Selecting a function of components based on orientation

• US 20060174687A1
• Filed: 02/04/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Autor, Jeffrey S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,652,589 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/1.770
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/00 Compasses; Devices for ascertaining true or magnetic north for navigation or surveying purposes using gyroscopic effect G01C19/00

Abstract

In at least some embodiments, a method comprises determining an orientation of a device, said device having at least one component with a selectable function. The method further comprises selecting a function for the at least one component based on the orientation.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining an orientation of a device, said device having at least one component with a selectable function; and

selecting a function for the at least one component based on the orientation.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying one of two sets of oppositely oriented labels to label the at least one component based on the orientation.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the orientation of the device comprises sensing a measurable parameter that indicates the orientation of the device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the orientation of the device comprises detecting a manually operated switch position.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the orientation of the device comprises determining a position of the device within an enclosure.

6. A device, comprising:

a plurality of components, each component being associated with at least one function of the device; and

component control logic coupled to the components and configured to select a function of at least one of the components based on an orientation of the device.

7. The device of claim 6 further comprising two sets of icons in opposite orientations for identifying a function associated with each of the components.

8. The device of claim 7 further comprising icon control logic configured to illuminate one of the two sets of icons based on the orientation of the device.

9. The device of claim 6 further comprising an orientation detector coupled to the component control logic, the orientation detector asserts a signal that indicates an orientation of the device to the component control logic.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the orientation detector comprises a manually controlled switch.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein the orientation detector comprises a connector configured to connect to corresponding connectors of an enclosure, wherein adjacent corresponding connectors are configured to cause the signal to indicate opposite orientations of the device to the component control logic.

12. The device of claim 6 wherein the device comprises a computer.

13. The device of claim 6 wherein the components comprise input components.

14. The device of claim 6 wherein the components comprise output components.

15. The device of claim 6 further comprising an asymmetrical chassis that encloses at least some hardware of the device.

16. The device of claim 6 wherein at least one of the components is configured to provide a maximum amount of colors used by either of two different functions assigned to each of the at least one of the components by the component control logic.

17. A computer rack, comprising:

a plurality of computers, each computer having at least one component with a selectable function;

wherein a function of the at least one component is selected based on a computer'"'"'s position within the rack.

18. The computer rack of claim 17 wherein adjacent positions within the computer rack are associated with computers in opposite orientations.

19. A computer, comprising:

means for outputting information;

means for determining an orientation of the computer; and

means for selecting a function assigned to the means for outputting information based on the orientation.

20. The computer of claim 19 further comprising means for inputting information and means for selecting a function assigned to the means for inputting information based on the orientation.