Apparatus, systems and methods for mitigating vibration of an electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9024738-B2
Application number	US-201313757152-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2013
Priority date	Feb 1, 2013
Publication date	May 5, 2015
Grant date	May 5, 2015

Abstract

According to one aspect, an electronic device that includes a vibrating element adapted to vibrate the electronic device, at least one sensor operable to detect the presence of an audible higher-order harmonic above a fundamental frequency when the vibrating element is active. The device also includes a processor operable to adjust the vibrating element to reduce the audible higher-order harmonic when the audible higher-order harmonic is detected.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a vibrator adapted to vibrate the electronic device;
at least one microphone adapted to detect at least one audible higher-order harmonic that exceeds a particular threshold amplitude associated with an audibility of the higher-order harmonic when the vibrator is active, the at least one audible higher-order harmonic being indicative of an undesirable vibration effect; and
a processor adapted to adjust at least one of the frequency and intensity of the vibrator to reduce the at least one detected audible higher-order harmonic below the threshold amplitude.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the vibrator is a DC motor and the processor is operable to adjust the voltage applied to the DC motor to reduce the at least one audible higher-order harmonic.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the adjustment to the voltage includes pulsing the voltage.

4. A method for mitigating vibration effects in an electronic device, comprising:
activating a vibrating element on the electronic device according to a fundamental frequency;
detecting the presence of at least one audible higher-order harmonic based on the fundamental frequency; and
if an audible higher-order harmonic is detected, then adjusting the vibrating element to suppress the audible higher-order harmonic.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the method includes repeatedly detecting the at least one audible higher-order harmonic and adjusting the vibrating element until the at least one audible higher-order harmonic is eliminated.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the fundamental frequency is decreased to reduce the at least one audible higher-order harmonic.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the intensity of the vibrating element is decreased to reduce the at least one audible higher-order harmonic.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein a harmonic is an audible higher-order harmonic if it exceeds a particular threshold amplitude associated with the audibility of the higher-order harmonic to a user.

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least one audible higher-order harmonic is detected using at least one sensor.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one sensor includes a microphone.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one sensor includes an accelerometer.

12. The method of claim 4 , further comprising, if no audible higher-order harmonic is detected, then waiting a particular period of time and then repeating the method.

13. An electronic device, comprising:
a vibrating element adapted to vibrate the electronic device according to a fundamental frequency; and
at least one sensor operable to detect at least one audible higher-order harmonic when the vibrating element is active;
wherein the at least one audible higher-order harmonic is an integer multiple of the fundamental frequency, and
wherein the electronic device is operable to adjust the vibrating element to reduce the at least one audible higher-order harmonic when detected.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the processor is adapted to repeatedly adjust the vibrating element until the at least one audible higher-order harmonic is eliminated.

15. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the processor is adapted to decrease the fundamental frequency to reduce the at least one audible higher-order harmonic.

16. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the processor is adapted to decrease the intensity of the vibrating element to reduce the at least one audible higher-order harmonic.

17. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the processor is adapted to determine that a harmonic is an audible higher-order harmonic if it exceeds a particular threshold amplitude associated with the audibility of the higher-order harmonic to a user.

18. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the at least one sensor includes a microphone.

19. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the at least one sensor includes an accelerometer.

20. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further adapted to wait a particular period of time if no audible higher-order harmonic is detected, and then repeat the detection.

Assignees

• Blackberry Ltd

Inventors

• Van Schyndel Andre John
• Hansson Per Magnus Fredrik

Classifications

• H02N2/00

  Electric machines in general using piezoelectric effect, electrostriction or magnetostriction (generating mechanical vibrations in general B06B; piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive devices in general H10N30/00) · CPC title

• G06F3/016 Primary

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title