Orientation and presence detection for use in configuring operations of computing devices in docked environments

• US 8,385,822 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Chatterjee, Manjirnath, Matsuoka, Yoshimichi, Liu, Eric, Townsend, Karl, Gilmour, Nicholas R., Grange, William Justin, Martin, Larry W., Corbridge, Mark, Francisco, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Yun, Eugene
• Application Number:
  US12/239,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20100081473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 455/572, 455/573, 455/127.1, 455/41.1, 455/280, 455/289, 455/274, 455/286, 455/292, 455/41.2
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

A mobile computing device (‘MCD’) and docking station (‘dock’) are individually equipped with features and components that enable charging/power signals to be communicated from the dock to the MCD without use of connectors. Other embodiments provide for the MCD or the dock to identify an orientation of the MCD as retained on the docking station. As an addition or alternative, magnetic coupling may be used to maintain and/or orient the two devices in a mated position.

Claims

1. A computing system comprising:

a mobile computing device configured to inductively transmit or receive at least one of a power or data signal; and

an accessory device that is configured to inductively communicate with the mobile computing device in order to transmit or receive the at least one power or data signal;

wherein at least one of the mobile computing device or the accessory device is configured to automatically perform at least a designated application operation in response to detecting the inductive transmission or reception of the at least one power or data signal; and

wherein the mobile computing device and the accessory device are configured to inductively communicate data that is used to enable a subsequent data exchange between the mobile computing device and the accessory device.

2. The computing system of claim 1, wherein each of the mobile computing device and the accessory device include one or more coils that enable inductive transmission or reception of the at least one of the power or data signals.

3. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device and the accessory device inductively communicate a signal that carries both power and data.

4. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device and the accessory device inductively communicates separate signals for power and data.

5. The computing system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the mobile computing device or the accessory device is also configured to automatically perform at least a designated application operation based on an orientation of the mobile computing device relative to the accessory device when the mobile computing device is docked to the accessory device.

6. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device and the accessory device are configured to inductively communicate credential information that is used to pair the two devices for subsequent wireless communications between the two devices.

7. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device and the accessory device are configured to inductively communicate the data that is used to enable the subsequent data exchange by modulating the power signal communicated from one of the mobile computing device or the accessory device to the other of the mobile computing device or accessory device.

8. A mobile computing device comprising:

an inductive element;

a signal handling module that is configured to inductively receive at least one of a power or data signal from another device using the inductive element; and

a plurality of electronic components coupled to the signal handling module, including a central processor and a battery, wherein the central processor is configured to automatically perform at least a designated application operation in response to detecting the inductive transmission or reception of the at least one power or data signal;

wherein the plurality of electronic components are configured to communicate, via the signal handling module, data that is used to enable a subsequent data exchange between the mobile computing device and the other device.

9. The mobile computing device of claim 8, wherein the inductive element includes a coil provided within a housing of the mobile computing device.

10. The mobile computing device of claim 8, wherein the signal handling module is configured to inductively transmit at least one of the power or data signal to another device.

11. The mobile computing device of claim 8, further comprising:

circuit elements to supply power from the power signal to one or more of the plurality of electronic components.

12. The mobile computing device of claim 8, wherein the signal handling resource is configured to handle a modulated power signal and to identify data from the modulated power signal.

13. The mobile computing device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of electronic components further comprises a signal processor that extracts data from the modulated power signal, and uses the extracted data to initiate communication with the other device using a different data communication medium.

14. The mobile computing device of claim 13, wherein at least one of the signal processor or the central processor use the extracted data to enable the subsequent data exchange between the mobile computing device and the other device, the subsequent data exchange is performed using a local wireless communication link.

15. An accessory device for a mobile computing device, the accessory device comprising:

an inductive element comprising a coil provided within a housing of the accessory device;

a signal handling module that is configured to inductively transmit at least one of a power or data signal to the mobile computing device using the inductive element;

wherein the accessory device is configured to automatically perform at least a designated application operation in response to detecting the inductive transmission of the at least one power or data signal;

wherein the accessory device is configured to communicate, via the signal handling module, data that is used to enable a subsequent data exchange between the accessory device and the mobile computing device.

16. The accessory device of claim 15, wherein the accessory device is also configured to automatically perform at least a designated application operation based on an orientation of the mobile computing device relative to the accessory device when the mobile computing device is docked to the accessory device.