Multi-modal device power/mode management

• US 20070100480A1
• Filed: 10/28/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sinclair, Michael, Zhang, Zhengyou, Williams, David, Liu, Zicheng
• Granted Patent: US 7,319,908 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A system that facilitates managing resources (e.g., functionality, services) based at least in part upon an established context. More particularly, a context determination component can be employed to establish a context by processing sensor inputs or learning/inferring a user action/preference. Once the context is established via context determination component, a power/mode management component can be employed to activate and/or mask resources in accordance with the established context. The power and mode management of the device can extend life of a power source (e.g., battery) and mask functionality in accordance with a user and/or device state.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates power/mode management in a portable multi-modal device, comprising:

a context determination component that establishes a context of the portable multi-modal device; and

a power/mode management component that masks a subset of a plurality of resources available to the portable multi-modal device based at least in part upon the context.

2. The system of claim 1, the context determination component factors a user state into the context of the portable multi-modal device.

3. The system of claim 2, the context is based at least in part on an environmental factor.

4. The system of claim 3, the context determination component employs a sensor that facilitates determination of the context.

5. The system of claim 4, the sensor is at least one of an environmental sensor and a physiological sensor.

6. The system of claim 2, the power/mode management component prompts a sleep mode in accordance with the context.

7. The system of claim 2, the power/mode management component enables an alternate power source based at least in part upon the context.

8. The system of claim 2, the power/mode management component reduces performance of a subset of the plurality of resources based at least in part on the context.

9. The system of claim 2, the power/mode management component comprises:

a receiving component that accepts an input from the plurality of resources; and

an analyzer component that, based upon the context, determines the subset of the plurality of resources to mask in accordance with a user preference.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising an artificial intelligence (Al) component that infers the user preference based on at least one of historical and statistical data.

11. The system of claim 9, an Al component predicts the context.

12. A computer-implemented method for power/mode management in a multi-modal portable communications device, comprising:

determining a context associated to a user; and

masking a subset of a plurality of resources based at least in part upon the context.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising activating a disparate subset of the plurality of resources based at least in part upon the context of the user.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising extending an operating life of a power source based at least upon the context.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, the plurality of resources include an image capture device, a display, an indicator, a volume control, a processor and a memory source.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 further comprising inferring a user preference and masking the subset of the plurality of resources based upon the user preference.

17. A computer executable system that facilitates optimizing performance based upon a user context, comprising:

means for dynamically determining the user context;

means for automatically activating and deactivating a subset of a plurality of resources based at least in part upon the user context.

18. The computer executable system of claim 17, the means for dynamically determining the user context includes means for predicting the user context based upon one of historical and statistical analysis.

19. The computer executable system of claim 18, further comprising means for activating and deactivating a disparate subset of the plurality of resources based at least in part upon an environmental factor.

20. The computer executable system of claim 19, further comprising a plurality of sensors that facilitate dynamically determining the environmental factor.