CHANGING POWER MODE BASED ON SENSORS IN A DEVICE

• US 20110264928A1
• Filed: 07/01/2011
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hinckley, Kenneth P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,134,760 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• 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 1/3203 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: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An orientation of a device is detected based on a signal from at least one orientation sensor in the device. In response to the detected orientation, the device is placed in a full power mode.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting an orientation of a device based on a signal from at least one sensor in the device; and

in response to the detected orientation, placing the device in a full power mode.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting an orientation comprises detecting an orientation in which it is likely a user is looking at the device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein placing the device in full power mode is performed in response to the detected orientation and at least one other sensor signal.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the at least one other sensor signal comprises a touch sensor signal.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising determining that a user is holding the device and placing the device in full power mode in response to the detected orientation and the determination that the user is holding the device.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein detecting an orientation in which it is likely the user is looking at the device comprises determining that a left/right tilt angle is between plus or minus fifteen degrees and a forward/back tilt angle is greater than minus five degrees.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein detecting an orientation in which it is likely the user is looking at the device further comprises detecting that the device is in an upright portrait orientation.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining if the device is maintained in the orientation for more than a required time threshold before placing the device in full power mode.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising preventing the device from entering an idle mode if a user is gesturing toward the device.

10. A device comprising:

at least one sensor generating a sensor value;

a context information server, receiving the at least one sensor value and determining an orientation of the device in response to the at least one sensor value; and

a processor placing the device in full power mode in response to at least the orientation of the device.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the context information server further determines that a user is holding the device in response to the at least one sensor value.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the processor places the device in full power mode in response to an orientation that indicates it is likely that a user is looking at the device.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the processor places the device in full power mode in response to a left/right tilt angle of the device that is between plus or minus 15 degrees, a forward/back tilt angle of greater than −

5 degrees, and an upright portrait orientation.

14. The device of claim 12 wherein the processor places the device in full power mode in response to an orientation being maintained for more than a require time interval.

15. The device of claim 10 further comprising after the device is placed in full power mode, the processor preventing the device from entering an idle mode if a user is handling the device or gesturing toward the device.

16. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, the instructions causing a processor to perform steps comprising:

receiving an indication of how a device is being handled; and

in response to how the device is being handled, placing the device in a full power mode.

17. The computer storage medium of claim 16 wherein receiving an indication of how a device is being handled comprises receiving an indication of the orientation of the device.

18. The computer storage medium of claim 17 wherein receiving an indication of how a device is being handled further comprises receiving an indication that a user is touching the device.

19. The computer storage medium of claim 17 wherein receiving an indication of how a device is being handled further comprises receiving an indication that the orientation of the device has been maintained for longer than a required time interval.

20. The computer storage medium of claim 16 further comprising after placing the device in full power mode, preventing the device from entering an idle mode in response to a user gesturing toward the device.