Techniques for determining communication state using accelerometer data

• US 8,781,431 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2013
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pelton, Gregory, Moon, Billy
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US14/024,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20140011459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 307 Days
• Field of Search: 455/441, 455/67.11, 455/414.3, 455/456.3, 370/328, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

Techniques for communicating with a user on a network include receiving acceleration data that indicates acceleration of a mobile network node associated with a user of a network. A communication state for the user is determined based at least in part on the acceleration data. The communication state indicates a type of network communication suitable for communicating with the user. Network communications with the user are based on the communication state. Among other uses, such techniques allow a network communicating with a human through a mobile node carried by the human to infer from stopped or unusual motions when the human'"'"'s ability to receive or act on communications is impaired or otherwise affected.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store sets of acceleration ranges associated with activity states; and

a processor configured to receive accelerometer data and identify an activity state based on a comparison of the accelerometer data to the sets of acceleration ranges.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an accelerometer configured to generate the accelerometer data based on movement of a mobile device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the movement is a hand movement of the user.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the movement is due to a land vehicle transporting the mobile device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the acceleration data includes a vector including a duration of time, an initial acceleration value in three directions, and a maximum velocity in three directions.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the acceleration data includes a negative acceleration event in three orthogonal directions.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the activity states include walking, running, or stationary.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the accelerometer data is generated from a Fourier transform of raw acceleration output of an accelerometer.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to select a communication device based on the activity state.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to contact an emergency service when the activity state indicates an emergency.

11. A method comprising:

receiving accelerometer data generated at a mobile device;

comparing the accelerometer data to sets of acceleration ranges associated with activity states;

identifying a user activity for the acceleration data; and

generating a message based on the user activity.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

selecting a type of message based on the user activity.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the message describes the user activity.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving location data describing a location for the mobile device, wherein the message includes the location for the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the sets of acceleration ranges are associated with a hand movement, a vehicle movement, or a walking movement.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the acceleration data includes a vector including a duration of time, an initial acceleration value in three directions, a negative acceleration event in three orthogonal directions or a maximum velocity in three directions.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the accelerometer data is generated from a Fourier transform of raw output from an accelerometer.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

selecting a communication device based on the user activity.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

contacting an emergency service when the user activity indicates an emergency.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions operable, when executed by a processor, to perform a method comprising:

receiving accelerometer data generated at an accelerometer;

comparing the accelerometer data to sets of acceleration ranges associated with activity states;

identifying a user activity for the acceleration data; and

generating a message based on the user activity.

21. A method comprising:

receiving, at a processor, accelerometer data generated at a mobile device;

identifying, using the processor, a plurality of motion event vectors based on the acceleration data, wherein the plurality of motion event vectors indicate a user activity; and

generating a message based on the user activity.