Selecting a function of components based on orientation

• US 7,652,589 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2005
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Autor, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, MY CHAU T
• Application Number:
  US11/051,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20060174687A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,817 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/158, 345/168, 345/169, 345/170, 711/4, 711/112, 711/113, 711/202, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 312/223.5, 340/815.4, 340/815.45, 340/815.65, 361/600, 361/679, 361/683, 361/684, 361/685, 361/686, 361/826, 361/828, 715/700, 715/733, 715/734, 715/736, 715/740, 715/741, 715/750, 715/761
• US Class Current: 340/815.45
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/00 Compasses; Devices for ascertaining true or magnetic north for navigation or surveying purposes using gyroscopic effect G01C19/00

Abstract

In at least some embodiments, a method comprises determining an orientation of a device, said device having at least one component with a selectable function. The method further comprises selecting a function for the at least one component based on the orientation.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining an orientation of a device, said device having at least one component with a selectable status indicator function; and

selecting a status indicator function for the at least one component based on the orientation,

wherein selecting a status indicator function comprises selecting between at least two of a rower status indicator function, a health status indicator function, and an activity status indicator function.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying one of two sets of oppositely oriented labels to label a selected status indicator function for each component.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the orientation of the device comprises sensing a measurable parameter that indicates the orientation of the device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the orientation of the device comprises detecting a manually operated switch position.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the orientation of the device comprises determining a position of the device within an enclosure.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising switching status indicator functions between different components based on said orientation.

6. A device, comprising:

a plurality of components, each component being associated with at least one status indicator function of the device;

component control logic coupled to the components and configured to vary a status indicator function of at least one of the components based on an orientation of the device; and

two sets of icons in opposite orientations for identifying a status indicator function associated with each of the components.

7. The device of claim 6 further comprising icon control logic configured to illuminate one of the two sets of icons based on the orientation of the device.

8. The device of claim 6 further comprising an orientation detector coupled to the component control logic, the orientation detector asserts a signal that indicates an orientation of the device to the component control logic.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the orientation detector comprises a manually controlled switch.

10. The device of claim 8 wherein the orientation detector comprises a connector configured to connect to corresponding connectors of an enclosure, wherein adjacent corresponding connectors are configured to cause the signal to indicate opposite orientations of the device to the component control logic.

11. The device of claim 6 wherein the device comprises a computer.

12. The device of claim 6 wherein the components comprise light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

13. The device of claim 6 wherein the components comprise output components.

14. The device of claim 6 further comprising an asymmetrical chassis that encloses at least some hardware of the device.

15. The device of claim 6 wherein at least one of the components is configured to provide a maximum amount of colors used by either of two different status indicator functions assigned to each of the components by the component control logic.

17. The device of claim 6 wherein the component control logic switches the status indicator functions of two components.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

two status indicators whose assigned function is selected based on a physical orientation of the apparatus once installed in a housing;

wherein the selected function for at least one of the status indicators varies between two of a power status indicator function, a health status indicator function, and an activity status indicator function.