Systems and methods for processing motion sensor generated data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9823736-B2
Application number	US-201615091398-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2016
Priority date	Aug 5, 2008
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing data from a motion sensor to detect intentional movements of a device are provided. An electronic device having a motion sensor may process motion sensor data along one or more dimensions to generate an acceleration value representative of the movement of the electronic device. The electronic device may then determine whether the acceleration value changes from less than a low threshold, to more than a high threshold, and again to less than the low threshold within a particular amount of time, reflecting an intentional movement of the electronic device by the user. In response to determining that the acceleration value is associated with an intentional movement of the electronic device, the electronic device may perform a particular event or operation. For example, in response to detecting that an electronic device has been shaken, the electronic device may shuffle a media playlist.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for detecting an intentional movement of an electronic device based on a motion sensor output of a motion sensor, comprising:
processing the motion sensor output of the motion sensor;
generating a motion value based on the processed motion sensor output; and
detecting, over time, that the generated motion value sequentially passes in a particular manner through a plurality of states, wherein:
the plurality of states comprises:
a first state relative to first and second thresholds;
a second state relative to the first and second thresholds; and
a third state relative to first and second thresholds;

the first threshold is different than the second threshold;
the first state is different than the second state; and
detecting comprises detecting, over time, that the generated motion value sequentially changes from being in the first state to being in the second state, and then from being in the second state to being in the third state.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
detecting comprises detecting, over time, that the generated motion value sequentially changes from being in the first state to being in the second state, and then from being in the second state to being in the third state, before a master timeout lapses; and
the master timeout begins when the generated motion value changes from being in the first state to being in the second state.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein detecting further comprises detecting that the generated motion value remains in the third state for at least a minimum time.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein detecting further comprises detecting that the generated motion value changes then from being in the third state to being in the second state, and then from being in the second state to being in the first state, within a maximum time.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein:
the first state is one of greater than both the first threshold and the second threshold and less than both the first threshold and the second threshold;
the second state is between the first threshold and the second threshold; and
the third state is the other one of greater than both the first threshold and the second threshold and less than both the first threshold and the second threshold.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein:
the first state is less than both the first threshold and the second threshold;
the second state is between the first threshold and the second threshold; and
the third state is greater than both the first threshold and the second threshold.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting further comprises detecting that the generated motion value remains in the first state for at least a minimum time before changing to being in the second state.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein detecting further comprises detecting that the generated motion value changes from being in the second state to being in the third state within a maximum time.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the first state is one of greater than both the first threshold and the second threshold and less than both the first threshold and the second threshold;
the second state is between the first threshold and the second threshold; and
the third state is the other one of greater than both the first threshold and the second threshold and less than both the first threshold and the second threshold.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the first state is greater than both the first threshold and the second threshold;
the second state is between the first threshold and the second threshold; and
the third state is less than both the first threshold and the second threshold.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
detecting further comprises detecting that the generated motion value remains in the second state for at least a minimum time;
the first state is one of greater than both the first threshold and the second threshold and less than both the first threshold and the second threshold;
the second state is the other one of greater than both the first threshold and the second threshold and less than both the first threshold and the second threshold; and
the third state is the same as the first state.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
detecting further comprises detecting that the generated motion value sequentially changes from being in the first state to being in the second state and then from being in the second state to being in the third state before a master timeout lapses; and
the master timeout begins when the generated motion value changes from being in the first state to being in the second state.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first state is one of greater than both the first threshold and the second threshold and less than both the first threshold and the second threshold;
the second state is the other one of greater than both the first threshold and the second threshold and less than both the first threshold and the second threshold; and
the third state is the same as the first state.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
detecting comprises detecting, over time, that the generated motion value sequentially changes from being in the first state to being in the second state, and then from being in the second state to being in the third state, and then from being in the third state to being in the second state, and then from being in the second state to being in the first state;
the second state is different than the third state; and
the third state is different than the first state.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
detecting further comprises detecting, over time, that the generated motion value sequentially changes from being in the first state to being in the second state, and then from being in the second state to being in the third state, and then from being in the third state to being in the second state, and then from being in the second state to being in the first state, before a master timeout lapses; and
the master timeout begins when the generated motion value changes from being in the first state to being in the second state.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein detecting further comprises detecting that the generated motion value changes from being in the second state to being in the first state within a maximum time.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein detecting further comprises detecting that the generated motion value remains in the third state for at least a minimum time before changing to be in the second state.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein detecting further comprises detecting that the generated motion value changes from being in the second state to being in the first state within a maximum time.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising performing an electronic device operation in response to detecting, wherein:
the first state is one of greater than both the first threshold and the second threshold and less than both the first threshold and the second threshold;
the second state is between the first threshold and the second threshold; and
the third state is the other one of greater than both the first threshold and the second threshold and less than both the first threshold and the second threshold.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first state is one of greater than both the first threshold and the second threshold and less than both the first threshold and the second threshold;
the second state is between the first threshold and the second threshold; and
the third

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Mucignat Andrea
• James Bryan J

Classifications

• 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

• G06F2200/1637

  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 title

• G06F3/038

  Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry · CPC title

• G06F3/01 Primary

  Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer (G06F3/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/1694

  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 title