Device for displaying in response to a sensed motion
A device includes a signaling means and a motion sensor, and logic for activating or controlling the signaling means in response to a sensed motion according to an embedded logic. The device may be used as a toy, and may be shaped like a play ball or as a handheld unit. It may be powered from a battery, either chargeable from an AC power source directly or contactless by using induction or by converting electrical energy from harvested kinetic energy. The embedded logic may activate or control the signaling means, predictably or randomly, in response to sensed acceleration magnitude or direction, such as sensing the crossing of a preset threshold or sensing the peak value. The visual means may be a numeric display for displaying a value associated with the count of the number of times the threshold has been exceeded or the peak magnitude of the acceleration sensed.
1. A method for use by a device in a portable enclosure, the method comprising:
producing, by an accelerometer in the portable enclosure, a first output signal responsive to an acceleration;
producing, by a sensor having a sensor output, a second output signal responsive to a physical phenomenon;
visually displaying, by a display in the portable enclosure, information to a person;
emitting, by an audible signaling component in the portable enclosure, an audible sound in response to the output signal and to the second output signal;
receiving, by a wireless receiver in the portable enclosure, data via a wireless RF signal carried over a wireless network;
displaying, by the display, the received data;
controlling, by a processor in the portable enclosure that executes software, the display and the audible signaling component in response to the first output signal and to the second output signal;
powering, by a rechargeable battery in the portable enclosure, the processor, the sensor, the display, and the wireless receiver; and
induction-based contactless charging, by a battery charger, the rechargeable battery,
wherein the battery charger comprises, or consists of, an induction coil for inductively receiving AC power carried in an electromagnetic field for charging the rechargeable battery from the received AC power.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the display comprises a flat display that comprises, or is based on, semiconductor components.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the display comprises one or more Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs).
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein each of the one or more LEDs is a multi-color LED operative to illuminate in multiple colors.
5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the display comprises, or is based on, Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), Thin-Film Transistor (TFT), or Field Emission Display (FED).
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the display comprises a video display that is configured for displaying video content.
7. The method according to claim 1 , for use with a theme, and wherein the information appearance, type, color or steadiness is associated with the theme or with the device shape.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a status is indicated to a person using information steadiness, blinking, intensity level, duty-cycle, or flashing.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the information comprises text, characters, numbers, letters, or alphanumerical symbols.
10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein numbers are displayed in a seven-segments format.
11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising affecting physical movement, by an electric motor in the enclosure, of the device.
12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the accelerometer comprises, consists of, uses, or is based on, a piezoelectric, piezoresistive, capacitive, Micro-mechanical Electrical Systems (MEMS), or electromechanical accelerometer.
13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the first output signal is responsive to a magnitude or a direction of the device acceleration, and the accelerometer is a single-axis, a two-axis, or a three-axis accelerometer.
14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is ball-shaped.
15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the enclosure is configured, dimensioned, formed, or structured as a game ball that is a cricket ball, baseball, basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, rugby ball, golf ball, or volleyball ball.
16. The method according to claim 1 , further operative as a toy for an amusement of a person or a pet, wherein the enclosure is configured, dimensioned, formed, or structured as a toy.
17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the housing is dimensioned and shaped as a handheld unit.
18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the enclosure or part thereof is cylinder-shaped.
19. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is having a round cross-section.
20. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a light sensor, force sensor, or pressure sensor.
21. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a light sensor that comprises one or more photocells.
22. The method according to claim 1 , further for use with a portable electronic device, wherein the device further comprising communicating, by a modem in the enclosure that is coupled to the processor, with the portable electronic device, over the wireless network.
23. The method according to claim 22 , for use with the portable electronic device.
24. The method according to claim 23 , wherein the portable electronic device comprises a notebook computer, a laptop computer, a media player, a cellular telephone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a digital camera, a video recorder, or any combination thereof.
25. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising communicating over the wireless network.
26. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the wireless network is a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN), that uses Bluetooth protocol according to, or based on, IEEE 802.15.1 standard.
27. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the wireless network is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), that uses a protocol according to, or based on, IEEE 802.11 standard.
28. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising in the enclosure a random number generator coupled to the processor and operative to output a random number, wherein the information displayed is in response to the random number.
29. The method according to claim 28 , wherein the random number generator is a hardware-only based generator.
30. The method according to claim 29 , wherein the random number generator is based on a physical process.
31. The method according to claim 30 , wherein the physical process is one of a thermal noise, a shot noise, decaying nuclear radiation, a photoelectric effect, and a quantum phenomenon.
32. The method according to claim 28 , wherein the random number generator is software-based, and the processor executes a random number generator software.
33. The method according to claim 32 , wherein the random number generator software includes an algorithm for generating pseudo-random numbers.
34. The method according to claim 28 , wherein the random numbers generated by the random number generator are uniformly or Gaussianly distributed.
35. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the information displayed is in response to the first output signal.
36. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the audible signaling component comprises, or uses, an electro-mechanical transducer, an electro-acoustical transducer, or a piezoelectric sounder.
37. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the audible signaling component comprises, or uses, a loudspeaker, and the device further comprises a memory storing the audible sound in a digital form, and a digital to analog converter coupled between the memory and the loudspeaker for reproducing, by the loudspeaker, the stored audible sound.
38. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the audible signaling component consists of, comprises, or uses, a buzzer, a chime, a whistler, or a ringer, and wherein the emitted audible sound comprises a single tone, multiple tones, a melody, or music.
39. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises in the enclosure a battery compartment mechanically secured to the enclosure for housing the rechargeable battery.
40. The method according to claim 39 , further comprising in the enclosure a securely removable cover for covering the battery compartment, so that when the cover is removed the battery compartment is accessible for replacing the rechargeable battery.
41. The method according to claim 1 , further operative to detect or measure a change of a position of the device based on the first output signal.
42. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first output signal is responsive to a magnitude or to a direction of the device acceleration.
43. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first output signal is responsive to the device mechanical orientation, vibration, shock, or falling, based on, or using, the first output signal.
44. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the accelerometer comprises, consists of, uses, or is based on, a piezoelectric accelerometer that utilizes a piezoelectric effect and comprises, consists of, uses, or is based on, piezoceramics or a single crystal or quartz.
45. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising in the enclosure a DLP display or a video projector.
46. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising switching, by a controlled switch in the enclosure that is controlled by the processor in response to the first output signal, DC power from the rechargeable battery to a component.
47. The method according to claim 46 , wherein the controlled switch is based on, comprises, or using, an electro-mechanical relay, a solid-state relay, or an optocouplers.
48. The method according to claim 1 , further operative as a toy for an amusement of a person or a pet, wherein the enclosure is configured, dimensioned, formed, or structured as a toy.
49. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising affecting, by an actuator in the enclosure coupled for being controlled or activated by the processor, a physical phenomenon.
50. The method according to claim 49 , wherein the actuator is operative to affect a temperature.
51. The method according to claim 50 , wherein the actuator is a heater or a cooler.
52. The method according to claim 49 , wherein the actuator is operative to affect a physical movement.
53. The method according to claim 52 , wherein the actuator is a motor or a fan.
54. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising counting, by a counter in the enclosure that is coupled to the accelerometer, a number of events based on the first output signal.
55. The method according to claim 54 , wherein events are occurrences when a magnitude of the first output signal crosses an acceleration threshold.