Context aware data processing in mobile computing device

• US 8,587,402 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: O'Shaughnessy, Kevin Michael, Jager, Ivo Ruben Willem
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): OBINIYI, PAULSON IDOWU
• Application Number:
  US12/044,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20090224867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.1, 340/286.02, 340/505, 340/573.1, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.6, 700/21, 700/82, 700/79, 706/9, 706/12
• US Class Current: 340/5.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• 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

Abstract

A data processing apparatus comprising a sensor and a context engine module. The sensor is configured to generate a sensor output signal representative of a value for one or more context aspects of the data processing apparatus and a confidence factor associated with each of the values for the one or more context aspects. The context engine module is configured to process the sensor output signal to generate and make available a final value for one or more context aspects of the data processing apparatus.

Claims

1. A data processing apparatus comprising:

a plurality of mechanisms that are operable to determine a user'"'"'s availability, activity and location, including two or more mechanisms of different types each generate an output corresponding to each type of mechanism; and

a processor to (i) receive the outputs from the two or more mechanisms, (ii) automatically use the outputs of the two or more mechanisms to determine a state of use of the data processing apparatus, and (iii) based on the state of use, cause at least one or more hardware components of the data processing apparatus to be disabled;

wherein the state of use of the data processing apparatus is determined, at least in part, by (i) one or more availability values that includes at least one of a first value indication that the user is available, a second value indicating that the user is not to be disturbed, or a third value indicating that the user is offline, (ii) one or more activity values that includes at least one of a fourth value indicating that the user is driving, a fifth value indicating that the user is typing, a sixth value indicating that the user is in a meeting, or a seventh value indicating that user is away on a holiday, and (iii) one or more location values that includes at least one of an eighth value indicating that the user is at home, a ninth value indicting that the user is at work, a tenth value indicating that the user is in a gym, or an eleventh value indicating that the user is in a car.

2. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mechanisms includes at least one of a microphone, a keyboard, a digitizer, an application, an activity log, a wireless network radio, a cellular radio, a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit or accessories connected to the data processing apparatus.

3. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to operate an application program, the application program comprising at least one of a personal information manager (PIM) application, a calendar application, a contacts application, an instant messaging (IM) application, or a mobile telephony application.

4. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more hardware components includes at least one radio communication ports.

5. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data processing apparatus comprises a mobile computing device.

6. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to conserve a battery level of the data processing apparatus based on the state of use.

7. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an input mechanism, and wherein the processor is further configured to determine the state of use of the data processing apparatus in response to user input via the input mechanism.

8. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data processing apparatus comprises a memory resource for storing a database that stores a list of the plurality of mechanisms that generate an output.

9. A method of operating a computing device, comprising:

determining a user'"'"'s availability, activity and location using a plurality of mechanisms of the computing device, the plurality of mechanisms including two or more mechanisms of different types that each generate an output corresponding to each type of mechanism;

receiving the outputs from the two or more mechanisms;

automatically using the outputs of the two or more mechanisms to determine a state of use of the computing device, wherein the state of use of the computing device is determined, at least in part, by (i) one or more availability values that includes at least one of a first value indicating that the user is available, a second value indicating that the user is not to be disturbed, or a third value indicating that the user is offline, (ii) one or more activity values that includes at least one of a fourth value indicating that the user is driving, a fifth value indicating that the user is typing, a sixth value indicating that the user is in a meeting, or a seventh value indicating that user is away on a holiday, and (iii) one or more location values that includes at least one of an eighth value indicating that the user is at home, a ninth value indicting that the user is at work, a tenth value indicating that the user is in a gym, or an eleventh value indicating that the user is in a car; and

based on the state of use, causing at least one or more hardware components of the computing device to be disabled.

10. The method claim 9, wherein the plurality of mechanisms includes at least one of a microphone, a keyboard, a digitizer, an application, an activity log, a wireless network radio, a cellular radio, a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit or accessories connected to the computing device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more hardware components includes at least one radio communication ports.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein automatically using the outputs of the two or more mechanisms to determine a state of use of the computing device includes determining the state based, at least in part, a user input via an input mechanism of the computing device.

13. A data processing apparatus comprising:

a sensor configured to (i) select at least one sensor value indicating a user'"'"'s availability, activity and location based on at least one of statistical data, event data and environmental data of the sensor, (ii) determine a confidence factor associated with each sensor value, and (iii) generate a sensor output signal representative of the at least one selected sensor value and the confidence factor associated with the at least one selected sensor value, wherein the statistical data represents usage data, the event data represents a current use information and the environmental data represents an estimate of the apparatus'"'"' surroundings;

a context engine module configured to (i) receive the sensor output signal from the sensor, and (ii) compute context values based on the output signal, the context values indicating the user'"'"'s availability, activity and location; and

an application executing on the data processing apparatus configured to utilize the context values to perform an operation based on the user'"'"'s availability, activity and location;

wherein the context values includes(i)one or more availability values that includes at least one of a first value indicating that the user is available, a second value indicating that the user is not to be disturbed, or a third value indicating that the user is offline;

(ii) one or more activity values that includes at least one of a fourth value indicating that the user is driving, a fifth value indicating that the user is typing, a sixth value indicating that the user is in a meeting, or a seventh value indicating that user is away on a holiday; and

(iii) one or more location values that includes at least one of an eighth value indicating that the user is at home, a ninth value indicating that the user is at work, a tenth value indicating that the user is in a gym, or an eleventh value indicating that the user is in a car.