System and method for activating components on an electronic device using orientation data
View Patent ↗The disclosure relates to a system and method for analyzing an orientation of a handheld electronic device. The method comprises: monitoring data from a first sensor for the device; determining an orientation of the device by analyzing at least the data from the first sensor; and activating a first component on the device in view of the orientation of the device. The method may further comprise deactivating a second component on the device in view of the orientation of the device.
1. A method for activating components of a handheld electronic device, comprising:
monitoring data from a first sensor for the device;
determining an orientation of the device by analyzing at least the data from the first sensor; and
when the orientation indicates that the device is face down,
activating a speaker on the device;
deactivating a microphone on the device; and
deactivating an output on a display of the device.
2. The method for activating components of a handheld electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the speaker is located on an upper portion of the device; and
the microphone is located on said upper portion of the device.
3. The method for activating components of a handheld electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
analyzing data from a second sensor with the data from the first sensor to determine the orientation of the device.
4. The method for activating components of a handheld electronic device of claim 3 , wherein:
the data from the second sensor is compared against the data from the first sensor to determine the orientation of the device.
5. The method for activating components of a handheld electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
when the orientation indicates that the device is upside down,
the speaker is deactivated;
the microphone is activated; and
the output on the display is generated in an upside down orientation.
6. The method for activating components of a handheld electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
when the orientation indicates that the device is face up,
activating the speaker;
deactivating the microphone; and
activating the output on the display.
7. The method for activating components of a handheld electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first sensor is an accelerometer.
8. The method for activating components of a handheld electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the orientation of the device is determined by analyzing the data from the first sensor and data from a second sensor for the device.
9. The method for activating components of a handheld electronic device of claim 8 , wherein:
the first sensor is a light detector; and
the second sensor is a microphone.
10. The method for activating components of a handheld electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
when the orientation indicates that the device is upright, activating a second microphone located on a lower portion of the device.
11. The method for activating components of a handheld electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
when the orientation indicates that said device is upright,
the speaker is activated;
the microphone is deactivated; and
the output on the display is generated in an upright orientation.
12. An activation circuit for activating components of a handheld electronic device, comprising:
an orientation module to determine an orientation of the device by analyzing at least data from a first sensor; and
an activation module to
activate a speaker on the device when the orientation indicates that the device is face down;
deactivate a microphone on the device when the orientation indicates that the device is face down; and
deactivate an output on a display of the device when the orientation indicates that the device is face down.
13. The activation circuit for activating components of a handheld electronic device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the orientation module:
analyzes the data from the first sensor with data from a second sensor to determine the orientation of the device.
14. The activation circuit for activating components of a handheld electronic device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein:
the first sensor is a light detector; and
the second sensor is a microphone.
15. The activation circuit for activating components of a handheld electronic device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein when the orientation indicates that the device is upside down, the activation module:
deactivates the speaker;
activates the microphone; and
generates the output on the display in an upside down orientation.
16. The activation circuit for activating components of a handheld electronic device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein:
the first sensor is an accelerometer.