Spatial motion-based user interactivity

Abstract

A method for driving user interface elements on a graphical display of a mobile device based upon spatial motion input applied to a sensor unit. Motion data, which is generated by one or more motion sensors on board the sensor unit and corresponds to the spatial motion input applied to the sensor unit, is received on a data processor of the mobile device. A filter is applied to the received motion data to minimize rapid fluctuations therein. Velocity values and position values are generated based on a discrete integration of the filtered motion data. A balance between acceleration and deceleration of the sensor unit is detected, based upon an evaluation of the velocity values from a beginning of the spatial motion input and velocity values during deceleration. A deceleration response is output to the graphical display to correspond to the detected balance between acceleration and deceleration of the sensor unit.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method for producing a virtual three-dimensional environment presented from a first person perspective on a graphical display of a mobile device based upon spatial motion input applied to a sensor unit, the method comprising:
 receiving, on a data processor of the mobile device, motion data generated by one or more motion sensors on board the sensor unit and connected to the data processor, the motion data corresponding to the spatial motion input applied to the sensor unit;   changing the first person perspective to simulate a forward movement through the virtual three-dimensional environment in response to the received motion data indicating a motion of the mobile device in a direction opposite a normal direction of the graphical display; and   changing the first person perspective to simulate a backward movement through the virtual three-dimensional environment in response to the received motion data indicating a motion of the mobile device in the normal direction of the graphical display.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 panning the first person perspective left and right in response to the received motion data indicating a rotation of the mobile device about a vertical axis perpendicular to the normal direction of the graphical display.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 rotating the first person perspective upwards and downwards in response to the received motion data indicating a rotation of the mobile device about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the normal direction of the graphical display.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 panning the first person perspective left and right in response to the received motion data indicating a rotation of the mobile device about a vertical axis perpendicular to the normal direction of the graphical display; and   rotating the first person perspective upwards and downwards in response to the received motion data indicating a rotation of the mobile device about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the normal direction of the graphical display;   wherein the first person perspective may be rotated 360 degrees.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 changing the first person perspective to simulate an upward jumping movement in the virtual three-dimensional environment in response to the received motion data indicating a motion of the mobile device in an upward direction along a vertical axis perpendicular to the normal direction of the graphical display.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 changing the first person perspective to simulate an downward crouching movement in the virtual three-dimensional environment in response to the received motion data indicating a motion of the mobile device in a downward direction along a vertical axis perpendicular to the normal direction of the graphical display.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the simulated forward or backward movement through the virtual three-dimensional environment corresponds to a predefined virtual step length. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the predefined virtual step length is selected to simulate an actual step length of a user of the mobile device as determined based on the received motion data. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the simulated forward or backward movement through the virtual three-dimensional environment corresponds to a predefined virtual step speed. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the predefined virtual step speed is selected to simulate an actual step speed of a user of the mobile device as determined based on the received motion data. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said changing the first person perspective to simulate a forward or backward movement through the virtual three-dimensional environment is in response to the received motion data indicating a forward or backward step of a user of the mobile device as determined by a pedometer of the mobile device. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the pedometer determines that the received motion data indicates a forward or backward step of a user of the mobile device on the basis of an assumption that the user is holding the device in a predefined viewing position. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the pedometer determines that the received motion data indicates a forward or backward step of a user of the mobile device if acceleration data of the received motion data is evaluated to have an increasing trend and increases from below a dynamic threshold gap to beyond the dynamic threshold gap, triggering a step count. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the dynamic threshold gap is correlated to a step count triggering sensitivity. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 generating velocity values from the received motion data; and   reducing artificial drift in said simulated forward or backward movement through the virtual three-dimensional environment based upon detecting a balance between acceleration and deceleration of the sensor unit over one continuous spatial motion input by comparing the velocity values from a beginning of the one continuous spatial motion input and the velocity values during deceleration at the end of the one continuous spatial motion input.   
     
     
         34 . An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory program storage medium readable by a mobile device, the medium tangibly embodying one or more programs of instructions executable by the mobile device to perform a method for producing a virtual three-dimensional environment presented from a first person perspective on a graphical display of the mobile device based upon spatial motion input applied to a sensor unit, the method comprising:
 receiving, on a data processor of the mobile device, motion data generated by one or more motion sensors on board the sensor unit and connected to the data processor, the motion data corresponding to the spatial motion input applied to the sensor unit;   changing the first person perspective to simulate a forward movement through the virtual three-dimensional environment in response to the received motion data indicating a motion of the mobile device in a direction opposite a normal direction of the graphical display; and   changing the first person perspective to simulate a backward movement through the virtual three-dimensional environment in response to the received motion data indicating a motion of the mobile device in the normal direction of the graphical display.   
     
     
         35 . The article of manufacture of  claim 34 , further comprising:
 the mobile device;   wherein the mobile device includes a processor for executing the one or more programs of instructions.   
     
     
         36 . A mobile device operable to produce a virtual three-dimensional environment presented from a first person perspective based upon spatial motion input applied to a sensor unit, the mobile device comprising:
 a data processor for receiving motion data generated by one or more motion sensors on board the sensor unit and connected to the data processor, the motion data corresponding to the spatial motion input applied to the sensor unit; and   a display for displaying the first person perspective;   wherein the data processor changes the first person perspective to simulate a forward movement through the virtual three-dimensional environment in response to the received motion data indicating a motion of the mobile device in a direction opposite a normal direction of the graphical display;   wherein the data processor changes the first person perspective to simulate a backward movement through the virtual three-dimensional environment in response to the received motion data indicating a motion of the mobile device in the normal direction of the graphical display.   
     
     
         37 . The mobile device of  claim 36 , further comprising the sensor unit. 
     
     
         38 . The mobile device of  claim 36 , further comprising a transceiver for communication with an external wearable device including the sensor unit.