Prior art

The USPTO website provides tools for searching patents, including prior art citations. I will use the provided patent text for US8115731 to extract the cited prior art.

Here is an analysis of the most relevant prior art cited in US patent 8115731, based on the "Cited By" and "Citations" sections of the patent document. "Anticipation" under 35 U.S.C. § 102 means that a single prior art reference discloses every element of a claim. Without a detailed claim chart analysis, it is difficult to definitively state which claims are fully anticipated, but I can indicate potential relevance.

Patent Citations (Examiner Cited & Applicant Cited):

The patent lists numerous citations. Here are some that appear most relevant to the core concepts of tilt-based input and handheld device interfaces:

1. US5602566A:
   • Full Citation: US5602566A, Hitachi, Ltd.
   • Publication Date: 1997-02-11 (Filed: 1993-08-24)
   • Brief Description: Describes a small-sized information processor capable of scrolling a screen in accordance with tilt, and a scrolling method therefor. This patent directly addresses using tilt for screen navigation on a small device.
   • Potential Anticipated Claim(s): This reference appears highly relevant to Claim 1, particularly the aspect of an "internally located directional input device providing a directional input signal... indicating an orientation" and an operating system causing a graphical element to "move... in a direction substantially parallel or substantially perpendicular to the orientation." It could potentially anticipate the core concept of tilt-based directional input.
2. US6411828B1:
   • Full Citation: US6411828B1, Ericsson Inc.
   • Publication Date: 2002-06-25 (Filed: 1999-03-19)
   • Brief Description: Communications devices and methods that operate according to communications device orientations determined by reference to gravitational sensors. This patent also directly teaches using orientation (via gravitational sensors) for device operation.
   • Potential Anticipated Claim(s): Similar to US5602566A, this patent is highly relevant to Claim 1, especially the use of an internally located device sensing orientation to control device operations. Claims 2, 6, and 7, which describe the use of a primary contact, directional contact, circuit closing means (like a ball bearing or mercury contact), and a base that biases the circuit closing means to a neutral position, may also be relevant.
3. US20030038778A1:
   • Full Citation: US20030038778A1, Siemens Information And Communication Mobile, Llc
   • Publication Date: 2003-02-27 (Filed: 2001-08-13)
   • Brief Description: Describes tilt-based pointing for handheld devices. This is a very direct reference to the subject matter of US8115731.
   • Potential Anticipated Claim(s): This patent directly addresses the core innovation of US8115731, making it highly relevant to Claim 1 and potentially many dependent claims that detail the mechanism of tilt-based input. The priority date of US8115731 is July 9, 2001, which is prior to the filing of this Siemens patent. Therefore, this reference may not be prior art to the earliest claims of US8115731, but it might be relevant to any later-filed claims or divisional applications with a later effective filing date.
4. US6573883B1:
   • Full Citation: US6573883B1, Hewlett Packard Development Company, L.P.
   • Publication Date: 2003-06-03 (Filed: 1998-06-24)
   • Brief Description: Method and apparatus for controlling a computing device with gestures. While broader than just tilt, gestures often encompass orientation changes.
   • Potential Anticipated Claim(s): Potentially relevant to Claim 1 for its general concept of controlling a computing device based on physical input, and potentially claims 11-14 which discuss detecting movement patterns (like a flick of the wrist) and accelerating or performing selection functions.
5. US7289102B2:
   • Full Citation: US7289102B2, Microsoft Corporation
   • Publication Date: 2007-10-30 (Filed: 2000-07-17)
   • Brief Description: Method and apparatus using multiple sensors in a device with a display. This patent discusses integrating various sensors, which could include orientation sensors, for device control.
   • Potential Anticipated Claim(s): Could be relevant to Claim 1, particularly concerning a handheld computing device with a display and processing sensor input for control. The filing date of this reference is July 17, 2000, which is prior to the July 9, 2001 priority date of US8115731.

Prior Art from "Family Cites Families" (Potential broader context, but not direct citations on US8115731):

While these are not directly cited on US8115731, they are cited by other patents in the same family, indicating broader relevance in the field.

1. US5059958A:
   • Full Citation: US5059958A, Jacobs Jordan S
   • Publication Date: 1991-10-22 (Filed: 1990-04-10)
   • Brief Description: Manually held tilt sensitive non-joystick control box. This explicitly describes a tilt-sensitive control.
   • Potential Anticipated Claim(s): Very relevant to the concept of tilt-based input, potentially anticipating aspects of Claim 1, especially regarding the internally located directional input and generating a signal indicating orientation.
2. EP0692109A4:
   • Full Citation: EP0692109A4, Vir Systems Pty Limited
   • Publication Date: 1997-05-02 (Filed: 1993-04-02)
   • Brief Description: Attitude sensing array. This describes a sensor system for determining orientation or attitude.
   • Potential Anticipated Claim(s): Relevant to Claim 1, particularly the "internally located directional input device... indicating an orientation" aspect.
3. US20030006959A1:
   • Full Citation: US20030006959A1, Marcelo Varanda
   • Publication Date: 2003-01-09 (Filed: 2002-07-09)
   • Brief Description: Method of operating a handheld device for directional input. This is an earlier publication by the same inventor (Marcelo Varanda) for a very similar invention, which indicates it is a parent application (as noted in the "Cross Reference to Related Applications" section of US8115731, where it states "This application is a divisional application from U.S. application Ser. No. 10/191,232 filed Jul. 9, 2002, now abandoned and further claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/303,865, filed on Jul. 9, 2001.").
   • Potential Anticipated Claim(s): As a divisional of a parent application, this would not anticipate claims of US8115731 if the claims in US8115731 are supported by the earlier priority date (July 9, 2001). Instead, it represents the continuation of the same inventive concept.

Please note that "potential anticipation" is a preliminary assessment. A full anticipation analysis would require a detailed comparison of each claim element to the disclosures of each prior art reference.