System and method for reducing the number of ports associated with a mobile device
US9591212B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 21, 2016 |
| Grant date | Mar 7, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 21, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02D30/70
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The technology presented here reduces the number of ports associated with the mobile device by combining a plurality of ports into a single multipurpose port. In one embodiment, the multipurpose port includes multiple sensors that detect various properties associated with a light beam, and a light guide that transmits the light beam between the environment outside and the multiple sensors inside the mobile device. In another embodiment, a multipurpose camera includes one or more pixels, different from the rest of the multipurpose camera pixels, where the one or more pixels receive a unique control signal. The unique control signal, sent by a processor coupled to the multipurpose camera, includes an instruction to perform an action different from the rest of the pixels, e.g., to turn on when the rest of the pixels are off. The active pixels can detect coarse properties of the light while saving mobile device battery life.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.