Compact electronic device with built-in inclination sensor and correction method

• US 9,008,987 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Tanabe, Shigeki, Yano, Junya, Hirose, Yuuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, HIEN XUAN
• Application Number:
  US12/920,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20110004439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,237 Days
• Field of Search: 702 92- 93, 702/104, 702/141, 702/85, 333/56
• US Class Current: 702/92
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 25/005 initial alignment, calibration or starting-up of inertial devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/06 Electric or photoelectric indication or reading means
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/08 with conversion into electric or magnetic values
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/00 Testing or calibrating of apparatus or devices covered by the preceding groups
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

An electronic device is provided with an inclination sensor for computing inclination, a control unit which conducts predetermined control based on a value computed by the inclination sensor, a case which has the inclination sensor and the control unit therein, and a suspension portion for suspending the case, and the control unit controls correction of the reference value of the inclination sensor based on a state where the case is suspended by the suspension portion and still.

Claims

1. An electronic device with a built-in inclination sensor, comprising:

an inclination sensor that calculates inclination by a single detection of acceleration without using a magnetic field;

a control unit that performs predetermined control based on a value calculated by the inclination sensor;

a case that includes the inclination sensor and the control unit inside thereof; and

a suspension portion that suspends the case,

wherein the control unit performs correction control of a reference value of the inclination sensor based on a vertical direction determined by gravity and the value calculated by the single detection by the inclination sensor in a state in which the case is suspended by way of the suspension portion and has come to rest, thereby establishing the vertical direction,

wherein when the case is suspended by way of the suspension portion, the control unit determines whether an inclination angle related to a value calculated by the inclination sensor coincides with a predetermined inclination angle, and

in a case of having determined not to coincide, the control unit calculates an amount of deviation from the predetermined inclination angle, and performs the correction control based on the amount of deviation.

2. The electronic device with a built-in inclination sensor according to claim 1, wherein, when the case is suspended by way of the suspension portion, the control unit performs correction control of the reference value of the inclination sensor based on an inclination angle of the case relative to the vertical direction in a state of being suspended and having come to rest.

3. The electronic device with a built-in inclination sensor according to claim 1, further comprising:

an operation unit; and

a display unit that displays predetermined information,

wherein, when an operation to perform correction control of a reference value of the inclination sensor is performed via the operation unit, the control unit performs control such that the display unit displays information that prompts to suspend the case by way of the suspension portion.

4. The electronic device with a built-in inclination sensor according to claim 3, wherein, when an operation to perform the correction control is performed via the operation unit, the control unit performs the correction control after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the operation.

5. The electronic device with a built-in inclination sensor according to claim 3,

wherein the case includes a first case and a second case that are connected so as to be openable and closable via a connecting portion, and

wherein, when an operation to command execution of correction control of a reference value of the inclination sensor is performed via the operation unit, the control unit performs control such that the display unit displays information that prompts to suspend the case in any one of an opened state or a closed state.

6. The electronic device with a built-in inclination sensor according to claim 1, further comprising:

an operation unit; and

a display unit that displays information,

wherein, when an operation to perform correction control of a reference value of the inclination sensor is performed via the operation unit, the control unit performs a predetermined calculation regarding the correction control, performs control such that the display unit displays a screen for confirming whether to perform the correction control based on a result of the calculation, and accepts a confirmation operation via the operation unit, and determines whether to perform the correction control based on the result of the calculation depending on a result thus accepted.

7. The electronic device with a built-in inclination sensor according to claim 1, wherein, in the case of having determined not to coincide, the control unit calculates an amount of deviation from the predetermined inclination angle, calculates an average value of the amount of deviation and a plurality of amounts of deviation calculated previously, and performs the correction control based on the average value.

8. The electronic device with a built-in inclination sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the case includes a first case and a second case that are connected so as to be openable and closable via a connecting portion, and

wherein the control unit performs the correction control taking into account whether the case is in an opened state or a closed state.

9. The electronic device with a built-in inclination sensor according to claim 1, wherein a strap is attached as a suspension member to the suspension portion.

10. The electronic device with a built-in inclination sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the case further includes a memory card mounting portion to which a memory card can be removably mounted, and

wherein the control unit performs the correction control taking account of the existence of a memory card mounted to the memory card mounting portion.

11. The electronic device with a built-in inclination sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the inclination sensor is configured so as to calculate inclination by detecting acceleration, and

wherein the control unit monitors acceleration detected by the inclination sensor and an inclination angle that is calculated, and performs the correction control in a case of having determined that the acceleration detected by the inclination sensor is in a state that does not fluctuate, and that the inclination angle that is calculated falls within a predetermined angle range with the vertical direction as a reference.

12. The electronic device with a built-in inclination sensor according to claim 1,

wherein the inclination sensor is configured so as to calculate inclination by detecting acceleration, and

wherein the control unit performs the correction control or processing related to the correction control in a state in which acceleration detected by the inclination sensor does not fluctuate.

13. An electronic device with a built-in inclination sensor, comprising:

an inclination sensor that calculates inclination by a single detection of acceleration without using a magnetic field;

a case that incorporates the inclination sensor; and

a communication cable part that outputs a signal related to a value calculated by the single detection by the inclination sensor to an external device,

wherein correction control of a reference value is performed in the inclination sensor based on a vertical direction determined by gravity and the value calculated by the single detection by the inclination sensor in a state in which the case is suspended by way of the communication cable part and has come to rest, thereby establishing the vertical direction,

wherein when the case is suspended by way of the suspension portion, the control unit determines whether an inclination angle related to a value calculated by the inclination sensor coincides with a predetermined inclination angle, and

in a case of having determined not to coincide, the control unit calculates an amount of deviation from the predetermined inclination angle, and performs the correction control based on the amount of deviation.

14. A method of correcting a reference value of an inclination sensor in an electronic device with a built-in inclination sensor, including the inclination sensor and a case accommodating the inclination sensor inside thereof, the method comprising:

detecting inclination by way of the inclination sensor by a single detection of acceleration without using a magnetic field;

performing correction control of a reference value of the inclination sensor based on a vertical direction determined by gravity and the value calculated by the single detection by the inclination sensor in a state in which the case is suspended by way of the suspension portion and has come to rest, thereby establishing the vertical direction;

determining, when the case is suspended by way of the suspension portion, whether an inclination angle related to a value calculated by the inclination sensor coincides with a predetermined inclination angle;

calculating, in a case of having determined not to coincide, an amount of deviation from the predetermined inclination angle; and

performing the correction control based on the amount of deviation.