Power Saving Mechanism for In-Pocket Detection

• US 20160212710A1
• Filed: 01/15/2015
• Published: 07/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Chien-Hua, Ting, Yuan-Wen, Lan, Chien-Yu
• Granted Patent: US 9,788,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/73 Battery saving arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0267 by controlling user interface components
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/028 switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of efficient pocket detection is proposed. A wireless device determines whether it is in a transition state by using a plurality of low power-consuming sensors. The wireless device powers on a high power-consuming sensor if the device is in the transition state, or otherwise keeps the high power-consuming sensor off if the device is not in the transition state. The wireless device detects a current pocket mode of the device using the high power-consuming sensor if the device is in the transition state, or otherwise keeps a previous pocket mode if the device is not in the transition state.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining whether a wireless device is in a transition state by using a plurality of low-power sensors, wherein the wireless device comprises the plurality of low-power sensors;

powering on a high-power sensor if the wireless device is in the transition state, otherwise keeping the high-power sensor off if the wireless device is not in the transition state, wherein the wireless device comprises the high-power sensor; and

detecting a current pocket mode of the wireless device using the high-power sensor if the device is in the transition state, otherwise keeping a previous pocket mode if the wireless device is not in the transition state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of low-power sensors comprises an accelerometer sensor and an ambient light sensor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the wireless device is in the transition state if the accelerometer sensor detects movement of the wireless device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the wireless device is in the transition state if the ambient light sensor detects lighting change surrounding the device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the high-power sensor is a proximity sensor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the high-power sensor is an ultra-sonic sensor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the pocket mode comprises an in-pocket mode and an out-of-pocket mode.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the wireless device starts one or more corresponding actions upon detecting the in-pocket mode of the wireless device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the actions comprises turning off a screen, preventing pocket dial, increasing ringer volume, and switching from vibrate to ring.

10. A wireless device, comprising:

a plurality of low-power sensors that determines whether a wireless device is in a transition state;

a high-power sensor for detecting a pocket mode of the wireless device; and

a pocket detection module that powers on the high-power sensor if the wireless device is in the transition state, wherein the pocket detection module keeps the high-power sensor off if the wireless device is not in the transition state.

11. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of low-power sensors comprises an accelerometer sensor and an ambient light sensor.

12. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the wireless device is in the transition state if the accelerometer sensor detects movement of the wireless device.

13. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the wireless device is in the transition state if the ambient light sensor detects lighting change surrounding the device.

14. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein the high-power sensor is a proximity sensor.

15. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein the high-power sensor is an ultra-sonic sensor.

16. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein the pocket mode comprises an in-pocket mode and an out-of-pocket mode.

17. The wireless device of claim 16, wherein the wireless device starts one or more corresponding actions upon detecting the in-pocket mode of the device.

18. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein the actions comprises turning off a screen, preventing pocket dial, increasing ringer volume, and switching from vibrate to ring.