Methods of launching applications responsive to device orientation and related electronic devices

• US 8,810,512 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Collinsworth, Curt, Svedberg, Johan, Andersson, Ola
• Primary Examiner(s): Karimi, Pegeman
• Application Number:
  US12/971,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20120050161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/158, 345/173, 345/649, 345/656
• US Class Current: 345/158
• 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 1/1694 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 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer

Abstract

A method of operating an electronic device may include providing first graphic output of a first application on a display. Responsive to detecting a change in orientation of the electronic device, providing second graphic output of a second application may be automatically provided on the display. Related devices are also discussed.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

providing first graphic output of a browser application on a display, wherein providing the first graphic output comprises launching the browser application, wherein the first graphic output of the browser application is provided on the display according to a first mode with the first graphic output of the browser application being aligned with a first axis of the display, and wherein a video application is integrated with the browser application by including a video link in the first graphic output of the browser application;

detecting a change in orientation of the electronic device while providing the first graphic output of the browser application including the video link; and

responsive to detecting the change in orientation while providing the first graphic output of the browser application including the video link, automatically providing second graphic output of the video application associated with the video link on the display responsive to detecting the change in orientation without requiring user input through a user interface, wherein the second graphic output of the video application is provided on the display according to a second mode with the second graphic output of the video application aligned with a second axis of the display different than the first axis, wherein automatically providing the second graphic output comprises automatically launching the video application responsive to detecting the change in orientation without requiring user input through the user interface, and wherein automatically launching the video application comprises automatically switching from the browser application to the video application responsive to detecting rotation of the electronic device from the first axis to the second axis.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first mode comprises a portrait mode and wherein the second mode comprises a landscape mode.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

after providing the second graphic output of the video application on the display, detecting a second change in orientation of the electronic device;

responsive to detecting the second change in orientation, automatically pausing the second graphic output of the video application responsive to detecting the change in orientation; and

responsive to detecting the second change in orientation, resuming providing the first graphic output of the browser application on the display.

4. The method according to claim 3 further comprising:

after detecting the second change in orientation of the electronic device while providing the first graphic output of the browser application, detecting a third change in orientation of the electronic device; and

responsive to detecting the third change in orientation while providing the first graphic output of the browser application, automatically resuming providing the second graphic output of the video application beginning where the second graphic output was paused.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

after providing the second graphic output on the display, detecting a second change in orientation of the electronic device; and

responsive to detecting the second change in orientation, providing third graphic output of a third application on the display.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein providing the third graphic output comprises providing the third graphic output of the third application on the display according to a third mode with the graphic output of the third application oriented 180 degrees relative to the first graphic output of the browser application and or the second graphic output of the video application.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

after providing the second graphic output, detecting a second change in orientation of the electronic device;

responsive to detecting the second change in orientation, pausing the second graphic output of the video application;

responsive to detecting the second change in orientation, resuming providing the first graphic output of the browser application on the display;

after resuming providing the first graphic output of the browser application, detecting a third change in orientation of the electronic device; and

responsive to detecting the third change in orientation, resuming providing the second graphic output of the video application on the display beginning where the second graphic output was paused.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the browser application is configured to provide Internet browsing.

9. An electronic device comprising:

a display configured to provide graphic output;

an orientation sensor configured to sense a physical orientation of the electronic device; and

a processor coupled to the display and coupled to the orientation sensor, wherein the processor is configured to provide first graphic output of a browser application by launching the browser application and providing the first graphic output of the browser application on the display, wherein the first graphic output of the browser application is provided on the display according to a first mode with the first graphic output of the browser application being aligned with a first axis of the display, and wherein a video application is integrated with the browser application by including a video link in the first graphic output of the browser application, wherein the processor is configured to detect a change in orientation of the electronic device responsive to a signal from the orientation sensor while providing the first graphic output of the browser application including the video link, and wherein the processor is configured to automatically provide second graphic output of the video application associated with the video link by automatically launching the video application responsive to detecting the change in orientation without requiring user input through a user interface and automatically providing the second graphic output of the video application on the display responsive to detecting the change in orientation without requiring user input through the user interface while providing the first graphic output of the browser application including the video link, wherein the second graphic output of the video application is provided on the display according to a second mode with the second graphic output of the video application aligned with a second axis of the display different than the first axis, and wherein automatically launching the video application comprises automatically switching from the browser application to the video application responsive to detecting rotation of the electronic device from the first axis to the second axis.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9 wherein the first mode comprises a portrait mode and wherein the second mode comprises a landscape mode.

11. The electronic device according to claim 9 wherein the processor is further configured to pause the first graphic output of the browser application responsive to detecting, the change in orientation.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11 wherein the processor is further configured to detect a second change in orientation of the electronic device responsive to a signal from the orientation sensor after providing the second graphic output of the video application on the display, and to resume providing the first graphic output of the browser application on the display beginning where the first graphic output was paused responsive to detecting the second change in orientation.

13. The electronic device according to claim 9 wherein the processor is further configured to detect a second change in orientation of the electronic device responsive to a signal from the orientation sensor after providing the second graphic output on the display, and to provide third graphic output of a third application on the display responsive to detecting the second change in orientation.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13 wherein the processor is configured to provide the third graphic output of the third application on the display according to a third mode with the graphic output of the third application oriented 180 degrees relative to the first graphic output of the browser application and/or the second graphic output of the video application.

15. The electronic device according to claim 9 wherein the processor is configured to detect a second change in orientation of the electronic device after providing the second graphic output, to pause the second graphic output of the video application responsive to detecting the second change in orientation, to resume providing the first graphic output of the browser application on the display responsive to detecting the second change in orientation, to detect a third change in orientation of the electronic device after resuming providing the first graphic output of the browser application, and to resume providing the second graphic output of the video application on the display beginning where the second graphic output was pause responsive to detecting the third change in orientation.

16. The electronic device according to claim 9 wherein the browser application is configured to provide Internet browsing.