SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SELECTIVELY INVOKING POSITIONING SYSTEMS FOR MOBILE DEVICE CONTROL APPLICATIONS USING ACCELEROMETER MEASUREMENTS

• US 20120129544A1
• Filed: 11/19/2010
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Illume Software, Inc. (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Original Assignee: Illume Software, Inc. (Securus Special Investments LLC)
• Inventors: Hodis, Mordechai, Kagan, Oren
• Application Number:
  US12/950,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20120129544A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for controlling a mobile device, in which a processor receives a first accelerometer signal representative of motion of the mobile device. The processor determines a variation in the first accelerometer signal, and sets an acceleration threshold based at least in part on the determined variation. When a second accelerometer signal exceeds the acceleration threshold, the processor measures a position of the mobile device using a positioning system, determines that a user of the mobile device is likely in control of a vehicle, and disables one or more mobile device features.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a mobile device, comprising:

receiving a first accelerometer signal representative of motion of the mobile device;

determining, by the processor, a characteristic variation in the first accelerometer signal;

setting, by the processor, an acceleration threshold based at least in part on the characteristic variation;

comparing, by the processor, a second accelerometer signal to the acceleration threshold,

in response to the comparison indicating that the second accelerometer signal exceeds the acceleration threshold,

measuring a position of the mobile device using a positioning system;

determining, by the processor, whether a user of the mobile device is likely in control of a vehicle; and

in response to determining that the user is likely in control of a vehicle, disabling, by the processor, one or more mobile device features.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first accelerometer signal comprises receiving a plurality of discrete accelerometer signals at approximately periodic points in time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a characteristic variation in the accelerometer signals comprises calculating a deviation from a central value of the accelerometer signals.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the central value is a mean.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by the processor, one or more portions of the first accelerometer signal that are determined to have smaller variations than other portions of the first accelerometer signal,

wherein determining a characteristic variation in the first accelerometer signal comprises determining a characteristic variation in the identified one or more portions of the first accelerometer signal that are determined to have smaller variations.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein an absolute value of the acceleration threshold is greater than or equal to the characteristic variation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein an absolute value of the acceleration threshold is less than or equal to a maximum of an absolute value of a small variation portion of the first accelerometer signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the characteristic variation comprises analyzing portions of the first accelerometer signal received when the mobile device is not traveling in a vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the acceleration threshold comprises analyzing portions of the first accelerometer signal received when the mobile device is traveling in a vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning system is a GPS system.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the comparison indicating that the second accelerometer signal does not exceed the acceleration threshold,

enabling, by the processor, one or more features of the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the second accelerometer signal to the acceleration threshold comprises comparing the absolute value of the second accelerometer signal to the absolute value of the acceleration threshold.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the acceleration threshold comprises:

receiving a plurality of acceleration signals over two or more days;

identifying, by the processor, a pattern within the plurality of acceleration signals received over two or more days; and

selecting, by the processor, a value for the acceleration threshold based at least in part on the identified pattern.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the second accelerometer signal is a portion of the first accelerometer signal.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a user of the mobile device is likely in control of a vehicle is based at least in part on the measured position.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining whether a user of the mobile device is likely in control of a vehicle comprises determining that the mobile device has traveled beyond a predetermined distance in a particular amount of time.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a user of the mobile device is likely in control of a vehicle comprises comparing a speed of the mobile device to a speed threshold.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a user of the mobile device is likely in control of a vehicle comprises detecting a signal from a vehicle.

19. A method for controlling a mobile device, comprising:

receiving an accelerometer signal representative of the motion of the mobile device;

comparing, by the processor, the accelerometer signal to an acceleration threshold, wherein the acceleration threshold is stored in a memory;

in response to the comparison indicating that the accelerometer signal exceeds the acceleration threshold,

measuring a position of the mobile device using a positioning system;

determining, by the processor, whether a user of the mobile device is likely in control of a vehicle, based at least in part on the measured position; and

in response to determining that the user is likely in control of a vehicle, disabling, by the processor, one or more mobile device features.

20. A system for controlling a mobile device, comprising:

a control unit configured to;

receive a first accelerometer signal representative of motion of the mobile device;

determine a characteristic variation in the first accelerometer signal;

set an acceleration threshold based at least in part on the characteristic variation;

compare a second accelerometer signal to the acceleration threshold,

in response to the comparison indicating that the second accelerometer signal exceeds the acceleration threshold,

measure a position of the mobile device using a positioning system;

determine whether a user of the mobile device is likely in control of a vehicle; and

in response to determining that the user is likely in control of a vehicle, disable one or more mobile device features.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein receiving the first accelerometer signal comprises receiving a plurality of discrete accelerometer signals at approximately periodic points in time.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein determining a characteristic variation in the accelerometer signals comprises calculating a deviation from a central value of the accelerometer signals.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the central value is a mean.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

identify one or more portions of the first accelerometer signal that are determined to have smaller variations than other portions of the first accelerometer signal,

wherein determining a characteristic variation in the first accelerometer signal comprises determining a characteristic variation in the identified one or more portions of the first accelerometer signal that are determined to have smaller variations.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein an absolute value of the acceleration threshold is greater than or equal to the characteristic variation.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein an absolute value of the acceleration threshold is less than or equal to a maximum of an absolute value of a small variation portion of the first accelerometer signal.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein determining the characteristic variation comprises analyzing portions of the first accelerometer signal received when the mobile device is not traveling in a vehicle.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein setting the acceleration threshold comprises analyzing portions of the first accelerometer signal received when the mobile device is traveling in a vehicle.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the positioning system is a GPS system.

30. The system of claim 20, wherein the control unit is further configured to:

in response to the comparison indicating that the second accelerometer signal does not exceed the acceleration threshold,

enable one or more features of the mobile device.

31. The system of claim 20, wherein comparing the second accelerometer signal to the acceleration threshold comprises comparing the absolute value of the second accelerometer signal to the absolute value of the acceleration threshold.

32. The system of claim 20, wherein setting the acceleration threshold comprises:

receiving a plurality of acceleration signals over two or more days;

identifying a pattern within the plurality of acceleration signals received over two or more days; and

selecting a value for the acceleration threshold based at least in part on the identified pattern.

33. The system of claim 20, wherein the second accelerometer signal is a portion of the first accelerometer signal.

34. The system of claim 20, wherein determining whether a user of the mobile device is likely in control of a vehicle is based at least in part on the measured position.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein determining whether a user of the mobile device is likely in control of a vehicle comprises determining that the mobile device has traveled beyond a predetermined distance in a particular amount of time.

36. The system of claim 20, wherein determining whether a user of the mobile device is likely in control of a vehicle comprises comparing a speed of the mobile device to a speed threshold.

37. The system of claim 20, wherein determining whether a user of the mobile device is likely in control of a vehicle comprises detecting a signal from a vehicle.

38. A system for controlling a mobile device, comprising:

a control unit configured to;

receive an accelerometer signal representative of the motion of the mobile device;

compare the accelerometer signal to an acceleration threshold, wherein the acceleration threshold is stored in a memory;

in response to the comparison indicating that the accelerometer signal exceeds the acceleration threshold,

measure a position of the mobile device using a positioning system;

determine whether a user of the mobile device is likely in control of a vehicle, based at least in part on the measured position; and

in response to determining that the user is likely in control of a vehicle, disable one or more mobile device features.