Portable Electronic Apparatus and Geomagnetism Sensor Calibration Method

• US 20090320305A1
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Ito, Kazuto, Ueno, Yasuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 33/356
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 25/00 Nanomagnetism, e.g. magnetoimpedance, anisotropic magnetoresistance, giant magnetoresistance or tunneling magnetoresistance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/28 Electromagnetic compasses with north seeking magnetic elements and having electric pick-offs G01C17/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/38 Testing, calibrating, or compensating of compasses
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/02 Measuring direction or magnitude of magnetic fields or magnetic flux G01R33/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/093 using multilayer structures, e.g. giant magnetoresistance sensors thin magnetic films H01F10/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 35/005 Calibrating; Standards or reference devices, e.g. voltage or resistance standards, "golden" references G01R33/0035, G01R35/002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A portable electronic apparatus able to execute processing concerning calibration of a geomagnetism sensor at a suitable timing and a method of calibration of such a geomagnetism sensor are provided.

Further, when a key of a key input part (103) is operated in a power-saving mode, the power-saving mode ends, and the processing concerning the calibration of a detection value of a geomagnetism sensor (110) is executed. Due to this, the processing concerning the calibration is executed in a state where a user tries to view a screen of a display part (107), therefore the calibration processing is executed in a state where an angle of housings with respect to the horizontal plane is suitable, and a calculation precision of a bearing can be improved. Further, by executing the processing concerning the calibration during activation of the navigation application (processing concerning the calculation and display of the bearing), useless calibration is not carried out in a state where the calculation and display of the bearing are not carried out, therefore an increase of power consumed can be suppressed.

Claims

1. A portable electronic apparatus provided with a geomagnetism sensor detecting geomagnetism, a display part configured to display information, an input part configured to input an instruction, and a control part configured to calculate a bearing based on a detection value of the geomagnetism sensor and to display information of the bearing on the display part,

wherein the control part can execute power-saving processing shifting to a power-saving mode reducing power consumed by the display part when no instruction is input to the input part for a predetermined time or more and calibration-related processing concerning calibration of the geomagnetism sensor and, when an instruction is input to the input part in the power-saving mode, ends the power-saving mode and executes the calibration-related processing.

2. A portable electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the control part executes the calibration-related processing after a predetermined waiting time passes after input by the input part occurs in the power-saving mode.

3. A portable electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the control part executes the calibration-related processing after a predetermined waiting time further passes from the next input when the next input by the input part occurs before the elapse of the predetermined waiting time.

4. A portable electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the control part executes processing in response to an instruction input at the input part before executing the calibration-related processing when the input at the input part occurs in the power-saving mode.

5. A portable electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the apparatus is provided with housings composed to be able to cover a screen of the display part, and

the control part does not execute the calibration-related processing when the housings are in a state where the screen of the display part is covered.

6. A portable electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the control part executes the calibration-related processing when the power-saving mode ends in response to an input of an instruction to the input part after a shift to the power-saving mode occurs in a state where processing concerning calculation and display of the bearing is executed.

7. A portable electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the control part executes calibration-related processing when the power-saving mode ends by input, to the input part, of an instruction different from the instruction controlling the progress of the processing concerning the calculation and display of the bearing after a shift to the power-saving mode occurs in a state where processing concerning the calculation and display of the bearing is executed.

8. A portable electronic apparatus

provided with a geomagnetism sensor detecting geomagnetism, a display part configured to display information, housings composed so that the screen of the display part can be covered, an input part configured to input an instruction, and a control part configured to calculate a bearing based on a detection value of the geomagnetism sensor and to display information of the bearing on the display part,

wherein the control part can execute calibration-related processing concerning the calibration of the geomagnetism sensor,

in the state where the screen of the display part is covered while the control part executes the processing concerning the calculation of the bearing, the control part executes the calibration-related processing after the covered state is cancelled.

9. A portable electronic apparatus

provided with a geomagnetism sensor detecting geomagnetism, a display part configured to display information, an input part configured to input an instruction, housings composed so that at least a part of the input part can be covered, and a control part configured to calculate a bearing based on a detection value of the geomagnetism sensor and to display information of the bearing on the display part,

wherein the control part can execute calibration-related processing concerning the calibration of the geomagnetism sensor,

in the state where at least a part of the input part is covered while the control part executes the processing concerning the calculation of the bearing, the control part executes the calibration-related processing after the covered state is cancelled.

10. A portable electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the control part executes the calibration-related processing when the covered input part is operated after the covered state of at least a part of the input part is cancelled.

11. A portable electronic apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the control part executes the calibration-related processing when the covered input part is operated after the cancellation of the covered state of at least a part of the input part, and the operation is an instruction which is different from an instruction controlling the progress of the processing.

12. A method of calibration of a geomagnetism sensor in a portable electronic apparatus provided with a geomagnetism sensor detecting geomagnetism, a display part configured to display information, and an input part inputting an instruction,

this method of calibration of a geomagnetism sensor executing

a bearing identifying step calculating a bearing based on a detection value of the geomagnetism sensor and displaying information of the bearing on the display part,

a power-saving step shifting to a power-saving mode reducing the power consumed by the display part when an instruction is not input for a predetermined time or more at the input part, and

a calibration step calibrating the geomagnetism sensor or reporting the calibration,

and ends the power-saving mode and executes the calibration step when an instruction is input to the input part in the power-saving mode.