Self configuring multiple element portable electronic device

• US 6,658,272 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2000
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baker, Kevin, Kilp, David, Lenchik, Vitaly, Hill, Casey
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US09/560,977
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90, 455/556, 455/557, 455/569, 455/566, 455/575, 455/550, 455/347-349, 455/66, 455/550.1, 455/90.3, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 340/7.4, 340/7.41, 340/7.39, 340/7.63, 710/8-14, D14/140, D14/137, D14/138, 345/7-9, 345/164, 345/169, 345/168, 345/173
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• 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 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0212 with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, i.e. folding around a first axis and rotating around a second axis perpendicular to the first
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0222 Foldable in two directions, i.e. using a two degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0241 using relative motion of the body parts to change the operational status of the telephone set, e.g. switching on/off, answering incoming call

Abstract

A self configuring multiple element portable electronic device (100) and method is provided. The device comprises at least a first electronic element (104) and a second electronic element (106) and a joint (112) connecting the first electronic element and the second electronic element, with the joint allowing movement in more than one plane of the first electronic element in relation to the second electronic element, wherein the self configuring multiple element portable electronic device is capable of self configuring an operational mode based on a relative position of the first electronic element with respect to the second electronic element. The method comprises the steps of detecting a relative position of the first electronic element relative to the second electronic element, and selecting an operational mode of the device based on the relative position.

Claims

1. A self configuring multiple element wireless portable electronic communication device, comprising:

at least a first electronic element and a second electronic element; and

a ball joint connecting said first electronic element and said second electronic element, said ball joint allowing movement in more than one plane of said first electronic element in relation to said second electronic element,

wherein said ball joint is a ball joint comprises;

a shaft affixed to said first electronic element of said hand-held device and having at least two lengthwise electrical conductor elements separated by an electrical insulator material;

a ball formed on an end of said shaft; and

a socket formed on said second electronic element, said socket for receiving said ball, said socket including a plurality of spring loaded contacts adapted to press against said ball, with said plurality of spring loaded contacts adapted to contact said at least two lengthwise electrical conductor elements and electrically communicate with said at least two lengthwise electrical conductor elements, and

wherein said ball and said socket allow said first electronic element to move relative to said second electronic element, and wherein said contacts form a sensor for detecting a relative position of said first electronic element relative to said second electronic element, and

wherein a current sensing device shuts down electrical power to said at least two lengthwise electrical conductor elements if a short circuit occurs between said at least two lengthwise electrical conductor elements,

wherein said self configuring multiple element portable electronic device is capable of self configuring an operational mode based on a relative position of said first electronic element with respect to said second electronic element, and

wherein said device further includes a sensor in one of said first electronic element or said second electronic element for detecting said relative position of said first electronic element relative to said second electronic element.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said joint comprises:

a first fixed element attached to said first electronic element and including a first positional sensor device;

a second fixed element attached to said second electronic element and including a second positional sensor device; and

a connector element adapted to rotatably attach to and connect said first fixed element and said second fixed element,

wherein said first fixed element, said second fixed element, and said connector element allow said first electronic element to move relative to said second electronic element, and wherein said first and second positional sensor devices detect a relative position of said first electronic element relative to said second electronic element, and

wherein said joint further includes a bus extending through said first and second fixed elements and said connector element, said bus electrically connecting said first electronic element and said second electronic element.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said positional sensor device comprises:

a plurality of electrically conductive portions embedded on an exterior surface of said first fixed element or said second fixed element; and

a bridging contact embedded on an end surface of said connector element, and

wherein said bridging contact is adapted to bridge across two electrically conductive portions of said plurality of electrically conductive portions, and wherein two bridged electrically conductive portions may be used to determine a rotational position of said positional sensor device.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein said positional sensor device comprises:

a resistive surface ring, having a gap in said resistive surface ring;

a fixed contact on said resistive surface ring; and

a moving contact that is capable of being rotated relative to said resistive surface ring while remaining in electrical contact with said resistive surface ring;

wherein said positional sensor device provides a varying resistance as said moving contact is rotated.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein said positional sensor device comprises:

a magnetic ring affixed to said connector element; and

a Hall Effect sensor affixed to said fixed element and adjacent to said magnetic ring, and

wherein said magnetic ring contains varying magnetic polarities, and said Hall Effect sensor generates an electrical signal when rotated relative to said magnetic ring.

6. A wireless portable electronic communication device comprising:

at least a first housing portion and a second housing portion;

a ball joint comprising a shaft affixed to a first corner of said first housing portion of said device and having at least two legwise electrical conductor elements separated by an electrical insulator material;

a ball formed on an end of said shaft; and

a socket formed at a second corner of said second housing portion, said socket for receiving said ball, said socket including a plurality of spring loaded contacts adapted to press against said ball, with said plurality of spring loaded contacts adapted to contact said at least two lengthwise electrical conductor elements and electrically communicate with said at least two lengthwise electrical conductor elements,

wherein, said ball and said socket allow said first housing portion to move relative to said second housing portion, and wherein said contacts form a sensor for detecting a relative position of said first housing portion relative to said second housing portion,

wherein a current sensing device shuts down electrical power to said at least two lengthwise electrical conductor elements if a short circuit occurs between said at least two lengthwise electrical conductor elements, and

wherein said wireless portable electronic communication device is capable of self configuring an operational mode based on a relative position of said first housing portion with respect to said second housing portion.

7. A wireless portable electronic communication device, comprising:

at least a first housing portion and a second housing portion;

a joint connecting said first housing portion and said second housing portion, said joint allowing movement in more than one plane of said first housing portion in relation to said second housing portion,

wherein said joint comprises a first fixed element attached to said first housing portion and including a first positional sensor device, and

a second fixed element attached to said second housing portion and including a second positional sensor device; and

a connector element adapted to rotatably attach to and connect said first fixed element and said second fixed element,

wherein said first fixed element, said second fixed element, and said connector element allow said first housing portion to move relative to said second housing portion, and wherein said first and second positional sensor devices detect a relative position of said first housing portion relative to said second housing portion,

wherein said joint further includes a bus extending through said first and second fixed elements and said connector element, said bus electrically connecting said first housing portion and said second electronic element, and

wherein said wireless portable electronic communication device is capable of self configuring an operational mode based on a relative position of said first housing portion with respect to said second electronic element.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said positional sensor device comprises:

a magnetic ring affixed to said connector element; and

a Hall Effect sensor affixed to said fixed element and adjacent to said magnetic ring, and

wherein said magnetic ring contains varying magnetic polarities, and said Hall Effect sensor generates an electrical signal when rotated relative to said magnetic ring.