Patent ID: 8682606

Claim:
A mobile device to detect user selection of one or more virtual buttons, the mobile device comprising: a housing comprising a first surface area associated with a first virtual button, wherein the first surface area is a subset of the complete surface area of the mobile device; a first sensor comprising a first axis, wherein the first sensor is configured to generate a first sensor signal, wherein the first sensor signal is indicative of angular movement of the mobile device about the first axis of the first sensor; a second sensor comprising a first axis, wherein the second sensor is configured to generate a second sensor signal, wherein the second sensor signal is indicative of linear movement of the mobile device along the first axis of the second sensor; and a processor coupled to access information derived from the first sensor signal and coupled to access data derived from the second sensor signal, and to determine therefrom whether motion of the mobile device indicates user selection of the first virtual button, wherein a minimum sensitivity is needed to determine whether motion of the mobile device indicates user selection of the first virtual button, and wherein the first sensor is positioned at a selected distance and orientation relative to the second sensor, so that a lever arm between the first sensor and the second sensor is greater than or equal to a minimum lever arm associated with the minimum sensitivity.