Electronic device with automatic mode switching

• US 10,303,489 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2017
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rothkopf, Fletcher R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Stephen W
• Application Number:
  US15/812,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20180067757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3234 Power saving characterised by the action undertaken
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/022 Knowledge engineering; Knowledge acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/006 Switches operated by mechanical overload condition, e.g. transmitted force or torque becoming too high
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/00 Details of switching devices, not covered by groups H01H1/00 - H01H7/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

An automatic hold switch is disclosed. The automatic hold switch provides a means for automatically switching a hold feature on and off. When the hold feature is on, one or more input devices of a portable electronic device are disabled or prevented from providing input signals. When the hold feature is off, one or more input devices of a portable electronic device are enabled or allowed to provide input signals. Because the user no longer has to manually control the hold feature, the number of actions that need to be taken by the user is reduced. In one example, the automatic hold switch is embodied with light sensors that detect when the device is in a dark environment and when the device is in a light environment. A dark environment indicates to the portable electronic device that the user wishes not to input and therefore the hold feature is turned on. A lighted environment indicates to the portable electronic device that the user wishes to input and therefore the hold feature is turned off.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a display that plays a video;

an accelerometer that obtains accelerometer data; and

circuitry that monitors the accelerometer data and pauses the video based on the accelerometer data.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to pause the video when the accelerometer data indicates that motion of the electronic device has decreased a given amount.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to pause the video when the accelerometer data indicates that motion of the electronic device has reached a predetermined level.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to power down the display based on the accelerometer data.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 4, wherein the circuitry is configured to power down the display in response to the accelerometer data indicating that the electronic device is not in motion.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a light sensor that obtains light sensor data.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 6, wherein the circuitry is configured to pause the video based on the accelerometer data and the light sensor data.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a display that plays a video;

a light sensor that obtains light sensor data; and

circuitry that monitors the light sensor data and pauses the video based on the light sensor data.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 8, wherein the circuitry is configured to pause the video when the light sensor data indicates a low level of light.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 9, wherein the circuitry is configured to play the video when the light sensor data indicates a high level of light.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 8, wherein the circuitry is configured to pause the video when the light sensor data indicates a level of light that is below a predetermined threshold.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 8, wherein the circuitry is configured to pause the video when the light sensor data indicates a level of light that differs by a predetermined amount from a previous level of light.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 8, wherein the light sensor comprises a light sensor selected from the group consisting of:

a photodiode, a phototransistor, a photoresistor, a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensor, and a charge-coupled device (CCD) sensor.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 8, wherein the light sensor is formed proximate the display.

15. An electronic device comprising:

a light sensor configured to measure a level of light; and

circuitry that places the electronic device in one of an input mode and a hold mode based on the level of light, wherein the circuitry places the electronic device in the input mode at a first level of light and places the electronic device in the hold mode at a second level of light that is lower than the first level of light.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 15, wherein at least one input component of the electronic device is deactivated in the hold mode.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 15, wherein the circuitry is configured to place the electronic device in the hold mode when the second level of light is below a predetermined level.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 15, wherein the circuitry is configured to place the electronic device in the hold mode when a difference between the first level of light and the second level of light is greater than a predetermined amount.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 15, further comprising:

a housing; and

a window in the housing below which the light sensor is located.

20. The electronic device defined in claim 19, further comprising:

a display in the housing.