Method and apparatus for controlling the operational mode of electronic devices in response to sensed conditions
First Claim
1. An electronic device configured to switch between a plurality of operational modes, the device comprising:
- one or more sensors configured to generate data indicative of a physical characteristic associated with the electronic device, wherein said physical characteristic comprises proximity of a user'"'"'s eyes to the electronic device and a change in position or attitude;
a display; and
a processor configured to operate the electronic device in a plurality of operational modes, wherein the processor is further configured to;
receive the data indicative of the physical characteristic associated with the electronic device;
detect the proximity of the user'"'"'s eyes to the electronic device based on the received data; and
determine that the proximity of the user'"'"'s eyes to the electronic device is associated with a specified range of characteristics indicative of a change to a different one of the plurality of operational modes;
activate the different one of the plurality of operational modes based on the proximity of the user'"'"'s eyes to the electronic device, wherein different one of the plurality of operational modes comprises an operational mode related to the display of the device;
determine whether the position or attitude of the electronic device has changed;
determine whether a time limit has elapsed; and
activate the different one of the plurality of operational modes based on whether the position or attitude of the electronic device has changed and whether the time limit has elapsed, wherein the different one of the plurality of operational modes comprises the operational mode related to the display of the electronic device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system is disclosed that senses physical characteristics of an electronic device. The system controls the electronic device in response to the sensed physical characteristics. The system includes a control subsystem. The control subsystem includes a time trigger and an anticipation/latency reduction subsystem. The anticipation/latency reduction subsystem includes additional subsystems such as a time trigger, a position trigger and an attitude trigger. In an alternate embodiment, the anticipation/latency reduction subsystem also includes an activation interval trigger, a repetitive action trigger and a repetitive distance trigger. The various triggers can be implemented using processors that execute software. The system also includes sensing devices, such as a position sensing device and an attitude sensing device, to sense physical characteristics of the particular electronic device being controlled. The control subsystem receives signals from the sensing devices. Physical characteristic information obtained from these signals is provided to the various triggers. In response to this physical characteristic information, the various triggers process the physical characteristic information such that the system controls the electronic device.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An electronic device configured to switch between a plurality of operational modes, the device comprising:
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one or more sensors configured to generate data indicative of a physical characteristic associated with the electronic device, wherein said physical characteristic comprises proximity of a user'"'"'s eyes to the electronic device and a change in position or attitude; a display; and a processor configured to operate the electronic device in a plurality of operational modes, wherein the processor is further configured to; receive the data indicative of the physical characteristic associated with the electronic device; detect the proximity of the user'"'"'s eyes to the electronic device based on the received data; and determine that the proximity of the user'"'"'s eyes to the electronic device is associated with a specified range of characteristics indicative of a change to a different one of the plurality of operational modes; activate the different one of the plurality of operational modes based on the proximity of the user'"'"'s eyes to the electronic device, wherein different one of the plurality of operational modes comprises an operational mode related to the display of the device; determine whether the position or attitude of the electronic device has changed; determine whether a time limit has elapsed; and activate the different one of the plurality of operational modes based on whether the position or attitude of the electronic device has changed and whether the time limit has elapsed, wherein the different one of the plurality of operational modes comprises the operational mode related to the display of the electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for switching an electronic device between a plurality of operational modes, the method comprising:
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generating data indicative of a physical characteristic associated with the electronic device, wherein said physical characteristic comprises proximity of a user'"'"'s eyes to the electronic device and a change in position or attitude; detecting the proximity of the user'"'"'s eyes to the electronic device based on the generated data; determining that the proximity of the user'"'"'s eyes to the electronic device is associated with a specified range of characteristics indicative of a change from a first operational mode of the plurality of operational modes to a second operational mode of the plurality of operational modes, the second operational mode being different than the first operational mode; activating the second operational mode based on the proximity of the user'"'"'s eyes to the electronic device, wherein the second operational mode comprises an operational mode related to a display of the electronic device; determining whether the position or attitude of the electronic device has changed; determining whether a time limit has elapsed; and activating the second operational mode based on whether the position or attitude of the electronic device has changed and whether the time limit has elapsed, wherein the second operational modes comprises the operational mode related to the display of the electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An electronic device configured to switch between a plurality of operational modes, the device comprising:
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means for generating data indicative of a physical characteristic associated with the electronic device, wherein said physical characteristic comprises proximity of a user'"'"'s eyes to the electronic device and a change in position or attitude; means for displaying a graphical object; and means for operating the electronic device in a plurality of operational modes, the operating means comprising; means for detecting the proximity of the user'"'"'s eyes to the electronic device; means for determining that the proximity of the user'"'"'s eyes to the electronic device is associated with a specified range of characteristics indicative of a change to a different one of the plurality of operational modes; means for activating the different one of the plurality of operational modes, wherein the activated one of the operational modes of the device comprises an operational mode related to the displaying means; means for determining whether the position or attitude of the electronic device has changed; means for determining whether a time limit has elapsed; and means for activating the second operational mode based on whether the position or attitude of the electronic device has changed and whether the time limit has elapsed, wherein the second operational modes comprises the operational mode related to the display of the electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification