Managing electrical device power state

• US 7,956,747 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2008
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory J., Finn, Peter G., Hamilton, Rick A. II, O'Connell, Brian M., Seaman, James W., Walker, Keith R.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US12/329,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20100141431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/539.13, 340/5.1, 340/7.32, 340/7.33, 340/7.36, 701/36, 320/132
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system, method, and program product that manages the power state of a portable electrical device located within a monitored region about a vehicle. Information about the portable electrical device such as the power state of the portable electrical device is obtained and used to identify an action for the portable electrical device. Suitable actions include, but are not limited to, transitioning the power state of the portable electrical device and/or providing a notification about the portable electrical device. Other information such as the state of the ignition of the vehicle and/or the proximity of the driver and/or a passenger(s) with respect to the vehicle may additionally or alternatively be used to determine the action.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a device detector configured to monitor a particular region about a vehicle, detect one or more portable electrical devices located in the region, and obtain information about each of the one or more portable electrical devices;

an action identifier configured to identify an action for at least one of the portable electrical devices based on the information about the at least one of the portable electrical devices, wherein the action is indicative of a power state transition for the at least one of the portable electrical devices; and

a controller configured to generate a signal indicative of the action to be performed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the information about the portable electrical devices includes a current power state of the portable electrical device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the information about the portable electrical devices further includes an identification of the portable electrical device and an activity state of the portable electrical device, wherein the activity state indicates whether the portable electrical device is actively being used.

4. The system of claim 3, further including a power manager configured to transition the power state of the device based on the signal.

5. The system of claim 4, further including:

a notifier configured to generate a notification about the portable electrical device based on the signal; and

an output interface configured to present the notification to an operator of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 3, further including a power manager configured to convey the signal to the portable electrical device.

7. The system of claim 6, further including a notifier configured to generate a notification about the portable electrical device based on the signal, wherein the notifier is configured to convey the notification to the portable electrical device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the device detector includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader configured to read a RFID tag affixed to the portable electrical device, wherein the information about the portable electrical device is included in the RFID tag.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the device detector includes a wireless communication interface configured to wirelessly communicate with a wireless communication interface of the portable electrical device, wherein the information about the device is obtained from the portable electrical device through the wireless communication and the wireless communication includes at least one of Bluetooth, WIMAX, WIFI, or Zigbee.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is part of the vehicle'"'"'s control system.

11. The system of claim 1, further including a pattern recognizer configured to recognize a pattern from the information about the portable electrical devices, wherein the action is based on the pattern.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitored region includes a sub-region of the vehicle and a sub-region of the environment external to the vehicle, wherein the vehicle is an automobile.

13. A method for managing a power state of a portable electrical device, comprising:

identifying a portable electrical device within a monitored region about a vehicle;

obtaining a first parameter indicative of the power state of the device;

obtaining a second parameter indicative of an ignition state of the vehicle;

setting the power state of the device based on the first and second parameters.

14. The method of claim 13, further including obtaining a third parameter indicative of a proximity of an operator of the vehicle to the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, further including setting the power state of the device based on the first, second and third parameters.

16. The method of claim 14, further including scanning for portable electrical device based on the proximity.

17. The method of claim 13, further including scanning for portable electrical device based on the state of the ignition.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the action includes turning the portable electrical device on.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the action includes turning the portable electrical device off.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the device is turned off after lapse of a preset delay.

21. The method of claim 13, further including notifying the operator about the state of the device.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the vehicle is an automobile.

23. A method, comprising:

producing computer executable program code;

storing the code on a computer readable medium; and

providing the program code to be deployed and executed on a computer system;

the program code comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer system, cause the computer system to;

scan for portable electrical devices located within a region about a vehicle;

notify an operator of the vehicle about a portable electrical device in the region upon detecting the portable electrical device;

turn the portable electrical device on;

receive a signal indicative of a lower power state for the device;

notify the operator regarding the lower power state; and

directing the portable electrical device to transition the lower power state based on the signal.

24. A method for deploying an application for managing a power state of a portable electrical device, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

wirelessly communicate with a portable electrical device located within a monitored region about a vehicle;

identify a current power state of the portable electrical device;

infer a user desired power state;

generate a signal indicating a new power state for the device when the current power state and the inferred power state are different; and

transition the power state of the portable electrical device to the new power state based on the signal.