Intelligent resonant vibration amplifier

• US 8,428,659 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Zuczek, Pawel
• Primary Examiner(s): CAI, WAYNE HUU
• Application Number:
  US13/628,925
• Time in Patent Office: 208 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/567, 4555691-5692, 379179-180, 379/252, 37937301-37302, 379/374.03, 379/375.01, 379/376.01, 379/376.02
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes generating a first signal; generating vibrations in a mobile device based on the first signal; and sensing, using a microphone associated with the mobile device, sound generated by the vibrations. The method further includes generating an output based on the sound sensed by the microphone, measuring a level of the sound based on the output, and detecting a resonant frequency of the mobile device based on the level of the sound.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

detecting an input received by a mobile device, wherein the mobile device includes a vibrating device and a microphone, in response to which, the mobile device is to provide an indication to a user of the mobile device by vibrating the mobile device;

determining whether the mobile device is in motion;

generating, in response to determining that the mobile device is in motion, a first signal having a first frequency;

outputting the first signal to the vibrating device capable of generating vibrations in the mobile device based on the first signal;

generating, using the vibrating device, vibrations based on the first signal having the first frequency;

sensing sound generated by the vibrations using the microphone associated with the mobile device;

generating a second signal based on an output of the microphone;

measuring amplitude of the second signal;

varying the first frequency of the first signal;

detecting a second frequency of the first signal at which the amplitude of the second signal is maximum;

generating the first signal having the second frequency; and

generating, using the vibrating device, vibrations based on the first signal having the second frequency.

2. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

generating a first signal;

generating vibrations in a mobile device based on the first signal;

sensing, using a microphone associated with the mobile device, sound generated by the vibrations;

generating an output based on the sound sensed by the microphone;

measuring a level of the sound based on the output; and

detecting a resonant frequency of the mobile device based on the level of the sound.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising detecting the resonant frequency of the mobile device as a frequency of the first signal at which the level of the sound is maximum.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising in response to detecting the resonant frequency:

generating the first signal having the resonant frequency; and

generating vibrations based on the first signal having the resonant frequency.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising varying the frequency of the first signal until the resonant frequency of the mobile device is detected.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting an input received by the mobile device, wherein the input requires providing an indication to a user of the mobile device by vibrating the mobile device;

detecting a motion of the mobile device; and

detecting the resonant frequency in response to detecting the motion of the mobile device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the input received by the mobile device includes a telephone call, a text message, or a voice message.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising detecting the motion of the mobile device based on outputs of at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a global positioning system (GPS) module associated with the mobile device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting the vibrations;

generating a second signal indicating a strength of the vibrations; and

detecting the resonant frequency of the mobile device as a frequency of the first signal at which the level of the sound and the strength of the vibrations are maximum.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising detecting the vibrations based on outputs of at least one of an accelerometer and a gyroscope associated with the mobile device.

11. A system, comprising:

a signal generator that generates a first signal;

a vibrating device that generates vibrations based on the first signal;

a microphone that senses sound generated by the vibrations and that generates an output; and

a control module that selectively measures a level of the sound based on the output of the microphone and that detects a resonant frequency of the system based on the level of the sound.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the control module detects the resonant frequency of the system as a frequency of the first signal at which the level of the sound is maximum.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein in response to detecting the resonant frequency:

the signal generator generates the first signal having the resonant frequency; and

the vibrating device generates vibrations based on the first signal having the resonant frequency.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the signal generator varies the frequency of the first signal until the control module detects the resonant frequency of the system.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a vibration detecting module that detects the vibrations and that generates a second signal indicating strength of the vibrations,

wherein the control module detects the resonant frequency of the system as a frequency of the first signal at which the level of the sound and the strength of the vibrations are maximum.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the vibration detecting module includes at least one of an accelerometer and a gyroscope associated with the system, and wherein the vibration detecting module detects the vibrations based on outputs of at least one of the accelerometer and the gyroscope.

17. A mobile device comprising:

a signal generator that generates a first signal;

a vibrating device that generates vibrations based on the first signal;

a microphone that senses sound generated by the vibrations and that generates an output;

a control module that selectively measures a level of the sound based on the output of the microphone and that detects a resonant frequency of the system based on the level of the sound;

an input detecting module that detects an input received by the mobile device, wherein the input requires providing an indication to a user of the mobile device by vibrating the mobile device; and

a motion detecting module that detects a motion of the mobile device,

wherein in response to the motion detecting module detecting the motion of the mobile device, the control module measures the level of the sound and detects the resonant frequency.

18. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the input received by the mobile device includes a telephone call, a text message, or a voice message.

19. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the motion detecting module includes at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a global positioning system (GPS) module associated with the mobile device.

20. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the motion detecting module detects the motion of the mobile device based on outputs of at least one of the accelerometer, the gyroscope, and the GPS module associated with the mobile device.