MANAGING DEVICE FUNCTIONS BASED ON PHYSICAL INTERACTION WITH DEVICE MODULES

• US 20170364396A1
• Filed: 09/01/2017
• Published: 12/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Liu, Eric, Matsuoka, Yoshimichi, Chua, Jason, Brune, Kevin D.
• Application Number:
  US15/694,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20170364396A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1633 Constructional details or arrangements of portable computers not specific to the type of enclosures covered by groups G06F1/1615 - G06F1/1626
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• 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 1/1658 related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/10 Program control for peripheral devices G06F13/14 - G06F13/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4413 Plug-and-play [PnP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules

Abstract

Embodiments are provided for managing operation of an electronic device based on the connection(s) of hardware module(s) to the electronic drive via a support housing. According to certain aspects, the electronic device may detect when a hardware module connects to the support housing. The electronic device may identify a function associated with the hardware module, where the function may be a built-in function of the hardware module itself or of the electronic device. The electronic device may accordingly activate the identified function.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a support housing;

a hardware module configured to connect to the support housing via one or more of a set of connector components;

a memory storing a set of applications and a set of computer-executable instructions; and

a processor interfacing with the memory, and configured to execute the set of computer-executable instructions to cause the processor to;

detect the hardware module connect to the support housing via the one or more connector components of the set of connector components, and

in response to detecting the hardware module connect to the support housing;

determine that the hardware module connecting to the support housing is associated with an application input to an application of the set of applications, and

initiate the application with the application input incorporated therein.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein to initiate the application with the application input incorporated therein, the processor is configured to:

initiate the application, and

cause a function associated with the application to be unlocked.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein to initiate the application with the application input incorporated therein, the processor is configured to:

initiate the application, and cause a function associated with the electronic device to be unlocked.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to execute the set of computer-executable instructions to further cause the processor to:

detect an additional hardware module connect to the support housing.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein to determine that the hardware module connecting to the support housing is associated with the application input, the processor is configured to:

determine that the hardware module connecting to the support housing in sequence with the additional hardware module connecting to the support housing is associated with the application input to the application.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the memory further stores a predetermined sequence of module movements, and wherein to determine that the hardware module connecting to the support housing in sequence with the additional hardware module connecting to the support housing is associated with the application input to the application, the processor is configured to:

determine that the hardware module connecting to the support housing in sequence with the additional hardware module connecting to the support housing matches the predetermined sequence of module movements.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a user interface, and wherein to initiate the application with the application input incorporated therein, the processor is configured to:

initiate the application, and

cause the user interface to display content associated with the application.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the application is a game, and wherein to initiate the application with the application input incorporated therein, the processor is configured to:

initiate the application in which a goal of the game is scored.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the hardware module further connects to the support housing from a movement direction.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein to determine that the hardware module connecting to the support housing is associated with the application input, the processor is configured to:

determine that the hardware module connecting to the support housing from the movement direction is associated with the application input to the application.

11. A computer-implemented method of managing operation of an electronic device comprising a support housing and a hardware module configured to connect to the support housing via one or more of a set of connector components, and a processor configured to execute a set of applications, the method comprising:

detecting, by the processor, the hardware module connect to the support housing via the one or more connector components of the set of connector components; and

in response to detecting the hardware module connect to the support housing;

determining that the hardware module connecting to the support housing is associated with an application input to an application of the set of applications, and

initiating the application with the application input incorporated therein.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein initiating the application with the application input incorporated therein comprises:

initiating the application, and

causing a function associated with the application to be unlocked.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein initiating the application with the application input incorporated therein comprises:

initiating the application, and

causing a function associated with the electronic device to be unlocked.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting an additional hardware module connect to the support housing.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein determining that the hardware module connecting to the support housing is associated with the application input comprises:

determining that the hardware module connecting to the support housing in sequence with the additional hardware module connecting to the support housing is associated with the application input to the application.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein determining that the hardware module connecting to the support housing in sequence with the additional hardware module connecting to the support housing is associated with the application input to the application comprises:

determining that the hardware module connecting to the support housing in sequence with the additional hardware module connecting to the support housing matches a stored predetermined sequence of module movements.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein initiating the application with the application input incorporated therein comprises:

initiating the application, and

displaying, in a user interface, content associated with the application.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the application is a game, and wherein initiating the application with the application input incorporated therein comprises:

initiating the application in which a goal of the game is scored.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein detecting the hardware module connect to the support housing comprises:

detecting the hardware module connect to the support housing from a movement direction.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein determining that the hardware module connecting to the support housing is associated with the application input comprises:

determining that the hardware module connecting to the support housing from the movement direction is associated with the application input to the application.