Selective rotation of a user interface

• US 8,817,048 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2009
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Kerr, Duncan, King, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, M Good
• Application Number:
  US12/505,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20110012926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,866 Days
• Field of Search: 345/649, 345/659, 345/650
• US Class Current: 345/649
• 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 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

This is directed to rotating an entire user interface of a portable electronic device. In particular, this is directed to defining a UI orientation mode in which a user can direct the device to rotate a UI. When the UI orientation mode is enabled, the electronic device can detect particular inputs, for example based on the outputs of motion sensing components such as an accelerometer and a magnetometer, to determine how to rotate the UI. Once the UI has been rotated to a desired orientation, a user can lock the UI orientation and exit the UI orientation mode.

Claims

1. A method for changing the orientation of a displayed user interface on an electronic device, comprising:

enabling a user interface orientation mode of the electronic device by at least one of opening and closing a clip of the electronic device in a particular pattern, wherein the clip comprises a switch;

while the user interface orientation mode is enabled, detecting an input associated with changing the orientation of the displayed user interface on the electronic device, wherein the input is independent from the clip;

while the user interface orientation mode is enabled, changing the orientation of the displayed user interface on the electronic device in response to the detected input; and

exiting the user interface orientation mode to lock the changed orientation of the displayed user interface on the electronic device by at least one of opening and closing the clip of the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an input from an input interface, wherein the input received from the input interface is of a different type than the detected input associated with changing the orientation of the displayed user interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

detecting the input comprises detecting an output of at least one of an accelerometer and a magnetometer; and

changing comprises changing the orientation of the displayed user interface in response to the detected output.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

defining an angle from the detected output of the at least one of an accelerometer and a magnetometer; and

changing the orientation of the displayed user interface by the defined angle.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining a plurality of available user interface orientations; and

changing the orientation of the displayed user interface to one of the defined plurality of available user interface orientations.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the plurality of available user interface orientations are offset by 90 degree angles.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the electronic device comprises four available user interface orientations.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the clip attaches the electronic device to a user'"'"'s clothing.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the switch comprises at least one of a magnetic switch, a mechanical switch, and an electrical switch; and

the switch is actuated by the particular pattern.

10. An electronic device comprising a display, an input interface, a sensing component and control circuitry, the control circuitry operative to:

direct the display to display a user interface;

direct the input interface to receive an input enabling a user interface orientation mode, wherein the input interface is a clip that comprises a switch, when the clip is at least one of opened and closed in a particular pattern associated with the user interface orientation mode;

while the user interface orientation mode is enabled, receive a sensor output from the sensing component; and

while the user interface orientation mode is enabled, direct the display to change the orientation of the user interface based on the received sensor output, wherein the sensing component comprises one of a motion sensing component and a touch screen component.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

define a plurality of available orientations for the user interface.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein:

the display comprises a plurality of straight edges; and

at least one of the plurality of available user interface orientations of the user interface is associated with one of the plurality of straight edges.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

define an angle from the sensor output.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

determine a change in orientation of the electronic device from the time the user interface orientation mode is enabled via the received sensor output; and

define an angle related to the change in orientation of the electronic device.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

determine the change in orientation of the electronic device relative to at least one of a magnetic north pole and a magnetic south pole.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

determine the change in orientation of the electronic device relative to a gravity vector.

17. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

direct the input interface to receive an input locking the orientation of the user interface; and

disable the user interface orientation mode in response to receiving the input locking the orientation of the user interface.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to direct the input interface to receive the input locking the orientation of the user interface when the clip is at least one of opened and closed in another particular pattern associated with the user interface orientation mode.

19. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein:

the switch comprises at least one of a magnetic switch, a mechanical switch, and an electrical switch; and

the switch is actuated by the particular pattern.

20. Non-transitory computer-readable media for changing the orientation of a displayed user interface, comprising computer readable code recorded thereon for:

enabling a user interface orientation mode on an electronic device by detecting a particular condition of the electronic device, wherein the detecting the particular condition comprises one of;

detecting a particular movement of the electronic device with a motion sensor of the electronic device;

detecting a particular pattern of light and darkness with an ambient light sensor of the electronic device; and

detecting at least one of opening and closing of a clip of the electronic device in a particular pattern;

while the user interface orientation mode is enabled, detecting an input associated with changing the orientation of the displayed user interface with the electronic device;

while the user interface orientation mode is enabled, changing the orientation of the displayed user interface on a display of the electronic device in response to the detected input; and

exiting the user interface orientation mode to lock the changed orientation of the displayed user interface on the display of the electronic device.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 20, wherein:

detecting the input comprises detecting an output of at least one of an accelerometer and a magnetometer with the electronic device; and

changing the orientation of the displayed user interface on the display of the electronic device comprises changing the orientation in response to the detected output.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 20, wherein:

the detecting the particular condition comprises detecting at least one of opening and closing of a clip of the electronic device in a particular pattern; and

the exiting the user interface orientation mode to lock the changed orientation of the displayed user interface on the display of the electronic device comprises at least one of opening and closing the clip.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 22, wherein:

the clip comprises a switch;

the switch comprises at least one of a magnetic switch, a mechanical switch, and an electrical switch; and

the switch is actuated by the particular pattern.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 20, wherein the detecting the particular condition comprises detecting a particular movement of the electronic device with a motion sensor of the electronic device.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 20, wherein the detecting the particular condition comprises detecting a particular pattern of light and darkness with an ambient light sensor of the electronic device.