Environment detection for mobile devices
First Claim
1. A method of managing characteristics of a mobile device based upon capacitive detection of materials proximate the mobile device, the method comprising:
- receiving location data of the mobile device;
receiving a first capacitive sensor measurement with a first capacitive sensor of the mobile device, wherein the first capacitive sensor measurement is a measurement of surface charge on the first capacitive sensor;
determining a type of material adjacent to the mobile device based on the first capacitive sensor measurement, location data of the mobile device, and stored values in a metadata library in a memory of the mobile device corresponding to types of materials having different dielectric constants, wherein the metadata library tracks capacitive sensor measurements over time to account for changes in the stored values corresponding to different materials having different dielectric constants;
storing information to the metadata library, wherein the information comprises (1) one or more of the following;
the first capacitive sensor measurement and a calculated dielectric constant based on the first capacitive sensor measurement, (2) location data of the mobile device, and (3) the determined type of material; and
sending data for adjusting a user interface output characteristic or a radio frequency communication characteristic of the mobile device based on the determined type of material adjacent to the mobile device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods are disclosed related to managing characteristics of a mobile device based upon capacitive detection of materials proximate the mobile device. One such method includes receiving a first capacitive sensor measurement with a first capacitive sensor of the mobile device. The method further includes determining a value indicative of a material adjacent to the mobile device based on a correspondence between the first capacitive sensor measurement and stored values corresponding to different materials. The method further includes sending instructions to adjust a characteristic of the mobile device based on the determined value indicative of the material adjacent to the mobile device.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of managing characteristics of a mobile device based upon capacitive detection of materials proximate the mobile device, the method comprising:
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receiving location data of the mobile device; receiving a first capacitive sensor measurement with a first capacitive sensor of the mobile device, wherein the first capacitive sensor measurement is a measurement of surface charge on the first capacitive sensor; determining a type of material adjacent to the mobile device based on the first capacitive sensor measurement, location data of the mobile device, and stored values in a metadata library in a memory of the mobile device corresponding to types of materials having different dielectric constants, wherein the metadata library tracks capacitive sensor measurements over time to account for changes in the stored values corresponding to different materials having different dielectric constants; storing information to the metadata library, wherein the information comprises (1) one or more of the following;
the first capacitive sensor measurement and a calculated dielectric constant based on the first capacitive sensor measurement, (2) location data of the mobile device, and (3) the determined type of material; andsending data for adjusting a user interface output characteristic or a radio frequency communication characteristic of the mobile device based on the determined type of material adjacent to the mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system configured to manage characteristics of a mobile device based upon capacitive detection of materials proximate the mobile device comprising:
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a first capacitive sensor configured to provide a first capacitive sensor measurement related to a material adjacent to the mobile device, wherein the first capacitive sensor measurement is a measurement of surface charge on the first capacitive sensor; a memory configured to store one or more values corresponding to types of materials having different dielectric constants in a metadata library, wherein the metadata library is configured to track capacitive sensor measurements over time to account for changes in the stored values corresponding to different materials having different dielectric constants; and one or more processors configured to; receive location data of the mobile device; receive the first capacitive sensor measurement; determine a type of material adjacent to the mobile device based on the first capacitive sensor measurement, the location data of the mobile device, and the one or more values corresponding to materials having different dielectric constants; store information to the metadata library, wherein the information comprises (1) one or more of the following;
the first capacitive sensor measurement and a calculated dielectric constant based on the first capacitive sensor measurement, (2) location data of the mobile device, and (3) the determined type of material; andsend data for modifying a user interface output characteristic or a radio frequency communication characteristic of the mobile device based on the determined type of material adjacent to the mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An apparatus for managing characteristics of a mobile device based upon capacitive detection of materials proximate the mobile device comprising:
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a memory of the mobile device; a processor of the mobile device coupled to the memory element; an environment sense controller that when executed by the processor is configured to; receive location data of the mobile device; receive a measurement related to a material adjacent to the mobile device from a capacitive sensor, wherein the measurement is a measurement of surface charge on the capacitive sensor; determine a type of material adjacent to the mobile device based on the measurement, location data of the mobile device, and stored values in a metadata library in the memory of the mobile device corresponding to types of materials having different dielectric constants, wherein the metadata library tracks capacitive sensor measurements over time to account for changes in the stored values corresponding to different materials having different dielectric constants; store information to the metadata library, wherein the information comprises (1) one or more of the following;
the first capacitive sensor measurement and a calculated dielectric constant based on the first capacitive sensor measurement, (2) location data of the mobile device, and (3) the determined type of material; andsend data for modifying a user interface output characteristic or a radio frequency communication characteristic of the mobile device based on the determined type of material adjacent to the mobile device.
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26. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising code for managing characteristics of a mobile device based upon capacitive detection of materials proximate the mobile device that, when executed by one or more processors, causes an apparatus to:
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receive location data of the mobile device; take a measurement with a first capacitive sensor of a mobile device, wherein the measurement is a measurement of surface charge on the first capacitive sensor; look up in a metadata library a corresponding type of material of a material adjacent to the mobile device based on the measurement, the location data of the mobile device, and one or more values corresponding to types of materials having different dielectric constants, wherein the metadata library tracks capacitive sensor measurements over time to account for changes in the stored values corresponding to different materials having different dielectric constants; store information to the metadata library, wherein the information comprises (1) one or more of the following;
the first capacitive sensor measurement and a calculated dielectric constant based on the first capacitive sensor measurement, (2) location data of the mobile device, and (3) the determined type of material; andsend data for modifying a user interface output characteristic or a radio frequency communication characteristic of the mobile device based on the determined type of material.
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Specification