User hand detection for wireless devices

• US 20060172706A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Fyke, Steven, Griffin, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 7,430,439 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/67.110
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

A method for determining whether a wireless device is being held comprising: activating a vibration motor in the wireless device to vibrate the wireless device for a predetermined period; receiving at least one acceleration measurement from an accelerometer in the wireless device during the predetermined period; and, comparing the at least one acceleration measurement to at least one stored acceleration measurement, the at least one stored acceleration measurement corresponding to a held wireless device.

Claims

1. A method for determining whether a wireless device is being held comprising:

activating a vibration motor in the wireless device to vibrate the wireless device for a predetermined period;

receiving at least one acceleration measurement from an accelerometer in the wireless device during the predetermined period; and

,

comparing the at least one acceleration measurement to at least one stored acceleration measurement, the at least one stored acceleration measurement corresponding to a held wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one acceleration measurement and the at least one stored acceleration measurement are an acceleration pattern and a stored acceleration pattern, respectively.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the held wireless device is held by a user.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the held wireless device is held by a holster.

5. The method of claim 1 and further comprising adjusting a feature of the wireless device in response to the comparing.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the feature is at least one of a ring tone, a display screen time-out, and a display screen illumination intensity.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the vibration motor and the accelerometer are at least one vibration motor and at least one accelerometer, respectively.

8. A method for controlling a feature of a wireless device comprising:

determining whether the wireless device is being held by;

activating a vibration motor in the wireless device to vibrate the wireless device for a predetermined period;

receiving at least one acceleration measurement from an accelerometer in the wireless device during the predetermined period; and

, comparing the at least one acceleration measurement to at least one stored acceleration measurement, the at least one stored acceleration measurement corresponding to a held wireless device; and

,

adjusting the feature in response to the determining.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one acceleration measurement and the at least one stored acceleration measurement are an acceleration pattern and a stored acceleration pattern, respectively.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the held wireless device is held by a user.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the held wireless device is held by a holster.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the feature is at least one of a ring tone, a display screen time-out, and a display screen illumination intensity.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the vibration motor and the accelerometer are at least one vibration motor and at least one accelerometer, respectively.

14. A wireless device comprising:

a processor coupled to memory, a vibration motor, and an accelerometer and adapted for;

determining whether the wireless device is held by;

activating the vibration motor to vibrate the wireless device for a predetermined period;

receiving at least one acceleration measurement from the accelerometer during the predetermined period; and

, comparing the at least one acceleration measurement to at least one stored acceleration measurement, the at least one stored acceleration measurement corresponding to a held wireless device.

15. The wireless device of claim 14 wherein the at least one acceleration measurement and the at least one stored acceleration measurement are an acceleration pattern and a stored acceleration pattern, respectively.

16. The wireless device method of claim 14 wherein the held wireless device is held by a user.

17. The wireless device of claim 14 wherein the held wireless device is held by a holster.

18. The wireless device of claim 14 wherein the processor is further adapted for adjusting a feature of the wireless device in response to the determining.

19. The wireless device of claim 18 wherein the feature is at least one of a ring tone, a display screen time-out, and a display screen illumination intensity.

20. The wireless device of claim 19 wherein the vibration motor and the accelerometer are at least one vibration motor and at least one accelerometer, respectively.

21. A method for determining a restraining force on a wireless device comprising:

activating a vibration motor in the wireless device to vibrate the wireless device for a predetermined period;

receiving at least one acceleration measurement from an accelerometer in the wireless device during the predetermined period; and

,

comparing the at least one acceleration measurement to at least one stored acceleration measurement, the at least one stored acceleration measurement corresponding to the restraining force.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the at least one acceleration measurement and the at least one stored acceleration measurement are an acceleration pattern and a stored acceleration pattern, respectively.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the wireless device is restrained by at least one of a user'"'"'s hand, a holster, a pocket, and a surface.

24. The method of claim 21 and further comprising adjusting a feature of the wireless device in response to the comparing.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the feature is at least one of a ring tone, a display screen time-out, and a display screen illumination intensity.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the vibration motor and the accelerometer are at least one vibration motor and at least one accelerometer, respectively.

27. The method of claim 21 wherein the vibration motor is a piezoelectric vibration motor.