ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD

• US 20120278638A1
• Filed: 12/20/2011
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Futaihua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Futaihua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: WANG, YIN-ZHAN, ZHANG, JUN, CHUANG, TSUNG-JEN, WONG, SHIH-FANG
• Application Number:
  US13/331,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20120278638A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/320
• 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 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality

Abstract

An electronic device includes a main body, a cover hinged on the main body, a first sensor arranged in the main body, a second sensor arranged in the cover, and a processor. The first sensor senses a change of displacement of the first sensor when the main body is moved to generate a first coordinate information. The second sensor senses a change of displacement of the second sensor when the cover is moved to generate a second coordinate information. The processor calculates an angle between the main body and the cover according to the first coordinate information and the second coordinate information, and controls the electronic device according to the calculated angle. A method for controlling an electronic device is also provided.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a main body;

a cover hinged on the main body;

a first sensor arranged in the main body, the first sensor sensing a change of displacement of the first sensor when the main body is moved to generate a first coordinate information;

a second sensor arranged in the cover, the second sensor sensing a change of displacement of the second sensor when the cover is moved to generate a second coordinate information; and

a processor calculating an angle between the main body and the cover according to the first coordinate information generated by the first sensor and the second coordinate information generated by the second sensor, and controlling the electronic device according to the calculated angle.

2. The electronic device as described in claim 1, wherein the processor determines whether the calculated angle falls within a predetermined angle range, and controls the electronic device to execute a predetermined function if the calculated angle falls within the predetermined angle range.

3. The electronic device as described in claim 2, wherein the predetermined function is to power off the electronic device.

4. The electronic device as described in claim 2, wherein the predetermined function is to change a display screen of the electronic device to be in a power-saving state.

5. The electronic device as described in claim 1, wherein the processor further determines whether the electronic device encounters sudden changes in motion according to the first coordinate information and the second coordinate information, and takes a protection action to protect the electronic device when the electronic device encounters sudden changes in motion.

6. The electronic device as described in claim 1, wherein the cover is rotatable around an axis A relative to the main body.

7. The electronic device as described in claim 6, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are arranged in a plane perpendicular to the axis A.

8. The electronic device as described in claim 1, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are three-axis accelerometers.

9. A method for controlling an electronic device, the electronic device comprising a main body, a cover hinged to the main body, the method comprising:

providing a first sensor arranged in the main body and a second sensor arranged in the cover, wherein the first sensor senses a change of displacement of the first sensor when the cover is moved to generate a first coordinate information, and the second sensor senses a change of displacement of the second sensor when the main body is moved to generate a second coordinate information;

calculating an angle between the main body and the cover according to the first coordinate information generated by the first sensor and the second coordinate information generated by the second sensor; and

controlling the electronic device according to the calculated angle.

10. The method as described in claim 9, wherein the step of controlling the electronic device according the calculated angle comprises:

determining whether the calculated angle falls within a predetermined angle range; and

controlling the electronic device to execute a predetermined function if the calculated angle falls within the predetermined angle range.

11. The method as described in claim 10, wherein the predetermined function is to power off the electronic device.

12. The method as described in claim 10, wherein the predetermined function is to change a display screen of the electronic device to be in a power-saving state.

13. The method as described in claim 10, further comprising:

determining whether the electronic device encounters sudden changes in motion according to the first coordinate information and the second coordinate information; and

taking a protection action to protect the electronic device when the electronic device encounters sudden changes in motion.

14. The method as described in claim 9, wherein the cover is rotatable around an axis A relative to the main body.

15. The method as described in claim 14, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are arranged in a plane perpendicular to the axis A.

16. The method as described in claim 9, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are three-axis accelerometers.