Portable computer sleep mode system sensors
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorJohn C. DiFonzo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sleep mode system for an electronic device can include a light source, a sensor, and a light altering component. The light altering component can rotate with one device component, such as a laptop lid, while the light source and/or sensor remain stationary with another device component, such as a laptop base. A controller can determine the orientation angle of the light altering component based on the detected light, and can put the device into or remove the device from a sleep mode based on the angle, which can reflect an open state or closed state for the electronic device.
Claims20
A hinge assembly for pivotally coupling a first laptop component to a second laptop component, the hinge assembly comprising:
- a first bracket coupled to the first laptop component;
- a second bracket coupled to the second laptop component;
- and
- an optical arrangement, comprising:
- (i) a light source component;
- (ii) a light sensing component configured to detect light emitted from the light source component;
- and
- (iii) a light altering component being rotatable with respect to the second laptop component, wherein the light altering component is configured to encode the emitted light with rotational information as the emitted light passes through the light altering component before reaching the light sensing component.
An electronic device comprising:
- a first device component;
- a second device component;
- a first bracket coupled to the first device component, the first bracket integrally formed with a clutch barrel;
- a second bracket coupled to the second device component, the second bracket integrally formed with a shaft that is rotationally disposed within the clutch barrel;
- a light source coupled to the shaft;
- a sensor disposed proximate the light source and configured to detect light emitted therefrom;
- and
- a light altering component configured to affect light emitted from the light source, the light altering component being coupled to the first bracket, wherein the light altering component is configured to encode the emitted light with rotational information as the emitted light passes through the light altering component before reaching the sensor.
A method for putting an electronic device into a sleep mode, the method comprising:
- determining an angle of orientation for a light altering component located within a hinge assembly of the electronic device, the light altering component being between a light source and a sensor, wherein the light altering component is configured to encode light emitted from the light source with rotational information as the emitted light passes through the light altering component before reaching the sensor, and wherein the light altering component is configured to rotate with a rotating portion of the hinge assembly of the electronic device;
- and
- putting the electronic device into the sleep mode when the angle of orientation indicates that the electronic device is closed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.