Methods and systems for correlating movement of a device with state changes of the device

• US 9,710,056 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2012
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Balez, Mat, Lee, Steve, Johnson, Michael Patrick, Patel, Nirmal
• Primary Examiner(s): Betsch, Regis
• Assistant Examiner(s): PETERS, LISA E
• Application Number:
  US13/425,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20130254525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,945 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

The present description discloses systems and methods for changing the state of a device. One embodiment may include a device configured to provide a device in a first state, receive a signal indicative of first angular data of the device, and compare the first angular data to a first threshold. The device may then execute instructions to initiate a timer when the first angular data is greater than the first threshold, receive a signal indicative of a second angular data of the device, and compare the second angular data to a second threshold. When the second angular data is less than the second threshold and the time passed is within a pre-determined time period, the device may execute instructions to transition the device to a second state.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

providing a wearable computing device in a first state;

receiving a signal indicative of a first relative angular velocity of the wearable computing device;

determining that the first relative angular velocity is greater than a first predetermined threshold value;

upon determining that the first relative angular velocity is greater than the first predetermined threshold value, executing instructions to initiate a timer that expires after a predetermined period of time;

prior to expiration of the timer, receiving a signal indicative of a second relative angular velocity of the wearable computing device;

determining that the second relative angular velocity is less than a second predetermined threshold value; and

responsively causing the wearable computing device to transition to a second state, wherein the time period is based on receipt of the signal indicative of the first relative angular velocity of the wearable computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in the first state an interface on the wearable computing device is locked, and wherein transitioning the wearable computing device to the second state comprises executing instructions to unlock the interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first state is a locked state, wherein the locked state comprises the wearable computing device configured to detect an upward movement, wherein the upward movement comprises the first relative angular velocity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein when the first relative angular velocity is greater than the first threshold, the method further comprises transitioning the wearable computing device to a waiting for down state, wherein the waiting for down state comprises the wearable computing device executing instructions to detect a downward movement.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the downward movement comprises the second relative angular velocity.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying a low-pass filter to remove angular velocity values that are above a pre-determined value.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the wearable computing device is stable prior to receiving the signal indicative of the first relative angular velocity.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing the wearable computing device to produce a sound when the transition to the second state occurs.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first relative angular velocity and the second relative angular velocity each comprise values indicating velocity of the device relative to a reference point.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first relative angular velocity and the second relative angular velocity are each measured on an X-axis.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the wearable computing device is a head-mountable device (HMD).

11. An article of manufacture including a tangible computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions encoded thereon, the instructions comprising:

providing a wearable computing device in a first state;

receiving, by the wearable computing device, a signal indicative of a first relative angular velocity of the device;

determining that the first relative angular velocity is greater than a first predetermined threshold value;

upon determining that the first relative angular velocity is greater than the first predetermined threshold value, executing instructions to initiate a timer that expires after a predetermined period of time;

prior to expiration of the timer, receiving a signal indicative of a second relative angular velocity of the wearable computing device;

determining that the second relative angular velocity is less than a second predetermined threshold value; and

responsively causing the wearable computing device to transition to a second state, wherein the time period is based on receipt of the signal indicative of the first relative angular velocity of the wearable computing device.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 11, wherein the article of manufacture is a head-mountable device (HMD).

13. The article of manufacture of claim 11, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to turn an interface on the wearable computing device on when transitioning the wearable computing device to the second state.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 11, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to determine that the wearable computing device is stable prior to receiving the signal indicative of the first relative angular velocity.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 11, wherein in the first state an interface of the wearable computing device is locked, and wherein transitioning the wearable computing device to the second state comprises executing instructions to unlock the interface.

16. A system comprising:

a processor;

at least one sensor;

data storage; and

machine language instructions stored on the data storage executable by the processor to perform functions including;

providing a wearable computing device in a first state;

receiving a signal indicative of a first relative angular velocity of the wearable computing device;

determining that the first relative angular velocity is greater than a first predetermined threshold value;

upon determining that the first relative angular velocity is greater than the first predetermined threshold value, executing instructions to initiate a timer that expires after a predetermined period of time;

prior to expiration of the timer, receiving a signal indicative of a second relative angular velocity of the wearable computing device;

determining that the second relative angular velocity is less than a second predetermined threshold value; and

responsively causing the wearable computing device to transition to a second state, wherein the time period is based on receipt of the signal indicative of the first relative angular velocity of the wearable computing device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein in the first state an interface of the wearable computing device is locked, and wherein transitioning the wearable computing device to the second state comprises executing instructions to unlock the interface.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the wearable computing device is a head-mountable device (HMD).