Mobile device that activates upon removal from storage

• US 8,971,869 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2013
• 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:
  US13/972,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20140349632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 455/14.1, 455/414.2, 455418-421, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/566
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

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

a processing circuit configured to;

receive the light data from the light sensor;

analyze the light data to detect a light transition, wherein analyzing the light data comprises identifying a color transition corresponding to the light transition, wherein identifying the color transition comprises monitoring particular colors or wavelengths within a current field of view, averaging the monitored colors or wavelengths to determine an average, and monitoring changes in the average to identify the color transition; and

initiate an action based on the light transition, the identified color transition, and a mode of the mobile device, wherein the mode corresponds to the mobile device being in a first location, and 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.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the light transition is from dark to light.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a handheld mobile device.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the action is based on configuration data.

5. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein the configuration data is adjusted according to a user'"'"'s input.

6. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein the configuration data includes a threshold which must be met in order to initiate the action.

7. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to receive user input selecting the mode corresponding to the mobile device being in the first location.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to receive user input specifying that the mobile device is in the first location.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the first location is a storage location.

10. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the storage location is a pocket.

11. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the storage location is a bag.

12. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein the storage location is a case.

13. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein analyzing the light data comprises identifying a change in a wavelength of light based on the generated light data.

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

15. A method for taking action in response to a mobile device being removed from a first location, comprising

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

analyzing the light data to detect a light transition, wherein analyzing the light data comprises identifying a color transition corresponding to the light transition, wherein identifying the color transition comprises monitoring particular colors or wavelengths within a current field of view, averaging the monitored colors or wavelengths to determine an average, and monitoring changes in the average to identify the color transition; and

initiating an action based on the light transition, the identified color transition, and a mode of the mobile device, wherein the mode corresponds to the mobile device being in the first location, and 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.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the light transition is from dark to light.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the mobile device is a handheld mobile device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the action is based on configuration data.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving user input configured to select the mode corresponding to the mobile device being in the first location.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving user input configured to specify that the mobile device is in the first location.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the first location is a storage location.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein identifying the color transition comprises analyzing an average range of colors over a field of view.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein analyzing the light data comprises identifying a change in a wavelength of light based on the generated light data.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein analyzing the light data includes using scene recognition to compare the first location to a second location.