SENSOR

• US 20120068919A1
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lauder, Andrew, Rohrbach, Matthew D., Coster, Daniel J., Stringer, Christopher J., Ow, Florence W., Ai, Jiang, Ive, Jonathan P., Kibiti, Elvis M., Ternus, John P., Lubner, Sean D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,390,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/00 Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/005 Hinges
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/003 for portable computing devices, e.g. laptop, tablet, netbook, game boy, navigation system, calculator
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2200/15 Articles convertible into a stand, e.g. for displaying purposes
• 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 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/32 having magnetic fastener

Abstract

A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a housing having side walls and an front facing opening;

a display and a topmost protective layer, the display disposed within the front facing opening arranged to present visual content;

a first sensor located at a first position in the electronic device, the first sensor arranged to detect a magnetic field propagated by a magnetic element in near proximity to the sensor; and

a second sensor located at a second position in the electronic device, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor cooperate to determine if a portion of the display that is fully viewable, and wherein the display presents visual content only in that portion of the display determined by the first and second sensors to be fully viewable.

2. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein when the first sensor detects the magnetic field, then it is determined that display is not viewable.

3. The electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein the display is not viewable, then the display is prevented from presenting any visual content.

4. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein when the first sensor does not detect the magnetic field and the second sensor cooperates to determine that that all of the display is viewable, then the display is enabled to present any visual content.

5. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein when the first sensor does not detect the magnetic field and the second sensor cooperates to determine only a portion but not all of the display is viewable, then the display is enabled to present any visual content only at the viewable portion.

6. The electronic device as recited in claim 5, wherein only that portion of the display assembly enabled to present visual content is active.

7. The electronic device as recited in claim 5, wherein the entire display is active and presentation of visual content is limited to the enabled portion of the display.

8. The electronic device as recited in claim 7, wherein the second sensor is an optical sensor.

9. A consumer product system, comprising:

an electronic device comprising;

a housing having side walls and an front facing opening;

a display and a topmost protective layer, the display disposed within the front facing opening arranged to present visual content;

a first sensor located at a first position in the electronic device, the first sensor arranged to detect a magnetic field propagated by a magnetic element in near proximity to the sensor;

a second sensor located at a second position in the electronic device, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor cooperate to determine if a portion of the display that is fully viewable, and wherein the display presents visual content only in that portion of the display determined by the first and second sensors to be fully viewable.

10. The consumer product system further comprises:

a cover assembly, comprising;

a flap portion;

a hinge portion, wherein the flap portion has a size and shape in accordance with the display, the flap portion pivotally attached to the electronic device housing, the cover assembly sized in accordance with the display;

a plurality of magnetic elements at least one of which is detectable by the first sensor when the when the flap portion is in place upon the topmost protective layer in a closed configuration, wherein in an open configuration, the flap is pivoted about the hinge portion to expose at least some of the display.

11. The consumer product system as recited in claim 10, wherein when the first sensor detects the magnetic field, then it is determined that that the cover assembly is in the closed configuration and the display is not viewable.

12. The consumer product system as recited in claim 11, wherein the display is not viewable, then the display is prevented from presenting any visual content.

13. The consumer product system as recited in claim 12, wherein when the first sensor does not detect the magnetic field and the second sensor cooperates to determine that all of the display is viewable, then the cover assembly is in a fully open configuration and substantially all of the display is enabled to present any visual content.

14. The consumer product system as recited in claim 13, wherein when the first sensor does not detect the magnetic field and the second sensor cooperates to determine only a portion but not all of the display is viewable, then the cover assembly is in a partially open configuration and the display is enabled to present any visual content only at the viewable portion of the display.

15. The consumer product system as recited in claim 14, wherein only the portion of the display enabled to present visual content is active.

16. The consumer product system as recited in claim 15, wherein the entire display is active and presentation of visual content is limited to the enabled portion of the display.

17. A method for intelligently presenting visual content by a display, comprising:

determining a portion of the display that is viewable; and

presenting visual content only at the viewable portion of the display.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the determining the portion of the display that is viewable comprises:

receiving a first signal from a first detector, the first signal indicating that the first sensor detected an appropriate first stimulus.

receiving a second signal from a second detector, the second signal indicating that the second sensor detected an appropriate second stimulus; and

using the first and second signals to determine the portion of the display that is viewable.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

detecting a magnetic field propagated by a magnetic element indicating that the entire display is not viewable, and when the display is not viewable, then the display is prevented from presenting any visual content.

20. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein when the first sensor does not detect the magnetic field and the second sensor determines that all of the display is viewable, then substantially all of the display is enabled to present any visual content.

21. The electronic device as recited in claim 18, wherein when the first sensor does not detect the magnetic field and the second sensor determines that less than all of the display is viewable, then the display is enabled to present any visual content only at the viewable portion.

25. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the first appropriate stimulus is a magnetic field and the second appropriate stimulus is ambient light.

22. A controlled visual system, comprising:

a display arranged to present visual content;

a first sensor;

a second sensor, wherein the second sensor cooperates with the first sensor to alter an operation of the display, wherein when the first sensor determines that the display is unviewable, then the first sensor alters the operation of the display consistent with the display being unviewable, and wherein when the first sensor and the second sensor cooperate to determine that less than all of the display is viewable, then the first and second sensors alter the operation of the display consistent with presenting visual content only at the viewable portion of the display.

23. The controlled visual system as recited in claim 22, comprising;

wherein the first sensor detects a magnetic field having at least a minimum magnetic field strength, and wherein the second sensor is a photo-detector arranged to detect light.

24. The controlled visual system as recited in claim 23, wherein when a cover having a magnetic element is placed over the display, the magnetic element is detected by the first sensor and determines that substantially all of the display is unviewable, wherein when the cover is at least partially lifted from the display, the first sensor does not detect the magnetic field and the second sensor detects light, wherein the combination indicates a viewable portion of the display suitable for presenting visual content.

26. A controlled visual presentation system, comprising:

a display arranged to present visual content;

a first sensor;

a second sensor, wherein the second sensor cooperates with the first sensor to alter an operation of the display, wherein when the first sensor determines that the display is unviewable, then the first sensor alters the operation of the display consistent with the display being unviewable, and wherein when the first sensor and the second sensor cooperate to determine that less than all of the display is viewable, then the first and second sensors alter the operation of the display consistent with presenting visual content only at the viewable portion of the display.

27. The controlled visual presentation system as recited in claim 26, comprising;

wherein the first sensor detects a magnetic field having at least a minimum magnetic field strength, and wherein the second sensor is a photo-detector arranged to detect light.

28. The controlled visual presentation system as recited in claim 27, wherein when a cover having a magnetic element is placed over the display, the magnetic element is detected by the first sensor and determines that substantially all of the display is unviewable, wherein when the cover is at least partially lifted from the display, the first sensor does not detect the magnetic field and the second sensor detects light, wherein the combination indicates a viewable portion of the display suitable for presenting visual content.