Use of proximity sensors for interacting with mobile devices

• US 9,473,611 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2014
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Forutanpour, Babak, Sheynblat, Leonid, Bednar, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhattacharya, Sam
• Application Number:
  US14/461,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20140357251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/550.1, 455/566, 455/575.1, 455/575.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6008 in the transmitter circuit
• 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 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72472 wherein the items are sorted according to specific criteria, e.g. frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

Various arrangements for handling a call by a mobile device and/or selecting a function for execution by the mobile device are presented. A phone call may be commenced by a mobile device. During the phone call, the mobile device may collect proximity data that indicates the mobile device is not proximate to an ear of a user. The microphone of the mobile device may be muted in response to the proximity data that indicates the mobile device is not proximate to the ear of the user.

Claims

1. A method for activating a speakerphone function of a mobile device during a call, the method comprising:

participating in a voice connection over a telecommunications network;

receiving proximity data from a proximity sensor while the voice connection is active, the proximity data indicating a proximity of a user of the mobile device to the mobile device;

determining whether the proximity data indicates that the mobile device is not proximate to the user; and

activating the speakerphone function of the mobile device based on a determination that the proximity data indicates that the mobile device is not proximate to the user, the speakerphone function operable for the user to communicate via the voice connection over the telecommunications network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving acceleration data from an accelerometer while the voice connection is active, the acceleration data indicating a vector towards the earth; and

determining that the mobile device is facing away from the earth based on the acceleration data, wherein the speakerphone function is activated further based on a determination that the mobile device is facing away from the earth.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining whether the mobile device is not in motion based on the acceleration data, wherein activating the speakerphone function is further based on a determination that the mobile device is not in motion.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a subset of functions from a set of functions of the mobile device based on the proximity data, the subset of functions including the speakerphone function; and

performing a function from the subset of functions other than the speakerphone function based on the determination that the proximity data indicates that the mobile device is not proximate to the user.

5. A mobile device for activating a speakerphone during a call, the mobile device comprising:

a first proximity sensor;

one or more speakers configured to output sound at a first volume and a second volume, the second volume being greater than the first volume;

a microphone; and

a processor configured to;

participate in a voice connection over a telecommunications network,

receive first proximity data from the first proximity sensor while the voice connection is active, the proximity data indicating a proximity of a user of the mobile device to the mobile device,

determine whether the proximity data indicates that the mobile device is not proximate to the user, and

induce the one or more speakers to output sound at the second volume based on a determination that the proximity data indicates that the mobile device is not proximate to the user, the inducement of the one or more speakers to output sound at the second volume operable for the user to communicate via the voice connection over the telecommunications network.

6. The mobile device of claim 5, further comprising:

a second proximity sensor coupled to the processor; and

wherein the processor is further configured to;

receive additional proximity data from the second proximity sensor,

determine whether the additional proximity data indicates that the mobile device is not proximate to the user, and

induce the one or more speakers to output sound at the second volume based on a further determination that the additional proximity data indicates that the mobile device is not proximate to the user.

7. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the proximity data from the first proximity sensor indicates a proximity to an ear of the user and the additional proximity data indicates a proximity to an appendage of a user.

8. The mobile device of claim 5, further comprising:

a touchscreen display coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is further configured to display a speakerphone function indicator on the touchscreen display based on the determination that the proximity data indicates that the mobile device is not proximate to the user.

9. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the proximity data is used to determine a magnitude indicating how close the user is to the mobile device, and wherein the processor determines that the proximity data indicates that the mobile device is not proximate to the user by comparing the magnitude to a threshold value.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, having instructions stored therein that, when executed by a processor of a mobile device, cause the processor to:

participate in a voice connection over a telecommunications network;

receive proximity data from a proximity sensor while the voice connection is active, the proximity data indicating a proximity of a user of the mobile device to the mobile device;

determine whether the proximity data indicates that the mobile device is not proximate to the user; and

activate a speakerphone function of a mobile device based on determining that the proximity data indicates that the mobile device is not proximate to the user, the speakerphone function operable for the user to communicate via the voice connection over the telecommunications network.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, having further instructions stored therein, that, when executed by the processor of the mobile device, cause the processor to:

receive acceleration data from an accelerometer while the voice connection is active, the acceleration data indicating a vector towards the earth; and

determine that the mobile device is facing away from the earth based on the acceleration data,

wherein the speakerphone function is activated further based on a determination that the mobile device is facing away from the earth.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, having further instructions stored therein, that, when executed by the processor of the mobile device, cause the processor to:

determine whether the mobile device is not in motion based on the acceleration data, wherein the speakerphone function is activated further based on a determination that the mobile device is not in motion.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, having further instructions stored therein, that, when executed by the processor of the mobile device, cause the processor to:

select a subset of functions from a set of functions of the mobile device based on the proximity data, the subset of functions including the speakerphone function; and

perform a function from the subset of functions other than the speakerphone function device based on the determination that the proximity data indicates that the mobile device is not proximate to the user.

14. A system for activating a speakerphone function of a mobile device during a call, the system comprising:

means for participating in a voice connection over a telecommunications network;

means for receiving proximity data from a first proximity sensor while the voice connection is active, the proximity data indicating a proximity of a user of the mobile device to the mobile device;

means for determining whether the proximity data indicates that the mobile device is not proximate to the user; and

means for activating the speakerphone function of the mobile device based on a determination that the proximity data indicates that the mobile device is not proximate to the user, the speakerphone function operable for the user to communicate via the voice connection over the telecommunications network.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

means for receiving additional proximity data from a second proximity sensor; and

means for determining whether the additional proximity data indicates that the mobile device is not proximate to the user,

wherein the speakerphone function is activated further based on a determination that the additional proximity data indicates that the mobile device is not proximate to the user.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the proximity data from the first proximity sensor indicates a proximity to an ear of the user and the additional proximity data indicates a proximity to an appendage of a user.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

means for displaying a speakerphone function indicator on a display of the mobile device based on the determination that the proximity data indicates that the mobile device is not proximate to the user.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the proximity data is used to determine a magnitude indicating how close the user is to the user, and wherein determining that the proximity data indicates that the mobile device is not proximate to the user includes comparing the magnitude to a threshold value.