Automated response to and sensing of user activity in portable devices

• US 7,633,076 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2006
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony M., Huppi, Brian, Freeman, Daniel, Barrentine, Derek
• Primary Examiner(s): Sohn; Seung C
• Application Number:
  US11/586,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20070075965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: 250/559.36, 340/686.6, 381/107, 345/169
• US Class Current: 250/559.36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• 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: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0267 by controlling user interface components
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The various methods and devices described herein relate to devices which, in at least certain embodiments, may include one or more sensors for providing data relating to user activity and at least one processor for causing the device to respond based on the user activity which was determined, at least in part, through the sensors. The response by the device may include a change of state of the device, and the response may be automatically performed after the user activity is determined.

Claims

1. A portable data processing device comprising:

a display;

an input device;

a proximity sensor;

at least one processor coupled to the input device and to the display and coupled to the proximity sensor to receive data from the proximity sensor;

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver coupled to the processor;

a speaker coupled to the RF transceiver;

a microphone coupled to the RF transceiver;

a storage device coupled to the at least one processor;

an ambient light sensor (ALS) coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to change the power setting of the display based upon data from the ALS;

wherein the processor is configured to determine, based upon at least the data from the proximity sensor, whether to change a state of processing of data from the input device relative to receipt of user inputs;

wherein the input device comprises a multi-touch input panel which is integrated with the display and which is capable of determining multiple, separate concurrent touches on the multi-touch input panel and wherein the multi-touch input panel provides touch data derived from one or more touches to the multi-touch input panel and wherein when the data from the proximity sensor determines a first proximity state, the touch data is processed as an intentional user input and when the data from the proximity sensor determines a second proximity state, the touch data is either not processed as an intentional user input or is not provided by the multi-touch input panel;

wherein the second proximity state occurs when the portable data processing device is proximate to the user'"'"'s ear;

wherein the storage device is configured to store media for playback on the portable data processing device, and wherein the data from the proximity sensor represents at least one of a distance and a rate of change of distance; and

wherein the at least one processor is configured to change the state of processing of the touch data from the multi-touch input panel in response to a change in the data from the proximity sensor.

2. The portable data processing device as in claim 1 wherein the display occupies a large portion of a surface of a housing of the portable device.

3. The portable data processing device as in claim 2 wherein the portable device does not include a hinge.

4. The portable data processing device as in claim 2 wherein the processor is configured to determine whether multiple concurrent touches resemble contact with a user'"'"'s face.

5. The portable data processing device as in claim 4 further comprising:

a user interface coupled to the storage device, the user interface being configured to allow the user to select a particular content in the media for playback and to scroll through a listing of the media.

6. The portable data processing device as in claim 5 wherein the media for playback comprises at least one of audio or video or audio and video together.

7. The portable data processing device as in claim 6 wherein the processor is configured to determine whether a user is communicating with another device through the RF transceiver and is configured to determine whether to change the state of processing of data from the input device and to alter the power setting based on both the data and whether the user is communicating with another device and wherein data from the input device is not processed as an intentional user input when (a) the data from the proximity sensor indicates that the portable data processing device is near the user and (b) the user is communicating with another device.

8. The portable data processing device as in claim 7 wherein the state of processing of the data from the input device and the power setting of the display are both changed in response to a change in the data from the proximity sensor.

9. The portable data processing device as in claim 8 wherein the data from the proximity sensor represents a rate of change of distance;

and

wherein the at least one processor is configured to change the state of processing of the touch data from the multi-touch input panel and the power setting of the display in response to a change in the data from the proximity sensor.

10. The portable data processing device as in claim 6 wherein the ambient light sensor (ALS) senses a level of ambient light and wherein the at least one processor is configured to change the illumination level of the display to dim the display based upon at least data from the ALS.

11. A portable data processing device comprising:

a display;

an input device;

a proximity sensor;

at least one processor coupled to the input device and to the display and coupled to the proximity sensor to receive proximity data from the proximity sensor

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver coupled to the processor;

a speaker coupled to the RF transceiver;

a microphone coupled to the RF transceiver;

a storage device coupled to the at least one processor;

an ambient light sensor (ALS) coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to change the power setting of the display based upon data from the ALS;

wherein the processor is configured to determine, based on at least the proximity data, whether to change a state of processing of input data from the input device relative to receipt of user inputs;

wherein the input device comprises an input panel which is integrated with the display and which is capable of determining a touch on the input panel and wherein the input panel provides touch data and wherein when the data from the proximity sensor determines a first proximity state, the touch data is processed as an intentional user input and when the data from the proximity sensor determines a second proximity state, the touch data is either not processed as an intentional user input or is not provided by the input panel;

wherein the second proximity state occurs when the portable data processing device is proximate to the user'"'"'s ear;

wherein the storage device is configured to store media for playback on the portable data processing device, and wherein the data from the proximity sensor represents at least one of a distance and a rate of change of distance; and

wherein the at least one processor is configured to change the state of processing of the touch data from the input panel in response to a change in the data from the proximity sensor.

12. The portable data processing device as in claim 11 wherein the display occupies a large portion of a surface of a housing of the portable device.

13. The portable data processing device as in claim 12 wherein the portable device does not include a hinge.

14. The portable data processing device as in claim 12 further comprising:

a user interface coupled to the storage device, the user interface being configured to allow the user to select a particular content in the media for playback and to scroll through a listing of the media.

15. The portable data processing device as in claim 14 wherein the processor is configured to determine whether a user is communicating with another device through the RF transceiver and is configured to determine whether to change the state of processing of data from the input device and to alter the power setting based on both the data and whether the user is communicating with another device and wherein data from the input device is not processed as an intentional user input when (a) the data from the proximity sensor indicates that the portable data processing device is near the user and (b) the user is communicating with another device.

16. The portable data processing device as in claim 15 wherein the state of processing of the data from the input device and the power setting of the display are both changed in response to a change in the data from the proximity sensor.

17. The portable data processing device as in claim 15 wherein the ambient light sensor (ALS) senses a level of ambient light and wherein the at least one processor is configured to change the illumination level of the display to dim the display based upon at least data from the ALS.

18. The portable data processing device as in claim 16 wherein the data from the proximity sensor represents a rate of change of distance;

and

wherein the at least one processor is configured to change the state of processing of the touch data from the input panel and the power setting of the display in response to a change in the data from the proximity sensor.