MOTION-BASED ADAPTIVE SCANNING

• US 20140105086A1
• Filed: 04/01/2013
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2012
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chhabra, Kapil, Thomas, Tito, Pallen, Vinesh
• Granted Patent: US 10,292,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In order to facilitate reduced power consumption of an electronic device (such as a smartphone) when communicating with another electronic device (such as an access point) in a wireless network, the electronic device may change a frequency of network scans performed by an interface circuit in the electronic device based on a motion profile of the electronic device. In particular, the electronic device may determine the motion profile based on spatial information, such as: acceleration data, orientation data, Global Positioning System data and/or data from the wireless network. Then, the electronic device may change the frequency of the network scans performed by the interface circuit based on the motion profile. In this way, the frequency of the network scans can be reduced when the electronic device is stationary or moving rapidly (such as when a user of the electronic device is driving in a car).

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

an antenna;

an interface circuit, coupled to the antenna, configured to communicate with another electronic device using a connection in the wireless network;

a processor; and

memory, wherein the memory stores a program module, wherein the program module is configured to be executed by the processor to change a frequency of network scans performed by the interface circuit, the program module including;

instructions for determining a motion profile of the electronic device based on spatial information about the electronic device; and

instructions for changing the frequency of the network scans performed by the interface circuit based on the motion profile.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the motion profile indicates a speed of the electronic device.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the motion profile is selected from the group consisting of:

speed less than a first threshold;

speed between the first threshold and a second threshold;

speed greater than the second threshold; and

other.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the speed less than the first threshold includes when the electronic device is stationary.

5. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the speed between the first threshold and the second threshold includes when a user of the electronic device is walking

6. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the speed greater than the second threshold includes when a user of the electronic device is driving.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes an accelerometer;

and

wherein the spatial information includes acceleration measurements performed by the accelerometer.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a gyroscope;

and

wherein the spatial information includes orientation measurements performed by the gyroscope.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the spatial information includes data from a Global Positioning System.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the spatial information includes data from the wireless network.

11. A computer-program product for use in conjunction with an electronic device, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein, to change a frequency of network scans performed by the interface circuit, the computer-program mechanism including:

instructions for determining a motion profile of the electronic device based on spatial information about the electronic device; and

instructions for changing the frequency of the network scans performed by an interface circuit in the electronic device based on the motion profile.

12. The computer-program product of claim 11, wherein the motion profile indicates a speed of the electronic device.

13. The computer-program product of claim 11, wherein the motion profile is selected from the group consisting of:

speed less than a first threshold;

speed between the first threshold and a second threshold;

speed greater than the second threshold; and

other.

14. The computer-program product of claim 13, wherein the speed less than the first threshold includes when the electronic device is stationary.

15. The computer-program product of claim 13, wherein the speed between the first threshold and the second threshold includes when a user of the electronic device is walking.

16. The computer-program product of claim 13, wherein the speed greater than the second threshold includes when a user of the electronic device is driving.

17. The computer-program product of claim 11, wherein the electronic device includes an accelerometer;

and

wherein the spatial information includes acceleration measurements performed by the accelerometer.

18. The computer-program product of claim 11, wherein the electronic device includes a gyroscope;

and

wherein the spatial information includes orientation measurements performed by the gyroscope.

19. The computer-program product of claim 11, wherein the spatial information includes data from a Global Positioning System.

20. The computer-program product of claim 11, wherein the spatial information includes data from the wireless network.

21. A method for changing a frequency of network scans performed by the interface circuit, wherein the method comprises:

determining a motion profile of the electronic device based on spatial information about the electronic device; and

changing the frequency of the network scans performed by an interface circuit in the electronic device based on the motion profile.