ACTUATOR NOTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR USE WITH A MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE, A METHOD OF AUTOMATICALLY DRIVING AN ACTUATOR ON A MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE, AND A MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE UTILIZING SAME

• US 20100222096A1
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: GRIFFIN, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 8,099,126 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/550.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls

Abstract

An actuator notification system is for use with a mobile communications device. A device actuator is selectively movable, by hand, between first and second positions. An electric drive motor operatively engages the actuator. A control processor on-board the device is operatively encoded to start the motor, so as to drive the actuator between the first and second positions. A related method of automatically driving an actuator on a mobile communications device uses a control processor on-board the device which is encoded to start a motor and drive an actuator between first position and second positions. A related mobile communications device is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A mobile communications device comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) an actuator mounted on the housing and selectively movable, by hand, between a first position and a second position;

(c) a bi-stable piezo-electric drive motor operatively engaging the actuator, and operatively substantially engaging the housing in substantially juxtaposed relation;

(d) a control processor operatively encoded to start the motor, so as to drive the actuator between the first position and the second position.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the motor is a linear motor comprising a threaded nut and a mating elongate threaded screw, wherein the threaded nut or the mating threaded screw is a piezo-electric ceramic element, wherein the actuator securely engages the threaded nut or the mating threaded screw, and wherein the control processor, in starting the motor, longitudinally translates the threaded nut and the mating threaded screw relative to one another.

3. The device according to claim 2, further comprising a first stop member and a second stop member, each securely engaging an inside wall of the housing and each operatively positioned in substantially interposed relation between the motor and the housing;

and wherein the threaded screw comprises a first end portion and a longitudinally opposing second end portion, with the first end portion operatively engaging the first stop member when the motor drives the actuator towards the second position, and with the second end portion operatively engaging the second stop member when the motor drives the actuator towards the first position.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the control processor is operatively encoded to start the motor to longitudinally translate:

(i) the first end portion into operative engagement with the first stop member before the motor drives the actuator towards the second position; and

(ii) the second end portion into operative engagement with the second stop member before the motor drives the actuator towards the first position.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the control processor is operatively encoded to start the motor to longitudinally translate:

(i) the first end portion into operative engagement with the first stop member after the actuator is moved into the first position; and

(ii) the second end portion into operative engagement with the second stop member after the actuator is moved into the second position.

6. The device according to claim 3, wherein the actuator is selectively movable, by hand or by the motor, towards an intermediate position between the first position and the second position;

wherein the control processor is operatively encoded to start the motor;

(i) to drive the actuator towards the intermediate position; and

(ii) to longitudinally translate the threaded screw, out from engagement with both the first stop member and the second stop member, after the actuator is moved into the intermediate position.

7. The device according to claim 3, wherein each of the first stop member and the second stop member is adapted for respective resilient deformation when the threaded screw is urged thereagainst with a force substantially in excess of that ordinarily experienced when the actuator is driven by the motor.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is selectively movable, by hand or by the motor, towards an intermediate position between the first position and the second position;

and wherein the control processor is operatively encoded to start the motor to drive the actuator towards the intermediate position.

9. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of mating electrical contacts, mounted on the housing and the actuator, to operatively communicate a present position of the actuator to the control processor.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is a sliding switch having a plurality of discrete positions.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is a continuously variable switch.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control processor is operatively encoded to start the motor in dependence upon the processing of software application code operatively loaded onto the device.

13. An actuator notification system for use with a mobile communications device, wherein the system comprises:

(a) an actuator mounted on a housing of the device and selectively movable, by hand, between a first position and a second position;

(b) a bi-stable piezo-electric drive motor operatively engaging the actuator, and operatively substantially engaging the housing in substantially juxtaposed relation; and

(c) a control processor on-board the device and operatively encoded to start the motor, so as to drive the actuator between the first position and the second position.

14. A method of automatically driving an actuator on a mobile communications device, with the actuator being selectively movable, by hand, between a first position and a second position, wherein the method comprises:

(a) encoding a control processor on-board the device to start a bi-stable piezo-electric drive motor that operatively engages the actuator, and operatively substantially engages a housing of the device in substantially juxtaposed relation; and

(b) driving the actuator, with the motor, between the first position and the second position.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein in step (a), the motor is a linear motor comprising a threaded nut and a mating elongate threaded screw;

and wherein in step (b), the threaded nut and the mating threaded screw are longitudinally translated relative to one another.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the device is provided with a first stop member and a second stop member, each securely engaging an inside wall of the housing and each operatively positioned in substantially interposed relation between the motor and the housing;

and wherein step (b) further comprises the substeps of;

(i) urging a first end portion of the threaded screw against the first stop member when the motor drives the actuator towards the second position; and

(ii) urging a second end portion of the threaded screw, longitudinally opposed to the first end portion, against the second stop member when the motor drives the actuator towards the first position.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the control processor is operatively encoded to longitudinally translate:

the first end portion into operative engagement with the first stop member before substep (i); and

the second end portion into operative engagement with the second stop member before substep (ii).

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the control processor is operatively encoded to longitudinally translate:

the second end portion into operative engagement with the second stop member after substep (i); and

the first end portion into operative engagement with the first stop member after substep (ii).

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the actuator is selectively movable, by hand or by the motor, towards an intermediate position between the first position and the second position;

wherein in step (a), the control processor is operatively encoded to start the motor, so as to drive the actuator towards the intermediate position; and

wherein in step (b), the threaded screw is longitudinally translated, out from engagement with both the first stop member and the second stop member, after the actuator is moved into the intermediate position.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the actuator is selectively movable, by hand or by the motor, towards an intermediate position between the first position and the second position;

and wherein in step (a), the control processor is operatively encoded to start the motor to drive the actuator towards the intermediate position.

21. The method according to claim 14, wherein before step (b), a pair of mating electrical contacts, mounted on the housing and the actuator, operatively communicate a present position of the actuator to the control processor.

22. The method according to claim 14, wherein in step (b), the actuator is switched between a plurality of discrete positions.

23. The method according to claim 14, wherein in step (b), the actuator slides over a continuously varying range of positions.

24. The method according to claim 14, wherein in step (a), the control processor is operatively encoded to start the motor in dependence upon the processing of software application code operatively loaded onto the device.