HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE USING STATUS AWARENESS

• US 20120157127A1
• Filed: 06/09/2010
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alexander Essaian, Bran Ferren, Giuseppe Raffa, Jennifer A. Healey, John Cross Neumann, Jonathan Huang, Junaith A. Shahabdeen, Kieran Del Pasqua, Lama Nachman, Rahul Shah, Sushmita Subramanian, Wendy March
• Original Assignee: Alexander Essaian, Bran Ferren, Giuseppe Raffa, Jennifer A. Healey, John Cross Neumann, Jonathan Huang, Junaith A. Shahabdeen, Kieran Del Pasqua, Lama Nachman, Rahul Shah, Sushmita Subramanian, Wendy March
• Inventors: Ferren, Bran, Nachman, Lama, Del Pasqua, Kieran, March, Wendy, Neumann, John Cross, Shah, Rahul, Shahabdeen, Junaith A., Healey, Jennifer A., Subramanian, Sushmita, Raffa, Giuseppe, Essaian, Alexander, Huang, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US13/376,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20120157127A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0065 having a beam-folding prism or mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/009 having zoom function
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 3/00 Focusing arrangements of general interest for cameras, projectors or printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/40 by quorum, i.e. whereby two or more security principals are required
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1011 Aiming
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 Focalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 : Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 : Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 : Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/16 : Human faces, e.g. facial parts, sketches or expressions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/165 : using facial parts and geometric relationships
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 : Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 : Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/45 : Detection of the body part being alive
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 : using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 : with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 : including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 : using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 : using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 : for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 : by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 : Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 : Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

Through status awareness, a handheld communications device may determine the location, activity, and/or physical or emotional state of the user. This information may in turn be used for various purposes, such as 1) determining how to alert the user of an incoming communication, 2) determining what format to use for communicating with the user, and 3) determining how to present the user'"'"'s status to another person'"'"'s communication device.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a handheld personal wireless communication device having a touchscreen, a processor, a memory, a radio with a receiver and a transmitter, and an alerting system with multiple alerting techniques to alert a user of an incoming communication, the device to;

receive the incoming communication;

automatically select an alerting technique based on status awareness; and

alert the user of the communication with the selected alerting technique.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alerting techniques comprise one or more techniques selected from a list consisting of:

vibrating the device;

producing an audible ring;

producing a spoken voice through a speaker in the device;

producing a flashing light;

providing text on the touchscreen; and

providing a graphics display on the touchscreen.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said status awareness includes at least one context factor selected from a list consisting of:

whether the device is playing audio through a speaker on the device;

whether the device is playing audio through headphones;

whether the device is playing video on the touchscreen;

whether the user is entering data through the touchscreen;

whether the user has recently pressed a button on the device; and

whether the device is using a remote system for audio or video output.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said status awareness includes at least one situation factor selected from a list of situation factors consisting of:

audio inputs from a microphone in the device;

video inputs from a camera in the device;

motion determined from accelerometers; and

device location determined from incoming wireless signals.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alerting system is to change the alerting technique if the user does not respond in a pre-determined time.

6. A method, comprising:

receiving an incoming wireless communication;

selecting an alerting technique to notify a user of the incoming communication; and

notifying the user of the communication using the selected alerting technique;

wherein said selecting is automatically performed by the device based on both context and situation factors.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said context factors include internal operations being performed by the device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said situation factors are based on external conditions sensed by the device.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said selecting is based, at least in part, on a past history of the user changing previously selected techniques.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein said situation factors include at least one factor selected from a list of factors consisting of:

information obtained from incoming wireless signals;

audio inputs of sounds around the device;

video of objects near the device; and

a motion sensor.

11. An article comprising

a computer-readable storage medium that contains instructions, which when executed by one or more processors result in a device performing operations comprising:

receiving an incoming wireless communication;

selecting an alerting technique to notify a user of the incoming communication; and

notifying the user of the communication using the selected alerting technique;

wherein said selecting is automatically performed by the device based on both context and situation factors.

12. The article of claim 11, wherein said context factors are based on internal operations performed by the device.

13. The article of claim 11, wherein said situation factors are based on external conditions sensed by the device.

14. The article of claim 11, wherein the operation of selecting is based, at least in part, on a past history of the user changing previously selected techniques.

15. The article of claim 11, wherein said situation factors include at least one factor selected from a list consisting of:

information obtained from incoming wireless signals;

audio inputs of sounds around the device;

video of objects near the device; and

a motion sensor.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a handheld wireless communication device having a touchscreen, a processor, a memory, and a radio with a receiver and a transmitter, the device to;

receive an incoming communication through the radio; and

automatically select, based on status awareness, a format in which to present the communication to a user of the device.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the selection is to be based at least in part on external priorities associated with the communication.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the selection is to be based at least in part on internal priorities associated with the communication.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the format is to comprise at least one technique selected from a list consisting of:

a) interactive text;

b) non-interactive text;

c) interactive voice;

d) non-interactive voice; and

e) graphics.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the device is to convert the incoming communication from one format to another format.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the device is to transmit to a sender of the incoming communication a notice that the incoming communication will not be accepted in its present format and that a different format would be accepted.

22. A method comprising:

receiving an incoming communication through a radio of a handheld communications device;

automatically selecting, based on status awareness, a format in which to present the communication to a user of the device; and

presenting the communication to the user in the selected format.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the format comprises at least one technique selected from a list consisting of:

a) interactive text;

b) non-interactive text;

c) interactive voice;

d) non-interactive voice; and

e) graphics.

24. The method of claim 22, comprising converting the incoming communication from a format of the received communication to a different format for presentation to the user.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein said selecting is based at least in part on an internal priority assigned to the communication.

26. The method of claim 22, comprising transmitting to a sender of the incoming communication a notice that communication should be in a different format.

27. An article comprising

a computer-readable storage medium that contains instructions, which when executed by one or more processors result in a device performing operations comprising:

receiving an incoming communication through a radio of a handheld communications device;

automatically selecting, based on status awareness, a format in which to present the communication to a user of the device; and

presenting the communication to the user in the selected format.

28. The article of claim 27, wherein the format comprises at least one technique selected from a list consisting of:

a) interactive text;

b) non-interactive text;

c) interactive voice;

d) non-interactive voice; and

e) graphics.

29. The article of claim 27, wherein the operations comprise converting the incoming communication from a format of the received communication to a different format for presentation to the user.

30. The article of claim 27, wherein the operation of selecting is based at least in part on an external priority assigned to the communication.

31. The article of claim 27, wherein the operations comprise transmitting to a sender of the incoming communication a notice that communication should be in a different format.

32. An apparatus comprising

a handheld personal wireless communication device having a touchscreen, a processor, a memory, and a radio with a receiver and a transmitter, the device to:

analyze a user'"'"'s status based on status awareness;

create a presentation indicating the user'"'"'s status; and

transmit the presentation to an external device.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said transmitting the presentation is in response to determination of at least one condition selected from a list of conditions consisting of:

1) an incoming request for communication with the user;

2) an incoming request for the user'"'"'s status;

3) a pre-determined time of day;

4) expiration of a timer,

5) manual initiation of the transmission; and

6) a pre-defined change of the user'"'"'s condition.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the presentation is in a graphics form to be displayed by the external device.

35. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the presentation is to indicate at least one factor selected from a list consisting of:

1) the user'"'"'s activity;

2) the user'"'"'s location;

3) the user'"'"'s emotional state; and

4) the user'"'"'s physical state.

36. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein contents of the presentation are to be based at least partly on a condition selected from a list of conditions consisting of:

1) the requestor'"'"'s identity; and

2) a presentation capability of the external device.

37. A method, comprising:

analyzing a user'"'"'s status based on status awareness;

creating a presentation indicating the user'"'"'s status; and

transmitting the presentation to an external device;

wherein said analyzing, creating, and transmitting are performed by a handheld communications device.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the presentation is in a graphics format for display on the external device.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the graphics format displays an avatar of the user.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein said transmitting the presentation is in response to a determination of at least one condition selected from a list of conditions consisting of:

1) an incoming request for communication with the user;

2) an incoming request for the user'"'"'s status;

3) a pre-determined time of day;

4) expiration of a timer,

5) manual initiation of the transmission; and

6) a pre-defined change of the user'"'"'s condition.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein the presentation indicates at least one factor selected from a list consisting of:

1) the user'"'"'s activity;

2) the user'"'"'s location;

3) the user'"'"'s emotional state; and

4) the user'"'"'s physical state.

42. The method of claim 37, wherein contents of the presentation are based at least partly on a condition selected from a list of conditions consisting of:

1) the requestor'"'"'s identity; and

2) a presentation capability of the external device.

43. An article comprising

a computer-readable storage medium that contains instructions, which when executed by one or more processors result in a device performing operations comprising:

analyzing a user'"'"'s status based on status awareness;

creating a presentation indicating the user'"'"'s status; and

transmitting the presentation to an external device;

wherein said analyzing, creating, and transmitting are performed by a handheld communications device.

44. The article of claim 43, wherein the presentation is in a graphics format for display on the external device.

45. The article of claim 44, wherein the graphics format includes an avatar of the user.

46. The article of claim 43, wherein the operation of transmitting the presentation is in response to a determination of at least one condition selected from a list of conditions consisting of:

1) an incoming request for communication with the user;

2) an incoming request for the user'"'"'s status;

3) a pre-determined time of day;

4) expiration of a timer,

5) manual initiation of the transmission; and

6) a pre-defined change of the user'"'"'s condition.

47. The article of claim 43, wherein the presentation indicates at least one factor selected from a list consisting of:

1) the user'"'"'s activity;

2) the user'"'"'s location;

3) the user'"'"'s emotional state; and

4) the user'"'"'s physical state.

48. The article of claim 43, wherein contents of the presentation are based at least partly on a condition selected from a list of conditions consisting of:

1) the requestor'"'"'s identity; and

2) a presentation capability of the external device.