Determination of Device Body Location

• US 20140364102A1
• Filed: 06/07/2013
• Published: 12/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pham, Hung A., Howell, Adam S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,432,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/285 taking into account the mobility of the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range

Abstract

In some implementations, a mobile device can analyze motion sensor data during a voice call to determine whether the mobile device is on a stationary object or worn on a user'"'"'s body (e.g., in the lap or pocket of a user of the mobile device). The mobile device can adjust the transmit power level of the telephony transceiver during the voice call based on the determination

Claims

1. A method comprising:

connecting, by a mobile device, a voice call for a user of the mobile device, wherein connecting the voice call causes one or more radio frequency transmitters of the mobile device to transmit radio waves at a first power level;

obtaining motion data describing movement of the mobile device;

determining whether the mobile device is on the user'"'"'s body or on an inanimate object based on the motion data;

adjusting the transmit power level from the first power level to a second power level based on the determination.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the mobile device is on the user'"'"'s body; and

adjusting the transmit power level to a low power level when the mobile device is on the user'"'"'s body.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the mobile device is on an inanimate object; and

adjusting the transmit power level to a high power level when the mobile device is on an inanimate object.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting motion signal samples from a motion sensor of the mobile device;

calculating a metric indicative of a variance in the motion signal samples;

comparing the metric to a threshold variance value; and

determining that the mobile device is on the user'"'"'s body when the variance metric exceeds the threshold variance value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting motion signal samples from a motion sensor of the mobile device;

calculating a metric indicative of a variance in the motion signal samples;

comparing the metric to a threshold variance value; and

determining that the mobile device is on the inanimate object when the variance metric is below the threshold variance value for a threshold period of time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination is based on a variance of a motion signal received from a motion sensor of the mobile device while the call is connected.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processes, causes:

connecting, by a mobile device, a voice call for a user of the mobile device, wherein connecting the voice call causes one or more radio frequency transmitters of the mobile device to transmit radio waves at a first power level;

obtaining motion data describing movement of the mobile device;

determining whether the mobile device is on the user'"'"'s body or on an inanimate object based on the motion data;

adjusting the transmit power level from the first power level to a second power level based on the determination.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the instructions cause:

determining that the mobile device is on the user'"'"'s body; and

adjusting the transmit power level to a low power level when the mobile device is on the user'"'"'s body.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the instructions cause:

determining that the mobile device is on an inanimate object; and

adjusting the transmit power level to a high power level when the mobile device is on an inanimate object.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the instructions cause:

collecting motion signal samples from a motion sensor of the mobile device;

calculating a metric indicative of a variance in the motion signal samples;

comparing the metric to a threshold variance value; and

determining that the mobile device is on the user'"'"'s body when the variance metric exceeds the threshold variance value.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the instructions cause:

collecting motion signal samples from a motion sensor of the mobile device;

calculating a metric indicative of a variance in the motion signal samples;

comparing the metric to a threshold variance value; and

determining that the mobile device is on the inanimate object when the variance metric is below the threshold variance value for a threshold period of time.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the determination is based on a variance of a motion signal received from a motion sensor of the mobile device while the call is connected.

13. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processes, causes;

connecting, by a mobile device, a voice call for a user of the mobile device, wherein connecting the voice call causes one or more radio frequency transmitters of the mobile device to transmit radio waves at a first power level;

obtaining motion data describing movement of the mobile device;

determining whether the mobile device is on the user'"'"'s body or on an inanimate object based on the motion data;

adjusting the transmit power level from the first power level to a second power level based on the determination.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause:

determining that the mobile device is on the user'"'"'s body; and

adjusting the transmit power level to a low power level when the mobile device is on the user'"'"'s body.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause:

determining that the mobile device is on an inanimate object; and

adjusting the transmit power level to a high power level when the mobile device is on an inanimate object.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause:

collecting motion signal samples from a motion sensor of the mobile device;

calculating a metric indicative of a variance in the motion signal samples;

comparing the metric to a threshold variance value; and

determining that the mobile device is on the user'"'"'s body when the variance metric exceeds the threshold variance value.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause:

collecting motion signal samples from a motion sensor of the mobile device;

calculating a metric indicative of a variance in the motion signal samples;

comparing the metric to a threshold variance value; and

determining that the mobile device is on the inanimate object when the variance metric is below the threshold variance value for a threshold period of time.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the determination is based on a variance of a motion signal received from a motion sensor of the mobile device while the call is connected.