Handheld electronic device and operating method thereof

• US 8,374,595 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Chien, Chih-Ling, Huang, Hsiao-Chuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): MORALES FERNANDEZ, BENJAMIN
• Application Number:
  US12/432,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20100009721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 455/425, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/556.1, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.4, 455/569.1, 455/564, 455/565, 379/433.13, 379/424, 345/156, 340/689
• US Class Current: 455/423
• 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 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

A handheld electronic device and an operating method thereof are provided, in which at least two sets of sound outputting modules and sound receiving modules are disposed in the handheld electronic device. The operating method detects an orientation of the handheld electronic device by a motion detecting module and enables different sets of the sound outputting modules and the sound receiving modules according to a variation of the orientation of the handheld electronic device, so as to change a direction of a call operation, and thus a user can successfully make a phone call, even if the handheld electronic device is held upside down. Furthermore, the operating method can control the sound outputting modules and the sound receiving modules individually or collectively according to actual demands to achieve a multifunctional product design.

Claims

1. A handheld electronic device, comprising:

a body, having a first side and a second side opposite to each other;

a control module, disposed in the body;

only two sound outputting modules, including a first sound outputting module disposed on the first side of the body and coupled to the control module, and a second sound outputting module disposed on the second side of the body and coupled to the control module;

only two sound receiving module, including a first sound receiving module disposed on the second side of the body and coupled to the control module, and a second sound receiving module disposed on the first side of the body and coupled to the control module; and

a motion detecting module, disposed in the body and coupled to the control module, wherein

when the motion detecting module detects that the body is located at a first orientation and that the handheld electronic device is in a first operation mode, the first sound outputting module and the first sound receiving module are enabled by the control module, and the second sound outputting module and the second receiving module are disabled by the control module;

when the motion detecting module detects that the body is located at a second orientation and that the handheld electronic device is in a second operation mode, the second sound outputting module and the second sound receiving module are enabled by the control module, and the first sound outputting module and the first sound receiving module are disabled by the control module; and

when the motion detecting module detects that the body is oriented to a third orientation and that the handheld electronic device is in a third operation mode to perform an audio-visual playing function, a major axis direction of the body is substantially parallel with a horizontal plane, both of the first sound outputting module and the second sound outputting module are enabled by the control module, and both of the first sound receiving module and the second sound receiving module are disabled by the control module.

2. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first orientation is opposite to the second orientation.

3. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first side and the second side are respectively two sides of the body along a major axis direction.

4. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first operation mode or the second operation mode comprises functions of receiving a call and dialling a call.

5. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein when the body is located at the third orientation and both the first sound outputting module and the second sound outputting module are enabled at the same time, output powers of both the first sound outputting module and the second sound outputting module are increased.

6. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the motion detecting module comprises at least one acceleration detector or at least one gyro.

7. An operating method of a handheld electronic device, comprising:

providing the handheld electronic device as claimed in claim 1;

detecting an orientation of the body by the motion detecting module;

enabling the first sound outputting module and the first sound receiving module by the control module, when the body is located at a first orientation and the handheld electronic device is in a first operation mode;

enabling the second sound outputting module and the second sound receiving module by the control module, when the body is located at a second orientation and the handheld electronic device is in a second operation mode; and

enabling both of the first sound outputting module and the second sound outputting module by the control module, when the motion detecting module detects that the body is oriented to a third orientation with a major axis direction of the body being substantially parallel with a horizontal plane and that the handheld electronic device is in a third operation mode to perform an audio-visual playing function.

8. The operating method of a handheld electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the first orientation is opposite to the second orientation.

9. The operating method of a handheld electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the first operation mode or the second operation mode comprises functions of receiving a call and dialling a call.

10. The operating method of a handheld electronic device according to claim 7, further comprising increasing output powers of both the first sound outputting module and the second sound outputting module, when both the first sound outputting module and the second sound outputting module are enabled by the control module.

11. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first sound outputting module and the second sound receiving module are located at the center of the first side of the body, and the first sound receiving module and the second sound outputting module are located at the center of the second side of the body.

12. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first sound outputting module and the second sound outputting module are aligned with each other in parallel with the major axis direction of the body.