Methods and apparatus to perform self-protection procedures on electronic devices

• US 8,952,809 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2013
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kreiner, Barrett M., Schaub, Ryan, Spell, Randall S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): BURGDORF, STEPHEN R
• Application Number:
  US13/736,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20140191873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 340/521, 340/586, 340/604, 702/132
• US Class Current: 340/539.27
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/20 responsive to moisture
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/23 Indication means, e.g. displays, alarms, audible means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• 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

Example methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable storage media are provided to monitor a mobile device. An example method includes determining whether environmental condition data collected by a plurality of sensors of a mobile device complies with an environmental condition rule comprising thresholds associated with the environmental condition data. The environmental condition data is representative of external elements detected by the sensors. The example method includes informing a user of the mobile device of an environmental condition associated with the environmental condition data when the environmental condition data does not comply with the environmental condition rule. The example method includes performing a self-protecting procedure via the mobile device. The self-protecting procedure defined in the environmental condition rule is to protect the mobile device from the environmental condition when the environmental condition data does not comply with the environmental condition rule.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining whether temperature data collected by a temperature sensor of a mobile electronic device complies with a temperature threshold associated with the temperature data; and

when the temperature data does not comply with the temperature threshold;

informing a user of the mobile electronic device of an elevated device temperature and

at least one of automatically raising and automatically moving heat-dissipating hairs of the mobile electronic device to dissipate heat away from the mobile electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the temperature data complies with the temperature threshold comprises comparing the temperature data to the temperature threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein informing the user of the mobile electronic device of the elevated device temperature comprises outputting a warning associated with the elevated device temperature via at least one of an audio message and a display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein informing the user of the mobile electronic device of the elevated device temperature comprises sending a notification associated with the elevated device temperature to a service provider.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when the temperature data does not comply with the temperature threshold, at least one of reducing a processing speed of the mobile electronic device and shutting down the mobile electronic device.

6. A mobile electronic device, comprising:

a temperature sensor;

heat-dissipating hairs to increase a rate of heat dissipation away from the mobile electronic device when the heat-dissipating hairs are at least one of raised and moved;

a processor; and

a memory comprising machine readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

determining whether temperature data collected by the temperature sensor of the mobile electronic device complies with a temperature threshold; and

when the temperature data does not comply with the temperature threshold, informing a user of the mobile electronic device of an elevated device temperature, and

at least one of automatically raising and automatically moving the heat-dissipating hairs to increase heat dissipation away from the mobile electronic device.

7. The mobile electronic device of claim 6, wherein the machine readable instructions are to cause the processor to determine whether the temperature data complies with the temperature threshold by comparing the temperature data to the temperature threshold.

8. The mobile electronic device of claim 6, wherein the machine readable instructions are to cause the processor to inform the user of the mobile electronic device of the elevated device temperature by outputting a warning associated with the elevated device temperature via at least one of an audio message and a display.

9. The mobile electronic device of claim 6, wherein the machine readable instructions are to cause the processor to inform the user of the mobile electronic device of the elevated device temperature by sending a notification associated with the elevated device temperature to a service provider.

10. The mobile electronic device of claim 6, wherein the machine readable instructions are to cause the processor to, when the temperature data does not comply with the temperature threshold, at least one of reduce a processing speed of the processor and shut down the mobile electronic device.

11. A tangible machine readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a mobile electronic device to perform operations comprising:

determining whether temperature data collected by a temperature sensor of the mobile electronic device complies with a temperature threshold; and

when the temperature data does not comply with the temperature threshold;

informing a user of the mobile electronic device of an elevated device temperature; and

at least one of automatically raising and automatically moving heat-dissipating hairs of the mobile device to dissipate heat away from the mobile electronic device.

12. The tangible machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein determining whether the temperature data complies with the temperature threshold comprises comparing the temperature data to the temperature threshold.

13. The tangible machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein informing the user of the mobile electronic device of the elevated device temperature comprises outputting a warning associated with the elevated device temperature via at least one of an audio message and a display.

14. The tangible machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein informing the user of the mobile electronic device of the elevated device temperature comprises sending a notification associated with the elevated device temperature to a service provider.

15. The tangible machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise, when the temperature data does not comply with the temperature threshold, at least one of reducing a processing speed of the mobile electronic device and shutting down the mobile electronic device.