Device orientation based docking functions

• US 8,645,604 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2011
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Fino, Jorge S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zaman, Faisal M
• Application Number:
  US13/072,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20120246374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 710/303, 710/304
• US Class Current: 710/304
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• 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 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions

Abstract

Systems and method are provided for selecting one or more docking functions based on a physical orientation of a user device coupled to a docking device. The docking device may include a surface upon which the user device may be placed. Docking functions such as charging, data transfer, data synchronization, diagnostic checking, or other functions may be selected, performed, or both, based on the physical orientation of the user device on the surface.

Claims

1. A method for docking a user device, the method comprising:

providing a surface upon which the user device may be placed;

determining that the user device has been placed on the surface; and

determining that a second user device has been placed on the surface;

determining, with processing equipment, a physical orientation of the user device on the surface;

determining, with processing equipment, a second physical orientation of the second user device relative to the first user device on the surface; and

selecting, with processing equipment, at least one docking function from a plurality of docking functions based on a combination of both the physical orientation and the second physical orientation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical orientation is determined to be at least one physical orientation selected from the group consisting of a translational position on the surface, a rotational position about an axis, a face direction, or any combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one docking function comprises at least one docking function selected from the group consisting of inductively charging the user device, synchronizing data between the user device and another device, transferring data between the user device and another device, performing a diagnostic evaluation of the user device, or any combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one docking function comprises synchronizing data between the first user device and the second user device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the physical orientation of the second user device on the surface.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an indication as to the selected at least one docking function, wherein the indication is selected from the group consisting of an audio sound, a graphic displayed on a display screen, an electronic message notification, a vibration of the user device, or any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting at least one docking function from a plurality of docking functions is further based on user preference information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting, with processing equipment, at least one docking function from a plurality of docking functions based on a combination of both the physical orientation and the second physical orientation comprises:

determining whether the second physical orientation permits a docking function that involves both the user device and the second user device;

if so, selecting at least one docking function from the plurality of docking functions, wherein at least one of the selected docking functions involve both the user device and the second user device; and

if not, selecting at least one docking function from the plurality of docking functions wherein, none of the selected docking functions involve both the user device and the second user device.

9. A docking apparatus comprising:

a surface configured to receive first and second user devices that have been placed on the surface; and

processing equipment configured to;

process both a physical orientation of the first user device and a second physical orientation of the second user devices relative to the first user device to determine at least one docking function of a plurality of docking functions to perform when the first and second user devices are docked to the docking apparatus.

10. The docking apparatus of claim 9, wherein the surface is further configured to inductively charge the at least one of the first and second user devices when the at least one of the first and second user devices have been placed on the surface, and wherein the processing equipment is further configured to provide a charging signal to the surface.

11. The docking apparatus of claim 9, wherein the docking apparatus further comprises at least one communications interface configured to communicatively couple to at least one host device.

12. The docking apparatus of claim 9, wherein some or all of the physical orientation information is received from at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor is selected from the group consisting of an accelerometer, an inductive load sensor, a touch sensor, an optical sensor, or any combination thereof.

13. The docking apparatus of claim 9, wherein the physical orientation information comprises information stored in memory of the docking apparatus.

14. The docking apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first and second user devices comprise memory hardware and is configured to communicatively couple to the docking apparatus, and wherein the physical orientation information comprises information stored in memory hardware of the at least one of the first and second user devices.

15. The docking apparatus of claim 9, wherein the surface is partitioned into at least two lesser surfaces, and wherein physical orientation information comprises information as to which of the at least two lesser surfaces at least one of the first and second user devices has been placed onto.

16. The docking apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first and second user devices comprise one or more devices selected from the group consisting of a smart phone, a tablet computer, a personal media player, a digital camera, a personal digital assistant, a global positioning device, or any combination thereof.

17. A user device comprising:

at least one sensor configured to sense a physical orientation of the user device when the user device is placed on a surface; and

processing equipment configured to;

determine that the user device has been placed on the surface;

determine that a second user device has been placed on the surface;

determine a physical orientation of the user device on the surface;

determine a second physical orientation of the second user device relative to the first user device on the surface; and

process both the physical orientation and the second physical orientation to determine at least one docking function of a plurality of docking functions to perform when the user device is on the surface.

18. The user device of claim 17, further comprising at least one communications interface configured to communicatively couple to at least one host device.

19. The user device of claim 17, further comprising a first communications interface, and wherein the surface is a surface of a docking apparatus comprising a second communications interface, and wherein the first communications interface is configured to communicatively couple to the second communications interface.

20. The user device of claim 17, further comprising memory coupled to the processing equipment, wherein at least some of the physical orientation information is stored in the memory.