Methods of Launching Applications Responsive to Device Orientation and Related Electronic Devices

• US 20120050161A1
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Andersson, Ola, COLLINSWORTH, Curt, SVEDBERG, Johan
• Granted Patent: US 8,810,512 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/158
• 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 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer

Abstract

A method of operating an electronic device may include providing first graphic output of a first application on a display. Responsive to detecting a change in orientation of the electronic device, providing second graphic output of a second application may be automatically provided on the display. Related devices are also discussed.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

providing first graphic output of a first application on a display;

detecting a change in orientation of the electronic device; and

responsive to detecting the change in orientation, providing second graphic output of a second application on the display.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein providing the first graphic output comprises providing the first graphic output of the first application on the display according to a first mode with the graphic output of the first application aligned with a first axis of the display, and wherein providing the second graphic output comprises providing the second graphic output of the second application on the display according to a second mode with the graphic output of the second application aligned with a second axis of the display different than the first axis.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the first and second axis of the display are offset by 90 degrees.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherein the first application comprises a master application, and wherein the second application comprises an auxiliary application integrated with the master application.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein the first application comprises a video application and wherein the second application comprises a browser application, wherein the video and browser applications are integrated.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the first mode comprises a landscape mode and wherein the second mode comprises a portrait mode.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

pausing the graphic output of the first application responsive to detecting the change in orientation.

8. The method according to claim 7 further comprising:

after providing the second graphic output of the second application on the display, detecting a second change in orientation of the electronic device; and

responsive to detecting the second change in orientation, resuming providing the first graphic output of the first application on the display beginning where the first graphic output was paused.

9. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

after providing the second graphic output on the display, detecting a second change in orientation of the electronic device; and

responsive to detecting the second change in orientation, providing third graphic output of a third application on the display.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein providing the first graphic output comprises providing the first graphic output of the first application on the display according to a first mode with the graphic output of the first application aligned with a first axis of the display, wherein providing the second graphic output comprises providing the second graphic output of the second application on the display according to a second mode with the graphic output of the second application aligned with a second axis of the display different than the first axis, and wherein providing the third graphic output comprises providing the third graphic output of the third application on the display according to a third mode with the graphic output of the third application oriented 180 degrees relative to the first graphic output of the first application and/or the second graphic output of the second application.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein providing the first graphic output comprises launching the first application and providing the first graphic output of the first application on the display, and wherein providing the second graphic output comprises automatically launching the second application and automatically providing the second graphic output of the second application on the display.

12. An electronic device comprising:

a display configured to provide graphic output;

an orientation sensor configured to sense a physical orientation of the electronic device; and

a processor coupled to the display and coupled to the orientation sensor, wherein the processor is configured to provide first graphic output of a first application on the display, to detect a change in orientation of the electronic device responsive to a signal from the orientation sensor, and to provide second graphic output of a second application on the display responsive to detecting the change in orientation.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12 wherein the processor is configured to provide the first graphic output of the first application on the display according to a first mode with the graphic output of the first application aligned with a first axis of the display, and wherein the processor is configured to provide the second graphic output of the second application on the display according to a second mode with the graphic output of the second application aligned with a second axis of the display different than the first axis.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13 wherein the first and second axis of the display are offset by 90 degrees.

15. The electronic device according to claim 13 wherein the first application comprises a master application, and wherein the second application comprises an auxiliary application integrated with the master application.

16. The electronic device according to claim 13 wherein the first application comprises a video application and the second application comprises a browser application, wherein the video and browser applications are integrated.

17. The electronic device according to claim 16 wherein the first mode comprises a landscape mode and wherein the second mode comprises a portrait mode.

18. The electronic device according to claim 12 wherein the processor is further configured to pause the graphic output of the first application responsive to detecting the change in orientation.

19. The electronic device according to claim 18 wherein the processor is further configured to detect a second change in orientation of the electronic device responsive to a signal from the orientation sensor after providing the second graphic output of the second application on the display, and to resume providing the first graphic output of the first application on the display beginning where the first graphic output was paused responsive to detecting the second change in orientation.

20. The electronic device according to claim 12 wherein the processor is further configured to detect a second change in orientation of the electronic device responsive to a signal from the orientation sensor after providing the second graphic output on the display, and to provide third graphic output of a third application on the display responsive to detecting the second change in orientation.

21. The electronic device according to claim 20 wherein the processor is configured to provide the first graphic output of the first application on the display according to a first mode with the graphic output of the first application aligned with a first axis of the display, to provide the second graphic output of the second application on the display according to a second mode with the graphic output of the second application aligned with a second axis of the display different than the first axis, and to provide the third graphic output of the third application on the display according to a third mode with the graphic output of the third application oriented 180 degrees relative to the first graphic output of the first application and/or the second graphic output of the second application.

22. The electronic device according to claim 12 wherein the processor is configured to provide the first graphic output by launching the first application and providing the first graphic output of the first application on the display, and wherein the processor is configured to provide the second graphic output by automatically launching the second application and automatically providing the second graphic output of the second application on the display.