MOBILE DEVICE THAT ACTIVATES UPON REMOVAL FROM STORAGE

• US 20150156626A1
• Filed: 02/13/2015
• Published: 06/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chan, Alistair K., Duncan, William D., Hyde, Roderick A., Pan, Tony S., Petroski, Robert C., Tuckerman, David B., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,788,195 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A mobile device includes a motion sensor configured to acquire motion data, a light sensor configured to detect an ambient light level and generate light data, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive the motion data from the motion sensor, receive the light data from the light sensor, analyze the motion data to determine displacement data corresponding to a displacement of the mobile device, analyze the light data to detect a light transition, and analyze the displacement data and the light transition to determine whether to initiate an action.

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising:

a motion sensor configured to acquire motion data;

a light sensor configured to detect an ambient light level and generate light data; and

a processing circuit configured to;

determine displacement data corresponding to a vertically upwards displacement of the mobile device based on the motion data;

detect a light transition from dark to light based on the light data; and

determine whether to initiate an action based on the displacement data and the light transition.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the action is based on configuration data.

3. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein the configuration data is adjusted according to a user'"'"'s input.

4. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein the configuration data includes a threshold which must be met in order to initiate the action.

5. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein the threshold includes a minimum or maximum displacement requirement.

6. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein the threshold includes a minimum upwards vertical motion requirement.

7. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein the threshold includes a minimum or maximum level of light requirement.

8. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein the threshold includes a ratio of light levels across a dark to light transition.

9. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein the threshold includes an amount of vertical displacement within a specified time interval.

10. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein the threshold is based on at least one external condition.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the at least one external condition includes at least one of a location, a time, a date, and a weather condition.

12. A mobile device, comprising:

a motion sensor configured to acquire motion data;

a detector configured to provide storage data related to whether the mobile device is in a storage location comprising a first location; and

a processing circuit configured to;

determine a mode of the mobile device based on the storage data;

determine displacement data corresponding to a displacement of the mobile device based on the motion data; and

initiate an action based on the displacement data and the mode of the mobile device.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the motion data is based on the displacement being at least partially vertically upwards.

14. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the vertically upwards displacement includes a net rise.

15. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the mode corresponds to the mobile device being in the first location, wherein the action is based on configuration data that comprises a threshold which must be met in order to initiate the action, and wherein the threshold specifies an amount of displacement within a specified time interval.

16. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the storage location is a pocket.

17. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the storage location is a bag.

18. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the storage location is a case.

19. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the detector includes an ultrasonic transducer configured to generate probe signals and detect probe signal reflections.

20. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the detector includes a microphone configured to detect attenuation of ambient sound.

21. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the detector includes a thermal sensor configured to detect ambient temperature.

22. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein initiating the action based on the displacement data includes comparing the displacement data to a motion profile.

23. The mobile device of claim 22, wherein the motion profile corresponds to a horizontal motion followed by a lifting motion.

24. The mobile device of claim 22, wherein the motion profile corresponds to motion based on removal of the mobile device from the first location.

25. A method for taking action in response to a mobile device being removed from a first location, comprising:

receiving motion data from a motion sensor configured to detect motion of the mobile device;

receiving location data from a location sensor configured to detect a location of the mobile device;

determining displacement data corresponding to a displacement of the mobile device based on the motion data;

determining a location of the mobile device in relation to a user of the mobile device based on the location data; and

determining whether to initiate an action based on the displacement data and the location of the mobile device in relation to the user of the mobile device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the displacement data is based on the displacement being at least partially vertically upwards.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising receiving light data from a light sensor configured to detect an ambient light level and generate the light data, wherein determining whether to initiate the action is further based on analyzing the light data to detect a light transition.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein analyzing the light data includes at least one of identifying a transition from dark to light, identifying a color transition corresponding to the light, and analyzing an average range of colors over a field of view.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the action is based on configuration data that comprises a threshold which must be met in order to initiate the action.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the threshold specifies an amount of vertical displacement within a specified time interval.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the threshold includes a minimum level of light required to be present within a certain displacement.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the action includes changing an operational mode of the mobile device.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein the action includes turning on a display of the mobile device.

34. The method of claim 25, further comprising receiving touch data from a touch sensor, and wherein the determination to initiate the action is based at least in part on the touch data.

35. The mobile device of claim 34, wherein the touch sensor includes a capacitive sensor.