Controlling input devices based upon detected attitude of an electronic device

• US 8,730,175 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2013
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Lazaridis, Mihal, Badali, Anthony Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, DUC Q
• Application Number:
  US13/763,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20130162542A1
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345169-181
• US Class Current: 345/169
• 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 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• 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 1/1694 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: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

An electronic device including a processor, input device, an informing device and a sensor is presented. The sensor can be adapted to detect the attitude of the device, wherein the sensor can be adapted to communicate data indicative of the attitude of the device to the processor. The processor can be configured to execute instructions to: compare the attitude with a predetermined attitude criteria, and disable the further processing of data received from the input device in the event that the attitude is not less than the predetermined attitude criteria for at least a predetermined period of time. The informing device can be adapted to output a notification when further processing of data from the input device is disabled, the notification indicating the further processing of data from input device is being disabled.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a processor;

an input device communicatively coupled with the processor;

a sensor communicatively coupled with the processor, the sensor adapted to detect the attitude of the device, wherein the sensor is adapted to communicate data indicative of the attitude of the device to the processor;

the processor is configured to execute instructions to;

compare the attitude with a predetermined attitude criteria, and

disable further processing of data received from the input device in the event that the attitude is not less than the predetermined attitude criteria for at least a predetermined period of time; and

an informing device communicatively coupled with the processor, the informing device adapted to output a notification when further processing of data from the input device is disabled, the notification indicating the further processing of data from input device is being disabled.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a touchscreen.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises at least one of telephone keypad, a navigational tool, an auxiliary user input device, a touchscreen, a keyboard, and a user input key.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a non-disabled input device that continues to receive data in the event that the predetermined attitude is not less than the predetermined attitude criteria for a predetermined period of time.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device further comprises a top portion and a bottom portion and said predetermined attitude criteria being an upside down attitude such that the top portion is below the bottom portion.

6. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein said sensor is one of a tilt sensor, an inclinometer, an accelerometer, and a gravimeter.

7. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the informing device is a vibrator and the notification is a vibration.

8. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, the informing device is a speaker and the notification is an audible sound.

9. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, the informing device is a display and the notification is a message on the display.

10. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a display, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions to cause the display to present a message informing the user how to resume normal operation including receiving input from the input device.

11. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the notification is provided proximate to the disabling the further processing of data from the input device, such that the notification is provided at substantial the same time as the disabling the further processing of the data, shortly before the disabling the further processing of the data, or shortly after disabling the further processing of the data.

12. A method for disabling processing of input received from at least one input device on an electronic device comprising:

generating data, at a sensor of the electronic device, indicative of an attitude of an electronic device;

determining, at a processor of the electronic device, that the data indicative of the attitude is not less than a predetermined attitude criteria for a predetermined period of time;

disabling further processing of data received from an input device in response to the data indicative of the attitude is not less than the predetermined attitude criteria for the predetermined period of time; and

providing a notification when disabling the further processing of the data, said notification signal indicating the further processing of data received from the input device is being disabled.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the input device comprises a touchscreen.

14. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the input device comprises at least one of telephone keypad, a navigational tool, an auxiliary user input device, a touchscreen, a keyboard, and a user input key.

15. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising receiving data from a non-disabled input device in the event that the predetermined attitude is not less than the predetermined attitude criteria for at least a predetermined period of time.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the predetermined attitude criteria is an upside down attitude and wherein determining the data indicative of the attitude is not less than the predetermined attitude criteria comprises:

determining a bottom portion of the electronic device is positioned above a top portion of the electronic device.

17. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the providing the notification occurs proximate to the disabling the further processing of data from the input device, such that the notification is provided at substantial the same time as the disabling the further processing of the data, shortly before the disabling the further processing of the data, or shortly after disabling the further processing of the data.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium configured to limit input from an input device of an electronic device, the non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which, upon execution by a processor of the electronic device, causes the processor to:

generate data, at a sensor of the electronic device, indicative of an attitude of an electronic device;

determine, at a processor of the electronic device, that the data indicative of the attitude is not less than a predetermined attitude criteria for a predetermined period of time;

disable further processing of data received from an input device in response to the data indicative of the attitude is not less than the predetermined attitude criteria for the predetermined period of time; and

provide a notification when disabling the further processing of the data, said notification signal indicating the further processing of data received from the input device is being disabled.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 18, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine that the data indicative of the attitude is not less than the predetermined attitude criteria comprises determining a bottom portion of the electronic device is positioned above a top portion of the electronic device, thereby detecting an upside down attitude.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 18, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to provide the notification proximate to the disabling the further processing of data from the input device, such that the notification is provided at substantial the same time as the disabling the further processing of the data, shortly before the disabling the further processing of the data, or shortly after disabling the further processing of the data.