ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH AUTOMATIC MODE SWITCHING

• US 20120023060A1
• Filed: 09/01/2011
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: ROTHKOPF, Fletcher R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,385,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3234 Power saving characterised by the action undertaken
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/022 Knowledge engineering; Knowledge acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/006 Switches operated by mechanical overload condition, e.g. transmitted force or torque becoming too high
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/00 Details of switching devices, not covered by groups H01H1/00 - H01H7/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

An electronic device for predicting or anticipating a user'"'"'s operational desires. The electronic device is ready to perform the anticipated function without input from the user by using sensors to sense environmental attributes. The sensors can include an ambient light sensor, a force sensor, a temperature sensor, an ambient noise sensor, and a motion sensor. The electronic device also includes a control mechanism for switching between modes for the device.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device configure to anticipate a user'"'"'s operational desires such that the portable electronic device is ready to perform a user function without input from the user, comprising;

one or more sensors configured to sense one or more environmental attributes surrounding the portable electronic device; and

a control mechanism that provides a first mode and a second mode for the portable electronic device, wherein the control mechanism is operatively coupled to the one or more sensors and predicts the user'"'"'s operational desires by determining whether the device should be in the first mode or the second mode based on information collected by and received from the one or more sensors, and wherein the control mechanism automatically switches between the first and second modes based on the information received from the one or more sensors.

2. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more environmental attributes includes at least one of the following:

temperature, ambient light, motion, vibration, pressure, touch, noise, orientation, and time.

3. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include at least one of the following:

an ambient light sensor configured to measure the level of light that surrounds the portable electronic device, a force sensor configured to measure a force exerted on an outer surface of the portable electronic device, a temperature sensor, an ambient noise sensor, and a motion sensor.

4. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first mode is a ring mode and the second mode is a vibrate mode.

5. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising one or more input devices for inputting into the portable electronic device.

6. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 5, wherein automatically switching between the first mode and the second mode comprises automatically switching between an input mode where all or a select number of input devices are unlocked and a hold mode where all or a select number of input devices are locked based on the information received from the sensor.

7. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first mode is a first music mode where a first playlist is initiated and the second mode is a second music mode where a second playlist is initiated.

8. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors includes a motion sensor and wherein the first mode is a play mode and the second mode is a pause mode, wherein the pause mode is initiated when the motion decreases a certain amount or reaches a predetermined or specified level.

9. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors includes a motion sensor and wherein the portable electronic device is configured to turn off when the motion sensor detects no motion for a predetermined amount of time.

10. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors includes a sensor for monitoring ambient noise level and wherein the first mode is a first ring mode at a first volume and the second mode is a second ring mode at a second volume.

11. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors includes a sensor for monitoring ambient noise level and wherein the first mode is a first play mode at a first volume and the second mode is a second play mode at a second volume.

12. A method of predicting a user'"'"'s desires for operating a portable electronic device, comprising:

monitoring a condition of or surrounding the device, wherein monitoring includes monitoring a force exerted on an outer surface of the device, monitoring motion of the device, measuring an ambient condition surrounding the device, measuring temperature surrounding the device, or measuring orientation of the device;

predicting the user'"'"'s desires without input from the user by determining whether a triggering event should be initiated based on the monitored condition; and

automatically switching the portable electronic device from a first mode to a second mode when the triggering event is initiated.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein monitoring includes monitoring ambient light level surrounding the portable electronic device.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein determining includes initiating the triggering event when the ambient light level reaches a certain level or when the ambient light level changes a certain amount.

15. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein switching the modes of the portable electronic device includes automatically switching between an input mode where all or a select number of input devices are unlocked and a hold mode where all or a select number of input devices are locked.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein monitoring is performed by a force sensor.

17. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the first mode is a ring mode and the second mode is a vibrate mode.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein monitoring is performed by an ambient condition sensor.

19. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more input devices includes a clickable touch pad and a button disposed at a center of the clickable touch pad.

20. A portable electronic device configured to anticipate future use of the device, comprising:

a control mechanism that provides a first mode and a second mode for the portable electronic device; and

one or more sensors that senses an environmental attribute surrounding the portable electronic device and provides cues for anticipating the future use of the device, wherein the one or more sensors provides a sensor output to the control mechanism for anticipating the future use based on the sensor output, wherein the control mechanism anticipates future use of the device and determines whether to automatically switch between the first mode and the second mode.

21. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 20, wherein the first mode is a ring mode and the second mode is a vibrate mode.

22. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 20, wherein the one or more sensors includes an ambient light sensor configured to measure a level of light that surrounds the portable electronic device.

23. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 20, wherein the one or more sensors includes an ambient noise sensor configured to measure a level of noise that surrounds the portable electronic device.

24. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 20, wherein the one or more sensors includes a time sensor.

25. The portable electronic device as recited in claim 24, wherein the first mode is a first ring mode at a high volume and the second mode is a second ring mode at a second lower volume.