PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE ADAPTED TO CHANGE OPERATION MODE

• US 20080259094A1
• Filed: 04/17/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Joon-Suh, KIM, Dong-Kyun, YOON, Gee-Hong
• Granted Patent: US 8,670,002 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/651
• 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 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/602 by block rotation, e.g. by recursive reversal or rotation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/606 by memory addressing or mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A portable electronic device adapted to change its operation mode is disclosed. When a rotation of the portable electronic device is detected, the operation mode is changed according to the angle of rotation, and a user interface corresponding to the changed operation mode is output by a display unit. This method intuitively changes the mode based on a rotation of the device without requiring a complicated and unnecessary key input, and provides a more convenient and faster user interface.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device adapted to change an operation mode, comprising:

an operation mode identifier display unit to display an operation mode identifier which stands erect according to a rotation of the portable electronic device;

a sensor unit to detect a rotation of the portable electronic device; and

a control unit to switch to an operation mode corresponding to the operation mode identifier which stands erect according to an angle of the rotation of the portable electronic device when a rotation of the portable electronic device has been detected by the sensor unit.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the operation mode identifier stands erect and is displayed towards a central portion of a bottom edge of the portable electronic device.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the operation mode identifier stands erect and is displayed in a direction opposite to a central point of the portable electronic device.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the operation mode identifier corresponds to one of a telephone mode, an Internet mode, a digital multimedia broadcasting mode, and a game mode.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a hold unit to hold or release the operation mode.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the operation mode identifier is an icon corresponding to the operation mode.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a display unit to display a user interface corresponding to the operation mode.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein an operation mode identifier display unit is positioned on each of an upper edge, a lower edge, a left edge, and a right edge of the display unit.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein the control unit is adapted to detect an operation mode identifier displayed on an edge having a smallest included angle between a vertical line extending downwards from a central point of the portable electronic device and a line passing through an operation mode identifier display unit positioned on each edge and to switch to an operation mode corresponding to the detected operation mode identifier.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is adapted to compare a period of time measured since a last key input with a first threshold value when the operation mode is a mode requiring a key input and to maintain the operation mode in response to rotation of the portable device when the period of time is shorter than the first threshold value.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is adapted to compare playing time in a playing mode with a second threshold value when the operation mode is a playing mode and to maintain the operation mode in response to rotation of the portable device when the playing time is longer than the second threshold value.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control unit is adapted to suspend the operation mode when an event has occurred and to resume the suspended operation mode after the event is over.

13. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a display unit;

a first icon disposed at a first side of the display unit, the first icon corresponding to a first operation mode;

a second icon disposed at a second side of the display unit, the second icon corresponding to a second operation mode;

a sensor unit to detect a rotation of the portable electronic device; and

a control unit to switch the portable electronic device from the first operation mode to the second operation mode when a first angle between a reference line and a first line intersecting the first icon is greater than a second angle between the reference line and a second line intersecting the second icon,

wherein the display unit displays a graphic user interface corresponding to the second operation mode in response to the control unit switching the portable electronic device to the second operation mode.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 13, further comprising:

a third icon disposed at a third side of the display unit, the third icon corresponding to a third operation mode;

a fourth icon disposed at a fourth side of the display unit, the fourth icon corresponding to a fourth operation mode,

wherein the control unit switches the portable electronic device from the second operation mode to the third operation mode when the second angle between the reference line and the second line intersecting the second icon is greater than a third angle between the reference line and a third line intersecting the third icon, and the control unit switches the portable electronic device from the third operation mode to the fourth operation mode when the third angle between the reference line and the third line intersecting the third icon is greater than a fourth angle between the reference line and a fourth line intersecting the fourth icon, and

wherein the display unit displays a graphic user interface corresponding to the third operation mode in response to the control unit switching the portable electronic device to the third operation mode, and the display unit displays a graphic user interface corresponding to the fourth operation mode in response to the control unit switching the portable electronic device to the fourth operation mode.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 14, wherein the first line and the third line are the same line, the second line and the fourth line are the same line, and the reference line intersects with the first line and the third line at a central portion of the portable electronic device.