Portable electronic device, storage medium and method for reporting location of the portable electronic device

• US 9,008,994 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2012
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FIH (Hong Kong) Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: FIH (Hong Kong) Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Fan, Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, John H
• Application Number:
  US13/461,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20130158938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 702/104, 702/141, 702/151, 345/156, 345/169, 345/619, 455/456.1, 701/45, 701/472
• US Class Current: 702/141
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/185 for gravity
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

In a method for reporting a location of a portable electronic device, an acceleration of the portable electronic device is detected via an accelerometer of the portable electronic device. The portable electronic device is determined as falling when a difference between the acceleration of the portable electronic device and an acceleration of gravity is in a predetermined range. An angular velocity of the portable electronic device is detected via a gyroscope of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is determined as falling. The portable electronic device is determined as static when the angular velocity of the portable electronic device equals zero. If the portable electronic device is static for a predetermined time period, location information of the portable electronic device is collected from a global position system receiver of the portable electronic device. The location information is sent to a target electronic device.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a storage system;

at least one processor;

an accelerometer;

a gyroscope;

a global position system (GPS) receiver;

one or more programs stored in the storage system and executed by the at least one processor, the one or more programs comprising;

a detection module that detects an acceleration of the portable electronic device via the accelerometer, and determines whether the portable electronic device is falling according to the detected acceleration of the portable electronic device;

a determination module that detects an angular velocity of the portable electronic device via the gyroscope when the portable electronic device is determined as falling, and determines whether the portable electronic device is static for a predetermined time period according to the detected angular velocity of the portable electronic device;

a collection module that collects location information of the portable electronic device from the GPS receiver when the portable electronic device is static for the predetermined time period; and

a report module that sends the location information to a target electronic device using a communication application of the portable electronic device.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the detection module determines that the portable electronic device is falling when a difference between the acceleration of the portable electronic device and an acceleration of gravity is in a predetermined range.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the determination module determines that the portable electronic device is static when the angular velocity of the portable electronic device equals zero.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the communication application is a short message service application or an e-mail application.

5. A method for reporting a location of a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

(a) detecting an acceleration of the portable electronic device via an accelerometer of the portable electronic device, and determining whether the portable electronic device is falling according to the detected acceleration of the portable electronic device;

(b) detecting an angular velocity of the portable electronic device via a gyroscope of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is determined as falling, and determining whether the portable electronic device is static for a predetermined time period according to the detected angular velocity of the portable electronic device;

(c) collecting location information of the portable electronic device from a global position system receiver of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is static for the predetermined time period; and

(d) sending the location information to a target electronic device using a communication application of the portable electronic device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step (a) comprises:

determining that the portable electronic device is falling when a difference between the acceleration of the portable electronic device and an acceleration of gravity is in a predetermined range.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the step (b) comprises:

determining that the portable electronic device is static when the angular velocity of the portable electronic device equals zero.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the communication application is a short message service application or an e-mail application.

9. A non-transitory storage medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions capable of being executed by a processor of a portable electronic device, causes the processor to execute a method for reporting a location of the portable electronic device, the method comprising:

(a) detecting an acceleration of the portable electronic device via an accelerometer of the portable electronic device, and determining whether the portable electronic device is falling according to the detected acceleration of the portable electronic device;

(b) detecting an angular velocity of the portable electronic device via a gyroscope of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is determined as falling, and determining whether the portable electronic device is static for a predetermined time period according to the detected angular velocity of the portable electronic device;

(c) collecting location information of the portable electronic device from a global position system receiver of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is static for the predetermined time period; and

(d) sending the location information to a target electronic device using a communication application of the portable electronic device.

10. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the step (a) comprises:

determining that the portable electronic device is falling when a difference between the acceleration of the portable electronic device and an acceleration of gravity is in a predetermined range.

11. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the step (b) comprises:

determining that the portable electronic device is static when the angular velocity of the portable electronic device equals zero.

12. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the communication application is a short message service application or an e-mail application.