Mobile device with an inclinometer

• US 8,860,765 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2009
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Kilpatrick, Thomas E. II, Dahl, Sten Jorgen Ludvig, Lundqvist, Patrik N.
• Primary Examiner(s): AMIN, JWALANT B
• Application Number:
  US12/553,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20100060664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,867 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/659
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1649 the additional display being independently orientable, e.g. for presenting information to a second user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• 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 2200/1635 Stackable modules

Abstract

A method is disclosed that includes detecting a change in an inclination at a panel of an electronic device. The panel has a display surface. The method also includes detecting a rotation of the panel from a first orientation to a second orientation. The method also includes automatically redrawing an image displayed at the display surface responsive to the rotation when the change in the inclination of the panel does not exceed a threshold during the rotation.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first panel having a first display surface;

an inclinometer configured to detect a change in inclination of the first panel;

an accelerometer configured to detect a rotation of the first panel from a landscape orientation to a portrait orientation; and

a processor configured to execute at least one software application having a graphical user interface, the processor responsive to the inclinometer and responsive to the accelerometer to automatically redraw an image displayed at the first display surface from a landscape-type display of the image to a portrait-type display of the image when a change in the inclination of the first panel does not exceed a threshold during the rotation of the first panel;

wherein the threshold comprises an angle in one of a first range between 5 degrees and 30 degrees and a second range between negative 5 (−

5) degrees and negative 30 (−

30) degrees.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the image comprises an image of a keyboard.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to redraw the image, such that the image maintains a substantially stationary orientation from a perspective of a viewer of the display during the rotation.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second panel having a second display surface;

a third panel having a third display surface, wherein the second panel is rotatably coupled to a first edge of the first panel and wherein the third panel is rotatably coupled to a second edge of the first panel;

wherein the inclinometer is located at the first panel;

wherein the accelerometer is offset from a center of the second panel; and

wherein the processor is configured to redraw an image displayed at the first display surface, the second display surface, the third display surface, or any combination thereof, from a landscape-type display of the image to a portrait-type display of the image when the first panel, the second panel, and the third panel are in at least one predetermined folding configuration and the change in the inclination of the first panel does not exceed the threshold during the rotation of the first panel.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to initiate an action at the electronic device responsive to the inclinometer and the accelerometer when the first panel, the second panel, and the third panel are in at least one predetermined folding configuration and the change in the inclination of the first panel does not exceed a threshold during the rotation of the first panel.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the action at the electronic device comprises triggering one or more vibration actuators of the electronic device.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further responsive to the inclinometer to detect a change in an orientation caused by a rotation of the first display surface about an axis within a plane of the first display surface.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the angle is about 15 degrees.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the angle is about negative 15 (−

15) degrees.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first display surface maintains a substantially vertical orientation during the rotation.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first display surface maintains a substantially horizontal orientation during the rotation.

12. A method comprising:

detecting a change in an inclination at a panel of an electronic device, the panel having a display surface;

detecting a rotation of the panel from a first orientation to a second orientation; and

automatically redrawing an image displayed at the display surface responsive to the rotation when the change in the inclination of the panel does not exceed a threshold during the rotation;

wherein the threshold comprises an angle in one of a first range between 5 degrees and 30 degrees and a second range between negative 5 (−

5) degrees and negative 30 (−

30) degrees.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first orientation is a landscape orientation and the second orientation is a portrait orientation.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the panel is a second panel of the electronic device, the display surface is a second display surface of the second panel, the second panel is rotatably coupled to a first panel along a first hinged edge of the second panel, the first panel has a first display surface, a third panel is rotatably coupled to the second panel along a second hinged edge of the second panel, and the third panel has a third display surface.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein automatically redrawing the image further comprises redrawing the image displayed at the first display surface, the second display surface, the third display surface, or any combination thereof, from a landscape-type display of the image to a portrait-type display of the image when the first panel, the second panel, and the third panel are in at least one predetermined folding configuration.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting the change in inclination at the panel of the electronic device further comprises detecting a change in an orientation caused by a rotation about of the display surface about an axis within a plane of the display surface.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the angle is about 15 degrees.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the angle is about negative 15 (−

15) degrees.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the display surface maintains a substantially vertical orientation during the rotation.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the display surface maintains a substantially horizontal orientation during the rotation.

21. An apparatus comprising:

means for detecting a change in an inclination at a panel of an electronic device, the panel having a display surface;

means for detecting a rotation of the panel from a landscape orientation to a portrait orientation; and

means for automatically redrawing an image displayed at the display surface responsive to the detected rotation when the change in the inclination of the panel does not exceed a threshold during the rotation;

wherein the threshold comprises an angle in one of a first range between 5 degrees and 30 degrees and a second range between negative 5 (−

5) degrees and negative 30 (−

30) degrees.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising means for initiating an action at the electronic device responsive to the rotation when the change in the inclination of the panel does not exceed the threshold during the rotation.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for initiating the specific process comprises means for triggering one or more vibration actuators of the electronic device.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein:

the panel is a second panel of the electronic device, the display surface is a second display surface, the second panel is rotatably coupled to a first panel along a first hinged edge of the second panel, the first panel has a first display surface, a third panel is rotatably coupled to the second panel along a second hinged edge of the second panel, and the third panel has a third display surface; and

the means for automatically redrawing the image further comprises means for redrawing the image displayed at the first display surface, the second display surface, the third display surface, or any combination thereof, from a landscape-type display of the image to a portrait-type display of the image when the first panel, the second panel, and the third panel are in at least one predetermined folding configuration.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for automatically redrawing the image is further responsive to the means for detecting an inclination to detect a change in an orientation caused by a rotation of the display surface about an axis within a plane of the first display surface.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the angle is about 15 degrees.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the angle is about negative 15 (−

15) degrees.

28. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the display surface maintains a substantially vertical orientation during the rotation.

29. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the display surface maintains a substantially horizontal orientation during the rotation.

30. A non-transitory computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:

detect a change in an inclination at a panel of an electronic device, the panel having a display surface;

detect a rotation of the panel from a landscape orientation to a portrait orientation; and

automatically redraw an image displayed at the display surface responsive to the detected rotation when the change in the inclination of the panel does not exceed a threshold during the rotation;

wherein the threshold comprises an angle in one of a first range between 5 degrees and 30 degrees and a second range between negative 5 (−

5) degrees and negative 30 (−

30) degrees.

31. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 30, wherein detecting the change in inclination further comprises detecting a change in an orientation caused by a rotation about of the display surface about an axis within a plane of the display surface.

32. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 30, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to initiate an action at the electronic device responsive to the rotation when the change in the inclination of the panel does not exceed the threshold during the rotation.

33. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 30, wherein initiating the action further comprises triggering one or more vibration actuators of the electronic device.

34. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 30, wherein the display surface maintains a substantially horizontal orientation during the rotation.

35. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 30, wherein the angle is about 15 degrees.

36. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 30, wherein the angle is about negative 15 (−

15) degrees.

37. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 30, wherein the first display surface maintains a substantially vertical orientation during the rotation.

38. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 30, wherein the display surface maintains a substantially horizontal orientation during the rotation.