System method for accessory adapter with power supplying capabilities wherein power conductive element is either active or passive depending on placement of electrical contacts

• US 8,918,548 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2012
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Chih-Kuang
• Primary Examiner(s): PEYTON, TAMMARA R
• Application Number:
  US13/645,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20140098491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 710 15- 19, 455/41.1
• US Class Current: 710/16
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/00 Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus casings, cabinets, drawers H05K5/00

Abstract

An electronic device and an accessory are provided. The electronic device is installed on the accessory and identifies a type of the accessory. The electronic device includes a housing, a processor and an active sensing element. The processor and the active sensing element are disposed in the housing, and the active sensing element is electrically connected to the processor. The accessory includes a body and a passive sensing element, and the passive sensing element is disposed in the body. When the electronic device is installed on the accessory, the processor identifies the type of the accessory through that the active sensing element detects the passive sensing element, and the processor starts an operating mode relative to the accessory according to the type of the accessory. A method of operating an electronic device and an accessory is also provided.

Claims

1. An accessory, adapted for being connected with an electronic device and enabling the electronic device to identify a type of the accessory, wherein the electronic device comprises a housing, a processor and an active sensing element, the processor and the active sensing element are disposed in the housing, and the active sensing element is electrically connected with the processor, the accessory comprising:

a body, comprising a fixing portion and a movable portion, wherein the fixing portion is connected with the movable portion which is movable relative to the fixing portion, the electronic device is adapted for being installed in the fixing portion; and

a passive sensing element, disposed on the body and comprising a fixed sensing portion and a movable sensing portion, wherein the fixed sensing portion is located on the fixing portion and comprising a sensing pattern, the movable sensing portion is located on the movable portion, when the accessory is connected with the electronic device, the processor identifies the type of the accessory according to the sensing pattern of the passive sensing element through the active sensing element detecting the sensing pattern of the passive sensing element and starts an operation mode corresponding to the accessory according to the type of the accessory, and the active sensing element generates a movable signal by detecting that the movable sensing portion moves relative to the active sensing element.

2. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the passive sensing element comprises a plurality of dot-shaped sensing pads arranged into the sensing pattern, and the processor identifies the type of the accessory through the active sensing element detecting the sensing pattern.

3. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the passive sensing element comprises a conductive element, and the active sensing element detects the passive sensing element according to a change of a capacitance generated when contacting the passive sensing element.

4. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the passive sensing element comprises a magnetic element, and the active sensing element detects the passive sensing element according to a change of a magnetic field generated when approaching the passive sensing element.

5. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion comprises a holder, the movable portion comprises a movable cover and a repositioning element, the repositioning element is disposed between the holder and the movable cover, the movable sensing portion is located on the movable cover, the holder moves relative to the movable cover by pressing the repositioning element so as to enable the movable sensing portion and the active sensing element to move relative to each other.

6. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion comprises a holder, the movable portion comprises a linking rod, a rotary wheel and a rotary disc, the rotary wheel and the rotary disc are individually pivoted to the holder, the linking rod links the rotary wheel with the rotary disc to enable the rotary wheel and the rotary disc to synchronously rotate with each other, the movable sensing portion is located on the rotary disc, the rotary disc rotates relative to the holder with the rotation of the rotary wheel and by being linked with the linking rod so as to enable the movable sensing portion and the active sensing element to move relative to each other.

7. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the fixed sensing portion comprises a plurality of fixed dot-shaped sensing pads arranged as the sensing pattern.

8. An method of operating an electronic device and an accessory, adopted by the electronic device to identify a type of the accessory and execute applications relative to the accessory, the electronic device comprising a housing, a processor and an active sensing element, wherein the processor and the active sensing element are disposed in the housing, and the active sensing element is electrically connected with the processor, and the accessory comprising a body and a passive sensing element disposed in the body, wherein the electronic device is installed on the accessory, the active sensing element is adjacent to the passive sensing element, the body of the accessory comprises a fixing portion and a movable portion, the passive sensing element comprises a fixed sensing portion and a movable sensing portion, the movable portion is movably connected with the fixing portion, the fixed sensing portion is located on the fixing portion and comprising a sensing pattern, and the movable sensing portion is located on the movable portion, wherein the movable sensing portion moves relative to the active sensing element through moving the movable portion relative to the fixing portion, and the operation method comprising:

identifying the type of the accessory by the processor according to the sensing pattern of the passive sensing element through the active sensing element detecting the sensing pattern of the passive sensing element;

starting an operation mode corresponding to the accessory by the processor according to the type of the accessory; and

generating a movable signal by the active sensing element detecting that the movable sensing portion moves relative to the active sensing element.

9. The method of operating the electronic device and the accessory according to claim 8, wherein the passive sensing element comprises a plurality of dot-shaped sensing pads arranged into the sensing pattern, and the step of identifying the type of the accessory comprises identifying the type of the accessory by the processor through the active sensing element detecting the sensing pattern.

10. The method of operating the electronic device and the accessory according to claim 8, wherein the fixed sensing portion comprises a plurality of fixed dot-shaped sensing pads arranged into the sensing pattern, and the step of identifying the type of the accessory comprises identifying the type of the accessory by the processor through the active sensing element detecting the fixed sensing pattern.