Managing device functions based on physical interaction with device modules

• US 9,785,487 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2015
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Liu, Eric, Matsuoka, Yoshimichi, Chua, Jason, Brune, Kevin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US14/709,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20170293507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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: 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 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1658 related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module
• 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 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/10 Program control for peripheral devices G06F13/14 - G06F13/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4413 Plug-and-play [PnP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules

Abstract

Embodiments are provided for managing operation of an electronic device based on the connection(s) of hardware module(s) to the electronic drive via a support housing. According to certain aspects, the electronic device may detect when a hardware module connects to the support housing. The electronic device may identify a function associated with the hardware module, where the function may be a built-in function of the hardware module itself or of the electronic device. The electronic device may accordingly activate the identified function.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a support housing;

a hardware module configured to connect to the support housing (i) via one or more of a set of connector components, and (ii) from a plurality of movement directions;

a memory storing a set of computer-executable instructions; and

a processor interfacing with the memory, and configured to execute the set of computer-executable instructions to cause the processor to;

detect the hardware module connect to the support housing via the one or more connector components of the set of connector components,

determine a movement direction, from the plurality of movement directions, from which the hardware module connects to the support housing,

in response to detecting the hardware module connect to the support housing;

determine an orientation of the hardware module based on how the hardware module is connected to the support housing,

identify, based at least in part on the movement direction and the orientation of the hardware module, a function associated with the hardware module connected to the support housing, and

activate the function,

detect the hardware module disconnect from the support housing via the one or more connector components, and

in response to detecting the hardware module disconnect from the support housing, deactivate the function.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein to identify the function associated with the hardware module, the processor is configured to:

identify a built-in function of the hardware module,

and wherein to activate the function, the processor is configured to;

activate the built-in function of the hardware module.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the memory further stores a set of applications,

and wherein the processor is configured to execute the set of computer-executable instructions to further cause the processor to:

identify an application of the set of applications that corresponds to the built-in function of the hardware module, and

initiate the application of the electronic device.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein to identify the function associated with the hardware module, the processor is configured to:

identify a built-in function of the electronic device,

and wherein to activate the function, the processor is configured to;

activate the built-in function of the electronic device.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the built-in function of the electronic device is an application,

and wherein to activate the built-in function of the electronic device, the processor is configured to:

determine an application input based on the hardware module connected to the support housing, and

initiate the application with the application input incorporated therein.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the hardware module comprises a first contact and a second contact,

wherein to determine the orientation of the hardware module, the processor is configured to:

determine the orientation of the hardware module based on (i) the first contact connecting to a first connector component of the one or more connector components and (ii) the second contact connecting to a second connector component of the one or more connector components.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to execute the set of computer-executable instructions to further cause the processor to:

detect an additional hardware module connect to the support housing, and wherein to identify the function associated with the hardware module, the processor is configured to;

determine a connection combination corresponding to the hardware module and the additional hardware module connected to the support housing, and

identify the function based on the connection combination.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the hardware module comprises a motion sensor configured to detect movement data,

and wherein the processor determines the movement direction from which the hardware module connects to the support housing from the movement data detected by the motion sensor.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to execute the set of computer-executable instructions to further cause the processor to:

detect the hardware module reconnect to the support housing via one or more additional connector components of the set of connector components, and

in response to detecting the module reconnect to the support housing;

identify an additional function associated with the hardware module, and

activate the additional function.

10. A computer-implemented method of managing operation of an electronic device comprising a support housing and a hardware module configured to connect to the support housing via one or more of a set of connector components, the method comprising:

detecting, by a processor, the hardware module connect to the support housing via the one or more connector components of the set of connector components, the hardware module configured to connect to the support housing from a plurality of movement directions,

determining a movement direction, from the plurality of movement directions, from which the hardware module connects to the support housing,

in response to detecting the hardware module connect to the support housing;

determining an orientation of the hardware module based on how the hardware module is connected to the support housing,

identifying, based at least in part on the movement direction and the orientation of the module, a function associated with the hardware module connected to the support housing, and

activating the function,

detecting the hardware module disconnect from the support housing via the one or more connector components, and

in response to detecting the hardware module disconnect from the support housing, deactivating the function.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein identifying the function associated with the hardware module comprises:

identifying a built-in function of the hardware module;

and wherein activating the function comprises;

activating the built-in function of the module.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

identifying an application installed on the electronic device that corresponds to the built-in function of the module; and

initiating the application.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein identifying the function associated with the hardware module comprises:

identifying a built-in function of the electronic device;

and wherein activating the function comprises;

activating the built-in function of the electronic device.

14. An electronic device comprising:

a support housing;

a set of hardware modules configured to connect to the support housing;

a memory storing a set of computer-executable instructions; and

a processor interfacing with the memory, and configured to execute the set of computer-executable instructions to cause the processor to;

detect a first hardware module of the set of hardware modules connect to the support housing,

after detecting the first hardware module connect to the support housing, detect a second hardware module of the set of hardware modules connect to the support housing, wherein the second hardware module connecting to the support housing after the first hardware module connects to the support housing is indicative of a hardware module connection sequence,

determine that the hardware module connection sequence matches a predetermined sequence,

identify an application associated with the predetermined sequence and with at least one of the first hardware module and the second hardware module, and

initiate the application.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein to initiate the application, the processor is configured to:

determine an application input based on the module connection sequence, and

initiate the application with the application input incorporated therein.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein to initiate the application, the processor is configured to:

determine an application function based on the hardware module connection sequence, and

cause the application to initiate the application function.