Portable device including a replaceable cover

• US 7,085,542 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2002
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Loppnow, Matthew C., Gitzinger, Thomas, Charlier, Michael, Dietrich, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): APPIAH, CHARLES NANA
• Application Number:
  US10/158,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90.3, 455/550.1, 4555751-5759, 455/90.1, 345/168, 345/173, 345/174, 345/179, 379/433.11, 379/434, 379/428, 379/433.01, 379/433.06, 361/270, 361/271, 382122-124, 178/18.06, 178/19.03, 341/15
• US Class Current: 455/90.3
• 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 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• 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 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

An apparatus and method utilizing a portable device including an array sensor and a replaceable housing. The apparatus can include a main housing, a first replaceable housing configured to be coupled to the main housing, an array sensor coupled to the main housing, a sensing module coupled to the array sensor, the sensing module being configured to sense a change in a field across the array sensor using a predefined conductive pattern, and an adjustment module coupled to the array sensor, the adjustment module being configured to adjust a parameter of operation of the mobile communication device in response to the sensing module sensing the change in the field using the predefined conductive pattern.

Claims

1. A method of operation of a mobile communication device including a main housing, a first replaceable housing, and a capacitive array sensor, the method comprising:

sensing a change in a capacitive field across the capacitive array sensor based on a position of the first replaceable housing containing a predefined conductive pattern; and

adjusting a parameter of operation of the mobile communication device based on the position of the first replaceable housing,

wherein the adjusting step further comprises modifying a capacitive sensing parameter to correlate to a function of the first replaceable housing.

2. The method of operation of a mobile communication device according to claim 1, wherein the sensing step senses a replacement of a second replaceable housing with the first replaceable housing by sensing a change in a capacitive field across the capacitive array sensor based on the predefined conductive pattern.

3. The method of operation of a mobile communication device according to claim 2, wherein the adjusting step further comprises modifying a capacitive sensing parameter by remapping the capacitive array from a function of the second replaceable housing to a function of the first replaceable housing.

4. The method of operation of a mobile communication device according to claim 1, wherein the first replaceable housing comprises a housing including gaming controller input devices.

5. The method of operation of a mobile communication device according to claim 1, wherein the first replaceable housing comprises a housing including quick dial input devices.

6. The method of operation of a mobile communication device according to claim 1, further comprising downloading an application related to the first replaceable housing based on the predefined conductive pattern.

7. The method of operation of a mobile communication device according to claim 1, further comprising activating a function related to the first replaceable housing based on the predefined conductive pattern.

8. A method of operation of a mobile communication device including a main housing, a first replaceable housing, a second replaceable housing, and an impedance array sensor, the method comprising:

sensing a replacement of the second replaceable housing with the first replaceable housing; and

adjusting a parameter of operation of the impedance array sensor based on a position of the first replaceable housing,

wherein the adjusting step further comprises modifying an impedance sensing parameter to correlate to a function of the first replaceable housing.

9. The method of operation of a mobile communication device according to claim 8, wherein the adjusting step further comprises modifying the impedance sensing parameter by remapping a capacitive array matrix according to a functionality of the first replaceable housing.

10. The method of operation of a mobile communication device according to claim 8, wherein the sensing step senses the replacement of the second replaceable housing with the first replaceable housing by sensing a change in a capacitive field across the impedance array sensor based on a predefined conductive pattern.

11. A mobile communication device comprising:

a main housing;

a first replaceable housing configured to be coupled to the main housing;

a capacitive array sensor coupled to the main housing;

a sensing module coupled to the capacitive array sensor, the sensing module being configured to sense a change in a capacitive field across the capacitive array sensor, the change caused by a predefined conductive pattern; and

an adjustment module coupled to the capacitive array sensor, the adjustment module being configured to adjust a parameter of operation of the mobile communication device in response to the sensing module sensing the change in the capacitive fields,

wherein the adjustment module is further configured to modify a capacitive sensing parameter to correlate to a function of the first replaceable housing.

12. The mobile communication device according to claim 11, wherein the sensing module is further configured to sense a replacement of a second replaceable housing with the first replaceable housing by sensing a change in a capacitive field across the capacitive array sensor based on the predefined conductive pattern.

13. The mobile communication device according to claim 12, wherein the adjustment module is further configured to modify a capacitive sensing parameter by remapping the capacitive array sensor from a function of the second replaceable housing to a function of the first replaceable housing.

14. The mobile communication device according to claim 11, wherein the first replaceable housing comprises a housing including gaming controller input devices.

15. The mobile communication device according to claim 11, wherein the first replaceable housing comprises a housing including quick dial input devices.

16. The mobile communication device according to claim 11, further comprising a download module configured to download an application related to the first replaceable housing based on the predefined conductive pattern.

17. The mobile communication device according to claim 11, further comprising an activation module configured to activate a function related to the first replaceable housing based on the predefined conductive pattern.

18. A mobile communication device comprising:

a main housing;

a first replaceable housing configured to be coupled to the main housing;

a second replaceable housing configured to be coupled to the main housing;

a capacitive array sensor coupled to the main housing;

a sensing module configured to sense the replacement of the second replaceable housing with the first replaceable housing; and

an adjustment module configured to adjust a parameter of operation of the mobile communication device based on a position of the first replaceable housing,

wherein the adjustment module is further configured to modify the capacitive sensing parameter by remapping a capacitive array matrix according to a functionality of the first replaceable housing.

19. The mobile communication device according to claim 18, wherein the adjustment module is further configured to modify a capacitive sensing parameter to correlate to a function of the first replaceable housing.

20. The mobile communication device according to claim 18, wherein the sensing module is further configured to sense the replacement of the second replaceable housing with the first replaceable housing by sensing a change in a capacitive field across the capacitive array sensor based on a predefined conductive pattern.

21. A hand held portable device comprising:

a main housing;

a display coupled to the main housing;

a first replaceable housing configured to be coupled to the main housing;

a capacitive array sensor coupled to the main housing;

a sensing module coupled to the capacitive array sensor, the sensing module being configured to sense a change in a capacitive field across the capacitive array sensor, the change caused by a predefined conductive pattern; and

an adjustment module coupled to the capacitive array sensor, the adjustment module being configured to adjust a parameter of operation of the mobile communication device in response to the sensing module sensing the change in the capacitive field using a predefined conductive pattern,

wherein the sensing module is further configured to sense a replacement of a second replaceable housing with the first replaceable housing by sensing a change in a capacitive field across the capacitive array sensor based on the predefined conductive pattern.

22. The hand held portable device according to claim 21, wherein the adjustment module is further configured to modify a capacitive sensing parameter to correlate to a function of the first replaceable housing.

23. The hand held portable device according to claim 21, further comprising a keypad coupled to the main housing, wherein the capacitive array sensor is located beneath the keypad.

24. The hand held portable device according to claim 21, further comprising a face cover housing coupled to the main housing, wherein the first replaceable housing is coupled to the main housing via the face cover housing.

25. The hand held portable device according to claim 21, wherein the first replaceable housing is a holster.