each motion direction, an acceleration in each motion direction, an angular velocity in each motion direction, an angular acceleration in each motion direction, an amount of change in a slope, and an amount of change in a movement distance of each motion direction, and map the control strength comprising at least one of a movement interval, a reproduction position, a volume level, a forward playing of a video player, a backward playing of a video player, a forward playing of an audio player, or a backward playing of an audio player in response to each classified range.

5. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the attribute mapping device is configured to map each of the attribute types comprising at least one of a direction change, an acceleration, and a reduced speed in response to a motion direction of the terminal, and map a control strength regarding the direction change, the acceleration, and the reduced speed in response to at least one of a velocity in a relevant motion direction, an acceleration, an angular velocity, an angular acceleration, an amount of change in a slope, and an amount of change in a movement distance with respect to a racing game application.

6. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the attribute mapping device is configured to classify each of the motion degrees for at least one of a velocity in each of the motion directions, an acceleration in each of the motion directions, an angular velocity in each of the motion directions, an angular acceleration in each of the motion directions, an amount of change in a slope, and an amount of change in a movement distance of each of the motion directions.

7. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the controlling device is configured to control each of the attribute types of the application when an attribute control of the application is activated by an attribute control device and the motion of the terminal is measured by the motion measurement device.

8. A method to control an application attribute and implemented by a terminal device including one or more integrated circuits, the method comprising:

classifying each motion direction of the terminal and each motion degree of each of the motion directions;

mapping each attribute type of at least one application installed in the terminal to each of the motion directions;

mapping each level of control strength of each of the attribute types to the motion degree;

measuring a first motion of the terminal device;

identifying a first attribute type of the at least one application mapped in response to a first motion direction of the first measured motion;

identifying a first level of control strength of the first attribute type mapped in response to the first motion degree of the first motion direction; and

adjusting the identified first attribute type and the identified level of control strength of the first attribute type for the at least one application, wherein the identified first level of control strength of the first attributed type is repeatedly adjusted for a time duration that the first level of control strength is identified beyond a predetermined time duration.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein measuring the motion of the terminal comprises:

selecting an application to execute among the at least one application; and

measuring the motion of the terminal device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein mapping the attribute type of the at least one application comprises:

mapping each of the attribute types comprising at least one of a forward attribute type, a backward attribute type, a play attribute type, a pause attribute type, and a volume attribute type based on the motion direction of the terminal with respect to at least one of a video player and an audio player.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein mapping the control strength of the attribute type comprises:

classifying a range regarding at least one of a velocity in each motion direction, an acceleration in each motion direction, an angular velocity in each motion direction, an angular acceleration in each motion direction, an amount of change in a slope, and an amount of change in a movement distance of each motion direction; and

mapping each level of the control strengths comprising at least one of a movement interval, a reproduction position, a volume level, a forward playing of a video player, a backward playing of a video player, a forward playing of an audio player, or a backward playing of an audio player in response to each classified range.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein mapping each of the attribute types of the at least one application comprises:

mapping each of the attribute types comprising at least one of a direction change, an acceleration, and a reduced speed in response to the motion direction of the terminal device; and

wherein mapping each of the levels of control strength of each of the attribute types comprises;

mapping each of the levels of control strength regarding the direction change, the acceleration, and the reduced speed in response to at least one of a velocity in a relevant motion direction, an acceleration, an angular velocity, an angular acceleration, an amount of change in a slope, and an amount of change in a movement distance with respect to a racing game application.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein classifying the motion degree comprises:

classifying each of the motion degrees for at least one of a velocity in each of the motion directions, an acceleration in each of the motion directions, an angular velocity in each of the motion directions, an angular acceleration in each of the motion directions, an amount of change in a slope, and an amount of change in a movement distance of each of the motion directions.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein controlling the attribute of the application comprises:

controlling each of the attribute types of the application when an attribute control of the application is activated and the motion of the terminal device is measured.

15. A method to control an application attribute and implemented by an electronic device including one or more integrated circuits, the method comprising:

classifying each motion direction of the electronic device and each motion degree of each of the motion directions;

mapping each attribute type of at least one application installed in the electronic device to each of the motion directions;

mapping each level of control strength of each of the attribute types to each of the motion degrees;

measuring a first motion of the electronic device while the electronic device executes a relevant application of the at least one application;

identifying a first attribute type of the relevant application mapped in response to a first motion direction of the first measured motion;

identifying a first level of control strength of the first attribute type mapped in response to the first motion degree of the first motion direction; and

adjusting the identified first attribute type and the identified first level of control strength of the first attribute type for the relevant application, wherein the identified first level of control strength of the first attributed type is repeatedly adjusted for a time duration that the first level of control strength is identified beyond a predetermined time duration.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the motions of the electronic device corresponds to the motion degree for at least one of a velocity, an acceleration, an angular velocity, an angular acceleration, an amount of change in a slope, and an amount of change in a movement distance.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the application attribute types comprises at least one of a forward attribute type, a backward attribute type, a play attribute type, a pause attribute type, and a volume attribute type.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

when a contact on a touch detect display of the electronic device is detected, activating an application attribute control screen.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

selecting a different application attribute type based on a touch frequency.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein classifying the motion degree comprises:

classifying each of the motion degrees for at least one of a velocity in each of the motion directions, an acceleration in each of the motion directions, an angular velocity in each of the motion directions, an angular acceleration in each of the motion directions, an amount of change in a slope, and an amount of change in a movement distance of each of the motion directions.

21. An electronic device, comprising:

an attribute mapping device including one or more integrated circuits configured to;

classify each motion direction of the electronic device and each motion degree of each of the motion directions,

map each attribute type of at least one application installed in the electronic device to each of the motion directions, and

map each level of control strength of each of the attribute types to each of the motion degrees;

a motion measurement device including one or more integrated circuits configured to measure a first motion of the electronic device while the electronic device executes a relevant application of the at least one application; and

a controlling device including one or more integrated circuits configured to;

identify a first attribute type of the relevant application mapped in response to a first motion direction of the first measured motion,

identify a first level of control strength of the first attribute type mapped in response to the first motion degree of the first motion direction, and

adjust the identified first attribute type and the identified first level of control strength of the first attribute type for the relevant application, wherein the identified first level of control strength of the first attributed type is repeatedly adjusted for a time duration that the first level of control strength is identified beyond a predetermined time duration.

22. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein each of the motions of the electronic device corresponds to each of the motion degrees for at least one of a velocity, an acceleration, an angular velocity, an angular acceleration, an amount of change in a slope, and an amount of change in a movement distance.

23. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein each of the application attribute types comprises at least one of a forward attribute type, a backward attribute type, a play attribute type, a pause attribute type, and a volume attribute type.

24. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the electronic device is further configured to activate an application attribute control screen when a contact on a touch detect display of the electronic device is detected.

25. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the electronic device is further configured to select a different application attribute type based on a touch frequency.

26. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the attribute mapping device is configured to classify each of the motion degrees for at least one of a velocity in each of the motion directions, an acceleration in each of the motion directions, an angular velocity in each of the motion directions, an angular acceleration in each of the motion directions, an amount of change in a slope, and an amount of change in a movement distance of each of the motion directions.