Using spatial information with device interaction

Abstract

The amount of resources needed for an electronic device to track and/or interact with a user is reduced by utilizing a predicted relative position of that user. In some embodiments, a full 360° scan is performed using at least one image capture element to locate a primary direction to a user of the device. Once this direction is determined, a smaller range (e.g., 45°) centered around that direction can be used to capture, analyze, or provide information for the user. As the user moves, the determined direction is updated and the range adjusted accordingly. If the user moves outside the range, the device can increase the size of the range until the user is located, and the range can again be decreased around the determined direction. Such approaches limit the amount of image or audio information that must be captured and/or analyzed to track the relative position of a user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of capturing information about a user of an electronic device, comprising:
 detecting a motion of the electronic device;   storing information about the movement to temporary storage;   after the detected motion, analyzing the stored information to attempt to determine an action corresponding to the motion with respect to the electronic device;   predicting a direction of a user with respect to the electronic device based at least in part upon the detected motion; and   capturing, using at least one capture element of the electronic device, information over an angular range surrounding the predicted direction of the user to determine the actual direction to the user from the electronic device, the information being captured being determined at least in part by the determined action.