Disabling an automatic rotation function of mobile computing devices

• US 8,427,427 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2010
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vibrant Licensing LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Kim, Seungil
• Primary Examiner(s): Xiao, Ke
• Assistant Examiner(s): RICKS, DONNA J
• Application Number:
  US13/123,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20120147047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/158
• 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 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/34 for rolling or scrolling

Abstract

Technology is generally described for disabling an automatic rotation function of mobile computing devices. The technology can detect a tilt angle of a display of the computing device in relation to a surface; and if the tilt angle is less than a specified threshold tilt angle, disable a rotation function.

Claims

1. A system for detecting whether to disable a rotation function of a computing device having a processor, memory, and a display, comprising:

a sensor configured to detect a tilt angle of a display surface in relation to a plane; and

a component configured to disable a rotation function of the computing device if a difference between the tilt angle and a specified threshold tilt angle exceeds a specified value.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the plane is perpendicular to a force of gravity.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is an accelerometer.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is a six-axis accelerometer.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the plane is a surface on which a user views the display while the user is in a supine position.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a rotation switch that, if actuated, overrides the component configured to disable rotation.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for computing the difference between the tilt angle and the specified threshold tilt angle.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for disabling the rotation function.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is a gyroscopic sensor.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor provides an indication of an angle between the plane and a direction of gravity.