MOTION SENSOR DATA PROCESSING USING VARIOUS POWER MANAGEMENT MODES

• US 20100235667A1
• Filed: 09/02/2009
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mucignat, Andrea, Gupta, Saurabh
• Granted Patent: US 7,873,849 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing motion sensor data using various power management modes of an electronic device are provided. Power may be provided to a motion sensor during a first power mode of the device. In response to the motion sensor detecting a motion event with a magnitude exceeding a threshold, the sensor may transmit a wake up signal to a power management unit of the device. In response to receiving the wake up signal, the power management unit may switch the device to a second power mode. The device may provide power to a processor and load the processor with a motion sensing application when switching to the second power mode. During the second power mode, motion sensor data may be processed to determine that the motion event is not associated with an intentional user input and the device may return to the first power mode.

Claims

1. A method for controlling power consumption of an electronic device, the method comprising:

providing power to a motion sensor of the device during a first inactive power mode of the device;

detecting a magnitude of a motion event that exceeds a threshold using the motion sensor;

switching from the first inactive power mode to a first active power mode of the device in response to the detecting;

determining whether the motion event is associated with an intentional user input; and

returning from the first active power mode to the first inactive power mode in response to a determination that the motion event is not associated with an intentional user input.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a wake up signal using the motion sensor in response to the detecting; and

receiving the wake up signal using a power management unit of the device, wherein the switching comprises switching from the first inactive power mode to the first active power mode in response to the receiving.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the switching comprises:

activating at least a portion of a processor of the device; and

loading the processor with a motion sensing application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first inactive power mode is a hibernate power mode, and wherein the returning comprises powering down the processor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the returning comprises:

unloading a motion sensing application from a processor of the device; and

deactivating at least a portion of the processor.

6. A method for controlling power consumption of an electronic device, the method comprising:

providing power to a motion sensor of the device during a first inactive power mode of the device;

detecting a magnitude of a motion event that exceeds a threshold using the motion sensor; and

switching from the first inactive power mode to a first active power mode of the device in response to the detecting, wherein the switching comprises;

loading a motion sensing application into a processor of the device in response to the detecting; and

instructing the processor to bypass a device component activation step of the application.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the device component activation step instructs the processor to at least partially activate a display output component of the device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the instructing comprises setting a register of a power management unit of the device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

resetting the register; and

returning from the first active power mode to the first inactive power mode.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining whether the motion event is associated with an intentional user input using the application; and

returning from the first active power mode to the first inactive power mode in response to a determination that the motion event is not associated with an intentional user input.

11. A method for controlling power consumption of an electronic device, the method comprising:

processing first motion sensor data for a first duration of time during a first active power mode of the device;

detecting that the first processed motion sensor data identifies a first motion event occurring a first number of times during the first duration of time at a first rate;

switching from the first active power mode to a first inactive power mode of the device in response to the detecting;

returning from the first inactive power mode to the first active power mode after a second duration of time;

processing second motion sensor data for a third duration of time;

determining that the second processed motion sensor data identifies the first motion event occurring a second number of times during the third duration of time at the first rate; and

responding to a third number of the first motion event, wherein the third number equals the second number plus the product of the second duration of time and the rate.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second duration of time is longer than the third duration of time.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first motion event is a user stepping event.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the responding comprises storing the third number in a counter indicative of the amount of steps taken by a user of the device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the switching comprises:

unloading a motion sensing application from a processor of the device; and

deactivating at least a portion of the processor.

16-20. -20. (canceled)