AUTOMATED RESPONSE TO AND SENSING OF USER ACTIVITY IN PORTABLE DEVICES

• US 20160320907A1
• Filed: 07/11/2016
• Published: 11/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: FREEMAN, Daniel B., HUPPI, Brian Q., FADELL, Anthony M., BARRENTINE, Derek B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,619,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0267 by controlling user interface components
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The various methods and devices described herein relate to devices which, in at least certain embodiments, may include one or more sensors for providing data relating to user activity and at least one processor for causing the device to respond based on the user activity which was determined, at least in part, through the sensors. The response by the device may include a change of state of the device, and the response may be automatically performed after the user activity is determined.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device with one or more processors, memory, and a touch-sensitive display;

receiving data relating to device movement and data relating to device orientation;

receiving a touch input on the touch-sensitive display;

processing the received data relating to device movement and the received data relating to device orientation to determine whether the electronic device is in one of a first or second state based on the received data relating to device movement and data relating to device orientation, wherein the first state occurs when a user is looking at the electronic device;

if it is determined that the electronic device is in the first proximity state, processing the touch input as an intentional touch input;

if it is determined that the electronic device is in the second proximity state, processing the touch input as an unintentional touch input; and

in response to detecting a first change in the received data relating to device movement and the received data relating to device orientation, determining that the device has changed from the second state to the first state.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to detecting a second change in the received data relating to device movement and the received data relating to device orientation, determining that the device has changed from the first state to the second state.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data relating to device movement is received from an accelerometer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data relating to device orientation is received from a gyroscope.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if it is determined that the electronic device is in the first state, displaying information on the touch-sensitive display in a first display state, wherein the first display state is a regular power mode; and

if it is determined that the electronic device is in the second state, entering a second display state different from the first display state, wherein the second display state is a low-power mode.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

in response to detecting the first change in the received data, changing from the second display state to the first display state.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the electronic device includes an ambient light sensor configured to sense a level of ambient light, and the method further comprises:

in response to detecting the first change in the received data and a change in the level of ambient light, changing from the second display state to the first display state.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing executable program instructions, which, when executed by an electronic device with one or more processors, memory, and a touch-sensitive display, cause the electronic device to:

receive data relating to device movement and data relating to device orientation;

receive a touch input on the touch-sensitive display;

process the received data relating to device movement and the received data relating to device orientation to determine whether the electronic device is in one of a first or second state based on the received data relating to device movement and the received data relating to device orientation, wherein the first state occurs when a user is looking at the electronic device;

if it is determined that the electronic device is in the first state, process the touch input as an intentional touch input;

if it is determined that the electronic device is in the second state, process the touch input as an unintentional touch input; and

in response to detecting a first change in the received data relating to device movement and the received data relating to device orientation, determine that the device has changed from the second state to the first state.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the executable program instructions further cause the device to:

in response to detecting a second change in the received data relating to device movement and the received data relating to device orientation, determine that the device has changed from the first state to the second state.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the data relating to device movement is received from an accelerometer.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the data relating to device orientation from a gyroscope.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the executable program instructions further cause the electronic device to:

if it is determined that the electronic device is in the first state, display information on the touch-sensitive display in a first display state, wherein the first display state is a regular power mode; and

if it is determined that the electronic device is in the second state, enter into a second display state different from the first display state, wherein the second display state is a low-power mode.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the executable program instructions further cause the electronic device to:

in response to detecting the first change in the received data relating to device movement and the received data relating to device orientation, change from the second display state to the first display state.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein:

the electronic device includes an ambient light sensor configured to configured to sense a level of ambient light; and

the executable program instructions further cause the electronic device to;

in response to detecting the first change in the received data and a change in the level of ambient light, change from the second display state to the first display state.

15. An electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a touch-sensitive display; and

memory storing one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for;

receiving data relating to device movement and data relating to device orientation;

receiving a touch input on the touch-sensitive display;

processing the received data relating to device movement and the received data relating to device orientation to determine whether the electronic device is in one of a first or second state based on the received data relating to device movement and the received data relating to device orientation, wherein the first state occurs when a user is looking at the electronic device;

if it is determined that the electronic device is in the first state, processing the touch input as an intentional touch input;

if it is determined that the electronic device is in the second state, processing the touch input as an unintentional touch input; and

in response to detecting a first change in the received data relating to device movement and the received data relating to device orientation, determining that the device has changed from the second state to the first state.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

in response to detecting a second change in the received data relating to device movement and the received data relating to device orientation, determining that the device has changed from the first state to the second state.

17. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the device comprises an accelerometer, and the data relating to device movement is received from the accelerometer.

18. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the device further comprises a gyroscope, and the data relating to device orientation is received from the gyroscope.

19. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

if it is determined that the electronic device is in the first-state, displaying information on the touch-sensitive display in a first display state, wherein the first display state is a regular power mode; and

if it is determined that the electronic device is in the second state, entering a second display state different from the first display state, wherein the second display state is a low-power mode.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

in response to detecting the first change in the received data relating to device movement and the received data relating to device orientation, changing from the second display state to the first display state.

21. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein:

the electronic device includes an ambient light sensor configured to configured to sense a level of ambient light; and

the one or more programs further comprise instructions for;

in response to detecting the first change in the received data and a change in the level of ambient light, changing from the second display state to the first display state.