Dynamically switching exterior material texture of portable device based on a sensed support condition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025142743-A1
Application number	US-202318494432-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 25, 2023
Priority date	Oct 25, 2023
Publication date	May 1, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic device includes at least one external surface comprised of a material whose texture can be dynamically changed by a device-generated trigger. The device includes: at least one sensor that detects a support condition of the device; and a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor and to a component that provides the device-generated trigger. The controller: receives, from the sensor, sensor input corresponding to the support condition; and evaluates the received sensor input to determine whether a current support condition is one that triggers the controller to cause a change in the texture of the external surface material. In response to the current support condition being one that triggers the change in the texture of the external surface material, the controller transmits a signal to the component, which activates the component to provide the device-generated trigger, causing the change in the texture of the external surface material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device comprising:
at least one external surface comprised of a material whose texture can be dynamically changed based on exposure to a device-generated trigger; at least one sensor that detects a support condition of the electronic device; and a controller communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor and to a component that provides the device-generated trigger, and which:
receives, from the at least one sensor, sensor input corresponding to the support condition;
evaluates the received sensor input to determine whether a current support condition is one which triggers the controller to cause a change in the texture of the external surface material to enhance protection of the device; and
in response to determining that the current support condition is one that triggers the change in the texture of the external surface material, transmits a signal to the component, which signal activates the component to provide the device-generated trigger, causing the change in the texture of the external surface material.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the support condition corresponds to whether the electronic device is at a risk of falling or slipping or dislocating from an elevated position; and in response to the current support condition indicating that the electronic device is at a risk of falling or slipping or dislocating from an elevated position, the controller transmits a first trigger-identifying signal to the component to configure the component to provide the device-generated trigger that causes the texture of the material to change from a smooth texture to a non-slip texture.

3 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the controller:
identifies from the received sensor input that the at least one surface of the electronic device is located on an elevated slanted support structure from which the electronic device can tilt and fall; and in response to the received sensor input indicating the at least one surface of the electronic device is located on the elevated slanted support structure from which the electronic device can tilt and fall, transmit a second trigger-identifying signal to the component causing the component to change the texture of the material to an angled shape that reduces an angle of the tilt between the at least one surface and the elevated slanted support structure.

4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the controller:
in response to the sensor input indicating the electronic device is falling:
transmit a third trigger-identifying signal to the component causing the component to change the texture of the material to a shape that modifies a center of gravity and a rotational axis of the electronic device to cause the electronic device to land on a side covered by the material, which protects the electronic device during a fall of the electronic device from an elevated position.

5 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the material of the at least one external surface is changeable into multiple different textures each triggered by one of multiple device-generated triggers that is provided by the component, a selected trigger among the multiple device-generated triggers being identified by the controller based on characteristics of the current support condition, the controller transmitting a corresponding trigger-identifying signal to the component to provide the selected trigger and cause the change of the texture of the material to a specific one of the multiple different textures.

6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the device-generated trigger comprises application of at least one of a voltage, a pressure, a current, a temperature, or a humidity to the material.

7 . The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein:
an amount of relative change in the texture of the material is determined by a corresponding level of the voltage, pressure, current, temperature, or humidity applied to the material; and the controller: determines the corresponding level of the voltage, pressure, current, temperature, or humidity to be applied to the material, based on the current support condition of the electronic device and the amount of relative change required for the current support condition; and encodes the corresponding level in the signal transmitted to the component.

8 . The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein:
the component comprises multiple sub-components that each correspond to a different one of the device-generated trigger; each different device-generated trigger produces a different change in the texture of the material; and the controller: selects which one of the multiple sub-components is utilized, based on the current support condition of the device and an amount and type of change desired for the texture of the material; and encodes the selection in the signal transmitted to the component.

9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises one or more sensor from among an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a gyrometer, an altimeter, a barometer, an on-body detection sensor.

10 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing that comprises the at least one external surface as a back side of the housing; and a display embedded within a front surface of the housing and communicatively coupled to the controller; wherein the controller comprises a processor communicatively coupled to a memory, the memory storing program code that is processed by the processor for: evaluating the support condition of the electronic device based on sensor information received from the at least one sensor; and generating a corresponding signal for triggering the change in the texture of the material of the at least one external surface.

11 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a device housing that encompasses the controller and other functional components and to which the at least one external surface is removably attached; and a connection interface that electrically couples the component with the controller, the component being a part of the at least one external surface.

12 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the controller:
receives an updated support condition indicating that the electronic device is stable; and generates and transmits a second signal to the component to cause the component to change the texture of the material back to a base texture, wherein the component provides a fourth device-generated trigger causing a reverse change in the texture of the material to the base texture.

13 . A method comprising:
determining, by a controller of an electronic device, a current support condition of the electronic device, the electronic device having at least one external surface comprised of a material whose texture can be dynamically changed based on exposure to a device-generated trigger from a device component; and in response to determining that the current support condition is one that triggers the controller to cause a change in the texture of the external surface material, providing the device-generated trigger to the material to cause a change in the texture of the external surface material.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein determining the current support condition comprises:
receiving, from at least one sensor of the electronic device, sensor input corresponding to the support condition; and evaluating the received sensor input to determine whether the current support condition is one that triggers the controller to cause the change in the texture of the external surface material.

Assignees

• Motorola Mobility Llc

Inventors

• Agrawal Amit Kumar
• Kim Eunji
• Gupta Mayank Shanbhogue

Classifications

• H04M1/72454

  according to context-related or environment-related conditions · CPC title

• H04M1/185 Primary

  Improving the shock resistance of the housing, e.g. by increasing the rigidity · CPC title

• H05K5/0018

  having an electronic display · CPC title

• H05K5/0217 Primary

  Mechanical details of casings (covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03) · CPC title