Protecting an electronic device

• US 9,342,108 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2012
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rothkopf, Fletcher, Ely, Colin M., Lynch, Stephen B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILSON, BRIAN P
• Application Number:
  US13/437,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20130257582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,506 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/00 Structural association of dynamo-electric machines with electric components or with devices for shielding, monitoring or protection casings, enclosures or supports H02K5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/063 integrally combined with motor parts, e.g. motors with eccentric rotors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks
• 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

Abstract

An electronic device including a processor, at least one sensor in communication with the processor, wherein the processor is configured to determine an orientation of the device and drop event based on input from the at least one sensor. The electronic device further includes a motor in communication with the processor and a mass operably connected to the motor. The processor is configured to drive the motor when a drop event is determined and the mass is configured to rotate with respect to the motor to alter the orientation of the device.

Claims

1. A mobile personal electronic device comprising:

a processor;

at least one sensor in communication with the processor, wherein the processor is configured to determine an orientation of the mobile personal electronic device and a drop event based on input from the at least one sensor;

a motor in communication with the processor, wherein the processor is configured to drive the motor when the drop event is determined; and

a mass operably connected to the motor and configured to rotate with respect to the mobile personal electronic device to alter the orientation of the mobile personal electronic device;

wherein

an additional mass is configured to engage a rotating section of the motor using a clutch upon detection of the drop event; and

the additional mass is disengaged from the rotating section using the clutch when the drop event is not detected.

2. The mobile personal electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of:

an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a camera, a microphone, and a magnetometer.

3. The mobile personal electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a feedback loop wherein the feedback loop provides input to the processor, the processor being configured to:

determine a result of driving the motor; and

upon determining the result selecting an appropriate response.

4. The mobile personal electronic device of claim 3, wherein the feedback loop comprises a Proportional-Integral Derivative controller.

5. The mobile personal electronic device of claim 3, wherein the feedback loop comprises a Proportional-Derivative controller.

6. The mobile personal electronic device of claim 3, wherein the feedback loop comprises a Proportional controller.

7. The mobile personal electronic device of claim 3, wherein the motor is driven again in response to the feedback loop.

8. The mobile personal electronic device of claim 3, wherein the motor is driven in an opposite direction in response to the feedback loop.

9. The mobile personal electronic device of claim 3, wherein the motor is driven at a higher rate in response to the feedback loop.

10. The mobile personal electronic device of claim 1, wherein the mass is located at or near the center of the mobile personal electronic device.

11. The mobile personal electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the motor is configured to operate at a first rate during normal operation; and

the motor is configured to operate at a second rate during the drop event, wherein the second rate is higher than the first rate.

12. The mobile personal electronic device of claim 1 further comprising one or more additional motors configured to operate during the drop event.

13. The mobile personal electronic device of claim 1, wherein a rotational axis of the mass is parallel with a longitudinal axis of the mobile personal electronic device.

14. The mobile personal electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a propulsion system configured to provide thrust to alter the orientation of the mobile personal electronic device during the drop event, wherein the propulsion system is operated in addition to or instead of the motor.

15. The mobile personal electronic device of claim 14, wherein the propulsion system comprises at least one of:

a cooling fan, a compressed air canister, a turbine and a nozzle.

16. The mobile personal electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a propulsion system configured to provide thrust to change acceleration of the mobile personal electronic device prior to impact of the mobile personal electronic device after the drop event, wherein the propulsion system is utilized in addition to or instead of the motor.

17. The mobile personal electronic device of claim 1, wherein the mass rotates with respect to the mobile personal electronic device to alter the orientation of the mobile personal electronic device so that a first zone of the mobile personal electronic device impacts a surface when the mobile personal electronic device is operating in a first mode and that a second zone of the mobile personal electronic device impacts the surface when the mobile personal electronic device is operating in a second mode.

18. The mobile personal electronic device of claim 17, wherein the mobile personal electronic device operates in the first mode when a case is not attached to the mobile personal electronic device and in the second mode when the case is attached to the mobile personal electronic device.

19. The mobile personal electronic device of claim 1, wherein the additional mass is configured to:

rotate when the drop event is detected; and

not rotate when the drop event is not detected.

20. A method of protecting a mobile personal electronic device during a freefall comprising the steps of:

detecting by a sensor the freefall of the mobile personal electronic device;

determining by the sensor an orientation of the mobile personal electronic device;

determining an orientation of the mobile personal electronic device that would avoid impact at a vulnerable area of the mobile personal electronic device;

operating a motor to alter an angular momentum of the mobile personal electronic device during the freefall to change the orientation of the mobile personal electronic device towards the orientation that would avoid impact at the vulnerable area;

coupling an additional mass to a rotating section of the motor using a clutch upon detection of the freefall; and

decoupling the additional mass from the rotating section using the clutch when the freefall is not detected;

monitoring the effect of the motor'"'"'s operation; and

providing a feedback loop to adjust the operation of the motor based on the monitoring step.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the feedback loop comprises a Proportional-Integral Derivative controller.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein an integral step of the Proportional-Integral Derivative controller is not performed.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein an integral step and a derivative step of the Proportional-Integral Derivative controller are not performed.

24. The method of claim 20 further comprising determining one or more metrics selected from:

an orientation of the mobile personal electronic device relative to the magnetic north pole;

a distance of the mobile personal electronic device from an impact surface;

an orientation of the mobile personal electronic device relative to the impact surface;

an orientation of the mobile personal electronic device relative to an environment; and

a rotational velocity of the mobile personal electronic device.

25. The method of claim 20 comprising:

operating the motor at a first rate during normal operation; and

operating the motor at a second rate during the freefall, wherein the second rate is higher than the first rate.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising storing in memory at least one fall characteristic.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising storing in the memory at least one impact characteristic.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising expulsing a fluid prior to impact to slow a fall rate of the mobile personal electronic device.

29. The method of claim 20, further comprising expulsing a fluid to alter the orientation of the mobile personal electronic device.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the vulnerable area corresponds to a first area when a case is not attached to the mobile personal electronic device and to a second area when the case is attached to the mobile personal electronic device.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the first area comprises a side of the mobile personal electronic device and the second area comprises a display of the mobile personal electronic device.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the motor is not operated if a determined path of the mobile personal electronic device indicates the mobile personal electronic device has been tossed.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the motor is operated after a bump event subsequent to the determination that the mobile personal electronic device has been tossed.

34. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

rotating the additional mass when the freefall is detected; and

not rotating the additional mass when the freefall is not detected.