High ambient motion environment detection eliminate accidental activation of a device

• US 7,800,044 B1
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DP Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: DP Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Kahn, Philippe, Christensen, Mark Andrew, Kinsolving, Arthur, Vogel, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Thanh X
• Assistant Examiner(s): LeGasse, Jr., Francis M
• Application Number:
  US11/938,230
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 250/214.AL, 455/456.1, 455/565, 455/550.1, 340/521, 340/540, 340/501, 340/517, 702/130
• US Class Current: 250/214.0AL
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• 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: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining when a device is placed in a high ambient motion environment (HAME). The method includes receiving sensor data, and based on the sensor data determining if the device has been placed in the HAME. When placement in the HAME is detected, the method further includes putting the device in a HAME mode. In one embodiment, putting the device in the HAME mode includes locking user input features.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting placement of a device into a high ambient motion environment (HAME) using two sensors, the two sensors including an accelerometer and an ambient light sensor, wherein the detecting comprises;

making a preliminary determination that the device is being placed into the HAME utilizing motion data from the accelerometer; and

validating the preliminary determination utilizing ambient light data from the ambient light sensor; and

automatically placing the device in a HAME mode, the HAME mode ensuring that the device does not accidentally activate while the device is in the HAME.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the HAME mode includes locking a user input feature on the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the HAME mode includes partially powering down the device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the HAME mode includes turning off a user output feature on the device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after the device has been placed in the HAME mode, utilizing additional motion data and additional ambient light data to detect that the device has been removed from the HAME environment; and

returning the device from the HAME mode to a normal mode.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

utilizing the motion data to identify a type of HAME environment in which the device has been placed, wherein the identified type of HAME environment includes one of a pants pocket, a purse, a backpack, a holster and a shirt pocket.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the determination that the device has been removed from the HAME environment is made by comparing the additional motion data to a motion signature and by comparing the additional ambient light data to an ambient light signature.

8. A method comprising:

utilizing an accelerometer to preliminarily detect placement of a device into a high ambient motion environment (HAME);

turning on an ambient light detector, upon the preliminary detection;

utilizing the ambient light detector to verify placement of the device into the HAME; and

locking user input features and user output features of the device, in response to detecting placement of the device into the HAME.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

verifying that a change in the ambient light is not due to user motion by utilizing data from a step counter that counts a user'"'"'s steps.

10. A device comprising:

a motion sensor to generate motion data and an ambient light sensor to generate ambient light data;

a high ambient motion environment (HAME) detection system to receive the motion data and the ambient light data, determine whether the motion data and ambient light data indicates placement of the device in a high ambient motion environment (HAME) utilizing one of motion data and ambient light data to detect placement into the HAME, and an other of the motion data and the ambient light data to validate the placement determination; and

a HAME mode logic to adjust a functioning of the device when placement in the HAME is detected, the HAME mode logic comprising;

a power down to power down a portion of the device not used in the HAME; and

a state logic to save a device state prior to power down, to enable restoring of the device state.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the HAME detection system comprises:

an ambient light analyzer to analyze a change in ambient light; and

a motion analyzer to analyze motion data.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the HAME detection system comprises:

a reconciler to reconcile data from a plurality of sensor data analyzers, the reconciler outputting whether the device is in the HAME.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the HAME mode logic comprises:

input feature locking to lock input features of the device.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the motion sensor comprises a step counter for counting a user'"'"'s steps.

15. A mobile device comprising:

at least two sensors;

at least two sensor analyzers, each to receive data from one of the at least two sensors, and to determine whether the mobile device has been placed in a high ambient motion environment (HAME);

a reconciler to reconcile data from the at least two sensor analyzers, and to determine when the mobile device has been placed in the HAME;

an input feature locking to lock input features of the mobile device when the sensor analyzer indicates that the mobile device has been placed in the HAME;

an output feature disconnection to turn off output features of the mobile device when the sensor analyzer indicates that the mobile device has been placed in the HAME;

a power down logic to power down a portion of the mobile device when the mobile device is in the HAME, wherein powering down the portion of the mobile device includes closing an application; and

a state logic to save a state of the mobile device, including the state of the application, prior to the power down, and to enable restoring of the state of the mobile device, including the state of the application, upon removal from the HAME.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, further comprising:

the at least two sensor analyzers to detect removal from the HAME, and the input feature locking to unlock the input features of the mobile device when the sensor analyzers indicate that the mobile device has been removed from the HAME.

17. A device comprising:

an accelerometer to generate motion data;

an ambient light sensor to generate ambient light data;

a high ambient motion environment (HAME) detection system to preliminarily determine that the motion data indicates placement of the device into a high ambient motion environment (HAME), and validate the placement determination using the ambient light data; and

a HAME mode logic to adjust a functioning of the device when placement in the HAME is detected.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising:

an input feature locking to lock input features of the mobile device when the sensor analyzer indicates that the mobile device has been placed in the HAME.

19. The device of claim 17, further comprising:

an output feature disconnection to turn off output features of the mobile device when the sensor analyzer indicates that the mobile device has been placed in the HAME.

20. A device comprising:

an accelerometer to generate motion data;

an ambient light sensor to generate ambient light data;

a high ambient motion environment (HAME) detection system to preliminarily determine that the ambient light data indicates placement of the device into a high ambient motion environment (HAME) and validate the placement determination using the motion data; and

a HAME mode logic to adjust a functioning of the device when placement in the HAME is detected.

21. The device of claim 20, further comprising:

an input feature locking to lock input features of the mobile device when the sensor analyzer indicates that the mobile device has been placed in the HAME.

22. The device of claim 20, further comprising:

an output feature disconnection to turn off output features of the mobile device when the sensor analyzer indicates that the mobile device has been placed in the HAME.

23. A method comprising:

detecting placement of a device into a high ambient motion environment (HAME) using two sensors, the two sensors including an accelerometer and an ambient light sensor, wherein the detecting comprises;

making a preliminary determination that the device is being placed into the HAME utilizing ambient light data from the ambient light sensor; and

validating the preliminary determination utilizing motion data from the accelerometer; and

automatically placing the device in a HAME mode, the HAME mode ensuring that the device does not accidentally activate while the device is in the HAME.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the HAME mode includes locking a user input feature on the device.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the HAME mode includes partially powering down the device.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the HAME mode includes turning off a user output feature on the device.

27. A method for a user device, comprising:

generating motion data using a motion sensor and ambient light data using an ambient light sensor;

determining whether the motion data and the ambient light data indicates placement of the user device into a high ambient motion environment (HAME) utilizing one of the motion data and the ambient light data to detect placement into the HAME, and an other of the motion data and the ambient light data to validate the placement detection; and

adjusting a functioning of the user device when placement in the HAME is detected, the adjusting comprising;

powering down a portion of the user device not used in the HAME; and

saving a device state prior to powering down, to enable restoring of the device state.