Providing a device left behind alert

• US 8,854,203 B1
• Filed: 09/05/2012
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Zheng, Lantian, Weng, Zhi
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US13/603,471
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/522
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0213 System disabling if a separation threshold is exceeded disabling electrical appliances in case of unplugging G08B13/1409
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 23/00 Alarms responsive to unspecified undesired or abnormal conditions

Abstract

A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and apparatus that establishes a connection between a mobile computing device and a second computing device. A notification of an initiating event is received from the second computing device. Physical movement of the mobile computing device is determined during a time period defined by the notification of the initiating event and a triggering event. An alert is output when determined physical movement is below a threshold value.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing, by a mobile computing device, a wireless connection between the mobile computing device and a second computing device;

receiving, by the mobile computing device from the second computing device via the wireless connection, a notification of an initiating event;

determining, by a processor included in the mobile computing device and based on information provided by a motion-sensing device included in the mobile computing device, physical movement of the mobile computing device during a time period defined by the notification of the initiating event and a triggering event; and

responsive to determining that the physical movement of the mobile computing device during the time period defined by the notification of the initiating event and the triggering event is less than a threshold value, outputting, by the mobile computing device, an alert,

wherein the second computing device is a vehicle computing device in a vehicle, the initiating event is a turning off of the vehicle, and the triggering event is a locking of a vehicle door of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by the mobile computing device, to the second computing device, the alert, such that the second computing device outputs the alert.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert as output as an audible sound.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining further comprises determining, by the mobile computing device, the physical movement of the mobile computing device using an accelerometer in the mobile computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device is detachably mated with a compatible device prior to the initiating event and the determined physical movement of the mobile computing is less than a threshold value when the mobile computing device remains detachably mated to the compatible device.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for providing a device left behind alert comprising machine executable code which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform steps comprising:

establishing a wireless connection between a mobile computing device and a second computing device;

receiving, from the second computing device via the wireless connection, a notification of an initiating event;

determining, based on information provided by a motion-sensing device included in the mobile computing device, physical movement of the mobile computing device during a time period defined by the notification of the initiating event and a triggering event; and

responsive to determining that the physical movement of the mobile computing device during the time period defined by the notification of the initiating event and a triggering event is less than a threshold value, outputting an alert,

wherein the second computing device is a vehicle computing device in a vehicle, the initiating event is a turning off of the vehicle, and the triggering event is a locking of a vehicle door of the vehicle.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6, further comprising transmitting, to the second computing device, the alert, such that the second computing device outputs the alert.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the alert is output as an audible sound.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the determining further comprises determining the physical movement of the mobile computing device using an accelerometer in the mobile computing device.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the mobile computing device is detachably mated with a compatible device prior to the initiating event and the determined physical movement of the mobile computing is less than a threshold value when the mobile computing device remains detachably mated to the compatible device.

11. An apparatus comprising;

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory to perform the steps of;

establishing a wireless connection between a mobile computing device and a second computing device;

receiving, from the second computing device via the wireless connection, a notification of an initiating event;

determining, based on information provided by a motion sensing device included in the mobile computing device, physical movement of the mobile computing device during a time period defined by the notification of the initiating event and a triggering event; and

responsive to determining that the physical movement of the mobile computing device during the time period defined by the notification of the initiating event and the triggering event is less than a threshold value, outputting an alert,

wherein the second computing device is a vehicle computing device in a vehicle, the initiating event is a turning off of the vehicle, and the triggering event is a locking of a vehicle door of the vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the steps further comprise:

transmitting, to the second computing device, the alert, such that the second computing device outputs the alert.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the alert is output as an audible sound.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the determining further comprises determining the physical movement of the mobile computing device using an accelerometer in the mobile computing device.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the mobile computing device is detachably mated with a compatible device prior to the initiating event and the determined physical movement of the mobile computing is less than a threshold value when the mobile computing device remains detachably mated to the compatible device.