Detection and Function of Seven Self-Supported Orientations in a Portable Device
First Claim
1. A mobile electronic device, comprising:
- a base providing a transceiver housing;
a flip pivotably connected to said base by a hinge and pivotable from a closed position, to different partially open positions, and to a fully open position and vice versa;
said base and said flip each having an outward surface, inward surface, longitudinal sides providing edges, and lateral ends;
a keypad on the outward surface of said base, said keypad comprising an imager and an illumination source;
said illumination source being selected from the group consisting of a flash, a light-emitting diode, a xenon flash, a light-emitting bulb and a projector;
a display on the outward surface of said flip;
a touchpad on the inward surface of said flip;
said mobile electronic device detecting and being movable to different orientations for providing different modes in said partially open positions, said modes being selected from the group consisting ofmode 1 wherein the mobile electronic device is standing on one end;
mode 2 wherein the mobile electronic device is standing on the other end in an upside down mode;
mode 3 wherein the inward side of said base is placed down on a surface and said display hangs over an edge of the surface;
mode 4 wherein the mobile electronic device is placed in a generally inverted L-shaped orientation with the keypad positioned substantially vertically and the display positioned substantially horizontally on a user'"'"'s side in a landscape orientation with the hinge facing generally upwardly so that the mobile electronic device is flipped up to view the display;
mode 5 wherein an edge of the base and an edge of the flip support the mobile electronic device in a landscape orientation in a generally upside down V-shaped configuration;
mode 6 wherein the flip is placed with the display down and the transceiver housing is positioned so that the imager can be used as a webcam or the illumination source can be used as flashlight;
mode 7 wherein the base is placed with the keypad side down and the flip is positioned in a landscape orientation.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved mobile electronic device 100 with a unique thin and cost-effective form and design can have a large display 170 in the outward surface of a flip 102, a large full qwerty keypad 138 in the outward surface of a base 108, and a touchpad 186 in the inward surface of the flip. Advantageously, the mobile electronic device is movable to seven different orientations for providing different modes in partially open positions. The mobile electronic device can have a single accelerometer 206, such as located in the flip, or two accelerometers 130 with one accelerometer in the flip and one in the base, to accurately detect the orientation, flip angle, and mode of the mobile electronic device.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A mobile electronic device, comprising:
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a base providing a transceiver housing; a flip pivotably connected to said base by a hinge and pivotable from a closed position, to different partially open positions, and to a fully open position and vice versa; said base and said flip each having an outward surface, inward surface, longitudinal sides providing edges, and lateral ends; a keypad on the outward surface of said base, said keypad comprising an imager and an illumination source; said illumination source being selected from the group consisting of a flash, a light-emitting diode, a xenon flash, a light-emitting bulb and a projector; a display on the outward surface of said flip; a touchpad on the inward surface of said flip; said mobile electronic device detecting and being movable to different orientations for providing different modes in said partially open positions, said modes being selected from the group consisting of mode 1 wherein the mobile electronic device is standing on one end; mode 2 wherein the mobile electronic device is standing on the other end in an upside down mode; mode 3 wherein the inward side of said base is placed down on a surface and said display hangs over an edge of the surface; mode 4 wherein the mobile electronic device is placed in a generally inverted L-shaped orientation with the keypad positioned substantially vertically and the display positioned substantially horizontally on a user'"'"'s side in a landscape orientation with the hinge facing generally upwardly so that the mobile electronic device is flipped up to view the display; mode 5 wherein an edge of the base and an edge of the flip support the mobile electronic device in a landscape orientation in a generally upside down V-shaped configuration; mode 6 wherein the flip is placed with the display down and the transceiver housing is positioned so that the imager can be used as a webcam or the illumination source can be used as flashlight; mode 7 wherein the base is placed with the keypad side down and the flip is positioned in a landscape orientation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A mobile electronic device comprising:
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a base providing a transceiver housing and defining a compartment for containing a battery; a flip pivotably connected to said base by a hinge and pivotable from a closed position, to various partially open positions and to a fully open position and vice versa; said base and said flip each having an outward surface and an inward surface; a keypad on the outward surface of said base, said keypad comprising an imager and an illumination source, said keypad selected from the group consisting of a qwerty keypad, capacitive keypad, recessed keypad, keyboard, alphanumeric keys, and a base touch screen, said keypad facing downwardly when said flip is in said partially open position, said imager being selected from the group consisting of a camera, camera lens, zoom lens, and web cam; said illumination source being selected from the group consisting of a flash, a light-emitting diode, a xenon flash, a light-emitting bulb and a projector; a display on the outward surface of said flip, said display being positioned opposite said keypad when said flip is in a closed position, said display facing upwardly with and in proximity to said keypad when said flip in a fully open position, and said display being positioned at an angle of inclination when said flip is in the partially open positions; a touchpad on the inward surface of said flip and positioned transversely opposite of said display, and said touchpad being substantially hidden and inaccessible when said flip is in said closed position; said mobile electronic device detecting and being movable to different orientations for providing different modes in said partially open positions, said modes comprising mode 1 wherein the mobile electronic device is standing on one end; mode 2 wherein the mobile electronic device is standing on the other end in an upside down mode; mode 3 wherein the inward surface of said base is placed down on a surface and said display hangs over an edge of the surface; mode 4 wherein the mobile electronic device is placed in a generally inverted L shaped orientation with the keypad positioned substantially vertically and the display positioned substantially horizontally on a user'"'"'s side in a landscape orientation with the hinge facing generally upwardly so that the mobile electronic device is flipped up to view the display; mode 5 wherein an edge of the base and an edge of the flip cooperate with each other to support the mobile electronic device in a landscape orientation in a generally upside down V-shaped configuration; mode 6 wherein the flip is placed with the display down and the transceiver housing is supported so that the imager can be used as a webcam or the illumination source can be used as a flashlight; mode 7 wherein the base is placed with the keypad side down and the flip is supported in a landscape orientation. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A mobile electronic device comprising:
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a base providing a transceiver housing and defining a compartment for containing a battery; a flip pivotable connected to said base by a hinge and pivotable from a closed position, to partially open positions and to a fully open position and vice versa; said base and said flip each having an outward surface, an inward surface, longitudinal sides providing edges, and lateral ends; said flip being positioned at a flip angle relative to said base, said flip angle consisting of an angle of inclination of said flip relative to said base and ranging from zero to about 190 degrees; a keypad on the outward surface of said base, said keypad selected from the group consisting of a qwerty keypad, capacitive keypad, recessed keypad, keyboard, alphanumeric keys, and a base touchscreen, said keypad facing downwardly when said flip is in said partially open position in a media viewing mode; an imager in said keypad, said imager comprising a camera for video conferencing or still image photography; a flash in proximity to said imager in said keyboard, said flash being selected from the group consisting of a light-emitting diode, light-emitting bulb, xenon flash and an illumination source; a touchscreen display on the outer surface of said flip, said display being positioned opposite said keypad when said flip is in a closed position in a tablet mode, said display facing upwardly with and in proximity to said keypad when said flip is in a fully open position in a text entry mode, and said display being positioned at an angle of inclination when said flip is in the partially open positions; a capacitive touchpad on the inward surface of said flip and positioned transversely opposite of said display, and said touchpad being substantially hidden and inaccessible when said flip is in said closed position; an accelerometer in said flip or said base for detecting device orientation and mode; said mobile electronic device being movable to different orientations for providing different modes in said partially open positions, said modes comprising mode 1 wherein the mobile electronic device is standing on one end; mode 2 wherein the mobile electronic device is standing on the other end in an upside down mode; mode 3 wherein the inward surface of said base is placed down on a surface and said display hangs over an edge of the surface; mode 4 wherein the mobile electronic device is placed in an generally inverted L-shaped orientation with the keypad positioned substantially vertically and the display positioned substantially horizontally on a user'"'"'s side in a landscape orientation with the hinge facing generally upwardly so that the mobile electronic device is flipped up to view the display; mode 5 wherein an edge of the base and an edge of the flip support the mobile electronic device in landscape orientation in a generally upside down V-shaped configuration; mode 6 wherein the flip is placed with the display down and the transceiver is positioned so that the imager can be used as a webcam and the flash can be used as flashlight; mode 7 wherein the base is placed with the keypad side down and the flip is positioned in a landscape orientation. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification