MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICE FOR USE IN CONTROLLING WIRELESSLY CONTROLLED VEHICLES
Methods and systems for utilizing a mobile computing device (e.g., such as a mobile phone) for use in controlling a model vehicle are described. Consistent with some embodiments, a mobile computing device provides various user controls for generating signals that are communicated to a radio transmitter device coupled with the mobile computing device, and ultimately broadcast to a receiver residing at a model vehicle. With some embodiments, the mobile computing device may be integrated with a controller housing which provides separate user controls, such that a combination of user controls present on the mobile computing device and the controller housing can be used to control a model vehicle.
1 . (canceled)
2 . A method comprising:
receiving, at a vehicle, a radio-enabled vehicle instruction based on a combination of a selection of a user interface element on a touchscreen of a device, accelerometer data from the device, and gyroscope data from the device; and
operating the vehicle based on the radio-enabled vehicle instruction.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the device is configured to:
display, on the touchscreen of the device, a user interface element that instructs a movement of the vehicle;
detect, on the touchscreen of the device, the selection of the user interface element;
in response to detecting the selection of the user interface element, access the accelerometer data and the gyroscope data of the device;
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the device is configured to:
display, on the touchscreen of the device, an additional user interface element indicating that the vehicle is moving.
5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein receiving the radio-enabled vehicle instruction further comprises:
receiving, from a server, the radio-enabled vehicle instruction.
6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the additional user interface element indicates a vehicle control element of a control mechanism for moving the vehicle.
7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the additional user interface element indicates a direction of the movement of the vehicle.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the additional user interface element indicates a range of the movement of the vehicle.
9 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the additional user interface element indicates an orientation information of the vehicle.
10 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
storing, on the device, the radio-enabled vehicle instruction corresponding to the user interface element, the radio-enabled vehicle instruction instructing a movement of the vehicle based on the accelerometer data and the gyroscope data,
wherein the vehicle comprises a radio-enabled vehicle.
11 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
causing the device to vibrate during a movement of the vehicle.
12 . An apparatus comprising:
a memory comprising instructions; and
one or more processors, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:
receiving, at a vehicle, a radio-enabled vehicle instruction based on a combination of a selection of a user interface element on a touchscreen of a device, accelerometer data from the device, and gyroscope data from the device; and
operating the vehicle based on the radio-enabled vehicle instruction.
13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the device is configured to:
display, on the touchscreen of the device, a user interface element that instructs a movement of the vehicle;
detect, on the touchscreen of the device, the selection of the user interface element;
in response to detecting the selection of the user interface element, access the accelerometer data and the gyroscope data of the device;
14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the device is configured to:
display, on the touchscreen of the device, an additional user interface element indicating that the vehicle is moving.
15 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein receiving the radio-enabled vehicle instruction further comprises:
receiving, from a server, the radio-enabled vehicle instruction.
16 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the additional user interface element indicates a vehicle control element of a control mechanism for moving the vehicle.
17 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the additional user interface element indicates a direction of the movement of the vehicle.
18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the additional user interface element indicates a range of the movement of the vehicle.
19 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the additional user interface element indicates an orientation information of the vehicle.
20 . The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising:
storing, on the device, the radio-enabled vehicle instruction corresponding to the user interface element, the radio-enabled vehicle instruction instructing a movement of the vehicle based on the accelerometer data and the gyroscope data,
wherein the vehicle comprises a radio-enabled vehicle.
21 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a client device, cause the client device to perform operations comprising:
receiving, at a vehicle, a radio-enabled vehicle instruction based on a combination of a selection of a user interface element on a touchscreen of a device, accelerometer data from the device, and gyroscope data from the device; and
operating the vehicle based on the radio-enabled vehicle instruction.