Transitioning between two power states based on user related signals

• US 9,529,420 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2014
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Flack, Robert, Kuscher, Alexander Friedrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Choudhury, Zahid
• Application Number:
  US14/568,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20160170477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/81 by operating on the power supply, e.g. enabling or disabling power-on, sleep or resume operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss

Abstract

Systems, methods, and machine-readable media transitioning between two power states based on user-related signals are provided. A computing device in a first power state may monitor multiple sensors and receive first sensor signals from a first group of the sensors. One or more radio frequency (RF) signals may be received from one or more nearby communication devices. The first sensor signals may be used to determine that the computing device has been picked up and, in response, an application processor maybe activated. The application processor may select a second power state based on the first power state and the first sensor signals. The second power state includes a power on state when the first power state is a suspended power state and the first sensor signals indicate that the computing device has been picked up while being touched on a screen. The computing device is transitioned to the second power state.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

monitoring, by a computing device in a first power state, a plurality of sensors;

receiving, based on the monitoring, first sensor signals from a first group of the plurality of sensors;

receiving one or more signals from a nearby communication device associated with an authorized user of the computing device;

in response to receiving the first sensor signals, determining, based on the first sensor signals that the computing device has been picked up;

in response to the determination, activating an application processor of the computing device;

selecting, by the application processor, a second power state based on the first power state and the first sensor signals, wherein the second power state comprises a power on state when the first power state is a suspended power state and the first sensor signals indicate that the computing device has been picked up while being touched on a screen of the computing device, and wherein the second power state comprises an active state when the first power state is a hibernation power state;

transitioning the computing device to the second power state;

receiving, based on the monitoring, second sensor signals from a second group of the plurality of sensors; and

in response to receiving the second sensor signals and the one or more signals, transitioning the computing device from the second power state to a third power state,

wherein the third power state comprises a hibernation power state when the second sensor signals indicate that the computing device has been left in a first state for a first predetermined length of time, and wherein the first state is characterized by detection of signals indicating at least one of a screen of the computing device being left in a predetermined position or not being viewed.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein, in the power on state, the computing device is not ready to be used without user authentication, and wherein in the active state the computing device is ready to be used without user authentication.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second power state comprises the active state when the first power state is a suspended power state, the first sensor signals indicate that the computing device has been picked up while being touched on the screen, wherein the one or more signals comprise one or more radio frequency (RF) signals, and the one or more RF signals indicate that the computing device has been picked up by the authorized user of the computing device.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first group of the plurality of sensors comprises a touch sensor, a gyroscope, and an accelerometer, and wherein the second group of the plurality of sensors comprises a camera, a proximity sensor, the gyroscope, and the accelerometer.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the third power state comprises a suspended power state when the computing device is left in the first state for a second predetermined length of time, is in a second state, or no signals are received from a communication device associated with an authorized user of the computing device, wherein the second state comprises at least one of the computing device being moved at a speed higher than a threshold speed or the screen of the computing device being proximate to a surface, and wherein the second predetermined length of time is greater than the first predetermined length of time.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one signal of the one or more signals is received from a device currently being used by the authorized user, wherein the device currently being used by the authorized user comprises a smart watch worn by the authorized user or one of a smart phone, a tablet, or a laptop computer being in a close proximity of the computing device.

7. A computing device comprising:

a sensor-monitoring hub configured to;

receive first sensor signals from a first group of a plurality of sensors; and

in response to receiving the first sensor signals, process the first sensor signals to generate a first status signal;

an interface configured to receive one or more signals from a nearby communication device associated with an authorized user of the computing device;

a state machine configured to determine a current power state of the computing device;

an application processor configured to select a second power state based on a first power state determined by the state machine and the first status signal, the second power state comprising a power on state when the first power state is a suspended power state and the first status signal indicates that the computing device has been picked up while being touched on a screen of the computing device; and

a power module configured to transition the computing device to the second power state,

wherein the sensor-monitoring hub is configured to receive-second sensor signals from a second group of the plurality of sensors and to process the second sensor signals and communicate a second status signal to the application processor,

wherein the application processor is configured to cause the power module to transition the computing device from the second power state to a third power state, in response to receiving the second status signal and the one or more signals,

wherein the third power state comprises a hibernation power state when the second status signal indicates that the computing device has been left in a first state for a first predetermined length of time, and wherein the first state is characterized by detection of signals indicating at least one of a screen of the computing device being left in a predetermined position or not being viewed.

8. The computing device of claim 7, wherein, in the power on state, the computing device is not ready to be used without user authentication, and wherein in an active state the computing device is ready to be used without user authentication.

9. The computing device of claim 7, wherein:

the one or more signals comprise one or more radio frequency (RF) signals,

the application processor is configured to process the one or more RF signals,

the second power state comprises an active state when;

the first power state is a hibernation power state and the first status signal indicates that the computing device has been picked up by an authorized user of the computing device, or

the first power state is a suspended power state, the first status signal indicates that the computing device has been picked up while being touched on the screen, and the one or more RF signals indicate that the computing device has been picked up by the authorized user of the computing device.

10. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the first group of the plurality of sensors comprises a touch sensor, a gyroscope, and an accelerometer, and wherein the second group of the plurality of sensors comprises a camera, a proximity sensor, the gyroscope, and the accelerometer.

11. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the third power state comprises a suspended power state when the second status signal indicates that the computing device is left in the first state for a second predetermined length of time, is in a second state, or the application processor determines that no signals are received from a communication device associated with an authorized user of the computing device, wherein the computing device is in the second state when the second status signal indicates at least one of the computing device being moved at a speed higher than a threshold speed or the screen of the computing device being proximate to a surface, and wherein the second predetermined length of time is greater than the first predetermined length of time.

12. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the application processor is configured to process the one or more signals and determine that the computing device has been picked up by the authorized user of the computing device based at least on one signal received from a device currently being used by the authorized user, wherein the device currently being used by the authorized user comprises a smart watch worn by the authorized user or one of a smart phone, a tablet, or a laptop computer being in a close proximity of the computing device.

13. A system comprising:

a plurality of communication devices; and

a computing device communicating through a local network with the plurality of communication devices, the computing device comprising;

a sensor-monitoring hub coupled to a plurality of sensors and configured to receive a first sensor signal from a first group of the plurality of sensors and to generate a first status signal based on processing the first sensor signals;

a network interface configured to receive one or more signals from one of the plurality of communication devices associated with an authorized user of the computing device;

an application processor configured to;

receive the first status signal and the one or more signals;

process the one or more signals;

receive a power state of the computing device from a state machine; and

select a second power state based on the power state and the first status signal, the second power state comprising an active state when the power state is a hibernation power state; and

a power module configured to transition the computing device to the second power state,

wherein the sensor-monitoring hub is configured to receive second sensor signals from a second group of the plurality of sensors and to process the second sensor signals and communicate a second status signal to the application processor,

wherein the application processor is configured to cause the power module to transition the computing device from the second power state to a third power state, in response to receiving the second status signal and the one or more signals,

wherein the third power state comprises a hibernation power state when the second status signal indicates that the computing device has been left in a first state for a first predetermined length of time, and wherein the first state is characterized by detection of signals indicating at least one of a screen of the computing device being left in a predetermined position or not being viewed.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the second power state comprises a power on state when the power state is a suspended power state and the first status signal indicate that the computing device has been picked up while being touched on a screen of the computing device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the second power state comprises the active state when the power state is a suspended power state, the first status signal indicates that the computing device has been picked up while being touched on a screen of the computing device, and the one or more signals indicate that the computing device has been picked up by the authorized user of the computing device.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more signals comprise one or more radio frequency (RF) signals, and the one or more RF signals indicate that the computing device has been picked up by the authorized user of the computing device.