Handheld electronic device having gesture-based control and a method of using same

1. A method, comprising:

determining from a motion signal a movement type associated with a movement of an electronic device from a number predetermined types of movement, the movement type being determined to be a repetitive movement;

determining whether a cadence parameter is greater than or equal to a first cadence reference level, the cadence parameter being an average duration of a period between repetitive movements; and

performing a first command when the cadence parameter is greater than or equal to the first cadence reference level.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the repetitive movement comprises shaking in any direction, wherein when the cadence parameter equals or exceeds the first cadence reference level, a fast shaking repetitive movement is determined.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the repetitive movement comprises shaking in a particular direction, wherein when the cadence parameter equals or exceeds the first cadence reference level, a fast shaking repetitive movement is determined.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a second command is performed when the cadence parameter is greater than or equal to a second cadence reference level but less than the first cadence reference level, and a third command is performed when the cadence parameter is less than the second cadence reference level.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing a second command when the cadence parameter is less than the first cadence reference level.

6. A method, comprising:

determining, from a motion signal, when a repetitive movement of an electronic device has occurred;

determining a cadence parameter associated with the repetitive movement, the cadence parameter being an average duration of a period between repetitive movements;

performing a first command when the cadence parameter is greater than or equal to a first threshold; and

performing a second command when the cadence parameter is less than the first threshold.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

performing a third command when the cadence parameter is greater than or equal to the first threshold but less than a second threshold higher than the first threshold.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the repetitive movement comprises shaking in any direction.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the repetitive movement comprises shaking in a particular direction.

10. A method, comprising:

determining a rate of repetitive movement of an electronic device by determining an average duration of a period between repetitive movements;

increasing a rate of reproduction of media when the rate of movement is greater than or equal to a first threshold; and

decreasing the rate of reproduction of media when the rate of movement is less than the first threshold.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the media is audio, video or a series of digital images.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

determining the difference between the rate of movement and the first threshold; and

varying the rate of reproduction by an amount proportional to the difference between the rate of movement and the first threshold.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

returning the rate of reproduction of media to a default rate when the rate of movement is greater than or equal to the first threshold but less than a second threshold higher than the first threshold.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the rate of movement is a rate of shaking the electronic device in any direction.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the rate of movement is a rate of shaking the electronic device in a particular direction.