Context-based power management

• US 8,898,496 B1
• Filed: 03/23/2012
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Chi, Liang-Yu (Tom)
• Primary Examiner(s): Stoynov, Stefan
• Application Number:
  US13/427,893
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 713/320, 713/323, 455/574, 702/57, 702/141, 702/150
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements

Abstract

In an embodiment, a computing system causes a computing device to operate in a lower-power state. Data received from a first tier of low-power input source(s) is used to determine user/environmental context and activate a second tier of input source(s) that operate in a higher power range. In each tier the system is running contextual detection to assess whether to engage higher power input sources or sensors to aid the user. With this mechanism, a user is able to have access to a broad range of services without having to explicit switch them on, while the system is able to intelligently manage power and battery life across input sources.

Claims

1. A computing system comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by at least one processor to;

cause a computing device to operate in a lower-power state, wherein data is received from a first input source while in the lower-power state;

while the computing device is in the lower-power state, determine, based on data received from the first input source, that at least a threshold probability exists that detection of a context of the computing device will improve by causing the computing device to operate in a medium-power state, wherein data is received from a second input source while in the medium-power state, and wherein power consumption of the second input source in the medium-power state is greater than power consumption of the first input source in the lower-power state;

responsively cause the computing device to operate in the medium-power state;

while the computing device is in the medium-power state, determine, based on data received from one or both of the first input source and the second input source, that at least an additional threshold probability exists that detection of the context of the computing device will improve by causing the computing device to operate in a higher-power state, wherein data is received from a third input source while in the higher-power state, and wherein power consumption of the third input source in the higher-power state is greater than power consumption of the second input source in the medium-power state; and

responsively cause the computing device to operate in the higher-power state.

2. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the first input source comprises a photodiode, and wherein the program instructions executable to determine that at least the threshold probability exists that detection of the context of the computing device will improve by causing the computing device to operate in the medium-power state comprise program instructions executable to detect a change in lighting conditions surrounding the computing device.

3. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the first input source comprises a movement sensor, and wherein the program instructions executable to determine that at least the threshold probability exists that detection of the context of the computing device will improve by causing the computing device to operate in the medium-power state comprise program instructions executable to detect a movement of the computing device.

4. The computing system of claim 3, wherein the movement sensor comprises one or more of an accelerometer, a magnetometer, and a gyroscope.

5. The computing system claim 1, wherein the second input source comprises an audio-recording device, and wherein the program instructions executable to determine that at least the additional threshold probability exists that detection of the context of the computing device will improve by causing the computing device to operate in the higher-power state comprise program instructions executable to detect that a user of the computing device is speaking.

6. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the second input source comprises a wireless-communication device, and wherein the program instructions executable to determine that at least the additional threshold probability exists that detection of the context of the computing device will improve by causing the computing device to operate in the higher-power state comprise program instructions executable to detect reception via the wireless-communication device of one or more of calendar data, appointment data, and location data.

7. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the second input source comprises a global positioning system (GPS) device, and wherein the program instructions executable to determine that at least the additional threshold probability exists that detection of the context of the computing device will improve by causing the computing device to operate in the higher-power state comprise program instructions executable to detect reception via the GPS device of location data.

8. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the second input source comprises an imaging device operable to track a field of view of a user of the computing system.

9. The computing system of claim 8, wherein the imaging device comprises at least one of a charge-coupled device (CCD) and a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) imager capable of capturing at least one of video and still images.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a display element configured to receive information from the processor and to display the information;

a wearable frame structure supporting the display element;

a plurality of input sources, comprising;

a first input source, wherein an average power consumption of the first input source places the first input source in a first power-consumption tier; and

a second input source, wherein an average power consumption of the second input source places the second input source in a second power-consumption tier, wherein the second power-consumption tier is associated with greater power consumption than is the first power-consumption tier;

a third input source, wherein an average power consumption of the third input source places the third input source in a third power-consumption tier, wherein the third power-consumption tier is associated with greater power consumption than is the second power-consumption tier;

a power source configured to provide power to at least the processor, the display element, and the plurality of input sources, the power source comprising a battery power source; and

a power controller configured to manage a power consumption of the plurality of input sources at least in part by (i) causing the first input source to remain in an always-on state, (ii) causing the second input source to transition from a second-input-source low-power state up to a second-input-source higher-power state responsive to detecting a first context trigger via the first input source, and (iii) causing the third input source to transition from a third-input-source low-power state up to a third-input-source higher-power state responsive to detecting a second context trigger via one or both of the first input source and the second input source.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the third power-consumption tier comprises input sources having an average power consumption within a third range that is an order of magnitude greater than the second range.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the third power-consumption tier comprises input sources having an average power consumption of more than 200 mW.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second input source comprises an audio-recording device, and wherein the second context trigger comprises the condition that a wearer of the wearable frame structure is speaking.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second input source comprises a wireless-communication device, and wherein the second context trigger comprises reception via the wireless-communication device of one or more of calendar data, appointment data, and location data.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second input source comprises a global positioning system (GPS) device, and wherein the second context trigger comprises reception via the GPS device of location data.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the third input source comprises an imaging device disposed on the wearable frame structure and operable to track a field of view of a wearer of the wearable frame structure.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the imaging device comprises at least one of a charge-coupled device (CCD) and a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) imager capable of capturing at least one of video and still images.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first input source comprises at least one of a photodiode and a movement sensor, wherein the second input source comprises at least one of a an audio-recording device, a wireless-communication device, and a global positioning system (GPS) device, and wherein the third input source comprises an imaging device.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first context trigger comprises one or more of (i) a change in lighting conditions surrounding the wearable display and (ii) a movement of the wearable display, and wherein the second context trigger comprises one or more of (i) the condition that a wearer of the wearable frame structure is speaking and (ii) reception via the wireless-communication device of one or more of calendar data, appointment data, and location data.

20. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first power-consumption tier comprises input sources having an average power consumption within a first range, and wherein the second power-consumption tier comprises input sources having an average power consumption within a second range that is an order of magnitude greater than the first range.

21. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first input source comprises a photodiode, and wherein the first context trigger comprises a change in lighting conditions surrounding the wearable frame structure.

22. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first input source comprises a movement sensor, and wherein the first context trigger comprises a movement of the wearable frame structure.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the movement sensor comprises one or more of an accelerometer, a magnetometer, and a gyroscope.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a display element configured to receive information from the processor and to display the information;

a wearable frame structure supporting the display element;

a plurality of input sources, comprising;

a first input source, wherein an average power consumption of the first input source places the first input source in a first power-consumption tier, wherein the first power-consumption tier comprises input sources that each have an average power consumption of less than 10 milliwatts (mW); and

a second input source, wherein an average power consumption of the second input source places the second input source in a second power-consumption tier, wherein the second power-consumption tier comprises input sources that each have an average power consumption of more than 10 mW but less than 200 mW;

a power source configured to provide power to at least the processor, the display element, and the plurality of input sources, the power source comprising a battery power source; and

a power controller configured to manage a power consumption of the plurality of input sources at least in part by (i) causing the first input source to remain in an always-on state, and (ii) causing the second input source to transition from a second-input-source low-power state up to a second-input-source higher-power state responsive to detecting a first context trigger via the first input source.