AUTOMATIC SWITCH DEVICE BY SENSING DIRECTION FOR A HANDHELD APPARATUS HAVING DOUBLE-SIDED KEYPAD ARRANGEMENT

• US 20090234503A1
• Filed: 03/12/2008
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Topseed Technology Corp.
• Original Assignee: Topseed Technology Corp.
• Inventors: Chen, Shoel-Lai, Hsu, Che-Hao
• Application Number:
  US12/046,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20090234503A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric

Abstract

A switch device disposed in a handheld apparatus having double-sided keypad arrangement is capable of automatically switching to enable a keypad on an upward side and disable the downward keypad by means of sensing directionality of the apparatus. The handheld apparatus has a cuboidal housing, whose two opposite sides equip a keypad, respectively. The switch device in the apparatus has a gravity sensor for detecting a distribution of gravity of the apparatus along three coordinate axes. The senor sends a gravity signal to a controller, which judges a direction of the apparatus being disposed. The controller sends a switching signal to a relay connected to the two keypads. The relay controls either of the keypads to be available.

Claims

1. An automatic switch device by sensing direction for a handheld apparatus having double-sided keypad arrangement, wherein the handheld apparatus has a housing including a first panel and a second panel which are parallel, and the first panel and the second panel equip a first keypad and a second keypad, respectively, the automatic switch device comprising:

a gravity sensor disposed in the housing for detecting a direction of gravity and outputting a gravity signal;

a controller disposed in the housing, electrically connected to the gravity sensor for receiving the gravity signal, and judging a direction of the housing according to the gravity signal and then outputting a control signal; and

a relay disposed in the housing, having a control end electrically connected to controller for receiving the control signal, and at least one switch controlled by the control end and electrically connected to the first keypad and the second keypad;

wherein the relay switches one of the two keypads to be enabled and the other one to be disabled under a control of the control signal from the controller.

2. The switch device of claim 1, wherein the gravity sensor detects a distribution of gravity along three dimensional rectangular coordinate axes.