Handoff between access points for a mobile electronic device based on mobility state

• US 9,942,716 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2016
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Tanabe, Shigeki, Morita, Hideki, Masuike, Isao
• Primary Examiner(s): Magloire, Vladimir
• Assistant Examiner(s): Braswell, Donald H. B.
• Application Number:
  US15/338,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20170048676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 455418, 455436, 370328, 370329, 370331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mobile phone (mobile electronic device) includes an acceleration sensor that detects an acceleration, a communication module that performs communication, and a controller. When the number of steps based on the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor has reached a first step count during an ON-state of the communication function of the communication module, the mobile phone shifts from a stop state to a walking state. The controller maintains the ON-state of the communication function of the communication module when the mobile phone shifts from the stop state to the walking state. The controller turns OFF the communication function of the communication module when the number of steps based on the acceleration has reached a second step count larger than the first step count.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a sensor configured to detect an acceleration;

at least one communication unit configured to perform a first communication via an access point and a second communication via a base station;

a detecting unit configured to receive an operation to stop the first communication; and

at least one controller configured to;

count a number of steps of a user based on the detected acceleration;

cause the communication unit to perform the first communication when the number of steps is less than a predetermined step count;

cause the communication unit to switch from the first communication to the second communication when the number of steps reaches the predetermined step count;

cause the communication unit to stop the first communication when the operation is received; and

cause the communication unit to start the second communication after stopping said first communication.

2. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit includes one or more antennas.

3. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the communication unit includes a narrow-range wireless communication module configured to perform the first communication,

the mobile electronic device further comprises a wide-range wireless communication module configured to perform the second communication,

a range over which the narrow-range communication module is configured to transmit/receive radio waves is narrower than a range over which the wide-range communication module is configured to transmit/receive radio waves, and

when a communication function of the narrow-range communication module is turned OFF, the at least one controller is configured to switch from communication using the narrow-range communication module to communication using the wide-range communication module.

4. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a storage configured to store a total number of steps, wherein

when the number of steps based on the acceleration detected by the sensor has reached a first step count to cause the mobile electronic device to shift from a stop state to a walking state, the at least one controller is configured to add the number of steps to the total number of steps,

the first step count is less than the predetermined step count, and

the at least one controller is configured to not add the number of steps to the total number of steps when the number of steps based on the acceleration detected by the sensor has not reached the first step count.

5. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to:

not detect shifting from a stop state to a walking state during an OFF-state of the first communication of the communication unit; and

stop the detection of shifting from the stop state to the walking state, after the first communication of the communication unit turns OFF by reaching the number of steps of the predetermined step count.

6. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to determine to shift from a stop state to a walking state based on a comparison of the acceleration detected by the sensor and a walk determination pattern.

7. The mobile electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the at least one controller is configured to determine the user of the mobile electronic device continuously walks based on a determined error between a pattern of the detected acceleration and the walk determination pattern when the determined error is within a predetermined range and the determined error is detected within a predetermined period of time after a first step of the user.

8. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to determine the mobile electronic device is in a stop state based on an absence of a next step of the user within a predetermined period of time after the mobile electronic device is in a walking state.

9. A method, comprising:

counting a number of steps of a user of a mobile device based on a detected acceleration, the detected acceleration being based on data received from a sensor associated with the mobile device;

performing, by a communication unit, a first communication via an access point when the number of steps is less than a predetermined step count;

causing the communication unit to switch from the first communication to a second communication, performed via a base station, when the number of steps reaches the predetermined step count;

stopping the first communication based on an indication that the number of steps has reached the predetermined step count; and

starting the second communication after stopping the first communication.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

storing a total number of steps in a memory; and

adding the number of steps to the total number of steps when the number of steps based on the acceleration detected by the sensor has reached a first step count to cause the mobile electronic device to shift from a stop state to a walking state.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

shifting from a stop state to a walking state based on a comparison of the acceleration detected by the sensor and a walk determination pattern.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

calculating an error between a pattern of the detected acceleration and the walk determination pattern; and

identifying the user of the mobile device is continuously walking when the calculated error is within a predetermined range and the calculated error is detected within a predetermined period of time after a first step of the user.

13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

determining the mobile electronic device is in a stop state based on an absence of a next step of the user within a predetermined period of time after the mobile electronic device is in a walking state.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause an apparatus to:

count a number of steps of a user of a mobile device based on a detected acceleration, the detected acceleration being based on data received from a sensor associated with the mobile device;

perform, by way of a communication unit, a first communication via an access point when the number of steps is less than a predetermined step count;

cause the communication unit to switch from the first communication to a second communication, performed via a base station, when the number of steps reaches the predetermined step count;

stop the first communication based on an indication that the number of steps has reached the predetermined step count; and

start the second communication after stopping the first communication.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

store a total number of steps in a memory; and

add the number of steps to the total number of steps when the number of steps based on the acceleration detected by the sensor has reached a first step count to cause the mobile electronic device to shift from a stop state to a walking state.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

shift from a stop state to a walking state based on a comparison of the acceleration detected by the sensor and a walk determination pattern.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

calculate an error between a pattern of the detected acceleration and the walk determination pattern; and

identify the user of the mobile device is continuously walking when the calculated error is within a predetermined range and the calculated error is detected within a predetermined period of time after a first step of the user.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine the mobile electronic device is in a stop state based on an absence of a next step of the user within a predetermined period of time after the mobile electronic device is in a walking state.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

not detect shifting from a stop state to a walking state during an OFF-state of the first communication of the communication unit; and

stop the detection of shifting from the stop state to the walking state, after the first communication of the communication unit turns OFF by reaching the number of steps of the predetermined step count.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein

the communication unit includes a narrow-range wireless communication module configured to perform the first communication,

the mobile device comprises a wide-range wireless communication module configured to perform the second communication,

a range over which the narrow-range communication module is configured to transmit/receive radio waves is narrower than a range over which the wide-range communication module is configured to transmit/receive radio waves, and

the apparatus is further caused to switch from communication using the narrow-range communication module to communication using the wide-range communication module when a communication function of the narrow-range communication module is turned OFF.