Systems and methods for providing magnetically referenced controls for mobile electronic devices

Abstract

The system includes a mobile electronic device having a magnetometer sensor and one or more software modules executable by the mobile electronic device. The system further includes a controller comprising one or more magnets, the controller being removably attached to the mobile electronic device or its case. The magnet and at least a portion of the controller may move relative to the mobile electronic device when attached to the mobile electronic device, such relative movement being detectable by the magnetometer sensor. The software modules, when executed, may cause the mobile electronic device to perform an action based on electromagnetic field signals received from the magnetometer sensor generated in response to the relative movement of the magnet and at least a portion of the controller.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to magnet-based mobile electronic device controls, optionally in the form of mobile electronic device grips and stands, and algorithms for mapping the motion of such controls to mobile electronic device actions (e.g., sound output and interface controls) based on unique magnetometer and motion sensor profiles. [Background technology]

[0002] Many portable devices (e.g., tablets, smartphones) are equipped with magnetometer sensors capable of detecting the Earth's electromagnetic field. However, the use of such magnetometer sensors is typically restricted to a limited set of mobile applications, such as compass and navigation applications.

[0003] Furthermore, the usefulness of magnetometer sensor information is underestimated, in part due to a lack of accessories that can generate and / or utilize such information. Accordingly, there is a need for a magnet-based controller for mobile electronic devices that overcomes one or more of the above-mentioned shortcomings. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] In some embodiments, a system includes a mobile electronic device comprising a magnetometer sensor and one or more software modules executable by the mobile electronic device. The magnetometer sensor may be configured to measure an electromagnetic field and generate an electromagnetic field signal. The system may further include a controller comprising one or more magnets, the controller configured to be removably attached to the mobile electronic device or to a case of the mobile electronic device. When attached to the mobile electronic device, at least a portion of the one or more magnets and the controller are configured to be movable relative to the mobile electronic device, and the relative movement is detectable by the magnetometer sensor. Furthermore, the one or more software modules, when executed by the mobile electronic device, may be configured to receive an electromagnetic field signal from the magnetometer sensor generated in response to relative movement of at least a portion of the one or more magnets and the controller, and to cause the mobile electronic device to perform an action based on the electromagnetic field signal.

[0005] In some embodiments, the mobile electronic device includes one of a mobile phone, a tablet, and a laptop.

[0006] In some embodiments, the relative movement of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the controller includes a rotation of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the controller about a vector perpendicular to the mobile electronic device.

[0007] In some embodiments, the relative movement of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the controller comprises translation of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the controller in a direction perpendicular to the mobile electronic device.

[0008] In some embodiments, the relative movement of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the control comprises an angular change of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the control relative to a plane of the mobile electronic device.

[0009] In some embodiments, the control includes a grip accessory configured to deploy and retract in a direction perpendicular to the mobile electronic device.

[0010] In some embodiments, the action includes at least one of enabling or disabling sound output by the mobile electronic device, displaying an image, a lighting function, a camera function, a user interface control, and a wireless communication function.

[0011] In some embodiments, the one or more magnets include a single disk-shaped magnet located in the center of the controller.

[0012] In some embodiments, the one or more magnets include at least two spaced apart magnets.

[0013] In some embodiments, the at least two spaced apart magnets include two magnets oriented with opposite polarities relative to the mobile electronic device.

[0014] In some embodiments, the one or more software modules are configured to determine that a state transition of the controller has occurred when a spike waveform in the electromagnetic field signal that exceeds a threshold is detected.

[0015] In some embodiments, the one or more software modules are further configured to cause the mobile electronic device to perform an action based on a combination of the electromagnetic field signal and a signal from an accelerometer of the mobile electronic device.

[0016] In some embodiments, the x, y, and z components of the electromagnetic field are measured at each of a number of time steps to determine the total effective magnetic change resulting from the relative movement of one or more magnets and at least a portion of the controller.

[0017] In some embodiments, the one or more software modules are configured to determine an electromagnetic field profile of the controller based on electromagnetic field signals from a magnetometer sensor generated in response to relative movement of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the controller.

[0018] In some embodiments, the one or more software modules are configured to determine the type of controller based on the electromagnetic field profile of the controller.

[0019] In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to wirelessly communicate with the mobile electronic device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a system implemented in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0021] [Figure 2A] FIG. 2A shows a perspective view of the system of FIG. 1 configured with a deployed controller constructed in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B shows a perspective view of the system of FIG. 1 configured with a retracting controller constructed in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0022] [Figure 3A] FIG. 3A shows a top view of the system of FIG. 1 configured with a deployed controller constructed in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. [Figure 3B] FIG. 3B shows a top view of the system of FIG. 1 configured with a retracting controller constructed in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0023] [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of another example of a system implemented in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0024] [Figure 5] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the system of FIG. 1, illustrating an exploded view of a controller constructed in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] As described in more detail below with reference to the drawings, the present disclosure generally relates to a system including a mobile electronic device having a magnetometer sensor and a control attached to the mobile electronic device or a case for the mobile electronic device. The control includes one or more magnets that generate an electromagnetic field detectable by the magnetometer sensor of the mobile electronic device. The mobile electronic device also includes one or more software modules configured to initiate one or more actions in response to input signal(s) from the magnetometer sensor resulting from a change in the position and / or orientation of the control (and thus the magnet(s) of the control) relative to the mobile electronic device. For example, depending on the detection capabilities of the magnetometer sensor of the mobile device and the strength of the magnet(s) of the control, changes in the position and / or orientation of the control relative to the mobile device can be detected and result in one or more responsive actions when the control is sufficiently close to the mobile device, e.g., within 12 inches.

[0026] Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary system 100 in which one or more aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented. System 100 includes a mobile electronic device 110, illustrated as a mobile phone, but which may also comprise other types of mobile electronic devices, such as a tablet, laptop, or the like. Nevertheless, it should be understood that mobile electronic device 110 may include one or more processors, memory for storing computer-executable instructions, user input devices such as a touchscreen or keypad, a wireless transceiver, a power source, a display 34, and other hardware and software components commonly known to be included in such mobile electronic devices.

[0027] 1, the mobile electronic device 110 is configured with a magnetometer sensor 120. It should be understood that the location and / or orientation of the magnetometer sensor 120 may vary from mobile device to mobile device.

[0028] System 100 further includes a controller 130, described in more detail below, which is generally configured to be attached to the mobile electronic device 110 (although in other cases it may be attached to the case of mobile electronic device 110), as described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 5. Controller 130 is configured with one or more magnets, which are shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1 as magnets 140a-140d. It should be understood that more or fewer magnets may be included in controller 130, and that such magnets may be in various orientations and locations within controller 130. System 100 further includes one or more software modules (not shown) that are configured to be stored on and executed by mobile electronic device 110 in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

[0029] In certain embodiments, the controller 130 may be used to initiate one or more actions using one or more software modules executed by the mobile electronic device 110 in response to changes in the position and / or orientation of the controller 130 relative to the mobile electronic device 110, and more particularly, relative to the magnetometer sensor 120. In such embodiments, the one or more software modules are desirably configured to receive input signals from the magnetometer sensor 120. The one or more software modules, hereinafter generally referred to as "magnetic controller software," may include application programs, operating system (OS) modules, firmware, and / or other software components programmed to receive and interpret sensor data and perform one or more actions based thereon.

[0030] Such actions may be initiated based on magnetic interaction between the magnets 140a-140d of one controller 140 and the magnetometer sensor 120 of the other mobile electronic device 110. Such actions performed as a result of a change in the position of the controller 130 (particularly the magnets 140a-140d) relative to the mobile electronic device 110 (e.g., a rotation of the angle of the controller 130 from the plane of the device 110 or a change in the distance of the controller 130 to the front or back of the device 110) include, by way of example only, enabling, disabling, and / or other control of any of the following functions or capabilities of the mobile electronic device 110: sound output, image display, lighting functions, camera functions, user interface controls, wireless communication functions, and any other functions or capabilities of the mobile electronic device 110 that are controllable by software executing on the mobile electronic device 110.

[0031] In accordance with the principles of the present disclosure, one aspect of the present disclosure is a method for detecting relative movement of the controller 130 by detecting magnetometer variations in the electromagnetic field around the controller 130 provided by the magnets 140a-140d (particularly relative to the magnetometer sensor 120). In this manner, a magnetic controller module executing on the mobile electronic device 110 can be configured to perform one or more of the above-described actions in response to changes in the magnetic signal measured by the magnetometer sensor 120. In certain embodiments, the changes can include vertical, angular, or lateral displacement of the controller 130 relative to the front or rear of the mobile electronic device 110, such as when the controller 130 has a deployable design as described below with reference to FIGS. 2A-2B and 3A-3B. In certain embodiments, this change may alternatively or additionally include a rotational displacement of the control 130, such as a rotation relative to the front or back of the mobile electronic device 110 or about a normal vector relative to a major plane of the device 110, such as when the control 130 has a rotatable design, as described in US 2018 / 0288204, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0032] 2A-2B, perspective views of one embodiment of system 100 are illustrated, with controller 130 configured as an expandable / retractable (collapsible) gripping accessory, with FIG. 2A showing controller 130 in the expanded position and FIG. 2B showing controller 130 in the retracted position. Similarly, FIGS. 3A-3B show top views of system 100 with controller 130 again configured as an expandable / retractable gripping accessory, with FIG. 3A showing controller 130 in the expanded position and FIG. 2B showing controller 130 in the retracted position.

[0033] In one or more embodiments, the deployable / retractable grip accessory may be configured according to the deployable / retractable designs of grip and stand products commercially available from Popsockets™, such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 8,560,031, filed February 23, 2012; U.S. Patent No. 9,970,589, filed November 9, 2017; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 615,900, filed June 7, 2017; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 679,934, filed August 17, 2017; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 803,410, filed November 3, 2017; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 808,076, filed November 9, 2017; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 864,402, filed January 8, 2018; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 864,402, filed January 8, 2018; and U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 864,402, filed January 8, 2018. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 864,509, filed on May 8, 2018; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 906,920, filed on February 27, 2018; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 922,601, filed on March 15, 2018; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 952,025, filed on April 12, 2018; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 993,458, filed on May 30, 2018; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16 / 001,723, filed on June 6, 2018, each of which shows a suitable deployable / retractable mechanism, and each is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

[0034] 2A-2B and 3A-3B, the controller 130 may be configured to be fixedly or removably attached to the front or back of the mobile electronic device 110 while allowing one or more degrees of freedom for movement of portions of the controller 130 relative to the mobile electronic device 200. For example, the controller 130 may include movable structures such as an accordion, springs, or bellows, allowing the top of the controller 130 to move relative to the bottom. In further embodiments, the controller 130 may include features that function as a stand or user grip for the mobile electronic device 110. In still further embodiments, a spinning portion of the controller 130 may be actuated to rotate relative to other portions of the controller 130.

[0035] One or more magnets 140a-140d may be positioned on or within controller 130 in a manner configured to affect sensitivity to certain types of motion. Magnets 140a-140d may be positioned as far apart as possible from one another on controller 130 to maximize changes in the electromagnetic field while detecting rotational movement relative to mobile device 110. As a non-limiting example, if controller 130 includes two magnets, each magnet may be positioned along an edge or diameter of controller 130, with one magnet oriented with a positive polarity relative to mobile electronic device 110 and the other magnet oriented with a negative polarity relative to mobile electronic device 110.

[0036] It should be understood that the magnets 140a-140d may be varied in shape, number, and location as described above and may be disposed on or within various shapes of controller 130. For example, referring to the embodiment of Figure 4, this controller 130 includes a disk magnet 150 located at the center of controller 100 to provide a radially symmetric electromagnetic field, providing a constant electromagnetic field regardless of disk angle as controller 130 spins about its axis.

[0037] FIG. 5 illustrates system 100 with an exploded view of a control 130 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. As shown, in FIG. 5 , control 130 includes a platform 155, a body 160 (in an expanded state), and a button 170. Button 170 may include an assembly including magnets 140a-140d and a base plate 180. Platform 155, which may also be referred to as a fixture element or socket board, is generally configured to optionally mount control 130 to mobile electronic device 110 (e.g., front or back), but may otherwise be configured to mount control 130 to a case of mobile electronic device 110. Platform 155 may include an adhesive material, for example, to removably mount control 130 to mobile electronic device 110. In other examples, the platform 155 may include suction cups, some type of adhesive (e.g., glue, tape), or other means, including mechanical locking means, such as threads, hooks, locking fasteners, snap fits, etc., for attaching the controller 130 to the mobile electronic device 110. The platform 155 may be made of any suitable material, such as a thermoplastic polymer, polycarbonate, or the like.

[0038] Various aspects of magnet and control motion relative to a mobile electronic device within the scope of this disclosure are described below, along with descriptions of algorithms used to measure the type and amount of motion. Representative corresponding actions performed as a result of the motion are also described. The electromagnetic fields in the following algorithm descriptions are measured using a magnetometer sensor on the mobile electronic device, such as magnetometer sensor 120. It should be understood that sensors can include magnetometers, multi-axis motion sensors, and other motion detection components. Also, as noted above, depending on the detection sensitivity of the mobile device's magnetometer sensor and the strength of the control's magnet(s), changes in the position and / or orientation of the control relative to the mobile device (e.g., angle of the plane of the mobile device relative to the front or back of the mobile device, rotation about a vector perpendicular to the phone's major plane, etc.) can be detected and result in one or more corresponding actions when the control is sufficiently close to the mobile device, e.g., within 12 inches.

[0039] Translation-based action control In some embodiments, a high-pass filter may be applied to each of the x, y, and z components of the total electromagnetic field signal provided to the magnetic control software by the magnetometer sensor 120 of the mobile electronic device. The magnitudes of these x, y, and z components, with appropriate adjustment of the high-pass filters, are acquired at each time step to detect the total effective change in the electromagnetic field experienced by the mobile device, which is primarily affected by the controller 130 (and therefore its magnet(s)) during the state change. In some embodiments, when the magnetic control software detects spikes of these magnitudes that exceed a calibrated threshold, it may be inferred that a state transition has occurred. The sign of the sum of all the x, y, and z high-pass magnetometer values ​​collected over the spike may then be used to estimate the direction of the controller transition (i.e., deploy vs. retract, attach vs. detach). However, other linear and nonlinear signal processing algorithms may be used to estimate the direction of the controller transition. It should further be appreciated that this algorithm may be combined with a similar algorithm that uses signals provided by the accelerometer of the mobile electronic device, incorporating the accelerometer profile expected to result from such state transitions, thereby providing state-specific directional parameters that may provide more reliable detection. In one non-limiting example, the magnetic controller software may be configured to cause the mobile device to perform one or more of the above actions (e.g., play a different sound effect) each time the controller is vertically displaced (transitioned), such as when it is deployed or retracted or attached / detached (assuming the controller magnet is close enough to the mobile device that the change in electromagnetic field is detectable by the mobile device's magnetometer).

[0040] Rotation-based action control Radial reciprocating movement (scratch) detectionA high-pass filter is applied to each x, y, and z component of the electromagnetic field collected by the magnetic controller software using the mobile electronic device's magnetometer 120. The magnitudes of these x, y, and z components are acquired at each time step, and, under proper adjustment of the high-pass filters, detect the total effective change in the electromagnetic field experienced by the mobile electronic device, primarily influenced by the rotating magnets (e.g., magnets 140a-140d) of the controller 130. These magnitudes are normalized by the expected maximum value (as determined during the calibration process), which then directly estimates the magnitude of the "disk scratch" performed by the controller 130; i.e., the higher the filtered magnitudes, the faster the disk is estimated to be rotating, and vice versa. However, it should be understood that other linear and nonlinear signal processing algorithms can be used to estimate the state of disk rotation. Furthermore, the magnetic controller software may be configured to cause the mobile device to perform one or more of the above-mentioned actions (e.g., playing an audio sample (e.g., a disc scratch sound effect) or directly from a song, or other musical task) in a manner that is manipulated / modified as a function of the normalized magnitudes of the xyz components of the resulting electromagnetic field when the controller is attached to the front or back of (or sufficiently close to) the mobile device.

[0041] Spin direction estimationThe rotation direction of the controller 130 (i.e., clockwise or counterclockwise) can be first estimated by taking the cross product of the high-pass filtered magnetometer x, y, and z component vectors at time k and time k-1. A low-pass filter (to remove transient noise) is then applied to the z components (perpendicular to the screen of the mobile device) of these cross products. The signs of these low-pass filtered z components can then be used to determine the spin direction, which is then provided to the magnetic controller software to cause the mobile device to perform one or more of the above-mentioned actions (e.g., play audio forward vs. play audio backward) when the controller is attached to (or sufficiently close to) the front or back of the mobile device. It should be understood that in other embodiments, other linear or nonlinear signal processing algorithms can be used to estimate the spin direction.

[0042] Spin Estimation A low-pass filter is applied to the high-pass filtered magnitude measurement of the scratch detection, allowing a continuously changing magnetic field to build up over time, such as when the controller 130 is continuously rotating. By incorporating the sign of the spin direction, fast continuous scratches are filtered out. As with the "scratch" detection described above, the final magnitude can be compared to a calibrated expected maximum and the expected spin speed can be linearly interpolated. Alternatively, other linear or non-linear signal processing algorithms can be used alone or in combination with the spin speed estimation.

[0043] Angle EstimationIn embodiments in which the controller magnet includes a disk, such as disk magnet 150 of FIG. 4 above, the relative angle of the disk can be estimated by comparing current electromagnetic field measurements to a calibrated 360-degree profile of the disk's electromagnetic field. In certain embodiments, when the mobile electronic device is rotating, magnetometer data is collected relative to the Earth's electromagnetic field to avoid unwanted noise in the overall electromagnetic field profile. The magnetic controller software can periodically detect when the disk is rotating stably, for example, by applying a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to the xyz electromagnetic field data and observing spike waveforms in the spin rate frequency band expected during normal use. The magnetic controller software can then save the xyz electromagnetic field profile from a time period representing a single period of oscillation (e.g., based on the peak frequency from the FET). Each sample can represent a relative angle ranging from 0 to 360°, linearly interpolated based on its timestamp (approximating that the disk has a constant rotational rate throughout the spin). Of course, it should be understood that other linear and non-linear magnetic sensor signal processing algorithms can be used to detect when the disk is in a stable spin state; when a new sample is received, in certain embodiments, the root mean square (RMS) value is calculated from all calibrated samples over that period. According to one example, the angle can ultimately be estimated by interpolating between adjacent samples with the lowest RMS value. In certain embodiments, the magnetic controller software can continuously self-calibrate and / or warn the user when the lowest RMS value becomes too high (indicating that the calibration is no longer accurate). However, other methods for calibration can also be used.

[0044] Detecting the state during spin : For example, the state of the controller 130 when configured as a grip and in the retracted, intermediate, and deployed states can be estimated by first calibrating the observed amplitudes of each x, y, and z component of the measured electromagnetic field when the spinning portion of the controller 130 is in a stable spin state (e.g., as detected by thresholds in a spin estimation algorithm) in each of the three states. Then, in certain embodiments, the RMS of the new amplitude measurements is calculated for each of the three states, and the state with the lowest RMS (i.e., the closest amplitude measurement) is estimated to be the current state of the spinning portion of the controller 100. However, other linear and nonlinear magnetic sensor signal processing algorithms can be used for detecting stable spin states.

[0045] In certain embodiments, various outputs estimated by the above-described algorithms (e.g., spin rate, state transitions) are provided to the magnetic controller software and used to cause the mobile electronic device to perform one or more actions, including playing music, sound effects, etc. Additionally, various outputs estimated by the above-described algorithms (e.g., spin rate, state transitions) are provided to the magnetic controller software and used to cause the mobile electronic device to perform other actions, such as changing the volume, scrolling through social media feeds, editing photos and videos, controlling home automation products, etc. Furthermore, the magnetic controller software may include one or more game-based applications (e.g., a fishing reel game, a driving game, etc.) that utilize the physical movement of the controller (and magnet) relative to the mobile device to perform various in-game activities.

[0046] It should be understood that in certain embodiments, the controls disclosed herein may have an electromagnetic field profile based on detected changes in the electromagnetic field resulting from rotation and / or translation of the control / magnet relative to the mobile device (e.g., deployed vs. retracted, attached vs. detached). Such an electromagnetic field profile may be used to uniquely identify the control, for example, to determine which control type (grip type) is currently attached to the device (or is sufficiently nearby, as described above). Alternatively, as described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 6, in certain embodiments, a wirelessly powered tag interface (e.g., NFC, RFID, and the like) may be incorporated into the control, allowing wireless information to be shared between the control and other devices. Such a tag interface may exist in addition to or instead of a magnetic component in the control. A control with such a tag interface may optionally be formed as a mobile device grip, stand, or other accessory type. Furthermore, for those embodiments that include a radio tag interface, it should be understood that the magnetic controller software may further include tracking and information sharing software that implements one or more radio tag interface communication functions.

[0047] Referring now to FIG. 6, an alternative embodiment of the controller 130 of FIG. 5 is shown, again in an exploded view, incorporating the wireless tag described above. As shown, the controller 130 has a platform 210 similar to the platform 155 of FIG. 5. The controller 130 further includes a body 230 (similar to the body 160) coupled to the platform by optional teeth 220. Here, the body 230 is shown in a collapsed state. The controller 130 further includes an inner cover assembly 240, which is configured with a central bearing that provides rotational properties for the magnet(s) 250 and the top cover (or button) 260. The magnet(s) 250 may be disposed between the inner cover assembly 240 and the top cover (button) 260, as shown in FIG. 6, or may be integrally formed with either the inner cover assembly 240 or the top cover (button) 260.

[0048] Continuing with reference to FIG. 6, top cover (button) 260 is further configured to house the above-mentioned wireless tag 270, which is optionally covered by cap 280. In this embodiment, the above-mentioned wireless functionality can be incorporated into controller 130. Furthermore, consistent with the above description, changes in the position and / or orientation of controller 130 of FIG. 6 may similarly be detectable by a magnetometer on a mobile device when the controller is attached to the front or back of a mobile device, or when within a sufficiently close range of the mobile device, e.g., within 12 inches, depending on the detection sensitivity of the magnetometer sensor on the mobile device and the strength of the magnet(s) on the controller.

[0049] The following additional considerations apply to the above discussion: Consistently herein, multiple instances may perform a component, operation, or structure as a single instance. Although individual operations of one or more methods are illustrated and described as separate operations, one or more of the individual operations may be performed simultaneously, and there is no requirement that the operations be performed in the order illustrated. Structures and functionality presented as separate components in example configurations may be implemented as a combination of structures or components. Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements are within the scope of the subject matter of this specification.

[0050] Certain embodiments are described herein as including logic or multiple components, modules, or mechanisms. A module may be comprised of either a software module (e.g., code embodied in a machine-readable recording medium or carrier signal) or a hardware module. A hardware module is a tangible unit capable of performing certain operations and configured or arranged in a certain manner. In example embodiments, one or more computer systems (e.g., stand-alone, client, or server computer systems) or one or more hardware modules (e.g., a processor or a group of processors) of a computer system may be configured by software (e.g., an application or application portion) as a hardware module to perform certain operations as described herein.

[0051] Unless expressly stated otherwise, discussions herein using terms such as "processing," "computing," "calculating," "determining," "presenting," "displaying," or the like may refer to machine (e.g., computer) actions or processes that manipulate or transform data represented as physical (e.g., electrical, magnetic, or optical) quantities within one or more memories (e.g., volatile memory, non-volatile memory, or a combination thereof), registers, or other machine components that receive, store, transmit, or display information.

[0052] As used herein, "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular element, feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" in multiple places in the specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment.

[0053] Some embodiments may be described using the terms "coupled" and "connected," along with their derivatives. For example, some embodiments may be described using the term "coupled" to mean that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical connection with each other. The term "coupled," however, may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still cooperate or interact with each other. The embodiments are not limited in this sense.

[0054] As used herein, the terms "comprise," "comprising," "include," "including," "having," "having" or other derivatives thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent in such process, method, article, or apparatus. Furthermore, unless expressly stated to the contrary, "or" implies an inclusive, not an exclusive, inclusion. For example, condition A or B is satisfied by any of the following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or absent), A is false (or absent) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (or present).

[0055] Additionally, the use of articles indicating the singular is employed herein to describe elements or components of embodiments. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general meaning to the various embodiments. This description should be understood to include one or at least one, and the singular also encompasses the plural unless it is clear that it is meant otherwise.

[0056] It should be understood that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and / or relative positions of some elements in the figures have been exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common, but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in commercially viable embodiments are often not shown so as not to obscure the view of these various embodiments. The same reference numbers may be used to describe identical or similar parts. Furthermore, while several examples are disclosed herein, any feature of any example may be combined with or substituted for other features of other examples. Furthermore, while several examples are disclosed herein, changes may be made to the disclosed examples without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0057] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a wide range of modifications, variations and combinations can be made with respect to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention, and such modifications, variations and combinations are deemed to be within the scope of the inventive concept.

Claims

1. a mobile electronic device comprising a magnetometer sensor and one or more software modules executable by the mobile electronic device, the magnetometer sensor configured to measure an electromagnetic field and generate an electromagnetic field signal; and a control comprising one or more magnets, the control configured to be removably attached to the mobile electronic device or to a case of the mobile electronic device; the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the controller are configured to be movable relative to the mobile electronic device when attached to the mobile electronic device, and the relative movement is detectable by the magnetometer sensor; the one or more software modules, when executed by the mobile electronic device, are configured to receive electromagnetic field signals from the magnetometer sensor generated in response to the relative movement of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the control, and cause the mobile electronic device to perform an action based on the electromagnetic field signals; The one or more software modules are further configured to cause the mobile electronic device to perform the action based on a combination of the electromagnetic field signal and a signal from an accelerometer of the mobile electronic device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile electronic device comprises one of a mobile phone, a tablet, and a laptop.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the relative movement of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the control comprises a rotation of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the control about a vector perpendicular to the mobile electronic device.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the relative movement of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the control comprises translation of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the control in a direction perpendicular to the mobile electronic device.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the relative movement of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the control comprises an angular change of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the control relative to a plane of the mobile electronic device.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control includes a grip accessory configured to deploy and retract in a direction perpendicular to the mobile electronic device.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actions include at least one of enabling or disabling sound output by the mobile electronic device, displaying an image, a lighting function, a camera function, a user interface control, and a wireless communication function.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more magnets include a single disk-shaped magnet located at the center of the controller.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more magnets include at least two spaced apart magnets.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least two spaced apart magnets comprise two magnets oriented with opposite polarities relative to the mobile electronic device.

11. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more software modules are configured to determine that a state transition of the controller has occurred when a spike waveform of the electromagnetic field signal exceeding a threshold is detected.

12. A system as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the controller is further configured to wirelessly communicate with the mobile electronic device.

13. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the x, y, and z components of the electromagnetic field are measured at each of a plurality of time steps to determine a total effective magnetic field change resulting from the relative movement of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the controller.

14. A mobile electronic device comprising a magnetometer sensor and one or more software modules executable by the mobile electronic device, the magnetometer sensor configured to measure an electromagnetic field and generate an electromagnetic field signal; and a control comprising one or more magnets, the control configured to be removably attached to the mobile electronic device or to a case of the mobile electronic device; the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the controller are configured to be movable relative to the mobile electronic device when attached to the mobile electronic device, and the relative movement is detectable by the magnetometer sensor; the one or more software modules, when executed by the mobile electronic device, are configured to receive electromagnetic field signals from the magnetometer sensor generated in response to the relative movement of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the control, and cause the mobile electronic device to perform an action based on the electromagnetic field signals; The one or more software modules are configured to determine an electromagnetic field profile of the controller based on the electromagnetic field signals from the magnetometer sensor generated in response to the relative movement of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the controller.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more software modules are configured to determine a type of the control based on the electromagnetic field profile of the control.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the mobile electronic device comprises one of a mobile phone, a tablet, and a laptop.

17. The system described in claim 14, wherein the relative movement of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the controller includes a rotation of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the controller about a vector perpendicular to the mobile electronic device.

18. The system described in claim 14, wherein the relative movement of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the controller includes parallel movement of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the controller in a direction perpendicular to the mobile electronic device.

19. The system described in claim 14, wherein the relative movement of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the controller includes an angular change of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the controller relative to the plane of the mobile electronic device.

20. A system as described in any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein the controller includes a grip accessory configured to expand and contract in a direction perpendicular to the mobile electronic device.

21. A system as described in any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein the action includes at least one of enabling or disabling sound output by the mobile electronic device, displaying an image, lighting functions, camera functions, user interface control, and wireless communication functions.

22. A system described in any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein the one or more magnets include a single disk-shaped magnet located at the center of the controller.

23. A system described in any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein the one or more magnets include at least two spaced apart magnets.

24. The system described in claim 23, wherein the at least two spaced apart magnets include two magnets oriented with opposite polarities relative to the mobile electronic device.

25. A system as described in any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein the one or more software modules are configured to determine that a state transition of the controller has occurred when a spike waveform of the electromagnetic field signal exceeding a threshold is detected.

26. A system as described in any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein the x, y, and z components of the electromagnetic field are measured at each of a plurality of time steps to determine the total effective magnetic field change resulting from the relative movement of the one or more magnets and at least a portion of the controller.

27. ​​The system described in any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein the controller is further configured to wirelessly communicate with the mobile electronic device.

Images