Human Stimulus Activation and Deactivation of a Screensaver

• US 20100153764A1
• Filed: 12/12/2008
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pratt, James, Sullivan, Marc, Belz, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,478,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/324
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range

Abstract

Devices and methods are disclosed which relate to an electronic device having a human stimulus receptor which, when activated, suspends activation of a screensaver. The screensaver is activated to conserve the power and life of the electronic device. When latently viewing the electronic device, however, the human stimulus receptor is activated. A countdown starts counting down a pre-determined amount of time once the human stimulus receptor is inactive. At the expiration of the countdown, the screensaver is activated. The human stimulus receptor responds to skin conductivity, natural muscular twitch, pulse, skin temperature, and/or eye movement. Only when the electronic device no longer detects any of these human stimuli will the countdown begin. A user may set the predetermined amount of time.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

a processor;

a screen in communication with the processor;

a memory in communication with the processor;

a screensaver logic on the memory; and

a first human stimulus receptor in communication with the processor;

wherein the first human stimulus receptor suspends activation of a screensaver upon reception of human stimuli.

2. The device in claim 1, wherein the first human stimulus receptor is a two-way capacitive transducer.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first human stimulus receptor is coupled with one of a keyboard, the screen, and a housing of the electronic device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is one of a laptop, PDA, cellular telephone, and digital music player.

5. The device in claim 1, further comprising a second human stimulus receptor.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the screensaver logic allows a user of the electronic device to choose between function of the first human stimulus receptors and the second human stimulus receptor.

7. An electronic device comprising:

a processor;

a screen in communication with the processor;

a power supply powering the screen and in communication with the processor;

a memory in communication with the processor;

a screensaver logic on the memory; and

a first human stimulus receptor in communication with the processor;

wherein the screensaver logic instructs the power supply to suspend powering the screen.

8. The device in claim 7, wherein the first human stimulus receptor is a two-way capacitive transducer.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the first human stimulus receptor is coupled with one of a keyboard, the screen, or a housing of the electronic device.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the electronic device is one of a laptop, personal computer, PDA, cellular telephone, and digital music player.

11. The device in claim 7, further comprising a second human stimulus receptor.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the screensaver logic allows a user of the electronic device to choose between function of the first human stimulus receptors and the second human stimulus receptor.

13. A method of conserving the power and life of an electronic device having a human stimulus receptor comprising:

receiving a human stimulus; and

suspending activation of a screensaver;

wherein the screensaver activates to conserve the power and life of the electronic device.

14. The method in claim 13, further comprising maintaining suspension of screensaver activation until the human stimulus is no longer received.

15. The method in claim 13, further comprising de-activating the screensaver upon reception of human stimulus.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising activating the screensaver upon no human stimulus being received for a pre-determined amount of time.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the receiving further comprises detecting one of a natural muscular twitch, a temperature, a pulse, and an eye movement.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the suspending further comprises resetting a countdown to a pre-determined amount of time.