Method and means for adjusting the timing of user-activity-dependent changes of operational state of an apparatus
First Claim
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1. A method for assisting a user of an apparatus with modification of the timing of a user-inactivity-dependent change of operational state of the apparatus, the method including:
- monitoring user interactions with the apparatus and determining when a predefined inactivity period has expired without user interaction;
changing the operational state when the inactivity period has expired without user interaction during that period;
determining whether the user interacts with the apparatus within a predefined time period following the change of operational state;
in response to the determination of whether the user interacts with the apparatus within the predefined time period following the change of operational state, initiating a modification of the inactivity period.
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Abstract
Provided is a method and components of an apparatus for implementing a method for assisting with adjustment of the timing of user-inactivity-dependent changes of operational state of an apparatus, by identifying user interactions following a change of operational state, determining when the user'"'"'s interactions or lack of interaction following the change of state suggest that a change to an inactivity time period is desirable, and either automatically changing the inactivity time period or prompting the user to change the time period.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for assisting a user of an apparatus with modification of the timing of a user-inactivity-dependent change of operational state of the apparatus, the method including:
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monitoring user interactions with the apparatus and determining when a predefined inactivity period has expired without user interaction;
changing the operational state when the inactivity period has expired without user interaction during that period;
determining whether the user interacts with the apparatus within a predefined time period following the change of operational state;
in response to the determination of whether the user interacts with the apparatus within the predefined time period following the change of operational state, initiating a modification of the inactivity period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
determining when a predefined inactivity period has expired without user interaction;
initiating the change of operational state when the inactivity period has expired without user interaction during that period;
determining whether the user interacts with the apparatus within a predefined time period following the change of operational state; and
in response to the determination of whether the user interacts with the apparatus within the predefined time period following the change of operational state, initiating a modification of the inactivity period.
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7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the modification of the inactivity period is initiated in response to a determination of a lack of user interaction within the predefined time period.
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8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the modification of the inactivity period is only initiated upon indication of completion of the current user task and only if the determination is negative for all occurrences of the change of operational state during the current user task.
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9. A method according to claim 1, wherein initiating modification comprises initiating display of a user interface component from which the user can specify a modified inactivity period.
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10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the user interface component is displayed upon indication of completion of a current task.
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11. A method according to claim 1, wherein initiating modification comprises automatically modifying the inactivity period.
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12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the inactivity period is increased when the user interacts with the apparatus within the predefined time period following the change of operational state.
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13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the change of operational state is activation of a security mechanism.
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14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the security mechanism includes password protection.
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15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the modification of the inactivity period is initiated in response to a positive determination of user interaction within the predefined time period.
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16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the modification of the inactivity period is only initiated if the user interacts with the apparatus within the predefined time period following the change of operational state for each of N consecutive occurrences of the change of operational state, where N>
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17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the modification of the inactivity period is only initiated if the user interacts with the apparatus within the predefined time period following the change of operational state for at least M occurrences of the change of operational state within a single continuous period of time in which the apparatus remains switched on, where M>
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18. A component for an apparatus in which one or more operational state changes occur in response to expiry of respective predefined periods of user-inactivity, for assisting a user of the apparatus with modification of the timing of a user-inactivity-dependent change of operational state of the apparatus, the component including:
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means for monitoring user interactions with the apparatus and determining when a predefined inactivity period has expired without user interaction;
means for initiating a change of operational state when an inactivity period expires without user interaction during that period;
means for determining whether the user interacts with the apparatus within a predefined time period following the change of operational state;
means, responsive to the determination of whether the user interacts with the apparatus within the predefined time period following the change of operational state, for initiating a modification of the inactivity period.
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19. An operating system software component for running on a data processing apparatus in which one or more operational state changes occur in response to expiry of respective predefined periods of user-inactivity, the operating system implementing functions for controlling the operation of the data processing apparatus to perform the steps of:
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monitoring user interactions with the apparatus and determining when a predefined inactivity period has expired without user interaction;
initiating the change of operational state when the inactivity period has expired without user interaction during that period;
determining whether the user interacts with the apparatus within a predefined time period following the change of operational state; and
in response to the determination of whether the user interacts with the apparatus within the predefined time period following the change of operational state, initiating a modification of the inactivity period.
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Specification