Sensing the screen positions in a dual screen phone
First Claim
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1. A handheld computing device, comprising:
- adjacent first and second screens comprising first and second display panels, respectively, to receive input from and provide graphical output to a user;
a plurality of electronic components comprising a processor and memory, the plurality of electronic components generating an electromagnetic field during operation;
a hinge connected to the first and second screens, wherein the hinge moves between a closed position and an open position; and
first and second Hall-Effect sensors operable, at a selected time, to sense at least one of variations in and a strength of a selected magnetic field comprising a magnetic field component of the electromagnetic field generated by the plurality of electronic components, wherein the processor, based on the currently sensed at least one of variation in and strength of the selected magnetic field, determines a relative position of the first and second screens, wherein the first and second Hall-Effect sensors are positioned on opposing sides of the hinge connecting the first and second screens, wherein the first Hall-Effect sensor is positioned near a peripheral edge of the first screen, the peripheral edge being at an opposite edge of the first screen relative to the hinge, and the second Hall-Effect sensor is positioned near the hinge connecting the first and second screens, and wherein the first and second Hall-Effect sensors are positioned on opposing sides of the first and second display panels when the first and second screens are in a fully closed position.
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Abstract
A handheld communication device includes first and second screens, a hinge to rotate the first and second screens between open and closed positions, and a position sensor to determine the relative position of the first and second screens. The position sensor can be a Hall-Effect sensor.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A handheld computing device, comprising:
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adjacent first and second screens comprising first and second display panels, respectively, to receive input from and provide graphical output to a user; a plurality of electronic components comprising a processor and memory, the plurality of electronic components generating an electromagnetic field during operation; a hinge connected to the first and second screens, wherein the hinge moves between a closed position and an open position; and first and second Hall-Effect sensors operable, at a selected time, to sense at least one of variations in and a strength of a selected magnetic field comprising a magnetic field component of the electromagnetic field generated by the plurality of electronic components, wherein the processor, based on the currently sensed at least one of variation in and strength of the selected magnetic field, determines a relative position of the first and second screens, wherein the first and second Hall-Effect sensors are positioned on opposing sides of the hinge connecting the first and second screens, wherein the first Hall-Effect sensor is positioned near a peripheral edge of the first screen, the peripheral edge being at an opposite edge of the first screen relative to the hinge, and the second Hall-Effect sensor is positioned near the hinge connecting the first and second screens, and wherein the first and second Hall-Effect sensors are positioned on opposing sides of the first and second display panels when the first and second screens are in a fully closed position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method, comprising:
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providing a handheld computing device comprising first and second screens, the first and second screens comprising first and second display panels to receive input from and provide graphical output to a user, a plurality of electronic components comprising a processor and memory, and a hinge connected to the first and second screens, wherein the hinge moves between a closed position and an open position, and wherein the plurality of electronic components generates an electromagnetic field during operation; sensing, at a selected time and by at least one position sensor, at least one of a variation in and strength of a selected magnetic field comprising a magnetic field component of said generated electromagnetic field; and determining, based on the sensed at least one of a variation and strength of the selected magnetic field and by the processor, relative positions of the first and second screens, wherein the handheld computing device has plural different physical states comprising at least a fully closed state in which the handheld device is fully closed and fully open state in which the handheld device is fully open, an opening transitional state in which the handheld computing device is transitioning from the fully closed state to another state, a closing transitional state in which the handheld computing device is transitioning to the fully closed state from another state, an easel state in which the handheld computing device is partially open and has a first orientation, in the first orientation the hinge is located above opposing edges of each of the first and second screens, the opposing edges of the first and second screens contacting a supporting surface, a modified easel state in which the handheld computing device is partially open and has a second orientation, in the second orientation one of the first and second screens is contacting the supporting surface and the other of the first and second screens is not contacting the supporting surface, an inbound/outbound communication state in which the handheld computing device is receiving an inbound call or making an outbound call, an image/video capture state in which the handheld computing device is capturing an image or video, and a docked state in which the handheld computing device is docked to another device and wherein the current state of the handheld device is based on input from the at least one position sensor, an accelerometer, and a timer. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A tangible and non-transient computer readable medium comprising microprocessor executable instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor, causes the microprocessor to execute instructions comprising:
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instructions to sense, at a selected time and by at least one position sensor, at least one of a variation in and strength of a selected magnetic field in a handheld computing device, the handheld computing device comprising first and second screen assemblies, the first and second screen assemblies comprising first and second display panels to receive input from and provide graphical output to a user, a plurality of electronic components comprising a microprocessor and memory, the plurality of electronic components generating an electromagnetic field, at least one magnet to resist opening of the device when the hinge is in the closed position, the selected magnetic field comprising a magnetic field of the at least one magnetic and magnetic component of the electromagnetic field generated by the plurality of electronic components, and a hinge connected to the first and second screen assemblies, wherein the hinge moves between a closed position and an open position; and instructions to determine, based on the sensed at least one of a variation and strength of the selected magnetic field and by the processor, relative positions of the first and second screens, wherein the handheld computing device has plural different physical states comprising a fully closed state in which the handheld device is fully closed, fully open state in which the handheld device is fully open, an opening transitional state in which the handheld computing device is transitioning from the fully closed state to another state, a closing transitional state in which the handheld computing device is transitioning to the fully closed state from another state, an easel state in which the handheld computing device is partially open and has a first orientation, in the first orientation the hinge is located above opposing edges of each of the first and second screens, the opposing edges of the first and second screens contacting a supporting surface, a modified easel state in which the handheld computing device is partially open and has a second orientation, in the second orientation one of the first and second screens is contacting the supporting surface and the other of the first and second screens is not contacting the supporting surface, an inbound/outbound communication state in which the handheld computing device is receiving an inbound call or making an outbound call, an image/video capture state in which the handheld computing device is capturing an image or video, and a docked state in which the handheld computing device is docked to another device and wherein the current state of the handheld device is based on input from the at least one position sensor, an accelerometer, and a timer. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification