Electronic device with motion controlled functions
View Patent ↗An electronic device may be controlled with a remote control device. The remote control device may be moved in a first manner to cause the electronic device to scroll through an ordered sequence. The remote control device may be moved in a second manner to cause the electronic device to select an entry from the ordered list. During scrolling of the ordered sequence, audio feedback regarding the nature of an associated entry may be provided to the user.
1. An electronic device that is controlled by movement of a wearable remote control device, wherein the electronic device is a mobile telephone and comprising:
a local wireless interface to receive control inputs from the remote control device, the control inputs including a scroll control input corresponding to a first movement of the remote control device and a select control input corresponding to a
second movement of the remote control device;
a controller that interprets the control inputs and controls the electronic device to carry out a function corresponding to the received control inputs such that at least one scroll control input prompts the controller to scroll through an ordered sequence of entries to increment a corresponding entry value and audibly output the entry value of a
current one of the entries as the entries are incremented; and
call circuitry that enables the electronic device to establish a call over a network, and the control inputs are used by the controller to navigate a contact list for initiating a call.
2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one received scroll control input prompts the controller to scroll through alphanumeric characters to increment a character value and audibly output corresponding character value feedback as the character value is incremented.
3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein a received select control input prompts the controller to select a current character value.
4. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein
a received select control input prompts the controller to enter the contact list at a point that corresponds to a current character value.
5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein at least one additional scroll control input prompts the controller to scroll through entries of the contact list and audibly output a name associated with a current contact list entry as the contact list entries are incremented, and receipt of another select control input prompts the controller to initiate a call to a telephone number associated with the selected contact list entry.
6. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the electronic device further includes an audio file playback function and, in a playback mode, a received select control input prompts the controller to enter one of a playlist, a song list or an artist list at a point that corresponds to a current character value.
7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein at least one additional scroll control input prompts the controller to scroll through entries of the playlist, the song list or the artist list and audibly output a name associated with a current list value as the entries are incremented, and receipt of another select control input prompts the controller to play an audio file associated with the selected entry.
8. The electronic device of claim 1 the at least one received scroll control input prompts the controller to scroll through entries of a contact list and audibly output a name associated with a current contact list entry as the contact list entries are incremented, and receipt of a select control input prompts the controller to initiate a call to a telephone number associated with the selected contact list entry.
9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device further includes an audio file playback function and, in a playback mode, the at least one received scroll control input prompts the controller to scroll through entries of a playlist, a song list or an artist list and audibly output a name associated with a current list value as the entries are incremented, and receipt of a select control input prompts the controller to play an audio file associated with the selected entry.
10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device further includes a navigation function and, in a navigation mode, received scroll and select control inputs control the navigation function to provide directions to a user-specified destination.
11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein received scroll and select control inputs are further used, in a non-calling mode, to navigate through a hierarchical menu interface of the electronic device, and the at least one scroll control input prompts an increment through a list of menu options and audible output of feedback data as increments are made through the list.
12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the remote control device is worn on an arm or hand of a user.
13. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the remote control device includes:
one or more motion sensors for detecting motion of the remote control device;
a controller that generates the scroll control input in response to detection of a first movement of the remote control device by the one or more motion sensors and the select control input in response to detection of a second movement of the remote control device by the one or more motion sensors; and
a local wireless interface that transmits the scroll control input and the select control input to the electronic device.
14. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein audible outputs in response to received control inputs are played to a user through one of a speaker of the electronic device, a headset or a vehicle audio system.
15. A remotely controlled system in which an electronic device is controlled by the movement of a wearable remote control device, the remotely controlled system comprising: the electronic device of claim 1 ; and
the remote control device for controlling an operational function of the electronic device, the remote control device including:
one or more motion sensors for detecting motion of the remote control device;
a controller that generates a scroll control input for the electronic device in response to detection of a first movement of the remote control device by the one or more motion sensors and a select control input for the electronic device in response to detection of a second movement of the remote control device by the one or more motion sensors; and a local wireless interface that transmits the scroll control input and the select control input to the electronic device.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the remote control device is worn on an arm or hand of a user.