Patent ID: 7351925

Claim:
A portable electronic device, comprising: a data storage device having data stored on a data storage medium, the data storage device including a read/write head to access the data; and an acceleration detector coupled to the data storage device to detect a change in an acceleration of the portable electronic device and to configure the read/write head into a predetermined state in response to the detection, wherein the acceleration detector includes an electrically conductive casing having a cylindrical shape including a top portion and a bottom portion extended from the top portion, an electrically conductive beam disposed within the conductive casing and insulated from the conductive casing, and an electrically conductive member which is capable of free movement within the conductive casing, the conductive member contacting the conductive casing and the conductive beam when the change of the acceleration is not detected, wherein the conductive member does not contact at least one of the conductive casing and the conductive beam when the change of the acceleration is detected, wherein an interior wall of the bottom portion of the electrically conductive casing is angled to form an oblique surface, forming a ringed gap encircling the electrically conductive beam, wherein the ringed gap has a width sufficient that the electrically conductive member contacts both the interior wall of the bottom portion of the electrically conductive casing and the electrically conductive beam simultaneously when the acceleration detector is at rest due to a gravity of the electrically conductive member, and wherein the electrically conductive beam is not in direct contact with the electrically conductive casing.