Mobile device that activates upon removal from storage

• US 8,971,868 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2013
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chan, Alistair K., Duncan, William D., Hyde, Roderick A., Pan, Tony S., Petroski, Robert C., Tuckerman, David B., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): HTUN, SAN A
• Application Number:
  US13/901,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20140349629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455418-421, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/566
• US Class Current: 455/418
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A mobile device includes a motion sensor configured to acquire motion data, a light sensor configured to detect an ambient light level and generate light data, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive the motion data from the motion sensor, receive the light data from the light sensor, analyze the motion data to determine displacement data corresponding to a displacement of the mobile device, analyze the light data to detect a light transition, and analyze the displacement data and the light transition to determine whether to initiate an action.

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising:

a motion sensor configured to acquire motion data;

a light sensor configured to detect an ambient light level and generate light data; and

a processing circuit configured to;

receive the motion data from the motion sensor;

receive the light data from the light sensor;

analyze the motion data to determine displacement data corresponding to a displacement of the mobile device, wherein the motion data is based on the displacement being at least partially vertically upwards;

analyze the light data to detect a light transition, wherein analyzing the light data includes at least one of identifying a transition from dark to light and identifying a change in a wavelength of light based on the generated light data; and

analyze the displacement data and the light transition to determine whether to initiate an action, wherein the action is based on configuration data that comprises a threshold which must be met in order to initiate the action, and wherein the threshold specifies a ratio of light levels corresponding to an acceptable light transition and an amount of vertical displacement within a specified time interval.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to initiate the action.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the action includes at least one of changing an operational mode of the mobile device, activating the mobile device, answering a call received on the mobile device, adjusting a volume level of the mobile device, adjusting a ringtone of the mobile device, changing a power usage setting of the mobile device, activating a sensor of the mobile device, activating at least one application on the mobile device, and turning on a display of the mobile device.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the threshold further includes a minimum level of light required to be present within a certain displacement.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the threshold is based on at least one external condition, and wherein the at least one external condition includes at least one of a location, a time, a date, and a weather condition.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein analyzing the displacement data includes comparing the displacement data to a motion profile.

7. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the motion profile corresponds to a horizontal motion followed by a lifting motion.

8. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the motion profile corresponds to motion based on removal of the mobile device from a first location.

9. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to activate the light sensor based on the motion data.

10. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to activate the motion sensor based on the light data.

11. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising a touch sensor, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to receive touch data from the touch sensor, and wherein the determination to initiate the action is based at least in part on the touch data.

12. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein analyzing the light data includes using scene recognition to compare the first location to a second location.

13. A method for taking action by a processing circuit of a mobile device in response to the mobile device being removed from a first location, comprising:

receiving motion data from a motion sensor configured to detect motion of the mobile device;

receiving light data from a light sensor configured to detect an ambient light level and generate the light data;

analyzing the motion data to determine displacement data corresponding to a displacement of the mobile device, wherein the motion data is based on the displacement being at least partially vertically upwards;

analyzing the light data to detect a light transition, wherein analyzing the light data includes at least one of identifying a transition from dark to light and identifying a change in a wavelength of light based on the generated light data; and

analyzing the displacement data and the light transition to determine whether to initiate an action, wherein the action is based on configuration data that comprises a threshold which must be met in order to initiate the action, and wherein the threshold specifies a ratio of light levels corresponding to an acceptable light transition and an amount of vertical displacement within a specified time interval.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the action includes at least one of changing an operational mode of the mobile device, activating the mobile device, answering a call received on the mobile device, adjusting a volume level of the mobile device, adjusting a ringtone of the mobile device, changing a power usage setting of the mobile device, activating a sensor of the mobile device, activating at least one application on the mobile device, and turning on a display of the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising activating the light sensor based on the motion data.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising activating the motion sensor based on the light data.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving touch data from a touch sensor, and wherein the determination to initiate the action is based at least in part on the touch data.

18. A mobile device, comprising:

a light sensor configured to detect an ambient light level and generate light data;

a detector configured to provide data related to whether the mobile device is in a storage location comprising a first location; and

a processing circuit configured to;

receive the data from the detector, wherein a mode of the mobile device is based at least in part on the data from the detector;

receive the light data from the light sensor;

analyze the light data to detect a light transition, wherein analyzing the light data includes at least one of identifying a transition from dark to light and identifying a change in a wavelength of light based on the generated light data; and

initiate an action based on the light transition and the mode of the mobile device, wherein the mode corresponds to the mobile device being in the first location, wherein the action is based on configuration data that comprises a threshold which must be met in order to initiate the action, and wherein the threshold specifies a ratio of light levels corresponding to an acceptable light transition.

19. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the action includes at least one of changing an operational mode of the mobile device, activating the mobile device, answering a call received on the mobile device, adjusting a volume level of the mobile device, adjusting a ringtone of the mobile device, changing a power usage setting of the mobile device, activating a sensor of the mobile device, activating at least one application on the mobile device, and turning on a display of the mobile device.

20. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the action is based on configuration data.

21. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the threshold is based on at least one external condition, and wherein the at least one external condition includes at least one of a location, a time, a date, and a weather condition.

22. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to receive user input selecting the mode corresponding to the mobile device being in the first location.

23. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the detector includes an ultrasonic transducer configured to generate probe signals and detect probe signal reflections.

24. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the detector includes a microphone configured to detect attenuation of ambient sound.

25. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the detector includes a thermal sensor configured to detect ambient temperature.

26. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein analyzing the light data includes using scene recognition to compare the first location to a second location.