Electronic device with automatic mode switching

• US 9,645,836 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2016
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rothkopf, Fletcher R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Stephen W
• Application Number:
  US15/213,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20160328248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• Field of Search: 361170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• 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 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3234 Power saving characterised by the action undertaken
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/022 Knowledge engineering; Knowledge acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/006 Switches operated by mechanical overload condition, e.g. transmitted force or torque becoming too high
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/00 Details of switching devices, not covered by groups H01H1/00 - H01H7/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

An automatic hold switch is disclosed. The automatic hold switch provides a means for automatically switching a hold feature on and off. When the hold feature is on, one or more input devices of a portable electronic device are disabled or prevented from providing input signals. When the hold feature is off, one or more input devices of a portable electronic device are enabled or allowed to provide input signals. Because the user no longer has to manually control the hold feature, the number of actions that need to be taken by the user is reduced. In one example, the automatic hold switch is embodied with light sensors that detect when the device is in a dark environment and when the device is in a light environment. A dark environment indicates to the portable electronic device that the user wishes not to input and therefore the hold feature is turned on. A lighted environment indicates to the portable electronic device that the user wishes to input and therefore the hold feature is turned off.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

a first sensor associated with the portable electronic device and configured to measure a first condition including one or more of;

time of day, elapsed time, ambient acoustic level, motion, device orientation, or ambient light level;

a second sensor associated with the portable electronic device and configured to measure a second condition distinct from the first condition, the second condition including one or more of;

time of day, elapsed time, ambient acoustic level, motion, device orientation, or ambient light level; and

a control mechanism configured to;

determine a use case of the electronic device using the first condition and the second condition; and

set a mode in accordance with a predicted use case.

2. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the mode comprises activating or deactivating the portable electronic device.

3. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein in response to the first sensor measuring the ambient acoustic level that exceeds a threshold, the control mechanism activates an audible alert mode.

4. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein in response to the first sensor measuring the time of day within a range, the control mechanism deactivates an audible alert mode.

5. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein in response to the first sensor measuring the ambient light level exceeding a threshold, the control mechanism activates an audible alert mode.

6. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the mode comprises an alert output mode.

7. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control mechanism is configured to adjust a visual setting of the electronic device in accordance with the predicted use case.

8. A portable electronic device comprising:

a sensor configured to measure one or more conditions comprising;

a touch on the device, a pressure applied to the device, a force applied to the device, a motion of the device, a temperature associated with the device, or an orientation of the device; and

a control mechanism configured to;

determine whether the electronic device is being held based on the one or more conditions; and

adjust an alert mode of the electronic device in response to determining whether the electronic device is being held.

9. The portable electronic device according to claim 8, wherein an audible alert is deactivated in response to determining that the electronic device is being held.

10. The portable electronic device according to claim 8, wherein a vibration alert is activated in response to determining that the electronic device is being held.

11. The portable electronic device according to claim 8, wherein an audible alert is activated in response to determining that the electronic device is not being held.

12. The portable electronic device according to claim 8, wherein an audible alert volume is adjusted in response to determining that the electronic device is being held.

13. A portable electronic device comprising:

a sensor configured to measure one or more conditions comprising;

motion of the device, force applied to the device, orientation of the device, or acoustic level associated with the device; and

a control mechanism configured to;

determine an exercise state based on the one or more conditions; and

adjust a mode of the portable electronic device in response to the detected exercise state.

14. The portable electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the control mechanism is configured to adjust a ring volume based on the detected exercise state.

15. The portable electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the control mechanism is configured to adjust a media play volume based on the detected exercise state.

16. The portable electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the control mechanism is configured to play media based on the detected exercise state.

17. The portable electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the control mechanism is configured to pause media based on the detected exercise state.

18. A portable electronic device comprising:

a sensor configured to measure one or more conditions comprising;

time of day, elapsed time, acoustic level associated with the device, motion of the device, orientation of the device, or light level associated with the device;

a control mechanism; and

a memory comprising a logic table associating an output mode with at least one of the one or more conditions;

wherein

the control mechanism is configured to adjust the output mode of the electronic device in response to the one or more conditions and based on the logic table.

19. The portable electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the output mode comprises activating or deactivating the portable electronic device.

20. The portable electronic device according to claim 18, wherein in response to measuring the acoustic level below a threshold, the control mechanism is configured to activate a vibration output mode.

21. The portable electronic device according to claim 19, wherein in response to measuring the time of day within a range the control mechanism is configured to adjust a device volume.

22. The portable electronic device according to claim 19, wherein in response to measuring the elapsed time that exceeds a threshold the control mechanism is configured to decrease a device volume.

23. The portable electronic device according to claim 19, wherein in response to measuring the light level below a threshold the control mechanism is configured to switch between a first music mode and a second music mode.

24. The portable electronic device according to claim 19, wherein in response to measuring the light level below a threshold the control mechanism is configured to switch between a ring mode and a vibrate mode.

25. The portable electronic device according to claim 19, wherein in response to measuring the light level that exceeds a threshold the control mechanism is configured to switch the portable electronic device from a hold mode to an input mode.