Portable electronic device having holster and including a plurality of position sensors

摘要

A portable electronic device includes a lower housing slidably coupled to an upper housing, the lower and upper housings being movable between a closed position and an open position, and a holster sized and shaped for holding the device in a holster position. The device also includes a first position sensor to detect proximity of at least one positioning object and output a first sensor output signal indicative of the proximity of the at least one positioning object to the first position sensor, a second position sensor to detect proximity of the at least one positioning object and output a second sensor output signal indicative of the proximity of the at least one positioning object to the second position sensor. The first and second sensor output signals cooperate to indicate whether the portable electronic device is in one of the open position, the closed position and the holster position.

主权项

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:
a lower housing; an upper housing movably coupled to the lower housing, the lower housing and the upper housing movable between a closed position and an open position, the lower housing and upper housing sized and shaped for placement in a storage device; a first position sensor operable to detect proximity of at least one positioning object and output a first sensor output signal indicative of the proximity of the at least one positioning object to the first position sensor; and a second position sensor operable to detect proximity of the at least one positioning object and output a second sensor output signal indicative of the proximity of the at least one positioning object to the second position sensor; wherein the first and second sensor output signals cooperate to indicate whether the portable electronic device is in one of the open position, the closed position and a stored position in the storage device; further comprising a processor adapted to determine whether the portable electronic device is in one of the open position, the closed position and the stored position based on a combination of the first sensor output signal and second sensor output signal; and wherein:
each of the first sensor output signal and second sensor output signal is in one of an ON state indicating that the sensors are in the proximity of the at least one positioning object and an OFF state indicating that the sensors are not in the proximity of the at least one positioning object;the processor is operable to determine that the portable electronic device is in the open position when the first position sensor is in the ON state and the second position sensor is in the OFF state;the processor is operable to determine that the portable electronic device is in the closed position when the first position sensor is in the OFF state and the second position sensor is in the ON state; andthe processor is operable to determine that the portable electronic device is in the stored position when the first position sensor is in the ON state and the second position sensor is in the ON state.