METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ORIENTATION SENSITIVE BUTTON ASSIGNMENT

• US 20120206332A1
• Filed: 02/16/2011
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yonemoto, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US13/028,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20120206332A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/37 Details of the operation on graphic patterns G09G5/38 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for orientation sensitive configuration of a device. In one embodiment a method includes detecting a change in orientation of a device, and configuring a display of the device based on the change in orientation. The method may further include assigning operation of one or more buttons of the device based on the change in orientation, wherein a button of the device is assigned one or more functions not previously assigned to the button. The method may be performed by one or more of portable electronic device, media player, eReader, personal communication device, handheld computing device, imaging device, tablet computing device, imaging device, gaming device and computing devices in general.

Claims

1. A method for orientation sensitive configuration of a device, the method comprising the acts of:

detecting a change in orientation of a device;

configuring a display of the device based on the change in orientation; and

assigning operation of one or more buttons of the device based on the change in orientation, wherein a button of the device is assigned one or more functions not previously assigned to the button.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the change in orientation relates to orientation of the device relative to one of a portrait and landscape configuration.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the display of the device relates to arranging a display orientation of the display relative to the button of the device assigned one or more functions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning operation of one or more buttons relates to setting functions of one or more physical buttons based on orientation.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a button is assigned one or more of a directional function, navigating function, a home function and function associated with an application of the device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein assigning operation of one or more buttons relates to setting an illumination state of a button.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning operation of one or more buttons relates to setting one or more functions for one or more soft buttons of the device based on orientation, wherein each soft button is associated with a region of the display.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a change in orientation of the device relates to detecting a change in orientation exceeding a predetermined amount for a predetermined period of time.

9. A computer program product stored on computer readable medium including computer executable code for orientation sensitive configuration of a device, the computer program product comprising:

computer readable code to detect a change in orientation of a device;

computer readable code to configure a display of the device based on the change in orientation; and

computer readable code to assign operation of one or more buttons of the device based on the change in orientation, wherein a button of the device is assigned one or more functions not previously assigned to the button.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the change in orientation relates to orientation of the device relative to one of a portrait and landscape configuration.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein configuring the display of the device relates to arranging a display orientation of the display relative to the button of the device assigned one or more functions.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein assigning operation of one or more buttons relates to setting functions of one or more physical buttons based on orientation.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein a button is assigned one or more of a directional function, navigating function, a home function and function associated with an application of the device.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein assigning operation of one or more buttons relates to setting an illumination state of a button.

15. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein assigning operation of one or more buttons relates to setting one or more functions for one or more soft buttons of the device based on orientation, wherein each soft button is associated with a region of the display.

16. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the change in orientation of the device relates to detecting a change in orientation exceeding a predetermined angular amount relative to a plane of the device for a predetermined period of time.

17. A device comprising:

a display;

one or more buttons; and

a processor coupled to the display and one or more buttons, the processor configured to

detect a change in orientation of a device;

configure a display of the device based on the change in orientation; and

assign operation of one or more buttons of the device based on the change in orientation, wherein a button of the device is assigned one or more functions not previously assigned to the button.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the device relates to one or more of a portable electronic device, media player, eReader, personal communication device, handheld computing device, imaging device, tablet computing device, imaging device, gaming device and computing devices in general.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein assigning operation of one or more buttons relates to setting functions of one or more physical buttons based on orientation.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein a button is assigned one or more of a directional function, navigating function, a home function and function associated with an application of the device.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein assigning operation of one or more buttons relates to setting an illumination state of a button.

22. The device of claim 17, wherein assigning operation of one or more buttons relates to setting one or more functions for one or more soft buttons of the device based on orientation, wherein each soft button is associated with a region of the display.