Electrical device with a selected orientation for operation
US7999789B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 14, 2007 |
| Grant date | Aug 16, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 8, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S248/923
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention provides methods and apparatuses for configuring an electrical device to a selected orientation. Direction information that is indicative of the orientation of the electrical device is provided by a directional detection switch. A processor selects a selected orientation from a plurality of permitted orientations by processing the direction information and instructs a display unit to operate in the selected orientation. Different adjacent contacts of a directional detection switch are activated corresponding to different orientation of the electrical device. A conductive ball may be positioned by gravity and consequently conducts an electrical current between two corresponding adjacent contacts based on the orientation of the electrical device. A display unit of an electrical device may include an output component or an input component that is configured based on the orientation of the electrical device.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.