GB2453121A - Mode select via orientation and/or removable data carrier - Google Patents

Mode select via orientation and/or removable data carrier Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2453121A
GB2453121A GB0718712A GB0718712A GB2453121A GB 2453121 A GB2453121 A GB 2453121A GB 0718712 A GB0718712 A GB 0718712A GB 0718712 A GB0718712 A GB 0718712A GB 2453121 A GB2453121 A GB 2453121A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
orientation
outer housing
electronic device
data carrier
removable data
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB0718712A
Other versions
GB0718712D0 (en
Inventor
Ben Gordon
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Cambridge Consultants Ltd
Original Assignee
Cambridge Consultants Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Cambridge Consultants Ltd filed Critical Cambridge Consultants Ltd
Priority to GB0718712A priority Critical patent/GB2453121A/en
Publication of GB0718712D0 publication Critical patent/GB0718712D0/en
Publication of GB2453121A publication Critical patent/GB2453121A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03J—TUNING RESONANT CIRCUITS; SELECTING RESONANT CIRCUITS
    • H03J1/00—Details of adjusting, driving, indicating, or mechanical control arrangements for resonant circuits in general
    • H03J1/02—Indicating arrangements
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03J—TUNING RESONANT CIRCUITS; SELECTING RESONANT CIRCUITS
    • H03J5/00—Discontinuous tuning; Selecting predetermined frequencies; Selecting frequency bands with or without continuous tuning in one or more of the bands, e.g. push-button tuning, turret tuner
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
    • G06F1/16—Constructional details or arrangements
    • G06F1/1613—Constructional details or arrangements for portable computers
    • G06F1/1626—Constructional details or arrangements for portable computers with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
    • G06F1/16—Constructional details or arrangements
    • G06F1/1613—Constructional details or arrangements for portable computers
    • G06F1/1632—External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
    • G06F1/16—Constructional details or arrangements
    • G06F1/1613—Constructional details or arrangements for portable computers
    • G06F1/1633—Constructional details or arrangements of portable computers not specific to the type of enclosures covered by groups G06F1/1615 - G06F1/1626
    • G06F1/1684—Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
    • G06F1/16—Constructional details or arrangements
    • G06F1/1613—Constructional details or arrangements for portable computers
    • G06F1/1633—Constructional details or arrangements of portable computers not specific to the type of enclosures covered by groups G06F1/1615 - G06F1/1626
    • G06F1/1684—Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
    • G06F1/1694—Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675 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

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)

Abstract

An electronic device comprising an outer housing, a device controller and at least one orientation sensor, wherein the outer housing is configured to have a plurality of stable orientations for supporting the device on a surface and the orientation sensor is arranged to sense and communicate the current stable orientation of the outer housing to the device controller, whereby the mode of operation of the device is selected by selecting a corresponding stable orientation of the device. Also described is an electronic device which has about a housing which has the visible surface which includes a visual representation of an operating mode of the device, the visual representation was provided on a removable data carrier. Alternative operating modes of the device may be selected by exchanging removable data carriers. The features of the above describe devices may be combined.

Description

HUMAN MACHINE INTERFACE
This application relates to interchangeable tokens for ease of selecting favourite options as part of a human machine interface. The idea allows users to use pre-set or configurable physical tokens to configure a device so they can quickly select their favourite options.
The purpose of the idea is to give a means of reducing the complexity of accessing the few desired services from the vast number available. For example a token representing "Radio 4" could be inserted into an internet radio allowing the user to access the Radio 4 without having to navigate through thousands of options.
The physical tokens could be provided pre-set with popular services as well as being programmable. Pre-set tokens could be exchanged with other users or given away as promotional items.
Software implementations such as pre-sets, book marks and favourites are common.
Technical field of the invention: Human machine interface. Particularly for media access device (radio, web sever, music player etc) Problems with known techniques: Known techniques are well suited to those who are comfortable with complex technical processes, where as this idea gives a simple tangible means for users to configure their device to access the services they want.
Solutions to the problems: The idea is to replace software menus and pre-sets with physical tokens which encode the user's choice. The user can configure the device by simply choosing the right tokens. This makes the process very intuitive and can very effectively isolate the user from the detailed complexity of the device.
Figure 1 shows a radio device with station select with cards. Figure 1 shows the idea being used to configure a radio device to pre-set stations by using a token in the form of a card that is inserted into the radio device.
This application further relates to an orientation controlled device. The idea is that a device can be controlled by placing in particular orientations. The device detects the orientation it has be placed in and reacts accordingly.
Devices such as the Nintendo "Wil" device and a toy musical cube are known.
Technical field of the invention: Human machine interface. Particularly for media access device (radio, web sever, music player etc).
Problems with known techniques: Known techniques are well suited to those who are comfortable with complex technical processes, where as this idea gives a simple tangible means for users to control their device.
Solutions to the problems: The device can be designed with one of many known sensing methods for detecting orientation. This combined with the shape of the device to give a discrete finite number of stable positions. The device can detect the orientation it has been placed in and react in the predefined way. In this way the user can control the device by placing it in certain positions.
Brief Description of Drawings
Figure 2: Concept embodied as a cube radio Figure 3: Development of surfaces of cube radio Figure 4: Embodiment using accelerometer Figure 5: Embodiment using force sensors Figure 6: Embodiment using proximity sensors Figure 2 shows the idea embodied as a radio cube. The radio cube plays the channel shown on the top face of the cube. Rotating the radio to show another channel number changes the channel.
Figure 3 shows the development of the surfaces of the cube radio embodiment. Four radio channels (Radio 1 to 4), power off and speaker cover the six sides of the cube.
Figure 4 shows an embodiment using accelerometers to determine orientation. Item I is the device to be controlled. Item 2 is an accelerometer which reports back to the process unit (item 3) information about the magnitude and direction of the Earth's gravitational pull.
Figure 5 shows an embodiment using forces sensors (item 4 and 6) to detect orientation by measuring the self weight of the device (item 5). The signal force sensor (item 8) which is between the device and the supporting surface (item 7) and the other sensors (item 4) is analysed by the processing unit (item 8) to determine the orientation of the device.
Figure 6 shows an embodiment using proximity sensors to determine orientation based on which side of device surface is against a surface. The device (item 10) is placed on a surface (item 12) which is detected by a proximity sensor (item 11). The processing unit (item 13) analyses the signal from the proximity sensors (items 9 and 11) to determine orientation based on which part of the device is against a surface.

Claims (6)

  1. Claims 1. An electronic device comprising an outer housing, a device controller and at least one orientation sensor, wherein the outer housing is configured to have a plurality of stable orientations for supporting the device on a surface and the orientation sensor is arranged to sense and communicate the current stable orientation of the outer housing to the device controller, whereby the mode of operation of the device is selected by selecting a corresponding stable orientation of the device.
  2. 2. An electronic device as claimed in claim I, wherein the outer housing is in the form of a polyhedron, in particular a cube.
  3. 3. An electronic device as claimed in claim I or 2, wherein the orientation sensor is an accelerometer, a force sensor or a proximity sensor.
  4. 4. An electronic device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the device is a media access device, such as a radio, web server or music player.
  5. 5. An electronic device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the visible *S*aS.
    surface associated with each stable orientation of the device is uppermost when the device ** S *** * is in that stable orientation. *. * S *SS.
    *
  6. 6. An electronic device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the Figures.
    5. An electronic device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the outer housing has a visible surface associated with each stable orientation of the device, the visible surface including a visual representation of the operating mode of the device associated with that stable orientation.
    6. An electronic device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the visible surface associated with each stable orientation of the device is uppermost when the device is in that stable orientation.
    7. An electronic device as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the visual representation of the operating mode of the device is provided on a removable data carrier, whereby an alternative operating mode of the device may be associated with a particular stable orientation of the device by exchanging a first removable data carrier for a second removable data carrier on the associated visible surface.
    8. An electronic device having a plurality of operating modes and comprising an Outer housing, wherein the outer housing has a visible surface including a visual representation of the operating mode of the device and the visual representation of the operating mode of the device is provided on a removable data carrier, whereby an alternative operating mode of the device may be selected by exchanging a first removable data carrier for a second removable data carrier on the associated visible surface.
    9. An electronic device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the Figures.
    Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows (() Claims 1. An electronic device comprising an outer housing, a device controller and at least one orientation sensor, wherein the outer housing is configured to have a plurality of stable orientations for supporting the device on a surface and the orientation sensor is arranged to sense and communicate the current stable orientation of the outer housing to the device controller, whereby a mode of operation of the device is selected by selecting a corresponding stable orientation of the device, and wherein, the outer housing has a visible surface associated with each stable orientation of the device, the visible surface including a visual representation of the operating mode of the device associated with that io stable orientation and the visual representation of the operating mode of the device is provided on a removable data carrier, whereby an alternative operating mode of the device may be associated with a particular stable orientation of the device by exchanging a first removable data carrier for a second removable data carrier on the associated visible surface.
    2. An electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer housing is in the form of a polyhedron, in particular a cube.
    3. An electronic device as claimed in claim I or 2, wherein the orientation sensor is an accelerometer, a force sensor or a proximity sensor.
    4. An electronic device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the device is a * 4.
    media access device, such as a radio, web server or music player. *S*. * .
GB0718712A 2007-09-25 2007-09-25 Mode select via orientation and/or removable data carrier Withdrawn GB2453121A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0718712A GB2453121A (en) 2007-09-25 2007-09-25 Mode select via orientation and/or removable data carrier

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0718712A GB2453121A (en) 2007-09-25 2007-09-25 Mode select via orientation and/or removable data carrier

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0718712D0 GB0718712D0 (en) 2007-11-07
GB2453121A true GB2453121A (en) 2009-04-01

Family

ID=38701629

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB0718712A Withdrawn GB2453121A (en) 2007-09-25 2007-09-25 Mode select via orientation and/or removable data carrier

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2453121A (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7948429B2 (en) 2008-05-05 2011-05-24 Raytheon Company Methods and apparatus for detection/classification of radar targets including birds and other hazards
WO2011159947A1 (en) * 2010-06-16 2011-12-22 Qualcomm Incorporated Layout design of proximity sensors to enable shortcuts
US8344937B2 (en) 2009-04-17 2013-01-01 Raytheon Company Methods and apparatus for integration of distributed sensors and airport surveillance radar to mitigate blind spots
WO2020192103A1 (en) * 2019-03-25 2020-10-01 珠海格力电器股份有限公司 Control method and apparatus for controller, and storage medium and controller

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS63135012A (en) * 1986-11-26 1988-06-07 Terukazu Torigoe Radio receiver
US20030010309A1 (en) * 2000-09-12 2003-01-16 Tsutomu Tsukii Intake manifold
US6704007B1 (en) * 1999-09-27 2004-03-09 Intel Corporation Controlling displays for processor-based systems
WO2007131118A2 (en) * 2006-05-04 2007-11-15 Mattel, Inc. Electronic toy with alterable features

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS63135012A (en) * 1986-11-26 1988-06-07 Terukazu Torigoe Radio receiver
US6704007B1 (en) * 1999-09-27 2004-03-09 Intel Corporation Controlling displays for processor-based systems
US20030010309A1 (en) * 2000-09-12 2003-01-16 Tsutomu Tsukii Intake manifold
WO2007131118A2 (en) * 2006-05-04 2007-11-15 Mattel, Inc. Electronic toy with alterable features

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7948429B2 (en) 2008-05-05 2011-05-24 Raytheon Company Methods and apparatus for detection/classification of radar targets including birds and other hazards
US8344937B2 (en) 2009-04-17 2013-01-01 Raytheon Company Methods and apparatus for integration of distributed sensors and airport surveillance radar to mitigate blind spots
WO2011159947A1 (en) * 2010-06-16 2011-12-22 Qualcomm Incorporated Layout design of proximity sensors to enable shortcuts
US8954099B2 (en) 2010-06-16 2015-02-10 Qualcomm Incorporated Layout design of proximity sensors to enable shortcuts
WO2020192103A1 (en) * 2019-03-25 2020-10-01 珠海格力电器股份有限公司 Control method and apparatus for controller, and storage medium and controller
US11841157B2 (en) 2019-03-25 2023-12-12 Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. Of Zhuhai Control method and apparatus for controller, and storage medium and controller

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0718712D0 (en) 2007-11-07

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
KR101794493B1 (en) Mobile devices and methods employing haptics
WO2006027747A3 (en) Apparatus for enabling to control at least one media data processing device, and method thereof
US10152131B2 (en) Systems and methods for multi-pressure interaction on touch-sensitive surfaces
CN104395862B (en) plane joystick controller
US8537110B2 (en) Virtual device buttons
EP3168713B1 (en) Method and devices for displaying graphical user interfaces based on user contact
US7586032B2 (en) Shake responsive portable media player
US8057233B2 (en) Manipulable interactive devices
CN101730416B (en) Electronic equipment and key thereof
CN102693073A (en) Method and apparatus for orientation sensitive button assignment
AU2006226156B2 (en) Manipulable interactive devices
US20070037614A1 (en) Method and apparatus for rfid-triggered personal reminders
CN103869972B (en) Information display device, information display system
CN105339871A (en) Rotary input mechanism for electronic device
CN110083203A (en) Wearable device manager
CN103513894A (en) Display apparatus, remote controlling apparatus and control method thereof
CN106061569A (en) Game control device, game system, program, and information storage medium
WO2005043303A3 (en) Portable medical information device with dynamically configurable user interface
CN102036722B (en) Random number generator
CN103210428A (en) Method and system for secretly revealing items on a multi-touch interface
CN101387940A (en) Handheld electronic device with motion-controlled display
GB2453121A (en) Mode select via orientation and/or removable data carrier
US9046920B1 (en) Rotating an N-sided object to navigate items of an ordered data set
JP2012113385A (en) Electronic apparatus, display control method and program
CN102667937A (en) Multimedia device and method for controlling operation thereof

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)