System and method for mitigating shock failure in an electronic device

• US 9,195,269 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2013
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Inventors: Rohrer, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US13/851,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20140295910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.11, 4554141-4142, 455/418, 455/423, 455/425, 455/514, 455/550.1, 4555561-5562, 455/558, 455/575.1, 455/575.8, 726/34, 340/539.22, 340/545.5, 340/621, 73488-491, 734/95, 735/03, 735/040.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1633 Constructional details or arrangements of portable computers not specific to the type of enclosures covered by groups G06F1/1615 - G06F1/1626
• 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: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks
• 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

Abstract

A roll compensation system for an electronic device, a method of mitigating impact of an electronic device and an impact-resistant mobile device incorporating the system or the method. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a plurality of sensors operable to detect orientation and motion of the electronic device, (2) a controller configured to detect a fall based on the motion and determine a mitigating roll based on the orientation and the motion and (3) a compensator operable to carry out the mitigating roll thereby reducing the probability of a catastrophic impact.

Claims

1. An impact-resistant mobile device, comprising:

an outer shell;

a plurality of sensors operable to detect orientation and motion of said outer shell;

a memory configured to store an initial height of said impact-resistant mobile device;

a controller operable to gain access to said memory and configured to;

detect a fall of the impact-resistant mobile device based on said detected orientation and motion,

estimate a projected terminal orientation and impact surface of said outer shell based on said initial height, said detected motion and the detected orientation, and

determine a mitigating roll based on said projected terminal orientation and impact surface; and

an electrically actuated compensator controlled by said controller and operable to carry out said mitigating roll thereby reducing the probability of an impact catastrophic to said impact-resistant mobile device.

2. The impact-resistant mobile device recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of sensors is a plurality of accelerometers.

3. The impact-resistant mobile device recited in claim 1 wherein said mitigating roll is further based on said initial height.

4. The impact-resistant mobile device recited in claim 1 further comprising a feedback module configured to:

determine actual terminal parameters of said fall;

calculate a new initial height; and

gain access to said memory for storing said new initial height.

5. The impact-resistant mobile device recited in claim 1 wherein said electrically actuated compensator is a massive disk operable to generate a moment about a gimbal of said massive disk.

6. The impact-resistant mobile device recited in claim 1 wherein said impact-resistant mobile device is a tablet computer.