Motion sensitive input control

Abstract

A motion sensitive input control configured to prevent unintended input caused by inadvertent movement of a computing device. In one embodiment, unintended input can be prevented by disregarding an input event if a change in motion of the computing device is detected simultaneously with or immediately prior to the detected input event. In another embodiment, unintended input can be prevented by reducing the sensitivity of an input device during a motion-based state associated with the computing device. In this manner, the likelihood of inadvertent motion of a computing device causing an unintended input event can be reduced.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computing device comprising:
 an input device configured to detect an input event applied to an input area of the computing device, and   a processor configured to
 detect a state of the computing device associated with motion; and 
 at least partially reduce a sensitivity to touch of the input device during the detected state by changing a magnitude threshold for detecting the input event or changing a time threshold for detecting the input event. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to at least partially reduce the sensitivity to touch of the input device during the detected state by changing the magnitude threshold for detecting the input event. 
     
     
         3 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to at least partially reduce the sensitivity to touch of the input device during the detected state by changing the time threshold for detecting the input event. 
     
     
         4 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the computing device further comprises a camera, and   the processor is configured to detect the state associated with motion based on output from the camera.   
     
     
         5 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprises a mobile telephone. 
     
     
         6 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprises a media player. 
     
     
         7 . A method comprising:
 detecting a state of a computing device associated with motion, the state indicating an increased possibility of unintended input events being received by the input device;   reducing a sensitivity to touch of an input device associated with the computing device during the detected state by changing a threshold associated with a magnitude of a detected measure of an input that determines whether the input can be recognized as an input event or by changing a threshold associated with how long the input must be recognized in order for the input to be recognized as the input event;   monitoring the computing device to determine if the previously detected state of the computing device associated with motion persists; and   restoring the sensitivity to touch of the computing device once it is determined that the detected state of the computing device associated with motion has ended.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising reducing the sensitivity to touch of the input device by changing the threshold associated with a magnitude of a detected measure of the input that determines whether the input can be recognized as an input event. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising reducing the sensitivity to touch of the input device by changing the threshold associated with how long an input must be recognized in order for the input to be recognized as the input event. 
     
     
         10 . A laptop computing device comprising:
 a capacitive trackpad configured to detect a tap applied to the trackpad; and   a processor configured to
 detect a state of the computing device associated with motion, the state indicating an increased possibility of unintended input events being received by the input device, 
 partially reduce a sensitivity of the capacitive trackpad to taps during the detected state by changing a threshold associated with how hard an object must tap the trackpad to trigger a tap input event; 
 monitor the computing device to determine if the previously detected state of the computing device associated with motion persists; and 
 restore the sensitivity to touch of the computing device once it is determined that the detected state of the computing device associated with motion has ended. 
   
     
     
         11 . The laptop computing device of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to reduce the sensitivity of the capacitive trackpad by increasing the threshold associated with how hard an object must tap the trackpad to trigger the tap input event. 
     
     
         12 . A computing device comprising:
 an input device configured to detect an input event applied to an input area of the computing device; and   a processor configured to
 detect a state of the computing device associated with motion, 
 reduce a sensitivity to touch of the input device during the detected state by changing a magnitude threshold for detecting the input event or changing a time threshold for detecting the input event; 
 monitor the computing device to determine if the previously detected state of the computing device associated with motion persists; and 
 restore the sensitivity to touch of the computing device once it is determined that the detected state of the computing device associated with motion has ended. 
   
     
     
         13 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to detect the state associated with motion which corresponds to an increased likelihood of inadvertent motion of the computing device. 
     
     
         14 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to reduce the sensitivity to touch by changing the magnitude threshold for detecting the input event. 
     
     
         15 . The computing device of  claim 14 , wherein changing the magnitude threshold comprises increasing the magnitude threshold. 
     
     
         16 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to reduce the sensitivity to touch by changing a time threshold for detecting the input event. 
     
     
         17 . The computing device of  claim 16 , wherein changing the time threshold comprises increasing the time threshold. 
     
     
         18 . A laptop computing device comprising:
 a capacitive trackpad configured to detect a tap applied to the trackpad; and   a processor configured to
 detect a state of the computing device associated with motion, the state indicating an increased possibility of unintended input events being received by the input device, 
 change a sensitivity of the capacitive trackpad to taps during the detected state by changing a threshold associated with how hard an object must tap the trackpad to trigger a tap input event; 
 monitor the computing device to determine if the previously detected state of the computing device associated with motion persists; and 
 restore the sensitivity to touch of the computing device once it is determined that the detected state of the computing device associated with motion has ended. 
   
     
     
         19 . The laptop computing device of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to change the sensitivity of the capacitive trackpad by reducing the sensitivity of the capacitive trackpad by increasing a threshold associated with how hard an object must tap the trackpad to trigger a tap input event.