METHOD FOR DETECTING AN ORIENTATION OF A DEVICE AND DEVICE HAVING AN ORIENTATION DETECTOR

• US 20090013544A1
• Filed: 01/13/2005
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Kuiper, Stein, Hendriks, Bernardus H.W.
• Application Number:
  US10/596,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20090013544A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 33/366.160
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/06 Electric or photoelectric indication or reading means
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/20 the indication being based on the inclination of the surface of a liquid relative to its container
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/005 based on electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/14 of variable focal length

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method for detecting an orientation of a device (1) with respect to a direction of an acceleration force and a device (1) comprising an optical device (10) comprising a first liquid (A) and a second liquid (B), said liquids (A; B) being immiscible, having different refractive indices and different densities and being in contact with each other via an interface (14), a sensor (20) comprising a grid of pixels (22), the sensor (20) being arranged to sense an image captured by the optical device (10) on a subset (24, 24′) of the grid of pixels (22); and calculating means (30) for calculating an orientation of the device (1) with respect to a direction of an acceleration force from the position of the subset (24, 24) on the grid (22). Consequently, the orientation of the device (1) with respect to the direction of an acceleration force such as gravity can be obtained without mechanically moving parts.

Claims

1. A method of detecting an orientation of a device (1) with respect to a direction of an acceleration force, comprising:

providing a device (1) having an optical device (10) comprising a first liquid (A) and a second liquid (B), said liquids (A;

B) being immiscible, having different refractive indices and different densities and being in contact with each other via an interface (14); and

a sensor (20) comprising a grid of pixels (22);

sensing an image captured by the optical device (10) on a subset (24, 24′

) of the grid of pixels (22); and

calculating the orientation of the device (1) from the position of the subset (24, 24′

) on the grid (22).

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the acceleration force is gravity.

3. A device (1) comprising:

an optical device (10) comprising a first liquid (A) and a second liquid (B), said liquids being immiscible, having different refractive indices and different densities and being in contact with each other via an interface (14);

a sensor (20) comprising a grid of pixels (22), the sensor (20) being arranged to sense an image captured by the optical device (10) on a subset (24, 24′

) of the grid of pixels (22); and

calculating means (30) for calculating an orientation of the device (1) with respect to a direction of an acceleration force from the position of the subset (24, 24′

) on the grid (22).

4. A device (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first liquid (A) is an electrically susceptible liquid.

5. A device (1) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the optical device (10) further comprises an electrode structure (11, 12) in conductive contact with the first liquid (A), and wherein the device (1) further comprises driver circuitry (40) coupled to the electrode structure (11, 12).

6. A device (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second liquid (B) comprises a mixture of oils.

7. A device (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the calculating means comprise a memory element for storing calibration data, the calculating means being arranged to calculate the orientation using the calibration data.

8. A device (1) as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a light source (50) in front of the optical device (10).

9. A device (1) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the light source (50) is removable.

10. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the acceleration force is gravity.