Method and apparatus for controlling the operational mode of electronic devices in response to sensed conditions

• US 7,696,905 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2004
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Ellenby, John, Ellenby, Thomas William, Ellenby, Peter Malcolm
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, TSE W
• Application Number:
  US10/936,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20050024501A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,043 Days
• Field of Search: 340/974, 340/945
• US Class Current: 340/974
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25291 Set module, component to sleep if no event or no other module needs it
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A system is disclosed that senses physical characteristics of an electronic device. The system controls the electronic device in response to the sensed physical characteristics. The system includes a control subsystem. The control subsystem includes a time trigger and an anticipation/latency reduction subsystem. The anticipation/latency reduction subsystem includes additional subsystems such as a time trigger, a position trigger and an attitude trigger. In an alternate embodiment, the anticipation/latency reduction subsystem also includes an activation interval trigger, a repetitive action trigger and a repetitive distance trigger. The various triggers can be implemented using processors that execute software. The system also includes sensing devices, such as a position sensing device and an attitude sensing device, to sense physical characteristics of the particular electronic device being controlled. The control subsystem receives signals from the sensing devices. Physical characteristic information obtained from these signals is provided to the various triggers. In response to this physical characteristic information, the various triggers process the physical characteristic information such that the system controls the electronic device.

Claims

1. A system for switching an operational mode of an electronic device comprising:

an attitude sensing device for sensing changes in attitude of the electronic device that are transmitted as attitude signals; and

a control subsystem for switching the operational mode of the electronic device between different states of activity, said control subsystem comprising;

an activation profile system that recognizes certain movements of the electronic device that may signify a beginning of a change in the operational mode of the electronic device; and

an attitude trigger that determines whether changes in attitude of the electronic device fall outside a preselected range that would initiate a change in the operational mode of the electronic device;

wherein the activation profile system includes an activation interval trigger, a repetitive action trigger and a repetitive distance trigger.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the activation interval trigger provides a control signal in response to a comparison of an observed activation interval value and a recorded activation interval value.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the activation interval trigger learns the activation interval value from a plurality of observed mode change time interval values.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the repetitive action trigger provides a control signal in response to a comparison of an observed series of attitude readings and a recorded repetitive action trigger attitude setting.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the repetitive distance trigger provides a control signal in response to a comparison of an observed distance value and a recorded repetitive distance value.

2. A system for switching an operational mode of an electronic device comprising:

an attitude sensing device for sensing changes in attitude of the electronic device that are transmitted as attitude signals; and

a control subsystem for switching the operational mode of the electronic device between different states of activity, said control subsystem comprising;

an activation profile system that recognizes certain movements of the electronic device that may signify a beginning of a change in the operational mode of the electronic device; and

an attitude trigger that determines whether changes in attitude of the electronic device fall outside a preselected range that would initiate a change in the operational mode of the electronic device;

wherein the activation profile system compares certain movements of the electronic device with previously recorded movements.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the previously recorded movements include at least one of the following:

an activation interval, a repetitive action and a repetitive distance.

8. The system of claim 2 wherein the activation profile system is adapted to access a plurality of activation profiles where each activation profile is associated with a different user who may use the system.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the activation profiles each comprise settings for at least one of an activation interval trigger, a repetitive action trigger and a repetitive distance trigger.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the activation profiles include settings for activation interval triggers that provide a control signal in response to a comparison of an observed activation interval value and a recorded activation interval value.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the activation interval trigger learns the activation interval value from a plurality of observed mode change time interval values.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the activation profiles include settings for repetitive action triggers that provide a control signal in response to a comparison of an observed series of attitude readings and a recorded repetitive action trigger attitude setting.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the activation profiles include settings for repetitive distance triggers that provide a control signal in response to a comparison of an observed distance value and a recorded repetitive distance value.

14. A system for switching an operational mode of an electronic device comprising:

an attitude sensing device for sensing changes in attitude of the electronic device that are transmitted as attitude signals; and

a control subsystem for switching the operational mode of the electronic device between different states of activity, said control subsystem comprising;

an activation profile system that recognizes certain movements of the electronic device that ma y signify a beginning of a change in the operational mode of the electronic device; and

an attitude trigger that determines whether changes in attitude of the electronic device fall outside a preselected range that would initiate a change in the operational mode of the electronic device wherein the activation profile system includes an activation interval trigger that provides a control signal in response to a comparison of an observed activation interval value and a recorded activation interval value.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the activation interval trigger learns the activation interval value from a plurality of observed mode change time interval values.

16. A system for switching an operational mode of an electronic device comprising:

an attitude sensing device for sensing changes in attitude of the electronic device that are transmitted as attitude signals; and

a control subsystem for switching the operational mode of the electronic device between different states of activity, said control subsystem comprising;

an activation profile system that recognizes certain movements of the electronic device that may signify a beginning of a change in the operational mode of the electronic device and

an attitude trigger that determines whether changes in attitude of the electronic device fall outside a preselected range that would initiate a change in the operational mode of the electronic device wherein the activation profile system includes a repetitive action trigger that provides a control signal in response to a comparison of an observed series of attitude readings and a recorded repetitive action trigger attitude setting.

17. A system for switching an operational mode of an electronic device comprising:

an attitude sensing device for sensing changes in attitude of the electronic device that are transmitted as attitude signals; and

a control subsystem for switching the operational mode of the electronic device between different states of activity, said control subsystem comprising;

an activation profile system that recognizes certain movements of the electronic device that may signify a beginning of a change in the operational mode of the electronic device; and

an attitude trigger that determines whether changes in attitude of the electronic device fall outside a preselected range that would initiate a change in the operational mode of the electronic device wherein the activation profile system includes a repetitive distance trigger that provides a control signal in response to a comparison of an observed distance value and a recorded repetitive distance value.

18. A system for switching an operational mode of an electronic device comprising:

an attitude sensing device for sensing changes in attitude of the electronic device that are transmitted as attitude signals; and

a control subsystem for switching the operational mode of the electronic device between different states of activity, said control subsystem comprising;

an activation profile system that recognizes certain movements of the electronic device that ma y signify a beginning of a change in the operational mode of the electronic device and

an attitude trigger that determines whether changes in attitude of the electronic device fall outside a preselected range that would initiate a change in the operational mode of the electronic device;

wherein the activation profile system includes at least one of an activation interval trigger, a repetitive action trigger, and a repetitive distance trigger and the activation profile system accesses a plurality of activation profiles where each activation profile is associated with a different user who may use the system.