Determination of device body location

• US 9,432,954 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2013
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pham, Hung A., Howell, Adam S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Magloire, Vladimir
• Assistant Examiner(s): Syed, Majid
• Application Number:
  US13/913,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20140364102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/73, 455/115.1, 455/566
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/285 taking into account the mobility of the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range

Abstract

In some implementations, a mobile device can analyze motion sensor data during a voice call to determine whether the mobile device is on a stationary object or worn on a user'"'"'s body (e.g., in the lap or pocket of a user of the mobile device). The mobile device can adjust the transmit power level of the telephony transceiver during the voice call based on the determination.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

connecting, by a mobile device, a voice call for a user of the mobile device, wherein connecting the voice call causes one or more radio frequency transmitters of the mobile device to transmit radio waves at a first power level;

collecting motion signal samples from a motion sensor of the mobile device, each motion signal sample indicating a respective magnitude of motion of the mobile device;

calculating a statistical variance of the motion signal samples;

determining a length of time that has passed since the voice call was connected;

distinguishing between the mobile device being on the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device being on an inanimate object based on the calculated statistical variance of the motion signal samples and the length of time that has passed since the voice call was connected; and

adjusting the transmit power level from the first power level to a second power level based on distinguishing between the mobile device being on the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device being on an inanimate object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the mobile device is on the user'"'"'s body; and

adjusting the transmit power level to a low power level when the mobile device is on the user'"'"'s body.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the mobile device is on an inanimate object; and

adjusting the transmit power level to a high power level when the mobile device is on an inanimate object.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein distinguishing between the mobile device being on the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device being on an inanimate object comprises:

determining that the statistical variance of motion signals does not exceed a threshold variance value;

determining that the length of time that has passed since the voice call was connected exceeds a threshold time value; and

upon determining that the statistical variance of motion signals does not exceed a threshold variance value and determining that the length of time that has passed since the voice call was connected exceeds a threshold time value, determining that the mobile device is on the inanimate object.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein distinguishing between the mobile device being on the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device being on an inanimate object comprises:

determining that the statistical variance of motion signals does not exceed a threshold variance value;

determining that the length of time that has passed since the voice call was connected does not exceed a threshold time value; and

upon determining that the statistical variance of motion signals does not exceed a threshold variance value and determining that the length of time that has passed since the voice call was connected does not exceed a threshold time value, collecting additional motion signal samples from the motion sensor of the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining additional motion data describing additional movement of the mobile device; and

determining whether the mobile device is in a transition state between the user'"'"'s body and the inanimate object based on the additional motion data.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processes, causes:

connecting, by a mobile device, a voice call for a user of the mobile device, wherein connecting the voice call causes one or more radio frequency transmitters of the mobile device to transmit radio waves at a first power level;

collecting motion signal samples from a motion sensor of the mobile device, each motion signal sample indicating a respective magnitude of motion of the mobile device;

calculating a statistical variance of the motion signal samples;

determining a length of time that has passed since the voice call was connected;

distinguishing between the mobile device being on the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device being on an inanimate object based on the calculated statistical variance of the motion signal samples and the length of time that has passed since the voice call was connected;

adjusting the transmit power level from the first power level to a second power level based on distinguishing between the mobile device being on the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device being on an inanimate object.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein the instructions cause:

determining that the mobile device is on the user'"'"'s body; and

adjusting the transmit power level to a low power level when the mobile device is on the user'"'"'s body.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein the instructions cause:

determining that the mobile device is on an inanimate object; and

adjusting the transmit power level to a high power level when the mobile device is on an inanimate object.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein distinguishing between the mobile device being on the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device being on an inanimate object comprises:

determining that the statistical variance of motion signals does not exceed a threshold variance value;

determining that the length of time that has passed since the voice call was connected exceeds a threshold time value; and

upon determining that the statistical variance of motion signals does not exceed a threshold variance value and determining that the length of time that has passed since the voice call was connected exceeds a threshold time value, determining that the mobile device is on the inanimate object.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein distinguishing between the mobile device being on the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device being on an inanimate object comprises:

determining that the statistical variance of motion signals does not exceed a threshold variance value;

determining that the length of time that has passed since the voice call was connected does not exceed a threshold time value; and

upon determining that the statistical variance of motion signals does not exceed a threshold variance value and determining that the length of time that has passed since the voice call was connected does not exceed a threshold time value, collecting additional motion signal samples from the motion sensor of the mobile device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein the instructions cause:

obtaining additional motion data describing additional movement of the mobile device; and

determining whether the mobile device is in a transition state between the user'"'"'s body and the inanimate object based on the additional motion data.

7. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processes, causes;

connecting, by a mobile device, a voice call for a user of the mobile device, wherein connecting the voice call causes one or more radio frequency transmitters of the mobile device to transmit radio waves at a first power level;

collecting motion signal samples from a motion sensor of the mobile device, each motion signal sample indicating a respective magnitude of motion of the mobile device;

calculating a statistical variance of the motion signal samples;

determining a length of time that has passed since the voice call was connected;

distinguishing between the mobile device being on the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device being on an inanimate object based on the calculated statistical variance of the motion signal samples and the length of time that has passed since the voice call was connected; and

adjusting the transmit power level from the first power level to a second power level based on distinguishing between the mobile device being on the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device being on an inanimate object.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the instructions cause:

determining that the mobile device is on the user'"'"'s body; and

adjusting the transmit power level to a low power level when the mobile device is on the user'"'"'s body.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the instructions cause:

determining that the mobile device is on an inanimate object; and

adjusting the transmit power level to a high power level when the mobile device is on an inanimate object.

16. The system of claim 7, wherein distinguishing between the mobile device being on the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device being on an inanimate object comprises:

determining that the statistical variance of motion signals does not exceed a threshold variance value;

determining that the length of time that has passed since the voice call was connected exceeds a threshold time value; and

upon determining that the statistical variance of motion signals does not exceed a threshold variance value and determining that the length of time that has passed since the voice call was connected exceeds a threshold time value, determining that the mobile device is on the inanimate object.

17. The system of claim 7, wherein distinguishing between the mobile device being on the user'"'"'s body and the mobile device being on an inanimate object comprises:

determining that the statistical variance of motion signals does not exceed a threshold variance value;

determining that the length of time that has passed since the voice call was connected does not exceed a threshold time value; and

upon determining that the statistical variance of motion signals does not exceed a threshold variance value and determining that the length of time that has passed since the voice call was connected does not exceed a threshold time value, collecting additional motion signal samples from the motion sensor of the mobile device.

18. The system of claim 7, wherein the instructions cause:

obtaining additional motion data describing additional movement of the mobile device; and

determining whether the mobile device is in a transition state between the user'"'"'s body and the inanimate object based on the additional motion data.