Changing a function of a device based on tilt of the device for longer than a time period

• US 20060103733A1
• Filed: 11/18/2004
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hakenewerth, Paul Andrew, Schultz, Kevin Laverne, Grady, Philip E., Oney, Kursad Urungu
• Granted Patent: US 7,382,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/208.300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• 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 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that, in an embodiment, change a function of an electronic device in response to a tilt of the electronic device. In various embodiments, changing the function involves disabling an input device, disabling an output device, changing a display mode of the output device from portrait to landscape, or increasing volume of the output device. In an embodiment, the change of the function is delayed by a time period, and the delay for changing the output device is longer than the delay for changing the input device. If the electronic device is upright, the input device and the output device are enabled. The tilt is sensed by a sensing device, signals from the sensing device are filtered, and a delay is introduced. In this way, premature disabling or enabling of the electronic device is avoided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining whether an electronic device has tilted greater than a threshold for longer than a first time period; and

changing a function of the electronic device if the determining is true.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing further comprises:

disabling an input device if the determining is true.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deciding whether the electronic device has tilted greater than the threshold for longer than a second time period, wherein the second time period is longer than the first time period; and

disabling an output device if the deciding is true.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deciding whether the electronic device has tilted greater than the threshold for longer than a second time period, wherein the second time period is longer than the first time period; and

changing an output device from portrait to landscape mode if the deciding is true.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

enabling the input device if the electronic device has tilted less than the threshold for longer than a second time period, wherein the second time period is longer than the first time period.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deciding whether the electronic device has tilted greater than the threshold for longer than a second time period, wherein the second time period is longer than the first time period; and

changing brightness of a display device if the deciding is true.

7. An apparatus comprising:

means for sensing tilt of an electronic device;

a plurality of means for filtering signals from the means for sensing;

a plurality of means for introducing a respective plurality of delays in output from the filtering; and

a plurality of means for changing a plurality of functions of the electronic device in response to the plurality of means for introducing.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of delays are different from each other.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plurality of functions are selected from a group consisting of:

enabling an input device, enabling an output device, disabling the input device, disabling the output device, changing sensitivity of the input device, increasing volume of a speaker, decreasing the volume of the speaker, changing a display device between portrait and landscape mode, changing brightness of the display device, changing speed of a processor, and changing the electronic device between a power saving mode and a normal operating mode.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of means for filtering further comprises:

a plurality of means for filtering motions of the electronic device based on averaging of signals from the means for sensing.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of means for filtering further comprises:

a plurality of means for filtering motions of the electronic device based on hysteresis of signals from the means for sensing.

12. A signal-bearing medium encoded with instructions, wherein the instructions when executed comprise:

determining whether an electronic device has tilted greater than a threshold for longer than a first time period; and

disabling an output device if the determining is true.

13. The signal-bearing medium of claim 12, further comprising:

deciding whether the electronic device has tilted greater than the threshold for longer than a second time period, wherein the second time period is less than the first time period; and

disabling an input device if the deciding is true.

14. The signal-bearing medium of claim 12, further comprising:

increasing volume of a speaker if the determining is true.

15. The signal-bearing medium of claim 12, further comprising:

enabling an input device if the electronic device is tilted less than the threshold for longer than the first time period.

16. The signal-bearing medium of claim 12, further comprising:

enabling the output device if the electronic device is tilted less than the threshold for longer than a second time period, wherein the second time period is less than the first time period.

17. An electronic device, comprising:

a processor;

a sensor that senses tilt of the electronic device;

an integrator that filters motions of the electronic device based on averaging of signals from the sensor and hysteresis of the signals;

a filter that introduces a delay in output from the integrator; and

a main memory encoded with instructions, wherein the instructions when executed on the processor comprise;

determining whether the electronic device has tilted greater than a threshold for longer than a first time period based on output from the filter, and

disabling an input device if the determining is true.

18. The electronic device of claim 17 wherein the instructions further comprise:

deciding whether the electronic device has tilted greater than the threshold for longer than a second time period, wherein the second time period is longer than the first time period; and

disabling an output device if the deciding is true.

19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the instructions further comprise:

deciding whether the electronic device has tilted greater than the threshold for longer than a second time period, wherein the second time period is longer than the first time period; and

changing an output device from portrait to landscape mode if the deciding is true.

20. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the instructions further comprise:

deciding whether the electronic device has tilted greater than the threshold for longer than a second time period, wherein the second time period is longer than the first time period; and

changing brightness of a display device if the deciding is true.