Apparatus and method for electronic device control

• US 7,117,009 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wong, Daniel, Kinerk, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US10/324,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/575.3, 455/575.1, 455/550.1, 455/517, 455/90.3, 455/557, 455/344, 455/500, 455/422.1, 455/403, 455/425, 455/566, 379/433.11, 379/433.13, 379/433.01, 379/428.08, 345/55, 345/158, 345/156, 345/166, 345/169, 345/214
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• 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 1/0241 using relative motion of the body parts to change the operational status of the telephone set, e.g. switching on/off, answering incoming call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0243 using the relative angle between housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations

Abstract

An apparatus and method for electronic device control. The apparatus can include a first housing including a first housing face, a display coupled to the first housing face, a second housing pivotably attached to the first housing the second housing including a second housing face, the second housing face being configured to cover at least a portion of the first housing face. The apparatus can also include a housing orientation detection module coupled to the second housing, the housing orientation detection module configured to detect a position of the second housing relative to the first housing. The apparatus can additionally include a controller configured to display motion on the display based on the position detected by the housing orientation detection module. The second housing can be pivotably attached to the first housing along at least two axes of rotation.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a first housing including a first housing face;

a display coupled to the first housing face;

a second housing pivotably attached to the first housing the second housing including a second housing face, the second housing face being configured to cover at least a portion of the first housing face;

a housing orientation detection module coupled to the second housing, the housing orientation detection module configured to detect a position of the second housing relative to the first housing; and

a controller configured to display motion on the display based on the position detected by the housing orientation detection module,

wherein the motion on the display is caused by a change in the position detected by the housing orientation detection module,

wherein motion comprises movement of an element within an image displayed on the display.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the second housing is pivotably attached to the first housing along at least two axes of rotation.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the orientation detection module includes at least one housing rotational motion sensor coupled to the first housing and the second housing.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3,

wherein the housing rotational motion sensor comprises an optical sensor.

5. The electronic device according to claim 3,

wherein the housing rotational motion sensor comprises a shaft encoder.

6. The electronic device according to claim 3,

wherein the housing rotational motion sensor comprises a roller sensor configured to track rotation of the second housing relative to the first housing.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a transceiver coupled to the second housing; and

a telecommunications input coupled to the second housing.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a shaft coupled to the first housing;

a shaft encoder coupled to the shaft;

a hinge connection rotatably coupled to the shaft and the second housing; and

a second shaft encoder coupled to the hinge connection.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the controller is further configured to select one of a gaming mode and a telecommunications mode, enable concurrent key entry in the gaming mode, and disable concurrent key entry in the telecommunications mode.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a side tactile input coupled to the first housing on a surface perpendicular to the first housing face,

wherein the controller is further configured to enable a game action function of the side tactile input in the gaming mode.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls a display viewpoint based on the housing orientation signal.

12. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls an element on the display based on the housing orientation signal.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first housing tactile input coupled to the first housing,

wherein the controller is further configured to control a first range of motion based on signals received from the display housing orientation detection module and a second range of motion based on signals received from the first housing tactile input.

14. An electronic device, comprising:

a first housing including a first housing face;

a display coupled to the first housing face;

a second housing pivotably attached to the first housing the second housing including a second housing face, a first housing face surface area being equal to at least half of a second housing face surface area;

a housing orientation detection module coupled to the second housing, the housing orientation detection module configured to detect a position of the second housing relative to the first housing; and

a controller configured to display motion on the display caused by and corresponding to movement of the second housing relative to the first housing based on the position detected by the housing orientation detection module,

wherein motion comprises movement of an element within an image displayed on the display.

15. The electronic device according to claim 14,

wherein the second housing is pivotably attached to the first housing along at least two axes of rotation.

16. The electronic device according to claim 14,

wherein the orientation detection module includes at least one housing rotational motion sensor coupled to the first housing and the second housing.

17. An electronic device, comprising:

a first housing including a first housing face;

a display coupled to the first housing face;

a second housing pivotably attached to the first housing the second housing including a second housing face, the second housing face being configured to cover at least a portion of the first housing face;

a housing orientation detection module coupled to the second housing, the housing orientation detection module configured to detect a position of the second housing relative to the first housing; and

a controller configured to display motion on the display, the motion caused by a change in the position of the second housing relative to the first housing detected by the housing orientation detection module,

wherein motion comprises movement of an element within an image displayed on the display.

18. The electronic device according to claim 17,

wherein the second housing is pivotably attached to the first housing along at least two axes of rotation.

19. The electronic device according to claim 17,

wherein the orientation detection module includes at least one housing rotational motion sensor coupled to the first housing and the second housing.

20. The electronic device according to claim 17,

wherein the change in the position of the second housing relative to the first housing controls the motion on the display.

21. The electronic device according to claim 17,

wherein motion comprises at least one of movement of a character on the display and scrolling of the display.