Method and Apparatus for Position-Context Based Actions

• US 20090099812A1
• Filed: 10/11/2007
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DP Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fullpower Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Kinsolving, Arthur, Kahn, Philippe
• Application Number:
  US11/871,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20090099812A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/152
• 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 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• 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: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and apparatus for utilizing acceleration data to identify an orientation of a mobile device. The orientation of the mobile device used to perform position-context dependent actions.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a position context of the mobile device based on acceleration data; and

performing an action associated with the position context of the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the acceleration comprises a change in the position context of the mobile device, and the action is associated with the change of the position context from a first position to a second position.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the acceleration comprises a motion command, and the action is associated with the motion command.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the action associated with the motion command is independent of the position context.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone, and wherein the position context comprises one of:

face down on a surface, face up on a surface, by an ear of a user, elsewhere.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

when the position context is face down, the mobile phone is set to speaker phone and mute;

when the position context is face up, the mobile phone is set to speaker phone.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the position context of the mobile device indicates that the mobile device is face down on a surface, setting a power-saving mode to the mobile device, by turning off unused hardware and software elements of the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing non-visual feedback to the user regarding the motion command.

9. A mobile device including an acceleration sensor, the mobile device comprising:

a position logic to track a position context of a mobile device;

a motion identification logic to identify a motion of the mobile device; and

an execution logic to perform an action associated with the identified motion and the position context.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the acceleration comprises a change in the position context of the mobile device, and the action is associated with the change of the position context from a first position to a second position.

11. The device of claim 9, further comprising:

a command logic to identify a command associated with the acceleration, wherein the action is associated with the motion command.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the action associated with the motion command is independent of the position context.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone, and wherein the position context comprises one of:

face down on a surface, face up on a surface, by an ear of a user, elsewhere.

15. The device of claim 9, further comprising:

when the position context of the mobile device indicates that the mobile device is face down on a surface, the execution module placing the device in a power saving mode, by turning off unused hardware and software elements.

16. The device of claim 9, further comprising:

a feedback logic to provide non-visual feedback to the user regarding the motion command.

17. The device of claim 9, further comprising:

a delay logic to enable a delayed execution of an action.

14. The method of claim 14, wherein:

when the position context is face down, the mobile phone is set to speaker phone and mute;

when the position context is face up, the mobile phone is set to speaker phone.

18. A method comprising:

identifying a change in a position context;

determining whether there is an action associated with the change in the position context; and

executing the action, when there is an action associated with the change in the position context.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining a current active application;

determining an application-dependent action associated with the change in the position context; and

the executing the action comprising executing the application-dependent action.

20. A method comprising:

identifying a motion command;

determining a current position context;

determining an action associated with the motion command; and

executing the action.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein determining an action comprises:

determining an action based on one or more of;

the current position context, a current active application, and the motion command.

22. A method comprising:

receiving acceleration data in a mobile device;

determining an action associated with the acceleration data;

providing feedback to the user, based on the determined action; and

executing the action.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the acceleration data comprises one or more of:

a motion command, and a position context.