Portable electronic device and method for automatically switching power modes

• US 20070057068A1
• Filed: 03/03/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Original Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Inventors: Tsai, Hsin-Feng
• Application Number:
  US11/366,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20070057068A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/472.10
• 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 1/1694 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: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer

Abstract

A portable electronic device and method for automatically switching power modes is provided. First, detect variation of external forces applied to the portable electronic device by an accelerometer. Next, obtain a placement state of the portable electronic device according to the external force variation. Then, switch a power mode of the portable electronic device according to the placement state.

Claims

1. A method for automatically switching power modes, applied to a portable electronic device, the portable electronic device comprising an accelerometer, the method comprising:

detecting variation of external forces applied to the portable electronic device by the accelerometer;

obtaining a placement state of the portable electronic device according to the external force variation; and

switching a power mode of the portable electronic device according to the placement state.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the power mode comprises a normal operation mode, a standby mode, a sleep mode and a power-off mode.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining the placement state comprises determining if a front face of the portable electronic device has an orientation state within a user-defined range.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of switching a power mode of the portable electronic device comprises:

waiting for a second predetermined duration and switching the power mode of the portable electronic device if the placement state of the portable electronic device not belongs to the user-defined range.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of obtaining the placement state further comprises:

if the placement state of the portable electronic device belongs to the user-defined range, proceeding the step of detecting variation of external forces applied to the portable electronic device by the accelerometer; and

if the external forces applied to the portable electronic device are not changed in a first predetermined duration, and the portable electronic device is under an idle state, the power mode of the portable electronic device is switched.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of obtaining the placement state further comprises:

if the placement state of the portable electronic device belongs to a user-defined range, going on the step of detecting variation of external forces applied to the portable electronic device by the accelerometer;

if the accelerometer detects no external force variation for a first predetermined duration, and the portable electronic device is under an idle state, switching the portable electronic device to a first mode; and

if no external force variation is detected for a second predetermined duration as the portable electronic device is in the first mode, switching the portable electronic device to a second mode.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the first mode comprises a standby mode or a sleep mode.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the second mode comprises a power-off mode.

9. A portable electronic device, comprising:

an accelerometer, for measuring variation of external forces applied to the portable electronic device; and

a processor, for obtaining a placement state of the portable electronic device according to the external force variation, and switching a power mode of the portable electronic device according to the placement state.

10. The portable electronic device according to claim 9, wherein if the processor determines the placement state does not belong to a user-defined range, the processor switches the power mode of the portable electronic device after a second predetermined duration as there is no external force variation.

11. The portable electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the power mode comprises a normal operation mode, a standby mode, a sleep mode, and a power-off mode.

12. The portable electronic device according to claim 9, wherein if the processor determines the placement state does not belong to a user-defined range, the processor switches the portable electronic device to be powered off after waiting a second predetermined duration.

13. The portable electronic device according to claim 9, wherein if the processor determines the placement state belongs to a user-defined range, the accelerometer is continuously used to detect the variation of external forces applied to the portable electronic device and the processor switches the power mode of the portable electronic device after a first predetermined duration when there is no substantial external force variation and the portable electronic device is under an idle state.

14. The portable electronic device according to claim 9, wherein if the processor determines the placement state belongs to a user-defined range, the accelerometer is continuously used to detect the variation of external forces applied to the portable electronic device and the processor switches the portable electronic device to a first mode after a first predetermined duration when there is no substantial external force variation and the portable electronic device is under an idle state.

15. The portable electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the processor switches the portable electronic device to a second mode if the portable electronic device is under the first mode and no external force variation is detected by the accelerometer for a second predetermined duration.

16. The portable electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the first mode comprises a standby mode or a sleep mode.

17. The portable electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the second mode comprises a power-off mode.