Free-fall detection device and free-fall protection system for a portable electronic apparatus
First Claim
1. A free-fall detection device for a portable apparatus comprising:
- an acceleration sensor generating at least a first and a second acceleration signal correlated to a respective component of a sensed acceleration along a respective detection axis; and
a free-fall detection module coupled to said acceleration sensor, wherein said free-fall detection module is configured to carry out a comparison between each one of said first and second acceleration signals and a respective acceleration threshold, and to generate a free-fall detection signal according to the result of both comparisons.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an integrated free-fall detection device for a portable apparatus an acceleration sensor generates acceleration signals correlated to the components of the acceleration of the portable apparatus along three detection axes. A dedicated purely hardware circuit connected to the acceleration sensor generates a free-fall detection signal in a continuous way and in real-time. The free-fall detection signal has a first logic value in the event that the acceleration signals are simultaneously lower than a respective acceleration threshold, and is sent to a processor unit of the portable apparatus as an interrupt signal to activate appropriate actions of protection for the portable apparatus. Preferably, the acceleration sensor and the dedicated purely hardware circuit are integrated in a single chip and the acceleration sensor is made as a MEMS.
76 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A free-fall detection device for a portable apparatus comprising:
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an acceleration sensor generating at least a first and a second acceleration signal correlated to a respective component of a sensed acceleration along a respective detection axis; and
a free-fall detection module coupled to said acceleration sensor, wherein said free-fall detection module is configured to carry out a comparison between each one of said first and second acceleration signals and a respective acceleration threshold, and to generate a free-fall detection signal according to the result of both comparisons. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A free-fall protection system for a portable apparatus, comprising:
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(a) a free-fall detection device configured to issue a warning signal upon detecting a free-fall condition of said portable apparatus, including;
(i) an acceleration sensor generating at least a first and a second acceleration signal correlated to a respective component of a sensed acceleration along a respective detection axis; and
(ii) a free-fall detection module coupled to said acceleration sensor, and configured to carry out a comparison between each one of said first and second acceleration signals and a respective acceleration threshold, and to generate a free-fall detection signal according to the result of both comparisons; and
(b) a protection device connected to said free-fall detection device and configured to activate protection actions for said portable apparatus upon receiving said warning signal. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A portable apparatus, comprising:
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(a) a free-fall detection device configured to issue a warning signal upon detecting a free-fall condition of said portable apparatus, comprising;
(i) an acceleration sensor generating at least a first and a second acceleration signal correlated to a respective component of a sensed acceleration along a respective detection axis; and
(ii) a free-fall detection module coupled to said acceleration sensor, and configured to carry out a comparison between each one of said first and second acceleration signals and a respective acceleration threshold, and to generate a free-fall detection signal according to the result of both comparisons; and
(b) a protection device connected to said free-fall detection device and configured to activate protection actions for said portable apparatus upon receiving said warning signal. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A data storage device comprising:
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(I) a data storage medium;
(II) a read/write head associated with said data storage medium; and
(III) a free-fall protection system comprising;
(a) a free-fall detection device configured to issue a warning signal upon detecting a free-fall condition of said data-storage device, comprising;
(i) an acceleration sensor generating at least a first and a second acceleration signal correlated to a respective component of a sensed acceleration along a respective detection axis; and
(ii) a free-fall detection module coupled to said acceleration sensor and configured to carry out a comparison between each one of said first and second acceleration signals and a respective acceleration threshold and to generate a free-fall detection signal; and
(b) a protection device connected to said free-fall detection device and configured to activate protection actions for said data storage device upon receiving said warning signal. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A method for protecting a portable apparatus from a free-fall event comprising:
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detecting a free-fall condition of said portable electronic apparatus based on an acceleration of said portable electronic apparatus;
wherein said detecting a free-fall condition comprises;
acquiring at least a first and a second acceleration signal correlated to a respective component of said acceleration along a respective detection axis;
comparing each one of said first and second acceleration signals with a respective acceleration threshold;
detecting said free-fall condition according to the result of both comparisons; and
activating protection actions for said portable apparatus upon detection of said free-fall condition. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification