Portable electronic device having holster and including a plurality of position sensors

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a lower housing;

a upper housing slidably coupled to the lower housing, the lower housing and the upper housing movable between a closed position and an open position;

a holster sized and shaped for holding the portable electronic device in a holster position;

a first position sensor operable to detect proximity of at least one positioning object and output a first sensor output signal indicative of the proximity of the at least one positioning object to the first position sensor; and

a second position sensor operable to detect proximity of the at least one positioning object and output a second sensor output signal indicative of the proximity of the at least one positioning object to the second position sensor;

wherein the first and second sensor output signals cooperate to indicate whether the portable electronic device is in one of the open position, the closed position and the holster position

further comprising a state determiner adapted to determine whether the portable electronic device is in one of the open position, the closed position and the holster position based on a combination of the first sensor output signal and second sensor output signal;

and wherein:

each of the first sensor output signal and second sensor output signal is in one of an ON state indicating that the sensors are in the proximity of the at least one positioning object and an OFF state indicating that the sensors are not in the proximity of the at least one positioning object;

the state determiner is operable to determine that the portable electronic device is in the open position when the first position sensor is in the ON state and the second position sensor is in the OFF state;

the state determiner is operable to determine that the portable electronic device is in the closed position when the first position sensor is in the OFF state and the second position sensor is in the ON state; and

the state determiner is operable to determine that the portable electronic device is in the holster position when the first position sensor is in the ON state and the second position sensor is in the ON state.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the holster further comprises at least one positioning object detectable by at least one of the position sensors when the portable electronic device is in the holster position, and at least one of the position sensors is operable to output at least one output signal indicative of the proximity of the at least one positioning object in the holster to that position sensor.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one positioning object comprises a first positioning object in the lower housing and a second positioning object in the holster, and the first position sensor is located in the lower housing and is operable to detect the first positioning object and the second positioning object.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the first positioning object is positioned in the upper housing such that the first positioning object is in proximity to and detectable by the first position sensor when the electronic device is in the open position.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the second positioning object is positioned in the holster such that the second positioning object is in proximity to and detectable by the first position sensor when the portable electronic device is in the holster position.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one positioning object further comprises a third positioning object in the lower housing, and the second position sensor is located in the lower housing and is operable to detect the third positioning object in the lower housing.

7. The probable electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the third positioning object is positioned in the lower housing such that the third positioning object is in proximity to and detectable by the second position sensor when the portable electronic device is in the closed position.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one positioning object comprises at least one magnet having a magnetic field, and the at least one position sensor comprises a magnetic sensor operable to detect the magnetic field.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first position sensor and the second position sensor is a Hall Effect Sensor.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the first position sensor and the second position sensor is a polarity-dependent sensor operable to output a sensor output signal indicative of the proximity of one of a S-pole magnetic field and a N-pole magnetic field, or an absence of detectable magnetic fields.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 8 wherein the at least one of the first position sensor and the second position sensor includes a first die with a first magnetic field strength triggering point and a second die with a second magnetic field strength triggering point that is different from that of the first die, and the at least one magnet comprises a first magnet with a first magnetic field strength detectable by the first die, a second magnet with a second magnetic field strength detectable by the second die such that the position sensor is operable to determine which of the first magnet and the second magnet is within the proximity of the sensor.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 6 wherein at least one of the first positioning object and the third positioning object is a magnet of a speaker.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the portable electronic device is configured to modify an operation of at least one feature of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is in the holster position.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the portable electronic device is configured to disable the at least one feature to reduce power consumption when the portable electronic device is in the holster position.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the portable electronic device is configured to modify a notification setting when the portable electronic device is in the holster position.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the portable electronic device is configured to modify the notification settings to a vibration alert when the portable electronic device is in the holster position.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 13 , further comprising at least one input device and he portable electronic device is configured to disable the at least one input device when the portable electronic device is in the holster position.

18. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a lower housing;

a upper housing slidably coupled to the lower housing, the lower housing and the upper housing movable between a closed position and an open position;

a holster sized and shaped for holding the portable electronic device in a holster position;

a first magnetic sensor operable to detect proximity of at least one magnet and output a first sensor output signal indicative of the proximity of the at least one magnet to the first magnetic sensor; and

a second magnetic sensor operable to detect proximity of the at least one magnet and output a second sensor output signal indicative of the proximity of the at least one magnet to the second magnetic sensor;

wherein the first and second sensor output signals cooperate to indicate whether the portable electronic device is in one of the open position, the closed position and the holster position;

further comprising a state determiner adapted to determine whether the portable electronic device is in one of the open position, the closed position and the holster position based on a combination of the first sensor output signal and second sensor output signal;

wherein:

each of the first sensor output signal and second sensor output signal is in one of an ON state indicating that the magnetic sensors are in the proximity of the at least one magnet and an OFF state indicating that the magnetic sensors are not in the proximity of the at least one magnet;

the state determiner is operable to determine that the portable electronic device is in the open position when the first magnetic sensor is in the ON state and the second magnetic sensor is in the OFF state;

the state determiner is operable to determine that the portable electronic device is in the closed position when the first magnetic sensor is in the OFF state and the second magnetic sensor is in the ON state; and

the state determiner is operable to determine that the portable electronic device is in the holster position when the first magnetic sensor is in the ON state and the second magnetic sensor is in the ON state.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the holster further comprises at least one magnet detectable by at least one of the magnetic sensors when the portable electronic device is in the holster position, and at least one of the magnetic sensors is operable to output at least one output signal indicative of the proximity of the at least one magnet in the holster to that magnetic sensor.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the portable electronic device is configured to modify an operation of at least one feature of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is in the holster position.

21. The portable electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises a first magnet in the lower housing and a second magnet in the holster, and the first position sensor is located in the lower housing and is operable to detect the first magnet and the second magnet.

22. The portable electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the first magnet is positioned in the upper housing such that the first magnet is in proximity to and detectable by the first position sensor when the electronic device is in the open position.

23. The portable electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the second magnet is positioned in the holster such that the second magnet is in proximity to and detectable by the first position sensor when the portable electronic device is in the holster position.

24. The portable electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises a third magnet in the lower housing, and the second position sensor is located in the lower housing and is operable to detect the third magnet in the lower housing.

25. The probable electronic device of claim 24 , wherein the third magnet is positioned in the lower housing such that the third magnet is in proximity to and detectable by the second position sensor when the portable electronic device is in the closed position.

26. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a lower housing;

a upper housing slidably coupled to the lower housing, the lower housing and the upper housing movable between a closed position and an open position;

a holster sized and shaped for holding the portable electronic device in a holster position;

a first position sensor operable to detect proximity of at least one positioning object and output a first sensor output signal indicative of the proximity of the at least one positioning object to the first position sensor; and

a second position sensor operable to detect proximity of the at least one positioning object and output a second sensor output signal indicative of the proximity of the at least one positioning object to the second position sensor;

wherein the first and second sensor output signals cooperate to indicate whether the portable electronic device is in one of the open position, the closed position and the holster position

wherein the holster further comprises at least one positioning object detectable by at least one of the position sensors when the portable electronic device is in the holster position, and at least one of the position sensors is operable to output at least one output signal indicative of the proximity of the at least one positioning object in the holster to that position sensor.

27. The portable electronic device of claim 26 , wherein the at least one positioning object comprises a first positioning object in the lower housing and a second positioning object in the holster, and the first position sensor is located in the lower housing and is operable to detect the first positioning object and the second positioning object.

28. The portable electronic device of claim 27 , wherein the first positioning object is positioned in the upper housing such that the first positioning object is in proximity to and detectable by the first position sensor when the electronic device is in the open position.

29. The portable electronic device of claim 27 , wherein the second positioning object is positioned in the holster such that the second positioning object is in proximity to and detectable by the first position sensor when the portable electronic device is in the holster position.

30. The portable electronic device of claim 27 , wherein the at least one positioning object further comprises a third positioning object in the lower housing, and the second position sensor is located in the lower housing and is operable to detect the third positioning object in the lower housing.

31. The probable electronic device of claim 30 , wherein the third positioning object is positioned in the lower housing such that the third positioning object is in proximity to and detectable by the second position sensor when the portable electronic device is in the closed position.

32. The portable electronic device of claim 27 , wherein the at least one positioning object comprises at least one magnet having a magnetic field, and the at least one position sensor comprises a magnetic sensor operable to detect the magnetic field.

33. The portable electronic device of claim 30 wherein at least one of the first positioning object and the third positioning object is a magnet of a speaker.

34. The portable electronic device of claim 26 , wherein the portable electronic device is configured to modify an operation of at least one feature of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is in the holster position.