Portable electronis device and the mode switching method thereof

• US 20100013778A1
• Filed: 07/15/2009
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Liu, Ching-Tung, Lai, Yu-Peng
• Application Number:
  US12/458,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20100013778A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/02 Power saving arrangements in wired systems H04L12/12; signaling of mobile application services, e.g. low battery notifications H04W4/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The present invention relates to a portable electronic device which can be switched between a first mode and a second mode. The portable electronic device comprises a first sensor to detect a touch on the portable electronic device and generate a first signal based on such touch, a second sensor to detect a movement of the portable electronic device and generate a second signal based on such movement, and a processing unit which electrically connects the first sensor and the second sensor. When the portable electronic device is in the first mode, the processing unit switches the portable electronic device to the second mode based on the first and second signals. In addition, the present invention provides a mode switching method that enables the portable electronic device to determine whether to enter or exit from the sleep mode.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device which can be switched between a first mode and a second mode, comprising:

a first sensor for detecting a touch on said portable electronic device and generating a first signal based on said touch;

a second sensor for detecting a movement of said portable electronic device and generating a second signal based on said movement; and

a processing unit which electrically connects said first sensor and said second sensor;

wherein when said portable electronic device is in said first mode, said processing unit switches said portable electronic device to said second mode based on said first signal and said second signal.

2. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said first mode is a sleep mode;

said second mode is an operating mode; and

said portable electronic device consumes less power in sleep mode than in operating mode.

3. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said second sensor initiates the detection of said movement of said portable electronic device based on said first signal.

4. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said first mode is a sleep mode;

said second mode is an operating mode;

said first sensor is a touch sensor; and

said second sensor is an accelerometer.

5. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said first sensor is a capacitive touch sensor disposed at one side of said portable electronic device.

6. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a display, wherein said first sensor is a capacitive touch sensor disposed at a surface opposite to the surface of said display.

7. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit will determine whether to switch said portable electronic device to said second mode based on the state of said second signal after the state of said first signal is confirmed.

8. The portable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein said first sensor is a capacitive touch sensor while said second sensor is an accelerometer.

9. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said first mode is an operating mode while said second mode is a sleep mode.

10. The portable electronic device according to claim 9, wherein said first sensor is a capacitive touch sensor while said second sensor is an accelerometer.

11. A mode switching method for a portable electronic device which can be switched between a first mode and a second mode, the method comprising:

detecting a touch on said portable electronic device and generating a first signal based on said touch;

detecting a movement of said portable electronic device and generating a second signal based on said movement; and

switching said portable electronic device to said second mode based on said first signal and said second signal when said portable electronic device is in said first mode.

12. The mode switching method for portable electronic device according to claim 11, wherein said first mode is a sleep mode;

said second mode is an operating mode; and

said portable electronic device consumes less power in said first mode than in said second mode.

13. The mode switching method for portable electronic device according to claim 11, further comprising the step of initiating the detection of said movement of said portable electronic device based on said first signal.

14. The mode switching method for portable electronic device according to claim 11, wherein said second signal includes movement value and said method further comprises the steps of:

determining whether said movement value falls within a first predetermined range; and

switching said portable electronic device to said second mode when said movement value falls within said first predetermined range.

15. The mode switching method for portable electronic device according to claim 14, wherein said first predetermined range is the range corresponding to changes of said movement value when said portable electronic device is being lifted.

16. The mode switching method for portable electronic device according to claim 11, wherein said first mode is an operating mode while said second mode is a sleep mode.

17. The mode switching method for portable electronic device according to claim 16, wherein said second signal includes movement value and said method further comprises the steps of:

determining whether said movement value falls within a second predetermined range; and

switching said portable electronic device to said second mode when said movement value falls within said second predetermined range.

18. The mode switching method for portable electronic device according to claim 17, wherein said second predetermined range is the range corresponding to changes of said movement value when said portable electronic device is being put down.

19. A portable electronic device which can be switched between a first mode and a second mode, comprising:

a touch sensor for detecting a touch on said portable electronic device and generating a first signal based on said touch;

an accelerometer which initiates detection of a gravitational acceleration of said portable electronic device based on said first signal and generates a second signal based on said gravitational acceleration; and

a processing unit electrically connecting said touch sensor and said accelerometer;

wherein when said portable electronic device is in said first mode, said processing unit switches said portable electronic device to said second mode based on said second signal.

20. The portable electronic device according to claim 19, wherein said first mode is a sleep mode;

said second mode is an operating mode; and

said portable electronic device consumes less power in said first mode than in said second mode.