Electronic device having an electronic compass adapted to detect when the device is in a holster
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A portable electronic device sized and shaped to be received within a holster in a plurality of orientations, the portable electronic device comprising:
- an electronic compass including a magnetometer adapted to measure a magnetic pattern of a magnetic element in the holster along three axes when the portable electronic device is received within the holster; and
a processor operably coupled to the electronic compass and configured to;
compare the measured pattern with at least one known magnetic pattern associated with the magnetic element for at least one of the plurality of orientations to determine whether the portable device is received within the holster, and if so, whether the portable electronic device is in a first orientation or a second orientation of the plurality of orientations, wherein the first orientation is associated with a first magnetic field pattern and the second orientation is associated with a second magnetic field pattern;
if the device is in the holster, then initiate a first mode; and
if the device is out of the holster then initiate a second mode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
According to one aspect, a portable electronic device sized and shaped to be received within a holster having a magnetic element. The portable electronic device includes an electronic compass adapted to measure a magnetic field of the magnetic element in at least two axes. When the measured pattern corresponds to a first pattern, the portable electronic device is adapted to determine that the portable electronic device is in the holster.
47 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A portable electronic device sized and shaped to be received within a holster in a plurality of orientations, the portable electronic device comprising:
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an electronic compass including a magnetometer adapted to measure a magnetic pattern of a magnetic element in the holster along three axes when the portable electronic device is received within the holster; and a processor operably coupled to the electronic compass and configured to; compare the measured pattern with at least one known magnetic pattern associated with the magnetic element for at least one of the plurality of orientations to determine whether the portable device is received within the holster, and if so, whether the portable electronic device is in a first orientation or a second orientation of the plurality of orientations, wherein the first orientation is associated with a first magnetic field pattern and the second orientation is associated with a second magnetic field pattern; if the device is in the holster, then initiate a first mode; and if the device is out of the holster then initiate a second mode. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A portable electronic device sized and shaped to be received within a holster having a magnetic element, the portable electronic device comprising:
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a communication subsystem configured to provide data communications over a wireless network; an electronic compass having a magnetometer configured to measure a magnetic pattern of the magnetic element in the holster in at least two axes; and a processor operably coupled to the communication subsystem and the electronic compass, the processor configured to; in response to determining that the measured pattern matches a first known pattern associated with the portable electronic device being in the holster in a first orientation, operating the portable electronic device in a first low power mode; absent determining that the measured pattern matches the first known pattern; determining whether the measured pattern matches a second known pattern associated with that the portable electronic device is being in the holster in a second orientation; in response to determining that the measured pattern matches the second known pattern, operating the portable electronic device in a second low power mode; and absent determining that the measured pattern matches the second known pattern, operating the portable electronic device in a normal power mode. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of detecting whether a portable electronic device is in a holster, the method comprising:
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using an electronic compass on the portable electronic device, measuring a magnetic pattern of a magnetic element in the holster along at least two axes; comparing the measured pattern to a first known pattern associated with the portable electronic device being in the holster in a first orientation, and in response to determining that the measured pattern matches the first known pattern, operating the portable electronic device in a low power mode; absent determining that the measured pattern matches a first known pattern; determining whether the measured pattern matches a second known pattern associated with that the portable electronic device is being in the holster in a second orientation; in response to determining that the measured pattern matches the second known pattern, operating the portable electronic device in a second low power mode; and absent determining that the measured pattern matches the second known pattern, operating the portable electronic device in a normal power mode. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions, which when executed by a processor of a portable electronic device comprising an electronic compass causes the portable electronic device to perform a method of detecting whether a portable electronic device is in a holster, the method comprising:
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measuring, using the electronic compass, a magnetic pattern of a magnetic element in the holster along at least two axes; comparing the measured pattern to a first known pattern associated with the portable electronic device being in the holster in a first orientation, and if in response to determining that the measured pattern matches the first known pattern, operating the portable electronic device in a low power mode; absent determining that the measured pattern matches a first known pattern; determining whether the measured pattern matches a second known pattern associated with that the portable electronic device is being in the holster in a second orientation; in response to determining that the measured pattern matches the second known pattern, operating the portable electronic device in a second low power mode; and absent determining that the measured pattern matches the second known pattern, operating the portable electronic device in a normal power mode.
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Specification