System and method for adapting an attribute magnification for a mobile communication device

• US 9,131,060 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2010
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Alameh, Rachid M., Ady, Roger W., Alberth, William P., Paitl, Kenneth A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, BRANDON J
• Application Number:
  US12/969,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20120157114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,727 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/569.1, 455418-420, 455/550.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/605 involving control of the receiver volume to provide a dual operational mode at close or far distance from the user
• 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

Abstract

Techniques and technologies are presented for adapting an attribute magnification for a mobile communication device. An output device for the attribute is connected to the mobile communication device. A sensor tracks distance of a user'"'"'s head in relation to the mobile communication device; while a controller initiates a setting phase for magnification change and subsequently a tracking phase, opposite from the setting phase, for dynamically adjusting the attribute from the mobile communication device.

Claims

1. A system configured to adapt a magnification of an attribute for a mobile communication device, comprising:

an output device, the output device being connected to the mobile communication device;

a first sensor configured to track a distance of at least a part of a head of a user relative to the mobile communication device; and

a controller configured to;

initiate a setting phase for magnification change, the setting phase configuring a magnitude of the attribute based on an initial configuration provided by the user, and the setting phase being different than a tracking phase, and

after initiating the setting phase, initiate a tracking phase for dynamically adjusting the magnitude of the attribute relative to the initial configuration provided by the user in the setting phase while a change in a distance is detected by the mobile communication device between the head of the user and the mobile communication device,

wherein a change in dynamically adjusting the attribute during the tracking phase is opposite to a change in dynamically adjusting the attribute during the setting phase.

2. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the attribute includes at least an audio portion and wherein the output device is a speaker at least partially controlled by the mobile communication device.

3. The system claimed in claim 2, further comprising one or more sensors that determine:

a context of the mobile communication device, the context comprising external environment, movement, orientation, GPS location, altitude, operational mode, and user-to-device relative position that is based at least in part on distance and angle;

wherein the controller affects audio volume level, audio equalization, audio filtering, and audio directional steering, and

wherein the audio portion is determined based at least in part on the context of the mobile communication device.

4. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the attribute includes at least a visual portion and wherein the output device is a display at least partially controlled by the mobile communication device.

5. The system claimed in claim 4, wherein the attribute is a character size presented on the display.

6. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a proximity detector capable of detecting at least one dimension in physical space.

7. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the first sensor is at least an imager.

8. The system claimed in claim 7, wherein the first sensor is a combination of the imager and at least one range estimator capable of detecting at least one dimension in physical space, wherein the range estimator uses at least one of infrared or ultrasound.

9. The system claimed in claim 7, wherein the imager detects the presence of a hearing aid and a user'"'"'s focused eye gaze or looking direction relative to the mobile communication device.

10. The system claimed in claim 9, wherein upon the imager'"'"'s detection of an averted eye gaze, the controller mutes a microphone of the mobile communication device.

11. The system claimed in claim 9, wherein upon the imager'"'"'s detection of presence of the hearing aid, the controller adaptively changes an acoustic content according to a stored audio profile within the mobile communication device, wherein the audio profile includes volume level, audio spectrum, audio filtering, and audio directional steering.

12. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller receives an input to initialize the setting phase.

13. The system claimed in claim 12, wherein the setting phase includes sensing a relative location of the user'"'"'s head with respect to the mobile communication device.

14. The system claimed in claim 13, wherein the relative location of the user'"'"'s head relative to the mobile communication device encompasses distance and an angular position relative to a normal position, the normal position being relative to the mobile communication device.

15. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller receives an input that finalizes the setting phase and initiates the tracking phase.

16. The system claimed in claim 15, wherein the input for initializing the tracking phase includes, from the mobile communication device, at least one of an accelerometer signal, a manual selection, a handsfree gesture, a device gesture, or a voice command.

17. The system claimed in claim 16, wherein the accelerometer signal of the mobile device is coupled with a predetermined time period for switching from the setting phase to the tracking phase.

18. The system claimed in claim 1, further comprising the controller affecting content presentation on the display based on one or more sensors that determine:

a context of the mobile communication device;

a device operational mode, the context comprising orientation of the mobile communication device;

an operation of the mobile communication device;

a movement of the mobile communication device;

an environmental condition in which the mobile communication device is operating;

a device use prior history; and

a relative location of at least one of the user, the head of the user, or the eyes of the user, relative to the mobile communication device.

19. The system claimed in claim 18, wherein text formats are dynamically changed depending on an output of the first sensor of the mobile communication device, the text formats selected from a group consisting of:

3D depth-effects, embossing, bolding, shadowing, underlining, italicizing, capitalization, text color, text color relative to display backlight color, text color relative to external background, display backlight color relative to external background, text spacing, font type, and text sizing.

20. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the attribute includes at least an audio portion and wherein input device is a microphone at least partially controlled by the mobile communication device.