Systems and methods for automatically opening hinged components of electronic devices

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed at automatically opening hinged components of computing devices. One of the computing devices and a hinged component may include an electrical winding or coil while the other may include a magnet. When current is applied to the electrical winding (e.g., in a direction opposite of the North/South direction of the magnets' magnetic field), the electrical winding may generate a magnetic field opposite that repels the magnet's magnetic field. The magnetic repulsion may cause the hinged component to separate from the rest of the computing device, thereby opening the hinged component. When the current is removed from the electrical winding, the electrical winding may no longer generate a magnetic field, enabling the hinged component to be closed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a stimulus at a computing device comprising a first housing portion and a second housing portion; and   in response to the stimulus, electrically coupling a power source of the computing device to an electrical winding of the computing device, causing the electrical winding to generate a magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field causes the second housing portion of the computing device to move away from the first housing portion.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stimulus comprises a button press on the computing device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the button press closes a switch of the computing device to electrically couple the power source to the electrical winding. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprises a processor configured to:
 receive an indication of the stimulus at the computing device; and   in response to receiving the indication, send an instruction to electrically couple the power source to the electrical winding.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprises a switch and a sensor, wherein the switch is configured to electrically couple or electrically decouple the power source to the electrical winding, and wherein the computing device comprises a processor configured to:
 receive data from the sensor, wherein the data is associated with the stimulus; and   send an instruction to the switch to cause the switch to electrically couple the power source to the electrical winding based on the data.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the data comprises a detected value associated with the sensor, the processor configured to cause the switch to electrically couple the power source to the electrical winding based on the detected value being above a threshold value. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the data comprises light sensor data, touch sensor data, image sensor data, audio sensor data, or orientation sensor data. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second housing portion comprises a first magnet disposed opposite of the electrical winding and configured to generate a second magnetic field, the magnetic field configured to cause magnetic repulsion with respect to the second magnetic field when the power source is electrically coupled to the electrical winding. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first housing portion comprises a second magnet spaced apart from the electrical winding and configured to generate a third magnetic field, and wherein the second housing portion comprises a third magnet disposed opposite the second magnet when the first housing portion is adjacent to the second housing portion, the third magnet configured to generate a fourth magnetic field that causes magnetic attraction with respect to the third magnetic field when the first housing portion is adjacent to the second housing portion. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the computing device comprises a hinge joining the first housing portion to the second housing portion, and wherein the hinge provides a force to rotate the second housing portion away from the first housing portion, wherein the force in combination with the magnetic repulsion are greater than the magnetic attraction. 
     
     
         11 . A computing device, comprising:
 a first housing portion comprising:
 a power source; and 
 an electromagnetic winding configured to be coupled to the power source, wherein the electromagnetic winding is configured to generate a first magnetic field when receiving power from the power source; 
   a second housing portion comprising a first magnet disposed opposite of the electromagnetic winding and configured to generate a second magnetic field, the second magnetic field configured to cause magnetic repulsion with respect to the first magnetic field;   a hinge joining the first housing portion to the second housing portion, wherein the hinge enables the second housing portion to rotate relative to the first housing portion; and   a processor configured to:
 receive a stimulus at the computing device; and 
 in response to the stimulus, electrically couple the power source to the electromagnetic winding causing the electromagnetic winding to generate the first magnetic field, wherein the first magnetic field is configured to cause the second housing portion to move away from the first housing portion. 
   
     
     
         12 . The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein the stimulus comprises a button press on the computing device. 
     
     
         13 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the button press closes a switch of the computing device to electrically couple the power source to the electromagnetic winding. 
     
     
         14 . The computing device of  claim 11 , comprising a switch and a sensor, wherein the switch is configured to electrically couple or electrically decouple the power source to the electromagnetic winding, and wherein the processor is configured to:
 receive data from the sensor, wherein the data is associated with the stimulus; and   send an instruction to the switch to cause the switch to electrically couple the power source to the electromagnetic winding based on the data.   
     
     
         15 . The computing device of  claim 14 , wherein the data comprises light sensor data, touch sensor data, image sensor data, audio sensor data, or orientation sensor data. 
     
     
         16 . The computing device of  claim 14 , wherein the data comprises a detected value associated with the sensor, the processor configured to cause the switch to electrically couple the power source to the electromagnetic winding based on the detected value being above a threshold value. 
     
     
         17 . A computing device, comprising:
 a housing comprising:
 a power source; and 
 an electromagnetic winding configured to generate a first magnetic field when coupled to the power source; 
   a kickstand comprising a magnet opposite the electromagnetic winding when the kickstand is adjacent to the housing, the magnet configured to generate a second magnetic field configured to cause magnetic repulsion with respect to the first magnetic field;   a hinge joining the housing to the kickstand, wherein the hinge enables the kickstand to rotate relative to the housing; and   a processor configured to:
 receive a stimulus at the computing device; and 
 based on the stimulus, electrically couple the power source to the electromagnetic winding causing the electromagnetic winding to generate the first magnetic field, wherein the first magnetic field is configured to cause the second housing portion to move away from the first housing portion. 
   
     
     
         18 . The computing device of  claim 17 , wherein receiving the stimulus comprises receiving a button press on the computing device, wherein the button press closes a switch of the computing device to electrically couple the power source to the electromagnetic winding. 
     
     
         19 . The computing device of  claim 17 , comprising a switch and a sensor, wherein the switch is configured to electrically couple or electrically decouple the power source to the electromagnetic winding, and wherein the processor is configured to:
 receive data from the sensor, wherein the data is associated with the stimulus; and   cause the switch to electrically couple the power source to the electromagnetic winding based on the data.   
     
     
         20 . The computing device of  claim 19 , wherein the data comprises light sensor data, touch sensor data, image sensor data, audio sensor data, or orientation sensor data, and wherein the data comprises a detected value associated with the sensor, the processor configured to cause the switch to electrically couple the power source to the electromagnetic winding based on the detected value being above a threshold value.