Electronic device with automatic mode switching

• US 10,394,575 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2017
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• 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:
  US15/499,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20170228242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 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 having a touch sensor;

a sensor that detects an orientation of the electronic device; and

a controller that switches the touch sensor between an enabled mode and a disabled mode based on the orientation of the electronic device.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a gyroscope.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the controller receives signals from the touch sensor when the touch sensor is in the enabled mode.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the controller does not receive signals from the touch sensor when the touch sensor is in the disabled mode.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a force sensor, wherein the controller switches the touch sensor between the enabled mode and the disabled mode based on force data from the force sensor.

7. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch screen display;

a motion sensor that detects motion of the electronic device; and

a controller that activates and deactivates the touch screen display based on the motion of the electronic device.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the motion sensor comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of:

an accelerometer and a gyroscope.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 7 further comprising an ambient light sensor.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the controller activates and deactivates the touch screen display based on ambient light data from the ambient light sensor.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 10 wherein the touch screen display comprises a backlight and wherein the controller controls the backlight based on the ambient light data from the ambient light sensor.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the controller activates the touch screen when the motion of the electronic device reaches a predetermined level of motion.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the controller activates the touch screen display when the motion sensor detects that the electronic device moves from an upside down position to an upright position.

14. An electronic device, comprising:

a display having a touch sensor;

an ambient light sensor that detects ambient light;

a motion sensor that detects a change in position of the electronic device; and

a controller that enables and disables the touch sensor based on the ambient light and the change in position.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the controller deactivates the touch sensor when the motion sensor detects that the electronic device has not moved for a predetermined period of time.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the display comprises a backlight and wherein the controller adjusts the backlight based on the ambient light.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the controller deactivates the backlight when the ambient light reaches a predetermined darkness level.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 14 further comprising a force sensor, wherein the controller activates the touch sensor in response to an input to the force sensor.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 18 wherein the controller activates the touch sensor when the input to the force sensor has reached a predetermined level.

20. The electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the motion sensor detects a tilt of the electronic device and wherein the controller enables the touch sensor based on the tilt.