TECHNIQUES FOR DETERMINING COMMUNICATION STATE USING ACCELEROMETER DATA

• US 20120102214A1
• Filed: 01/03/2012
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pelton, Gregory, Moon, Billy
• Granted Patent: US 8,547,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

Techniques for communicating with a user on a network include receiving acceleration data that indicates acceleration of a mobile network node associated with a user of a network. A communication state for the user is determined based at least in part on the acceleration data. The communication state indicates a type of network communication suitable for communicating with the user. Network communications with the user are based on the communication state. Among other uses, such techniques allow a network communicating with a human through a mobile node carried by the human to infer from stopped or unusual motions when the human'"'"'s ability to receive or act on communications is impaired or otherwise affected.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A method, comprising:

receiving accelerometer data from a mobile device;

determining a user activity based on the accelerometer data; and

sending a message or data back to the mobile device, or to another device, based on the user activity.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

identifying a communication state based on the user activity; and

sending the message or data based on the communication state.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

identifying a future communication state based on the accelerometer data; and

sending the message or data based on the future communication state.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising changing how the message or data is sent back to the mobile device based on the future communication state.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the user activity comprises hand movements and the message or data is associated the hand movements.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the message or data changes an output of a user interface on the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the user activity comprises a walking motion, a riding motion, or a stationary motion, and the message or data is associated with the walking motion, the riding motion, or the stationary motion.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the user activity is based on a time duration and a direction associated with the accelerometer data.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the user activity comprises a user falling down.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

logic circuitry configured to;

receive accelerometer data from a mobile device;

identify a communication state associated with the mobile device based on the accelerometer data; and

communicate with the mobile device based on the communication state.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the logic circuitry is further configured to:

predict a future communication state associated with the mobile device; and

communicate with the mobile device based on the future communication state.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the logic circuitry is further configured to identify a type of network communication suitable for communicating with the mobile device based on the communication state.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the logic circuit is further configured to:

identify a user activity based on the accelerometer data; and

identify the communication state based on the user activity.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a library of acceleration characteristics, wherein the logic circuitry is configured to identify the communication state based on a comparison of the accelerometer data with the library of acceleration characteristics.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the logic circuitry is further configured to:

identify a condition of a user based on the communication state; and

communicate with the mobile device based on the condition of the user.

17. A mobile device comprising:

an accelerometer located in the mobile device and configured to provide accelerometer data for the mobile device;

a user interface located in the mobile device; and

a processor configured to send the accelerometer data to a network node and receive feedback from the network node based on the accelerometer data.

18. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein:

a prediction of a future location of the mobile device is based on the accelerometer data; and

the feedback is based on the prediction of the future location of the mobile device.

19. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the feedback is based on a direction associated with the accelerometer data.

20. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the feedback is based on the accelerometer data indicating at least one of a positive acceleration rate or a negative acceleration rate exceeding a defined threshold value.

21. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the feedback is configured to change a communication mode used by the mobile device.

22. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the feedback is configured to change an output displayed on the user interface.