Multiple-position docking station for a tablet personal computer

Abstract

Disclosed embodiments provide systems and methods for operating a computing device. One method comprises determining if a screen of the computing device is oriented facing upward, and implementing a first software configuration in response to a determination that the screen is oriented facing upward. Another embodiment provides a computer system having a portable computing device, and a gravity sensor coupled to the portable computing device, wherein the gravity sensor may be configured to output a signal that is indicative of the orientation of the portable computing device with respect to the force of gravity.

1 . A method of operating a computing device, comprising: 
 determining if a screen of the computing device is oriented facing upward; and    implementing a first software configuration in response to a determination that the screen is oriented facing upward.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is a tablet personal computer (pc).  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising launching a software application as part of the first software configuration.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the software application is a personal information manager application.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising implementing a second software configuration in response to a determination that the screen is not facing upward, wherein the second software configuration is different from the first software configuration.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein implementing the second software configuration comprises configuring a display setting of the screen.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising configuring the operation of at least one soft key as part of the first software configuration.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising configuring the operation of at least one soft key as part of the second software configuration.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device remains in the same relative position with respect to the multiple-position docking station both when the screen is facing upward and when the screen is not facing upward.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising determining whether the screen is oriented generally facing horizontally.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining if a screen of the computing device is oriented facing upward comprises determining whether a mercury switch is open or closed.  
   
   
       12 . A computer system, comprising: 
 a portable computing device; and    a gravity sensor coupled to the portable computing device, wherein the gravity sensor is configured to output a signal that is indicative of the orientation of the portable computing device with respect to the force of gravity.    
   
   
       13 . The computer system of  claim 12 , wherein the portable computing device comprises a tablet pc.  
   
   
       14 . The computer system of  claim 12 , comprising a docking station, wherein the gravity sensor is coupled to the portable computing device via the docking station.  
   
   
       15 . The computer system of  claim 12 , wherein the gravity sensor comprises a mercury switch.  
   
   
       16 . The computer system of  claim 12 , wherein the portable computing device comprises software stored on memory, and wherein the software is configured to orient an image displayed by a screen of the portable computing device in response to the output of the gravity sensor.  
   
   
       17 . A device, comprising: 
 a handheld electronic device that comprises: 
 a touch sensitive screen; and  
   a tangible machine readable medium storing code configured to receive a signal indicative of the orientation of the handheld electronic device and initiate the execution of a program in response to the signal.    
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the program is configured to assign a function to a soft key of the handheld electronic device.  
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the program is configured to change an input mode of the handheld electronic device.  
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the handheld electronic device comprises a tablet personal computer.