Patent ID: 8537110

Claim:
A method for simulating virtual device buttons, the method comprising: receiving, via one or more motion sensors in a device, an indication of a particular physical impact incurred by the device, wherein receiving the indication of the particular physical impact comprises: receiving a first signal at a first motion sensor of the device; receiving a second signal at a second motion sensor of the device; and comparing the first signal to the second signal to generate the indication of the particular physical impact, wherein: the first and second signals comprise one or more of: first and second amplitude values, first and second frequency values and/or first and second direction values, and comparing the first signal to the second signal comprises one or more of: determining a differential frequency value from the first and second frequency values, determining a differential amplitude value from the first and second amplitude values and/or determining a differential direction value from the first and second direction values; determining whether the indication corresponds to one or more of a plurality of predetermined characteristics; and invoking a device function in response to determining that the indication corresponds to one or more of the plurality of predetermined characteristics, wherein the plurality of predetermined characteristics comprise indications associated with responses of the device to physical impacts incurred at different locations on the device.