Portable device with an automatic power off protection and method for same

• US 7,827,420 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2007
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Liu, Jian-Lin, Chuang, Tsung-Jen, Wong, Shih-Fang
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abbaszadeh; Jaweed A
• Application Number:
  US11/736,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20070250732A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 360/75, 714/24, 714/100
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode

Abstract

A portable device with an automatic power off protection and a method of achieving such a protection are related. The portable device circuit comprises a switch unit, a main body, and a battery. The main body includes an acceleration transducer that samples an analog acceleration signal; an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that converts the sampled analog acceleration signal into a digital acceleration value; a memory that stores a critical acceleration value and an interrupt flag; and a micro-control unit (MCU) that compares the digital acceleration values with the critical acceleration value and the comparing result which may or may not change the value of the interrupt flag. When the acceleration of the portable device is greater than the critical acceleration and the interrupt flag is enable, the MCU sends a break signal to the switch unit to power off the portable device.

Claims

1. A portable device with an automatic power off protection circuit, comprising a switch unit, a main body, and a battery;

the battery powers the main body via the switch unit;

wherein;

the main body comprises;

an acceleration transducer for sampling an analog acceleration signal;

an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for converting the analog acceleration signal into a digital acceleration value;

a memory for storing a critical acceleration value and an interrupt flag, a value of the interrupt flag being either of an enable value or a disable value, and an initial value of the state of the interrupt flag being set to the disable value when the portable device is powered on; and

a micro-control unit (MCU) for comparing the digital acceleration value with the critical acceleration value and the comparing result that may or may not change the value of the interrupt flag;

wherein if the digital acceleration value is greater than the critical acceleration value, and the value of the interrupt flag is the disabled value, the MCU changes the value of the interrupt flag to the enable value, and if the digital acceleration value is greater than the critical acceleration value, and the value of the interrupt flag is the enabled value, the MCU generates a break signal and sends the break signal to the switch unit to power off the portable device.

2. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein if the digital acceleration value is less than the critical acceleration value, and the value of the interrupt flag is the disabled value, the MCU does not change the value of the interrupt flag.

3. The portable device according to claim 2, wherein if the digital acceleration value is less than the critical acceleration value and the value of the interrupt flag is the enabled value, the MCU changes the value of the interrupt flag to the disable value.

4. The portable device according to claim 3, wherein if the digital acceleration value is greater than the critical acceleration value and the value of the interrupt flag is the enabled value, the MCU sets the value of the interrupt flag to the disable value.

5. An automatically power off method for a portable device, wherein the portable device has a memory for storing a critical acceleration value and an interrupt flag for recording an acceleration state of the portable device, a value of the interrupt flag being either of an enable value or a disable value, and an initial value of the state of the interrupt flag being set to the disable value when the portable device is powered on, the method comprising the steps of:

sampling an analog acceleration signal of the portable device;

converting the analog acceleration signal into a digital acceleration value;

comparing the digital acceleration value with the critical acceleration value;

changing the value of the interrupt flag to the enabled value if the digital acceleration value is greater than the critical acceleration vale and the value of the interrupt flag is the disabled value; and

sending a break signal to power off the portable device if the digital acceleration value is greater than the critical acceleration value and the value of the interrupt flag is the enabled value.

6. The automatically power off method according to claim 5, further comprising:

not changing the value of the interrupt flag if the digital acceleration value is less than the critical acceleration value and the value of the interrupt flag is disabled value.

7. The automatically power off method according to claim 6, further comprising:

changing the value of the interrupt flag to the disabled value if the digital acceleration value is less than the digital acceleration value and the value of the interrupt flag is the enabled value.

8. The automatically power off method according to claim 7, further comprising:

changing the value of the interrupt flag to the disabled value if the digital acceleration value is greater than the critical acceleration value and the value of the interrupt flag is the enabled value.