PROTECTING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20130257582A1
• Filed: 04/02/2012
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rothkopf, Fletcher, Lynch, Stephen B., Ely, Colin M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,342,108 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/3.1
• 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 1/1694 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 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/00 Structural association of dynamo-electric machines with electric components or with devices for shielding, monitoring or protection casings, enclosures or supports H02K5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/063 integrally combined with motor parts, e.g. motors with eccentric rotors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

An electronic device including a processor, at least one sensor in communication with the processor, wherein the processor is configured to determine an orientation of the device and drop event based on input from the at least one sensor. The electronic device further includes a motor in communication with the processor and a mass operably connected to the motor. The processor is configured to drive the motor when a drop event is determined and the mass is configured to rotate with respect to the motor to alter the orientation of the device.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a processor;

at least one sensor in communication with the processor, wherein the processor is configured to determine an orientation of the device and drop event based on input from the at least one sensor;

a motor in communication with the processor, wherein the processor is configured to drive the motor when a drop event is determined; and

a mass operably connected to the motor and configured to rotate with respect to the device to alter the orientation of the device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of:

an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a camera, a microphone, and a magnetometer.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a feedback loop wherein the feedback loop provides input to the processor, the processor being configured to:

determine a result of driving the motor; and

upon determining the result selecting an appropriate response.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the feedback loop comprises a Proportional-Integral Derivative controller.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the feedback loop comprises a Proportional-Derivative controller.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein the feedback loop comprises a Proportional controller.

7. The device of claim 3, wherein the motor is driven again in response to the feedback loop.

8. The device of claim 3, wherein the motor is driven in an opposite direction in response to the feedback loop.

9. The device of claim 3, wherein the motor is driven at a higher rate in response to the feedback loop.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the mass is located at or near the center of the device.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein additional mass is added to the mass upon detection of the drop event.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein additional mass is added to a rotating section of the motor upon detection of the drop event.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein clutches are employed to decouple the mass from the rotating section during normal use.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the motor is configured to operate at a first rate during normal operation; and

the motor is configured to operate at a second rate during the drop event, wherein the second rate is higher than the first rate.

15. The device of claim 1 further comprising one or more additional motors configured to operate during the drop event.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the rotational axis of the vibrator is parallel with a longitudinal axis of the device.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine a path of the device prior to the drop event.

18. The device of claim 1, further comprising a propulsion system configured to provide thrust to alter the orientation of the device during the drop event, wherein the propulsion system is operated in addition to or instead of the motor.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the propulsion system comprises at least one of:

a cooling fan, a compressed air canister, a turbine and a nozzle.

20. The device of claim 1, further comprising a propulsion system configured to provide thrust to change the acceleration of the device prior to impact of the device after a drop event, wherein the propulsion system is utilized in addition to or instead of the motor.

21. A method of protecting an electronic device during a drop event comprising the steps of:

detecting by a sensor a freefall of the device;

determining by the sensor an orientation of the device;

determining an orientation of the device that would avoid impact at a vulnerable area of the device;

operating a motor to alter the angular momentum of the device during the free fall to change the orientation of the device towards the orientation that would avoid impact at the vulnerable area; and

monitoring the effect of the motor'"'"'s operation;

providing a feedback loop to adjust the operation of the motor based on the monitoring step.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the feedback loop comprises a PID controller.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein an “

integral”

step of the PID controller is not performed.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein an “

integral”

step and a “

derivative”

step of the PID controller are not performed.

25. The method of claim 21 further comprising determining one or more metrics selected from:

an orientation of the device relative to the magnetic north pole;

a distance of the device from an impact surface;

an orientation of the device relative to the impact surface;

an orientation of the device relative to an environment; and

a rotational velocity of the device.

26. The method of claim 21 further comprising determining a path of the device prior to the drop event.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the motor is not operated if the determined path of the device indicates the device has been tossed.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the motor is operated after a bump event subsequent to the determination that the device has been tossed.

29. The method of claim 21 comprising:

operating the motor at a first rate during normal operation; and

operating the motor at a second rate during the drop event, wherein the second rate is higher than the first rate.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising storing in memory at least one fall characteristic.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising storing in the memory at least one impact characteristic.

32. The method of claim 21, further comprising expulsing a fluid prior to impact to slow a fall rate of the device.

33. The method of claim 21, further comprising expulsing a fluid to alter the orientation of the device.

34. An electronic device comprising:

a processor;

at least one sensor in communication with the processor, wherein the processor is configured to determine an orientation of the device and drop event based on input from the at least one sensor;

a thrust system in communication with the processor, wherein the processor is configured to operate the thrust system when a drop event is determined to effectuate at least one of;

alter the orientation of the device; and

slow impact of the device on a surface.

35. The electronic device of claim 34 further comprising:

a motor in communication with the processor, wherein the processor is configured to drive the motor when a drop event is determined; and

a mass operably connected to the motor and configured to rotate with respect to the device to alter the orientation of the device.

36. The electronic device of claim 34, wherein the thrust system comprises a thrust mechanism selected from the group of:

a canister of compressed air, a cooling fan, dedicated fan, a fuel cell, a turbine, or an electric ion propulsion system.