Mobile device control based on surface material detection

• US 8,996,767 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2012
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Eaton, John D., Wu, Hung-Hsin, Menendez, Jose R., Frantz, William T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shyu, Jing-Yih
• Application Number:
  US13/462,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20130297926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• US Class Current: 710/72
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/17 Systems in which incident light is modified in accordance with the properties of the material investigated where the material investigated is optically excited causing a change in wavelength of the incident light G01N21/63
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

A mobile device uses sensor data related to the type of surface in contact with the mobile device to determine an action to perform. The sensors, by way of example, may be one or more of a microphone and noise generator, a light based proximity sensor, and pressure sensors, such as dielectric elastomers, configured to detect a texture of the surface, and/or pressure waves produced by setting the mobile device down or by a noise generator and reflected by the surface. The mobile device may identify the type of surface and perform the action based on the type of surface. The mobile device may further determine its location based on the sensor data and use that location to identify the action to be performed. The location may be determined using additional data, e.g., data not related to determining the type of surface with which the mobile device is in contact.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining that a mobile device has transitioned from a moving state to a stationary state;

receiving data from one or more sensors in the mobile device, wherein the data is related to a type of surface in contact with the mobile device;

determining the type of surface in contact with the mobile device using the received data in response to determining that the mobile device is in the stationary state;

determining a location for the mobile device based on the type of surface in contact with the mobile device;

performing an action based on the location determined based on the type of surface in contact with the mobile device;

determining the mobile device has moved;

receiving a second set of data from the one or more sensors;

determining a different type of surface in contact with the mobile device using the second set of data; and

performing a different action based on the determined different type of surface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the mobile device has been removed from the surface;

performing a second different action after the mobile device has been removed from the surface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a microphone and a noise generator, wherein the microphone detects sound produced by the noise generator and reflected by the surface.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the noise generator is at least one of a speaker and a vibrator.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a light based proximity sensor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprise pressure sensors configured to detect at least one of a texture of the surface and pressure waves reflected from the surface.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the pressures waves are produced by at least one of setting down the mobile device and a noise generator.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the noise generator is at least one of a speaker and a vibrator.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the pressure sensors comprises dielectric elastomers.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the action comprises controlling the mobile device to perform the action.

11. The method of claim 1, determining the type of surface in contact with the mobile device using the received data comprises determining at least one of a hardness, texture, pattern, mass and size of the surface.

12. The method of claim 1, determining the type of surface in contact with the mobile device using the received data comprises determining a material of the surface.

13. A method comprising:

determining that a mobile device has transitioned from a moving state to a stationary state;

receiving data from one or more sensors in the mobile device, wherein the data is related to a type of surface in contact with the mobile device;

determining the type of surface in contact with the mobile device using the received data in response to determining that the mobile device is in the stationary state;

determining a location for the mobile device based on the type of surface in contact with the mobile device, wherein determining the location for the mobile device comprises;

receiving additional data, wherein the additional data comprises at least one of a general position fix, detected wireless devices, environmental sounds, and time associated with a user'"'"'s routine; and

using the additional data with the type of surface for determining the location; and

performing an action based on the location determined based on the type of surface in contact with the mobile device.

14. A mobile device comprising:

one or more sensors;

one or more motion sensors; and

a processor coupled to receive data from the one or more sensors and motion data from the one or more motion sensors, wherein the data is related to a type of surface in contact with the mobile device, the processor being configured to determine that the mobile device has transitioned from a moving state to a stationary state using the motion data;

determine the type of surface in contact with the mobile device using the received data in response to a determination that the mobile device is in the stationary state;

determine a location for the mobile device based on the type of surface in contact with the mobile device; and

perform an action based on the location determined based on the type of surface in contact with the mobile device, wherein the processor is further configured to determine when the mobile device has moved, receive a second set of data from the one or more sensors, determine a different type of surface in contact with the mobile device using the second set of data, and perform a different action based on the determined different type of surface.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to determine when the mobile device has been removed from the surface and perform a second different action after the mobile device has been removed from the surface.

16. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a microphone and a noise generator, wherein the microphone detects sound produced by the noise generator and reflected by the surface.

17. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the noise generator is at least one of a speaker and a vibrator.

18. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a light based proximity sensor.

19. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the one or more sensors comprise pressure sensors configured to detect at least one of a texture of the surface and pressure waves reflected from the surface.

20. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the pressures waves are produced by at least one of setting down the mobile device and a noise generator.

21. The mobile device of claim 20, wherein the noise generator is at least one of a speaker and a vibrator.

22. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the pressure sensors comprises dielectric elastomers.

23. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to determine the type of surface in contact with the mobile device by being configured to determine at least one of a hardness, texture, pattern, mass and size of the surface.

24. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to determine the type of surface in contact with the mobile device by being configured to determine a material of the surface.

25. A mobile device comprising:

one or more sensors;

one or more motion sensors; and

a processor coupled to receive data from the one or more sensors and motion data from the one or more motion sensors, wherein the data is related to a type of surface in contact with the mobile device, the processor being configured to determine that the mobile device has transitioned from a moving state to a stationary state using the motion data;

determine the type of surface in contact with the mobile device using the received data in response to a determination that the mobile device is in the stationary state;

determine a location for the mobile device based on the type of surface in contact with the mobile device, wherein the processor is configured to determine the location for the mobile device by being configured to receive additional data from the one or more sensors, wherein the additional data comprises at least one of a general position fix, detected wireless devices, environmental sounds, and time associated with a user'"'"'s routine, and to use the additional data with the type of surface to determine the location; and

perform an action based on the location determined based on the type of surface in contact with the mobile device.

26. A mobile device comprising:

means for determining that the mobile device has transitioned from a moving state to a stationary state;

means for receiving data from one or more sensors in the mobile device, wherein the data is related to a type of surface in contact with the mobile device;

means for determining the type of surface in contact with the mobile device using the received data in response to determining that the mobile device is in the stationary state;

means for determining a location for the mobile device based on the type of surface in contact with the mobile device;

means for performing an action based on the location determined based on the type of surface in contact with the mobile device;

means for determining the mobile device has moved;

means for receiving a second set of data from the one or more sensors;

means for determining a different type of surface in contact with the mobile device using the second set of data; and

means for performing a different action based on the determined different type of surface.

27. The mobile device of claim 26, wherein the means for receiving data comprises at least one of a microphone and a noise generator, a light based proximity sensor, and pressure sensors.

28. A mobile device comprising:

means for determining that the mobile device has transitioned from a moving state to a stationary state;

means for receiving data from one or more sensors in the mobile device, wherein the data is related to a type of surface in contact with the mobile device;

means for determining the type of surface in contact with the mobile device using the received data in response to determining that the mobile device is in the stationary state;

means for determining a location for the mobile device based on the type of surface in contact with the mobile device, wherein the means for determining the location for the mobile device comprises;

means for receiving additional data unrelated to the type of surface in contact with the mobile device, wherein the additional data comprises at least one of a general position fix, detected wireless devices, environmental sounds, and time associated with a user'"'"'s routine; and

means for using the additional data with the type of surface for determining the location; and

means for performing an action based on the location determined based on the type of surface in contact with the mobile device.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including program code stored thereon, comprising:

program code to determine that a mobile device has transitioned from a moving state to a stationary state;

program code to receive data from one or more sensors in the mobile device, wherein the data is related to a type of surface in contact with the mobile device;

program code to determine the type of surface in contact with the mobile device using the received data in response to determining that the mobile device is in the stationary state;

program code to determine a location for the mobile device based on the type of surface in contact with the mobile device;

program code to perform an action based on the location determined based on the type of surface in contact with the mobile device;

program code to determine the mobile device has moved;

program code to receive a second set of data from the one or more sensors;

program code to determine a different type of surface in contact with the mobile device using the second set of data; and

program code to perform a different action based on the determined different type of surface.

30. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including program code stored thereon, comprising:

program code to determine that a mobile device has transitioned from a moving state to a stationary state;

program code to receive data from one or more sensors in the mobile device, wherein the data is related to a type of surface in contact with the mobile device;

program code to determine the type of surface in contact with the mobile device using the received data in response to determining that the mobile device is in the stationary state;

program code to determine a location for the mobile device based on the type of surface in contact with the mobile device, wherein the program code to determine the location for the mobile device comprises program code to determine the location using additional received data that is unrelated to the type of surface in contact with the mobile device along with the determined type of surface, wherein the additional data comprises at least one of a general position fix, detected wireless devices, environmental sounds, and time associated with a user'"'"'s routine; and

program code to perform an action based on the location determined based on the type of surface in contact with the mobile device.