Electronic system, portable electronic device and counting information updating method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10915807-B2
Application number	US-201916554612-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2019
Priority date	Aug 31, 2018
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention provides a counting information updating method for a portable electronic device having a plurality of spheres connected with each other. The method includes: generating an angular velocity signal by a first sensor of the portable electronic device and generating an acceleration signal by a second sensor of the portable electronic device in response to a sphere moving operation; and estimating counting information corresponding to the sphere moving operation by using the angular velocity signal with an assistance of the acceleration signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic system, comprising:
a communication device; and
a portable electronic device, wirelessly connected to the communication device,
wherein the portable electronic device comprises a processor, a communication circuit, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a plurality of spheres connected to each other, the processor is connected to the communication circuit, the first sensor and the second sensor,
the processor, the communication circuit, the first sensor and the second sensor are disposed in a first sphere of the plurality of spheres,
the first sensor generates an angular velocity signal and the second sensor generates an acceleration signal in response to a sphere moving operation,
the processor skips N pulses in the acceleration signal and estimates counting information corresponding to the sphere moving operation by using the angular velocity signal with an assistance of the acceleration signal after the N pulses is skipped, wherein N is a positive integer, and N corresponds to a number of a plurality of second spheres in the plurality of spheres, and
the processor transmits the counting information to the communication device.

2. The electronic system of claim 1 , wherein the operation of estimating the counting information corresponding to the sphere moving operation by using the angular velocity signal with the assistance of the acceleration signal comprises:
determining whether the angular velocity signal conforms to a first signal model and whether the acceleration signal conforms to a second signal model; and
updating the counting information if the angular velocity signal conforms to the first signal model or the acceleration signal conforms to the second signal model.

3. The electronic system of claim 1 , wherein the operation of estimating the counting information corresponding to the sphere moving operation by using the angular velocity signal with the assistance of the acceleration signal comprises:
determining whether the angular velocity signal conforms to a first signal model;
adjusting a trigger threshold value if the angular velocity signal conforms to the first signal model; and
updating the counting information if a signal value of the acceleration signal is higher than the trigger threshold value.

4. The electronic system of claim 1 , wherein the acceleration signal reflects a position change of the first sphere caused by the sphere moving operation, and the angular velocity signal reflects an angular change of the first sphere caused by the sphere moving operation.

5. A portable electronic device comprising:
a plurality of spheres, connected to each other;
a first sensor;
a second sensor; and
a processor, connected to the first sensor and the second sensor,
wherein the processor, the first sensor, and the second sensor are disposed in a first sphere of the plurality of spheres,
the first sensor generates an angular velocity signal and the second sensor generates an acceleration signal in response to a sphere moving operation, and
the processor skips N pulses in the acceleration signal and estimates counting information corresponding to the sphere moving operation by using the angular velocity signal with an assistance of the acceleration signal after the N pulses is skipped, wherein N is a positive integer, and N corresponds to a number of a plurality of second spheres in the plurality of spheres.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the operation of estimating the counting information corresponding to the sphere moving operation by using the angular velocity signal with the assistance of the acceleration signal comprises:
determining whether the angular velocity signal conforms to a first signal model and whether the acceleration signal conforms to a second signal model; and
updating the counting information if the angular velocity signal conforms to the first signal model or the acceleration signal conforms to the second signal model.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the operation of estimating the counting information corresponding to the sphere moving operation by using the angular velocity signal with the assistance of the acceleration signal comprises:
determining whether the angular velocity signal conforms to a first signal model;
adjusting a trigger threshold value if the angular velocity signal conforms to the first signal model; and
updating the counting information if a signal value of the acceleration signal is higher than the trigger threshold value.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the acceleration signal reflects a position change of the first sphere caused by the sphere moving operation, and the angular velocity signal reflects an angular change of the first sphere caused by the sphere moving operation.

9. A counting information updating method for a portable electronic device having a plurality of spheres connected with each other, the counting information updating method comprising:
generating an angular velocity signal by a first sensor of the portable electronic device and generating an acceleration signal by a second sensor of the portable electronic device in response to a sphere moving operation;
skipping N pulses in the acceleration signal; and
estimating counting information corresponding to the sphere moving operation by using the angular velocity signal with an assistance of the acceleration signal after the N pulses is skipped, wherein N is a positive integer, and N corresponds to a number of a plurality of second spheres in the plurality of spheres.

10. The counting information updating method of claim 9 , wherein the step of estimating the counting information corresponding to the sphere moving operation by using the angular velocity signal with the assistance of the acceleration signal comprises:
determining whether the angular velocity signal conforms to a first signal model and whether the acceleration signal conforms to a second signal model; and
updating the counting information if the angular velocity signal conforms to the first signal model or the acceleration signal conforms to the second signal model.

11. The counting information updating method of claim 9 , wherein the step of estimating the counting information corresponding to the sphere moving operation by using the angular velocity signal with the assistance of the acceleration signal comprises:
determining whether the angular velocity signal conforms to a first signal model;
adjusting a trigger threshold value if the angular velocity signal conforms to the first signal model; and
updating the counting information if a signal value of the acceleration signal is higher than the trigger threshold value.

12. An electronic system, comprising:
a communication device; and
a portable electronic device, wirelessly connected to the communication device,
wherein the portable electronic device comprises a processor, a communication circuit, and a plurality of spheres connected to each other, and the processor is connected to the communication circuit,
the processor and the communication circuit are disposed in a first sphere of the plurality of spheres,
the processor determines whether the portable electronic device is a first type portable electronic device or a second type portable electronic device,
the processor activates a first counting mode to estimate counting information corresponding to a sphere moving operation if the portable electronic device is the first type portable electronic device, and
the processor activates a second counting mode to estimate the counting information corresponding to the sphere moving oper

Assignees

• Acer Inc

Inventors

• Chien Chih-Chieh
• Chung Yi-Chun
• Jung Pei-Wen
• Hsu Yen-Ming

Classifications

• G01P15/0891 Primary

  with indication of predetermined acceleration values (G01P15/135 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01C19/56

  Turn-sensitive devices using vibrating masses, e.g. vibratory angular rate sensors based on Coriolis forces · CPC title

• G06M11/00 Primary

  Counting of objects distributed at random, e.g. on a surface · CPC title

• G06M1/083

  by mechanical means · CPC title

• G01P15/14

  by making use of gyroscopes (gyroscopes per se G01C19/00) · CPC title