Methods and Apparatus for Mobile Device Event Detection

• US 20130205306A1
• Filed: 01/31/2013
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Design Reactor, Inc.
• Original Assignee: mCube, Inc.
• Inventors: Kelly, Joe
• Granted Patent: US 8,904,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for determining an action for a user, implemented in a computing system programmed to perform the method includes receiving a first time series of physical perturbations with a first physical sensor in response to physical perturbations of the computing system, receiving a second time series of physical perturbations with a second physical sensor in response to the physical perturbations of the computing system, determining an event vector in response to the first time series of physical perturbations and in response to the second time series of physical perturbations, comparing the event vector to a first event signature to determine a first value, determining occurrence of a first event when the first value exceeds a first threshold, and determining a first action for the computing system in response to the determining in the computing system, occurrence of the first event.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for determining an action for a user, implemented in a computing system programmed to perform the method comprising:

receiving in the computing system, a first time series of physical perturbations with a first physical sensor in response to physical perturbations of the computing system;

receiving in the computing system, a second time series of physical perturbations with a second physical sensor in response to the physical perturbations of the computing system;

determining in the computing system, an event vector in response to the first time series of physical perturbations and in response to the second time series of physical perturbations;

comparing in the computing system, the event vector to a first event signature to determine a first value;

determining in the computing system, occurrence of a first event when the first value exceeds a first threshold; and

determining in the computing system, a first action for the computing system in response to the determining in the computing system, occurrence of the first event.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

comparing in the computing system, the event vector to a second event signature to determine a second value;

determining in the computing system, occurrence of the second event when the second value exceeds a second threshold; and

wherein determining in the computing system, the first action for the computing system is also in response to determining in the computing system, occurrence of the second event.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first action comprises determining a location of the user within a map.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising displaying in the computer system a representation of the location of the user on a portion of the map onto a display.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving in the computing system, a third time series of physical perturbations with a third physical sensor in response to the physical perturbations of the computing system;

determining in the computing system, another event vector in response to the third time series of physical perturbations;

comparing in the computing system, the another event vector to a second event signature to determine a second value;

determining in the computing system, occurrence of a second event when the second value exceeds a second threshold; and

wherein determining in the computing system, the first action for the computing system in also response to the determining in the computing system, occurrence of the second event.

6. The method of claim 5

wherein the first event signature comprises a user-step signature;

and

wherein the second event signature comprise an altitude difference signature.

7. The method of claim 2

wherein the first event signature comprises a horizontal step signature;

wherein the second event signature comprises a vertical step signature.

8. The method of claim 1

comparing in the computing system, the event vector to a second event signature to determine a second value;

determining in the computing system, non-occurrence of a second event when the second value fails to exceed a second threshold; and

wherein determining in the computing system, the first action for the computing system is also in response to the determining in the computing system, the non-occurrence of the second event.

9. The method of claim 1

wherein the first physical sensor comprises an accelerometer;

and

wherein the second physical sensor comprises a gyroscope.

10. The method of claim 1

wherein the first physical sensor is selected from a group consisting:

an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a pressure sensor, a wireless receiver;

wherein the second physical sensor is selected from a group consisting;

an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a pressure sensor, a wireless receiver; and

wherein the first physical sensor is different from the second physical sensor.

11. A computing system specifically programmed by executable software code to determine an action for a user, the computing system comprising:

a first physical sensor configured to determine a first time series of physical perturbations in response to physical perturbations applied to the computing system;

a second physical sensor configured to determine a second time series of physical perturbations in response to the physical perturbations applied to the computing system;

a memory configured to store a first event signature and executable software code associated with a first action and associated with the first event signature; and

a processor coupled to the first physical sensor, to the second physical sensor, and to the memory, wherein the processor is programmed to determine an event vector in response to the first time series of physical perturbations and in response to the second time series of physical perturbations, wherein the processor is programmed to compare the event vector to the first event signature to determine a first value, wherein the processor is programmed to execute the executable software code when the first value exceeds a first threshold.

12. The computer system of claim 11

wherein the processor is programmed to compare system, the event vector to a second event signature to determine a second value;

wherein the processor is programmed to determine occurrence of the second event when the second value exceeds a second threshold; and

wherein the processor is programmed to determine the first action also in response to a determination of the occurrence of the second event.

13. The computer system of claim 11 wherein the first action comprises the processor programmed to determine a location of the user within a map.

14. The computer system of claim 13 further comprising a display configured to display a representation of the location of the user on a portion of the map.

15. The computer system of claim 12

wherein the processor is programmed to receive a third time series of physical perturbations with a third physical sensor in response to the physical perturbations of the computing system;

wherein the processor is programmed to determine another event vector in response to the third time series of physical perturbations;

wherein the processor is programmed to compare the another event vector to a second event signature to determine a second value;

wherein the processor is programmed to determine occurrence of a second event when the second value exceeds a second threshold; and

wherein the processor is programmed to determine the first action for the computing system in also response to a determination of the occurrence of the second event.

16. The computer system of claim 15

wherein the first event signature comprises a user-step signature;

and

wherein the second event signature comprise an altitude difference signature.

17. The computer system of claim 12

wherein the first event signature comprises a horizontal step signature;

wherein the second event signature comprises a vertical step signature.

18. The computer system of claim 11

wherein the processor is programmed to compare the event vector to a second event signature to determine a second value;

wherein the processor is programmed to determine non-occurrence of a second event when the second value fails to exceed a second threshold; and

wherein the processor is programmed to determine the first action for the computing system also in response to a determination the non-occurrence of the second event.

19. The computer system of claim 11

wherein the first physical sensor comprises an accelerometer;

and

wherein the second physical sensor comprises a gyroscope.

20. The computer system of claim 11

wherein the first physical sensor is selected from a group consisting:

an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a pressure sensor, a wireless receiver;

wherein the second physical sensor is selected from a group consisting;

an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a pressure sensor, a wireless receiver; and

wherein the first physical sensor is different from the second physical sensor.