Mobile electronic device

• US 20090312051A1
• Filed: 06/13/2008
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hainzl, Richard Andreas Axel, Hansson, Per-Ragnar
• Application Number:
  US12/157,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20090312051A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• 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 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/964 Piezoelectric touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0281 for providing single handed use or left/right hand conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/302 Sensors

Abstract

In an embodiment, a mobile electronic device is provided which is equipped with one or more pressure-sensitive areas. In an embodiment, pressure or force acting on said pressure-sensitive areas is converted to an electric signal and evaluated by a control unit to control functions of the mobile electronic device.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device comprising:

at least one portion of piezoelectric material, and

a control unit coupled to said at least one portion of piezoelectric material, said control unit being configured to control at least one function of said mobile electronic device depending on a signal generated by said at least one portion of piezoelectric material.

2. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a cover at least partially covering an outer surface of said mobile electronic device,

wherein said at least one portion of piezoelectric material is positioned adjacent to said cover at an inner side of said cover.

3. The mobile electronic device according to claim 2,

wherein said at least one portion of piezoelectric material is attached to said inner side of said cover.

4. The mobile device of claim 2,

wherein said cover is arranged such that a location of said at least one portion of piezoelectric material is not visually discernable from an outside of said mobile electronic device.

5. The mobile electronic device of claim 1,

wherein said at least one portion of piezoelectric material comprises at least one piezoelectric film.

6. The mobile device of claim 1,

wherein said at least one portion of piezoelectric material comprises polyvinylidene fluoride.

7. The mobile electronic device of claim 1,

wherein at least one portion of said at least one portion of piezoeletronic material is positioned at a position selected from the group comprising a position on a side surface of the mobile electronic device, a position corresponding to positions of fingers when a user grabs the mobile electronic device, a position on a back side of the mobile electronic device, a position at a corner of the mobile electronic device, a position on a battery cover of the mobile electronic device, a position inside the mobile electronic device, a position on an outer side of the mobile electronic device and a position adjacent to a battery of the mobile electronic device.

8. The mobile electronic device of claim 1,

wherein said at least one portion of piezoelectric material comprises a plurality of portions of piezoelectric material, and wherein said control unit is configured to evaluate signals received from at least some of said plurality of portions of piezo-electric material separately.

9. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein said at least one function comprises one or more functions taken from the group comprising a sound control function, a volume control function, a track change function, a messaging function, a locking function, an unlocking function, a damage warning function, a force recording function, an answer call function, a reject call function, a silence call function, an exercise function, a pulse measuring function, a gaming function, a leisure function and a sport function.

10. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

an accelerometer,

wherein said control unit is configured to control at least one of the at least one function depending on a signal received from said accelerometer.

11. The mobile electronic device of claim 1,

wherein said mobile electronic device is chosen from the group comprising a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant, a portable gaming device, a smartphone and a portable music player.

12. The mobile electronic device of claim 1,

wherein said cover at least at portions covering said at least one portion of piezoelectric material is made of a flexible material.

13. The mobile electronic device of claim 1,

wherein said at least one function is controllable by a user by exerting pressure on at least one portion of said at least one portion of piezoelectric material.

14. A mobile electronic device, comprising:

an inner portion,

a flexible cover covering at least part of said inner portion,

at least one pressure-sensitive film attached to said cover and arranged between said cover and said inner portion, said at least one pressure-sensitive film being configured to convert a pressure received to an electric signal, and

a control circuit to control said mobile electronic device depending on said signal.

15. A method for controlling a mobile electronic device, comprising:

receiving pressure on at least one portion of piezoelectric material,

converting the pressure to a voltage by said piezoelectric material, and

controlling at least one function of said mobile electronic device depending on said voltage.

16. The method of claim 15,

wherein said at least one function comprises one or more functions taken from the group comprising a sound control function, a volume control function, a track change function, a messaging function, a locking function, an unlocking function, a damage warning function, a force recording function, an answer-call function, a reject-call function, an exercise function, a pulse measuring function, a gaming function, a leisure function and a sport function.