Method for controlling rotation recognition unit of rotating body and electronic device thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016252980-A1
Application number	US-201615056170-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 29, 2016
Priority date	Feb 27, 2015
Publication date	Sep 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A device and method for controlling rotation recognition units that detect the rotation of a rotating body in an electronic device are presented. The electronic device includes an outer housing, a rotary member disposed adjacent to, or at least in partial contact with the housing, a first sensor that detects rotation of the rotary member relative to the housing through a first physical change, a second sensor that detects rotation of the rotary member relative to the housing through a second physical change, a battery disposed in the housing, a processor electrically connected to the battery, the first sensor, and the second sensor, and a memory electrically connected to the processor, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to selectively control the operation of at least one of the first and second sensor based on at least one of the state of the electronic device and an application program that is being executed by the processor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device comprising:
an outer housing: a rotary member disposed adjacent to, or at least in partial contact with, the housing; a first sensor that detects rotation of the rotary member relative to the housing through a first physical change; a second sensor that detects rotation of the rotary member relative to the housing through a second physical change; a battery disposed in the housing; a processor electrically connected to the battery, the first sensor, and the second sensor; and a memory electrically connected to the processor, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to selectively control the operation of at least one of the first and second sensor based on at least one of the state of the electronic device and an application program that is executed by the processor.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor comprises an optical sensor, and the second sensor comprises a magnetic force detection sensor, and
wherein the first sensor consumes more power than the second sensor.

3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the magnetic force detection sensor comprises a plurality of magnetic force detection sensors spaced apart from each other.

4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to deactivate one of the first and second sensors at least partially based on whether the electronic device is in a deactivated or activated state.

5 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to deactivate one of the first and second sensors at least partially based on at least one of the type, state, and property of the application program executed by the processor.

6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed cause the processor to deactivate one of the first and second sensors at least partially based on the battery residual quantity.

7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to deactivate one of the first and second sensors based on whether the electronic device provides a continuous graphic effect.

8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a display that has a screen, at least a part of which is surrounded by the rotary member, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to change an image displayed on the display at least partially based on a signal received from at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor.

9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to correct a rotation parameter of the rotary member detected through the first sensor by using a rotation parameter of the rotary member detected through the second sensor when the first and second sensors are in an activated state and provide a service corresponding to the corrected rotation parameter of the rotary member.

10 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the rotation parameter comprises at least one of the speed, direction, and amount of rotation of the rotary member and the rotated position thereof.

11 . A method of operating an electronic device, comprising:
identifying at least one of the state of the electronic device and an application program that is being executed in the electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises an outer housing, a rotary member disposed adjacent to, or at least in partial contact with the housing, a first sensor that detects the rotation of the rotary member relative to the housing through a first physical change, and a second sensor that detects the rotation of the rotary member relative to the housing through a second physical change; and selectively controlling the operation of at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor based on at least one of the state of the electronic device and the application program.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first sensor comprises an optical sensor, and the second sensor comprises a magnetic force detection sensor, and
wherein the first sensor consumes more power than the second sensor.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein controlling the operation of at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor comprises deactivating one of the first and second sensors at least partially based on whether the electronic device is in a deactivated or activated state.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein controlling the operation of at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor comprises deactivating one of the first and second sensors at least partially based on at least one of the type, state, and property of the application program.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein controlling the operation of at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor comprises deactivating one of the first and second sensors at least partially based on the battery residual quantity of the electronic device.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein controlling the operation of the first sensor and/or the second sensor comprises deactivating one of the first and second sensors based on whether the electronic device provides a continuous graphic effect.

17 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
changing an image displayed on a display of the electronic device at least partially based on a signal received from the first sensor and/or the second sensor.

18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
correcting a rotation parameter of the rotary member detected through the first sensor by using a rotation parameter of the rotary member detected through the second sensor when the first and second sensors are in an activated state; and providing a service corresponding to the corrected rotation parameter of the rotary member.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the rotation parameter comprises at least one of the speed, direction, and amount of rotation of the rotary member and the rotated position thereof.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the service corresponding to the rotation parameter comprises at least one of operating a function associated with the corrected rotation parameter of the rotary member, executing an application program, and changing a mode.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Hyung-Jin
• Yun Hee-Young

Classifications

• G06F3/0362 Primary

  with detection of one-dimensional [1D] translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts · CPC title

• G06F1/163

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title

• G06F3/0312

  for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels (tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473) · CPC title

• G06F1/3287

  by switching off individual functional units in the computer system · CPC title

• G06F1/325

  Power saving in peripheral device · CPC title