Method, apparatus and computer program product for input detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016188291-A1
Application number	US-201514962233-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 8, 2015
Priority date	Dec 30, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In an example embodiment, a method, apparatus and computer program product are provided. The method includes determining one or more operating conditions of a device. A selection of a mode of operation of the device from at least a first mode and a second mode is facilitated based on the one or more operating conditions of the device. In the first mode, the device is configured to detect an operation input received from an audio source based on two or more audio sensors of the device. In the second mode, the device is configured to detect the operation input based on at least one of the two or more audio sensors and at least one non-audio sensor of the device.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A method comprising:
determining one or more operating conditions of a device; and facilitating selection of a mode of operation of the device from at least a first mode and a second mode based on the one or more operating conditions of the device,
wherein in the first mode, the device is configured to detect an operation input from an audio source based on two or more audio sensors of the device, and
wherein in the second mode, the device is configured to detect the operation input based on at least one of the two or more audio sensors and at least one non-audio sensor of the device.

2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the one or more operating conditions are determined based on an orientation of the device relative to the audio source, the audio source being pre-registered with the device.

3 . The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein determining the one or more operating conditions based on the orientation of the device comprises:
determining whether a time delay between times of arrival (TOA) of the operation input at the two or more audio sensors of the device corresponds to one direction from among a set of predetermined directions, the time delay being determined based on the orientation of the device relative to the audio source, and the operation input being an audio command.

4 . The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein facilitating the selection of the mode of operation comprises:
facilitating the selection of the first mode on determining that the time delay associated with the operation input corresponds to the one direction from the set of predetermined directions, the set of predetermined directions being associated with the orientation of the device, and facilitating the selection of the second mode on determining that the time delay associated with the operation input does not correspond to a direction from the set of predetermined directions.

5 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the one or more operating conditions are determined based on environmental conditions associated with the device.

6 . The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein determining the one or more operating conditions based on the environmental conditions comprises comparing an ambient noise level associated with the device with a predetermined threshold level of noise.

7 . The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein facilitating the selection of the mode of operation comprises performing one of:
facilitating selection of the first mode on determining the ambient noise level associated with the device being less than the predetermined threshold level of noise, and facilitating selection of the second mode on determining the ambient noise level associated with the device being greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold level of noise.

8 . The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein determining the one or more operating conditions based on the environmental conditions comprises comparing a motion level associated with the device with a predetermined threshold level of motion.

9 . The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein facilitating the selection of the mode of operation comprises performing one of:
facilitating the selection of the first mode on determining the motion level associated with the device being less than the predetermined threshold level of motion; and facilitating the selection of the second mode on determining the motion level associated with the device being greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold level of motion.

10 . The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein determining the one or more operating conditions based on the environmental conditions comprises comparing an ambient noise level with a predetermined threshold level of noise and a motion level associated with the device with a predetermined threshold level of motion.

11 . The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein facilitating the selection of the mode of operation comprises performing one of:
facilitating the selection of the first mode on determining the ambient noise level associated with the device being less than the predetermined threshold level of noise and the motion level being less than the predetermined threshold level of motion; and facilitating the selection of the second mode on determining the ambient noise level associated with the device being greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold level of noise and the motion level being greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold level of motion.

12 . The methods as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-audio sensor comprises one or more of a hover sensor, an image sensor, and a touch sensor.

13 . An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and at least one memory comprising computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
determine one or more operating conditions of a device; and
facilitate selection of a mode of operation of the device from at least a first mode and a second mode based on the one or more operating conditions of the device,
wherein in the first mode, the device is configured to detect an operation input from an audio source based on two or more audio sensors of the device, and
wherein in the second mode, the device is configured to detect the operation input based on at least one of the two or more audio sensors and at least one non-audio sensor of the device.

14 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is further caused at least in part to determine the one or more operating conditions based on an orientation of the device relative to the audio source, the audio source being pre-registered with the device.

15 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein to determine the one or more operating conditions based on the orientation of the device, the apparatus is further caused at least in part to:
determine whether a time delay between times of arrival (TOA) of the operation input at the two or more audio sensors of the device corresponds to one direction from among a set of predetermined directions, the time delay being determined based on the orientation of the device relative to the audio source, and the operation input being an audio command.

16 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 , wherein to facilitate the selection of the mode of operation, the apparatus is further caused at least in part to:
facilitate the selection of the first mode on determining that the time delay associated with the operation input corresponds to the one direction from the set of predetermined directions, the set of predetermined directions being associated with the orientation of the device, and facilitate the selection of the second mode on determining that the time delay associated with the operation input does not correspond to a direction from the set of predetermined directions.

17 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is further caused at least in part to determine the one or more operating conditions based on environmental conditions associated with the device.

18 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 17 , wherein to determine the one or more operating conditions based on the environmental conditions, the apparatus is further caused at least in part to compare an ambient noise level associated with the device with a predetermined threshold level of noise.

19 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 17 , wherein to fa

Assignees

• Nokia Technologies Oy

Inventors

• Vilermo Miikka
• Ozcan Koray

Classifications

• G06F3/162 Primary

  Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs · CPC title

• G06F3/0416

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• G06F3/04886

  by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus · CPC title

• G06F3/0346

  with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors · CPC title

• G06F2203/04108

  Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction · CPC title