how does an auto-sleep cover actually work

cybmole · 02-17-2014, 05:27 AM

I'll ask here as I have an aura HD reader on order, but the question is relevant for various makes:

how do the various covers which auto sleep/ auto wake the device actually work.

it is a useful feature or a pointless gimmick

and how reliable are the mechanisms ?

EndlessWaves · 02-17-2014, 07:33 AM

It's a magnet that activates/deactivates it, see the sticky for how it's positioned.

As to whether it's useful, I suppose that depends on whether you value the quicker startup time from sleep or whatever extra battery life you can get out of powering it off (which I'd imagine is a fairly small amount but I don't know).

cybmole · 02-17-2014, 09:21 AM

so a magnet in the cover is used to grab / release a switch inside of the reader ?

thus the solution does not work with readers that have on/off slide switches ?

EndlessWaves · 02-17-2014, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybmole

so a magnet in the cover is used to grab / release a switch inside of the reader ?

I would have thought it's a sensor measuring the strength of the local magnetic field rather than a metal switch but I don't actually know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybmole

thus the solution does not work with readers that have on/off slide switches ?

No, it's separate from the external on/off switch. For example my Aura HD has a sliding on/off switch on the top side while I believe the sleepcover magnet gets positioned over the lower corner of the screen (still waiting for my case, but that's what others have said in the Aura HD case thread).

jackie_w · 02-17-2014, 11:11 AM

The external on/off slider switch and the sleepcover magnet are independent - you can use either.

The sleepcover magnet acts on the lower right corner of the screen. For this to work it's also necessary to make sure the relevant box is checked in Settings - Light, sleep & power. In case it's of interest, it's not necessary to pay the extortionate price for the 'official' sleepcover, the much cheaper ebay offerings work perfectly well - or, at least mine does (I have both).

ShellShock · 02-17-2014, 01:13 PM

Definitely not a useless gimmick. I have a Gecko slimfit cover for my Aura HD, and this sleep cover is one of the best things about my ereader: open the cover and bingo, instant switch on and reading where you left off. Close the cover, and it is nighty-night Kobo.

The magnet has to be strong enough and positioned just so for it to work. I had another type of cover before which was very fiddly to get to work, most of the time it did not put the Kobo to sleep.

BobC · 02-17-2014, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EndlessWaves

I would have thought it's a sensor measuring the strength of the local magnetic field rather than a metal switch but I don't actually know.

Most likely a reed switch in the Glo - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reed_switch .

BobC

TechniSol · 02-17-2014, 07:08 PM

It's either a reed switch or a hall effect sensor. I can't remember the last time I saw a naked glass encapsulated magnetic reed switch except in a magnetic security contact. The reed switch would definitely be the low power(actually no power)option, but it would be easy enough to temporarily power a Hall effect sensor up a few times a second and look for output during sleep mode... of course, a reed switch could go straight to an interrupt with maybe a small cap/resistor filter to minimize bounce. The funny part is, I'd almost bet the hall effect sensor would be cheaper and easier to source these days.

02-17-2014, 05:27 AM	#1
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	how does an auto-sleep cover actually work I'll ask here as I have an aura HD reader on order, but the question is relevant for various makes: how do the various covers which auto sleep/ auto wake the device actually work. it is a useful feature or a pointless gimmick and how reliable are the mechanisms ?

02-17-2014, 01:13 PM	#6
ShellShock Wizard Posts: 1,178 Karma: 2431850 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: IPad Mini 2 Retina	Definitely not a useless gimmick. I have a Gecko slimfit cover for my Aura HD, and this sleep cover is one of the best things about my ereader: open the cover and bingo, instant switch on and reading where you left off. Close the cover, and it is nighty-night Kobo. The magnet has to be strong enough and positioned just so for it to work. I had another type of cover before which was very fiddly to get to work, most of the time it did not put the Kobo to sleep. Last edited by ShellShock; 02-17-2014 at 01:15 PM.

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02-17-2014, 07:33 AM	#2
EndlessWaves Zealot Posts: 119 Karma: 38158 Join Date: Jan 2014 Device: Kobo Aura HD	It's a magnet that activates/deactivates it, see the sticky for how it's positioned. As to whether it's useful, I suppose that depends on whether you value the quicker startup time from sleep or whatever extra battery life you can get out of powering it off (which I'd imagine is a fairly small amount but I don't know).

02-17-2014, 09:21 AM	#3
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	so a magnet in the cover is used to grab / release a switch inside of the reader ? thus the solution does not work with readers that have on/off slide switches ?

02-17-2014, 11:11 AM	#5
jackie_w Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,251 Karma: 16539642 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: UK Device: ClaraHD, Forma, Libra2, Clara2E, LibraCol, PBTouchHD3	The external on/off slider switch and the sleepcover magnet are independent - you can use either. The sleepcover magnet acts on the lower right corner of the screen. For this to work it's also necessary to make sure the relevant box is checked in Settings - Light, sleep & power. In case it's of interest, it's not necessary to pay the extortionate price for the 'official' sleepcover, the much cheaper ebay offerings work perfectly well - or, at least mine does (I have both).

02-17-2014, 07:08 PM	#8
TechniSol GranPohbah-Fezzes r cool! Posts: 1,056 Karma: 3151024 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Nook STRs, Kobo Touch, Kobo Glo	It's either a reed switch or a hall effect sensor. I can't remember the last time I saw a naked glass encapsulated magnetic reed switch except in a magnetic security contact. The reed switch would definitely be the low power(actually no power)option, but it would be easy enough to temporarily power a Hall effect sensor up a few times a second and look for output during sleep mode... of course, a reed switch could go straight to an interrupt with maybe a small cap/resistor filter to minimize bounce. The funny part is, I'd almost bet the hall effect sensor would be cheaper and easier to source these days.

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