Accessory and control method

An accessory is provided for disposing on an electronic device, which has a plurality of device elements disposed adjacent to one edge of the electronic device. the accessory comprises a cover having a plurality of cover elements disposed in the cover. When one of the cover elements is not attached to the one of the device elements along the other edge of the electronic device, the cover is flipped along the one edge of the electronic device and the cover elements along the one edge attracted to the cover element along the corresponding edge of the cover. A control method is also provided for controlling an electronic device according to a movement of a portion of the accessory relative to the electronic device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The application is related to an accessory, and more particularly, to an accessory applied in an electronic device and a relevant control method.

Description of Related Art

Typically, portable electronic devices are intended to be carried around or moved about in various environment. Therefore, these electronic devices are easily subject to dropped, crash, or scratched. Protective cover is used to protect these portable electronic devices from damage. The user needs a cover that can be used to enhance the functionality and capabilities of the electronic devices. Thus, there is a need for an accessory that can be utilized to accompany with the electronic device to satisfy different user behavior while at the same time enhance the functionality and usability of the devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The application is directed to an accessory for protecting an electronic device.

The application is directed to a control method for controlling an electronic device attached with an accessory.

The application provides an accessory suitable for disposing on an electronic device, which has a plurality of first device elements disposed adjacent to first and second edges of the electronic device, the accessory comprises a cover has a plurality of first cover elements disposed in the cover, at least one of the first cover elements attracted to at least one of the first device elements along each edge of the electronic device. When one of the first cover elements is not attached to the one of the first device elements along the first edge of the electronic device, the cover is flipped along the second edge of the electronic device and the first cover elements along the second edge attracted to the first cover element along the corresponding edge of the cover. When one of the first cover elements is not attached to the one of the first device elements along the second edge of the electronic device, the cover is flipped along the first edge of the electronic device and the first cover elements along the first edge attracted to the first device element along the corresponding edge of the cover.

The application provides an accessory suitable for disposing on an electronic device, which has a plurality of first device elements disposed adjacent to first and second edges of the electronic device. The accessory comprises a cover has a plurality of first cover elements disposed in the cover and adjacent to two edges of the cover, at least one of the first cover elements attracted to at least one of the first device elements along each edge of the electronic device.

The application provides a control method suitable for controlling an electronic device coupled with an accessory. The accessory has an element disposed on a corner portion of the accessory. The electronic device has a sensor for detecting the element. The control method comprises the following steps. The corner portion of the accessory is moved away from the electronic device is determined by detecting the element with the sensor in the electronic device. A function of the electronic device is triggered when the corner portion of the accessory is moved away from the electronic device.

To make the above features and advantages of the application more comprehensible, several embodiments accompanied with drawings are described in detail as follows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS

ReferringFIGS. 1A and 1B, an accessory100according to one embodiment of the application shown inFIG. 1Ainteracts with an electronic device50shown inFIG. 1B. The electronic device50may be a portable electronic device, tablet device, personal digital assistant, mobile phone, smart phone, or portable device with large screen. The accessory100, which mechanically or physically separated from the electronic device50, may be a cover110, a case, or a back cover with edges or sides contour the edge of the electronic device50. The cover110of the accessory100may be disposed on the electronic device50. The electronic device50may comprise a display and a housing respectively at a front side and a rear side of the electronic device50. The cover110may be placed on a front side of the electronic device50to cover the display of the electronic device50. Alternatively, the cover110may be disposed on the rear side of the electronic device50to cover the housing.

The cover110has a plurality of first cover elements111disposed in or on the cover110. The first cover element111may interact with magnetic field or produce magnetic field, such as permanent magnet, electromagnet, ferromagnetic materials, magnetic element or combination of magnet with different polarities. The electronic device50has a plurality of first device elements51disposed in or on the electronic device50. The first device element51may interact with magnetic field or produce magnetic field, such as permanent magnet, electromagnet, ferromagnetic materials, magnetic element or combination of magnet with different polarities. The placement of the first cover elements111in the cover110forms a symmetrical pattern. The first device elements51in the electronic device50also forms a symmetrical pattern. The first device elements51and the first cover elements111are placed so that when a user flips the cover110from one of the edges of the electronic device50, the first cover elements111at the edge of the cover110are attached to the corresponding edge of the electronic device50. The attraction between the first cover elements111and the corresponding first device elements51is kept continuously.

In the embodiment, the electronic device50is substantially rectangular-plate-shaped, and the first device elements51are disposed adjacent to two edges of the electronic device50. The cover110is substantially rectangular-plate-shaped similar to the electronic device50, and the first cover elements111are disposed in the cover110and adjacent to two edges of the cover110. ReferringFIGS. 2A to 2C, when the cover110is flipped from the front side of the electronic device50to the rear side of the electronic device50along one of the edges of the electronic device50and the corresponding edge of the cover110, the attraction between the first cover elements111and the corresponding first device elements51is kept continuously. Then, referringFIGS. 2A to 2C, when the cover110is flipped from the rear side of the electronic device50to the front side of the electronic device50along another edge of the electronic device50and another edge of the cover110, the attraction between the first cover elements111and the corresponding first device elements51is also kept continuously. The order of flipping movement fromFIGS. 2A to 2Emay be reversed fromFIGS. 2E to 2A.

ReferringFIGS. 1A and 1Bagain, in the embodiment, the electronic device50has a plurality of second device elements52substantially located at the rear side of the electronic device50and away from the edges of the electronic device50. The cover110has a plurality of second cover elements112substantially located in the middle portions113aaway from the edges of the cover110. The second cover elements112are aligned to the second device elements52respectively so as to attract the second device elements52respectively. The second device elements52and the second cover elements112provides additional attraction away from the edges of the electronic device50and the cover110so that the entire of the cover110may be closely attached to the electronic device50as shown inFIG. 2A,FIG. 2CorFIG. 2E.

ReferringFIGS. 1A and 1Bagain, the cover110has two middle portions113aand four corner portions113b. The middle portions113amay be substantially trapezoid-plate-shaped, and the corner portions113bare substantially triangle-plate-shaped. The middle portions113amay be bended, twisted, turned or arched to point to a different direction relative to each other via a central flexible portion114aof the cover110. For example, the middle portions113amay be turned via a second trapezoid portion to form a 0 to 360-degree angle related to each other. Each of the corner portions113bmay be bended, twisted, turned or arched to point to a different direction relative to the corresponding middle portion113avia an inclined flexible portion114bof the cover110. For example, the corner portion113bmay be turned via the corresponding inclined flexible portion114bto form a 0 to 360-degree angle related to the corresponding middle portions113a.

ReferringFIGS. 1A and 3A to 3B, in the embodiment, the cover110has a plurality of shaping elements115embedded in the corner portions113brespectively, and when the middle portions113aare bended relative to each other and a neighbor two of the corner portions113bare overlapped each other, the shaping elements115, located in the neighbor two of the corner portions113brespectively, attract each other so that the cover.110may be kept in a shape of triangular prism to form a stand. When the cover110is kept in a shape of triangular prism, the cover110may be attached to the electronic device50by attraction and also tilt the electronic device50in different states respectively on a table or the like as shown inFIGS. 4A and 4B.

All of the elements list above may be a permanent magnet, electric magnet, or any element that may interact with magnetic field or electric field, such as metal, or polar material. The element may be combination of a plurality of magnets. A shielding may be disposed on the element or between the magnets in the element for shielding the magnetic field in a defined direction or reduce the magnetic flux to an acceptable level so the component in the electronic device50may not be affected. A conductor or magnetic guide maybe placed on the element or between the magnets in the element to guide the magnetic field to a defined direction or forming a defined magnetic field.

ReferringFIG. 5, different from the accessory100inFIG. 1A, the accessory100inFIG. 5has a different way to kept the shape thereof so as to stand the electronic device50inFIG. 1A. In brief, the cover110of the accessory100inFIG. 5has a plurality of first shaping elements115aembedded in the middle portions113arespectively and a plurality of second shaping elements115bembedded in the corner portions113brespectively, and when the middle portions113aare bended relative to each other and two of the corner portions113bare overlapped each other and contact the middle portion113arespectively, the first shaping elements115aattract the second shaping elements115brespectively so that the cover110inFIG. 5may form a stand. Therefore, the cover110inFIG. 5may be attached to the electronic device50by attraction and also tilt the electronic device50in different states respectively on a table or the like as shown inFIGS. 6A and 6B.

ReferringFIG. 7, different from the accessory100ainFIG. 1A, the cover110of the accessory100inFIG. 7has a half portion113cto replace a side thereof, and has two pairs of second shaping elements115bin the half portion113c. Specifically, the half portion113cis substantially rectangular-plate-shaped and is able to be bended relative to the middle portion113avia a central flexible portion114a. The second cover elements112substantially located in the half portion113cand the middle portion113aaway from the edges of the cover110inFIG. 7to attract the second device elements52of the electronic device50inFIG. 1Brespectively. Each of the pairs of second shaping elements115bare placed in parallel with south pole of both the second shaping elements115bfacing each other.

When the half portion113cand the middle portion113aare bended relative to each other and the corner portions113bcontact the half portion113c, the first shaping elements115ain the corner portions112amay be attached to the space between the corresponding pair of the second shaping elements115b. The north pole of the first shaping elements115ais attracted by the two south poles of the corresponding pair of the second shaping elements115bso that the cover110inFIG. 7may form a stand. Therefore, the cover110inFIG. 7may be attached to the electronic device50by attraction and also tilt the electronic device50in different states respectively on a table or the like as shown inFIGS. 8A and 8B.

Please refer toFIG. 9for another embodiment of present application. The accessory200is also suitable for the electronic device50inFIG. 1Band may further comprise a cover210and a keyboard220, and the keyboard220flexibly connected to one of the edges of the cover210via a flexible portion230. The cover210has a plurality of segments213arranged side by side in sequence, and any adjacent two of the segments211are able to be bended relative to each other via a flexible portion214which is substantially parallel to the edges of the cover210. Similar to the cover110inFIG. 1A, the cover210inFIG. 9also has first cover elements211. The first device elements51and the first cover elements211are placed so that when a user flips the cover210from one of the edges of the electronic device50, the first cover elements211at the edge of the cover210are attached to the corresponding edge of the electronic device50. The attraction between the first cover elements211and the corresponding first device elements51is kept continuously.

ReferringFIG. 9, the cover210has a plurality of second cover elements212substantially located in one or ones of the segments213away from the edges of the cover210. The second cover elements212are aligned to the second device elements52respectively so as to attract the second device elements52respectively. The second device elements52and the second cover elements212provides additional attraction away from the edges of the electronic device50and the cover210so that the entire of the cover210may be closely attached to the electronic device50.

ReferringFIG. 9, the keyboard220is substantially rectangular-plate-shaped similar to the cover210, one edge of the keyboard220is flexibly connected to the corresponding edge of the cover210, and the keyboard220has a plurality of first keyboard elements221embedded in the keyboard220adjacent to the other edge of the keyboard220away from the cover210. The keyboard220has a plurality of second keyboard elements222embedded in the keyboard220and between the edges of the keyboard220. The keyboard220has a margin region220aand a keyboard region220badjacent to the margin region220a, the second keyboard elements222are between the margin region220aand the keyboard region220b. Therefore, as shown inFIGS. 10A to 10F, the electronic device50has different folding position of the cover210. The segments213may be folded along the flexible portion230.

Please refer toFIGS. 11A and 11Bfor the magnet combination. The element that is placed inside of the electronic device50or the cover110or210mentioned above may have combine different magnet to achieve best magnetic strength between electronic device50and the cover110or210. For example, the second device elements52and the second cover elements112or212are combination of magnets. By placing two magnets together with opposite side of pole together, the magnetic field strength of the combined magnet at center of combination is stronger than just a single magnet. By placing two magnets together with same side of magnetic pole together, the magnetic field strength of the combined magnet at center of combination is stronger than just a single magnet.

Please refer toFIGS. 12A and 12Bfor a control method that may be suitable for controlling the electronic device50inFIG. 1Bcoupled with an accessory inFIG. 1A. By detecting an element116(such as a magnet) disposed on a corner portion113bof the accessory100by a sensor56(such as a hall sensor) in the electronic device50, the corner portion113bof the accessory100is moved away from the electronic device50can be determined. When the corner portion113bof the accessory100is moved away from the electronic device50, a function of the electronic device50is triggered.

In this embodiment shown inFIGS. 12A and 12B, the electronic device50has a camera57at a corner of a rear side of the electronic device50, the corner portion113bof the cover110of the accessory100is originally attached on the rear side of the electronic device50and the corner portion113bcovers the camera57shown inFIG. 12Aand is able to be folded to expose the camera57, and the element130in the corner portion113bis detected by the sensor56of the electronic device50. Therefore, when the corner potion113bis folded by a user to expose the camera57, the sensor56of the electronic device50may detect the element116is moved away from the sensor56, and thus the camera function of the electronic device50is activated or triggered. On the contrary, when the corner potion113bcovers the camera57again, the sensor56of the electronic device50may detect the element116is moved close to the sensor56, and thus the camera function of the electronic device50is inactivated.

In another embodiment shown inFIGS. 13A and 13B, the electronic device50inFIG. 1Band the accessory200inFIG. 9are applied here. The element226(such as a magnet) is located in the keyboard220of the accessory200, and the sensor56(such as a hall sensor) is located in the electronic device50. In an initial state shown inFIG. 13A, the electronic device50is originally sandwiched between the cover210and the keyboard220. When the electronic device50attached with the cover210is moved away from the keyboard220, the sensor56of the electronic device50may detect the element226is moved away from the sensor56, and thus a function of the electronic device50is activated or triggered, such as the display of the electronic device50is turned on. On the contrary, when the electronic device50attached with the cover210is stacked on the keyboard220again, the sensor56of the electronic device50may detect the element226is moved close to the sensor56, and thus the function of the electronic device50is inactivated, such as the display of the electronic device50is turned off.

Although the application has been described with reference to the above embodiments, it will be apparent to one of the ordinary skill in the art that modifications and variations to the described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the application. Accordingly, the scope of the application will be defined by the attached claims not by the above detailed descriptions.