Hand-held communication device as pointing device
AssigneeSiemens Information and Communication Mobile, LLC
InventorsMohammed Ansari, Lovleen Chadha
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hand-held communication device capable of being configured as a pointing device employs a camera assembly for sensing movement of the device with respect to a surface, or movement of a user's finger over the camera assembly, allowing the hand-held communication device to be utilized as a pointing device, such as an optical mouse or a trackball, for controlling functions of a computer system in communication with the hand-held communication device or of the hand-held communication device.
Claims38
A hand-held communication device, comprising:
- a housing sized to be held within the hand of a user;
- a transceiver assembly contained within the housing for communicating information with a wireless communication system;
- and
- a camera assembly disposed in the housing for capturing images;
- wherein the camera assembly captures images of one of a user's finger as the user's finger is moved over the camera assembly for tracking movement of the finger and a surface as the housing is moved over the surface for tracking the movement of the housing, the tracked movement of the finger over the camera assembly or the housing over the surface being used for controlling a function of at least one of the hand-held communication device and a computer system in communication with the hand-held communication device.
A hand-held communication device capable of functioning as a pointing device for a computer system including a display for displaying a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface employing a pointer, comprising:
- a housing sized to be held within the hand of a user;
- a transceiver assembly contained within the housing for communicating information with a wireless communication system;
- and
- a camera assembly disposed in the housing for capturing images;
- wherein the camera assembly captures images of a surface when the housing is moved over the surface for tracking the movement of the housing, the tracked movement of the housing over the surface being communicated to the computer system for controlling movement of the pointer.
A hand-held communication device capable of functioning as a pointing device for a computer system including a display for displaying a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface employing a pointer, comprising:
- a housing sized to be held within the hand of a user;
- a transceiver assembly contained within the housing for communicating information with a wireless communication system;
- and
- a camera assembly disposed in the housing for capturing images;
- wherein the camera assembly captures images of a user's finger as the user's finger is moved over the camera assembly for tracking the movement of the user's finger, the tracked movement of the user's finger over the camera assembly being communicated to the computer system for controlling movement of the pointer.
A computer system, comprising:
- a display for displaying a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface employing a pointer;
- a processing system for executing a program of instructions, the program of instructions for controlling the pointer based on movement of a hand-held communication device over a surface, the hand-held communication device being in communication with the computer system and including a housing sized to be held within the hand of a user;
- a transceiver assembly contained within the housing for communicating information with a wireless communication system, and a camera assembly disposed in the housing for capturing images,
- wherein the camera assembly captures images of one of a user's finger as the user's finger is moved over the camera for tracking movement of the finger and a surface as the housing is moved over the surface for tracking the movement of the housing, the tracked movement of the finger over the camera assembly or the housing over the surface being used for controlling a function of the computer system.
A method for using a hand-held communication device as a pointing device for a computer system including a display for displaying a graphical user interface employing a pointer, the hand held communication device including a housing sized to be held within the hand of a user, a transceiver assembly contained within the housing for communicating information with a wireless communication system, and a camera assembly disposed in the housing for capturing images, the method comprising:
- capturing images of one of a user's finger as the user's finger is moved over the camera and a surface as the housing is moved over the surface;
- tracking the movement of the finger over the camera assembly or the housing over the surface;
- and
- communicating the tracked movement of the finger over the camera assembly or the housing over the surface to the computer system, the tracked movement of the finger over the camera assembly or the housing over the surface being used for controlling a function of the computer system.
A hand-held communication device, comprising:
- a housing sized to be held within the hand of a user;
- means, contained within the housing, for communicating information with a wireless communication system;
- and
- means, disposed in the housing, for capturing images;
- wherein the image capture means captures images of one of a user's finger as the user's finger is moved over the image capture means for tracking movement of the finger and a surface as the housing is moved over the surface for tracking the movement of the housing, the tracked movement of the finger over the image capture means or the housing over the surface being used for controlling a function of at least one of the hand-held communication device and a computer system in communication with the hand-held communication device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.