System and method for activating components on an electronic device using orientation data

1. A method comprising:

monitoring data from a first sensor in a handheld electronic device;

determining an orientation of the handheld electronic device by analyzing the data from the first sensor; and

when the orientation indicates that the handheld electronic device is face down, activating a microphone on the handheld electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is an accelerometer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is a pressure switch.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

when the orientation indicates that the handheld electronic device is face down, deactivating a second component on the handheld electronic device.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second component is a display.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

when the orientation indicates that the handheld electronic device is face down, deactivating a further component on the handheld electronic device.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the further component comprises a speaker.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the further component comprises an input/output device.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the further component comprises a short-range communication sub-system.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

a speaker is located on an upper portion of the handheld electronic device;

the microphone is located on the upper portion of the handheld electronic device; and

when the orientation indicates that the handheld electronic device is upright,

activating the speaker; and

deactivating the microphone.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the orientation is a first orientation, the method further comprising:

determining a second orientation of the handheld electronic device by analyzing the data from the first sensor; and

when the orientation indicates that the handheld electronic device is other than face down, deactivating the microphone.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein when the orientation indicates that the handheld electronic device is other than face down the orientation, the orientation indicates that the handheld electronic device is in a face up orientation.

13. An activation circuit for activating components of a handheld electronic device, comprising:

an orientation module that determines an orientation of the handheld electronic device by analyzing data from a first sensor in the handheld electronic device; and

an activation module that, when the orientation module determines that the handheld electronic device is face down, activates a microphone on the handheld electronic device.

14. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the orientation module comprises an accelerometer.

15. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the orientation module comprises a pressure switch.

16. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 13 , wherein, when the orientation module determines that the handheld electronic device is face down, the activation module deactivates a second component on the handheld electronic device.

17. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising:

when the orientation indicates that the handheld electronic device is face down, deactivating a further component on the handheld electronic device.

18. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the further component comprises a speaker.

19. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the further component comprises an input/output device.

20. The activation circuit as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the further component comprises a short-range communication sub-system.