Mechanical interaction with a phone using a cradle
AssigneeNokia Corporation
InventorMiika Silfverberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention describes a special cradle having mechanical switches to facilitate interactions between a communication device, such as a mobile device or a mobile phone, and a user of the devices, wherein the communication device is mounted on the cradle. When the user pushes the communication device in different directions, the device moves and tilts within the stable cradle. The movements are registered through the mechanical switches within the cradle. The states of the switches are communicated to the device (phone) through a mechanical connector or a wireless communication channel as a corresponding command, and the user interface reacts accordingly.
Claims26
A method for transferring at least one predetermined command by a user to a communication device using a cradle, comprising the steps of:
- pushing said communication device in a predetermined direction to impose a pushing action on, or to make a physical contact of said communication device, with at least one switch of the cradle to reverse a state of said at least one switch, wherein said communication device is mounted on said cradle and optionally there is no said physical contact before said pushing;
- and
- communicating said reversal of the state of said at least one switch to said communication device, wherein said reversal is interpreted by the communication device as said at least one predetermined command by the user.
A cradle for transferring at least one predetermined command to a communication device by a user, comprising:
- at least one switch, responsive to a pushing action of, or to making a physical contact with, said communication device facilitated by pushing said communication device in a predetermined direction by a user, for providing a reversal signal indicative of changing a state of said at least one switch in response to said push or the physical contact, wherein said communication device is mounted on said cradle and optionally there is no said physical contact before said pushing is applied;
- and
- a communication block, responsive to said reversal signal, for providing a command signal to said communication device, wherein said at least one command signal completes said transferring of said at least one predetermined command signal to the communication device by the user.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.