Multi-sensor data collection and/or processing

• US 9,220,410 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sheynblat, Leonid, Wolf, Thomas G., Hodisan, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): TISSOT, ADAM D
• Application Number:
  US14/139,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20140116133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 701/490, 701/491, 701/525, 701/526, 701/541, 701/518, 701/530, 73/17.5, 73/17.6, 73/17.7, 333/35.R, 333/56, 713/323, 713/320, 713/324
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/02 Rotary gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/188 for accumulated errors, e.g. by coupling inertial systems with absolute positioning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/70 Regulating power factor; Regulating reactive current or power
• 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 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to the control and utilization of multiple sensors within a device. For an example, motion of a device may be detected in response to receipt of a signal from a first sensor disposed in the device, and a power state of a second sensor also disposed in the device may be changed in response to detected motion.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting, by a mobile device, motion of the mobile device in response to receipt of a signal from an accelerometer disposed in said mobile device;

changing, by the mobile device, a power state of a gyroscope, also disposed in said mobile device, from a first mode to a second mode to perform a measurement activity in response to said detecting said motion of the mobile device, the first mode being different from the second mode; and

changing, by the mobile device, the power state of the gyroscope back to the first mode upon completion of the measurement activity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said changing the power state of the gyroscope comprises changing the power state of the gyroscope from a sleep mode to a normal operational mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said changing said power state of the gyroscope comprises powering down the gyroscope.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

changing a power state of the accelerometer in response to receipt of the signal from the accelerometer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said changing the power state of the accelerometer comprises changing the power state of the accelerometer from a low-power mode to a normal operational mode, the low-power mode drawing more power than in a sleep mode to enable limited functionality of the accelerometer.

6. A mobile station, comprising:

an accelerometer disposed in the mobile station;

a gyroscope disposed in the mobile station; and

a processor adapted to;

detect motion of said mobile station in response to receipt of a signal from the accelerometer;

change a power state of the gyroscope from a first mode to a second mode to perform a measurement activity in response to said detected motion, the first mode being different from the second mode; and

change the power state of the gyroscope back to the first mode upon completion of the measurement activity.

7. The mobile station of claim 6, wherein said processor adapted to change the power state of the gyroscope is adapted to:

change the power state of the gyroscope from a sleep mode to a normal operational mode.

8. The mobile station of claim 6, wherein said processor adapted to change said power state of the gyroscope is adapted to:

power down the gyroscope.

9. The mobile station of claim 6, wherein said processor is further adapted to:

change a power state of the accelerometer in response to receipt of the signal from the accelerometer.

10. The mobile station of claim 9, wherein said processor adapted to change the power state of the accelerometer is adapted to:

change the power state of the accelerometer from a low-power mode to a normal operational mode, the low-power mode drawing more power than in a sleep mode to enable limited functionality of the accelerometer.

11. A multi-sensor measurement processing unit, comprising:

means for detecting motion of a device in response to receipt of a signal from an accelerometer disposed in said device;

means for changing a power state of a gyroscope, also disposed in said device, from a first mode to a second mode to perform a measurement activity in response to said detecting said motion, the first mode being different from the second mode; and

means for changing the power state of the gyroscope back to the first mode upon completion of the measurement activity.

12. The multi-sensor measurement processing unit of claim 11, wherein said means for changing the power state of the gyroscope comprises:

means for changing the power state of the gyroscope from a sleep mode to a normal operational mode.

13. The multi-sensor measurement processing unit of claim 11, wherein said means for changing said power state of the gyroscope comprises:

means for powering down the gyroscope.

14. The multi-sensor measurement processing unit of claim 11, further comprising:

means for changing a power state of the accelerometer in response to receipt of the signal from the accelerometer.

15. The multi-sensor measurement processing unit of claim 14, wherein said means for changing the power state of the accelerometer comprises:

means for changing the power state of the accelerometer from a low-power mode to a normal operational mode, the low-power mode drawing more power than in a sleep mode to enable limited functionality of the accelerometer.

16. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer instructions that, when executed on one more processors, cause operations comprising:

detecting motion of a device in response to receipt of a signal from an accelerometer disposed in said device; and

changing a power state of a gyroscope, also disposed in said device, from a first mode to a second mode to perform a measurement activity in response to said detecting said motion, the first mode being different from the second mode; and

changing the power state of the gyroscope back to the first mode upon completion of the measurement activity.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein changing the power state of the gyroscope comprises:

changing the power state of the gyroscope from a sleep mode to a normal operational mode.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein changing the power state of the gyroscope comprises:

powering down the gyroscope.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, further comprising further instructions to cause further operations comprising:

changing a power state of the accelerometer in response to receipt of the signal from the accelerometer.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein changing the power state of the accelerometer comprises:

changing the power state of the accelerometer from a low-power mode to a normal operational mode, the low-power mode drawing more power than in a sleep mode to enable limited functionality of the accelerometer.