Minimization of false trigger in a mobile electronic system

• US 8,532,955 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2009
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Jiun-Tao, Tao, James, Yeh, David John, Tang, Cheng Ping
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, TOAN M
• Application Number:
  US12/394,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20100217558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 702/141, 702/33, 702/41, 702/56, 702/79, 702/81, 702/84, 702/127, 702150-154, 702/176, 702182-185, 702187-189, 360/69, 360/73.03, 360 75- 7717, 73/13.7, 73/17.5, 73/17.9, 73/18.2, 73488-495, 73510-511, 7351401-51402, 735/141.5, 735/70, 73577-578, 700/302
• US Class Current: 702/141
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0891 with indication of predetermined acceleration values G01P15/135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/042 due to external shock or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/043 by detecting a free-fall condition

Abstract

Preventative actions normally performed in response to detecting a trigger event triggered by an accelerometer attached to a portable device may be bypassed during a quiet period. The quiet period may be initiated in response to detecting at least one repeated trigger event within a time window encompassing the first trigger event, and may be terminated based on an expiration criterion.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

performing, by a processing device of a portable device, a preventative action in response to detecting a first trigger event triggered by an accelerometer attached to the portable device, wherein the preventative action includes;

parking a hard disk drive actuator for a first duration of time, and

unparking the hard disk drive actuator after the first duration of time has lapsed;

initiating, after the first duration of time has lapsed, a first quiet period in response to detecting at least one repeated trigger event within a time window encompassing the first trigger event;

bypassing performing the preventative action for a subsequent trigger event detected during the first quiet period;

terminating the first quiet period if a number of repeated trigger events detected during the first quiet period drops below a first predetermined threshold, wherein the preventative action is to be performed in response to a next trigger event generated by the accelerometer after the first quiet period has been terminated; and

initiating a second quiet period from an end of the first quiet period if the number of repeated trigger events detected during the first quiet period is above a second predetermined threshold.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

parking the hard disk drive actuator for a second duration in response to the at least one repeated trigger event, wherein the second duration is different than the first duration; and

unparking the hard disk drive actuator after the second duration has lapsed.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first trigger event and the repeated trigger event are free fall events detected by the accelerometer.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first quiet period is terminated based on lapse of a time period during which an acceleration event is not detected.

5. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium including instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

performing a preventative action in response to detecting a first trigger event triggered by an accelerometer attached to a portable device, wherein the preventative action includes;

parking a hard disk drive actuator for a duration of time, and unparking the hard disk drive actuator after the duration of time has lapsed;

initiating, after the first duration of time has lapsed, a first quiet period in response to detecting at least one repeated trigger event within a time window encompassing the first trigger event;

bypassing performing the preventative action for a subsequent trigger event detected during the first quiet period;

terminating the first quiet period if a number of repeated trigger events detected during the first quiet period drops below a first predetermined threshold, wherein the preventative action is to be performed in response to a next trigger event generated by the accelerometer after the first quiet period has been terminated; and

initiating a second quiet period from an end of the first quiet period if the number of repeated trigger events detected during the first quiet period is above a second predetermined threshold.

6. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the instructions further comprise parking the hard disk drive actuator for a second duration in response to the at least one repeated trigger event, wherein the second duration is different than the first duration.

7. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the first trigger event and the repeated trigger event are free fall events detected by the accelerometer.

8. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the first quiet period is terminated based on lapse of a time period during which an acceleration event is not detected.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a trigger event generator coupled with an accelerometer to generate a trigger event based on a raw signal from the accelerometer;

an event logic module coupled to the trigger event generator to generate an output signal from which a preventative action is performed, wherein the preventative action includes;

parking a hard disk drive actuator for a first duration of time, and

unparking the hard disk drive actuator after the first duration of time has lapsed, and

the event logic module is configured to;

initiate, after the first duration of time has lapsed, a first quiet period in response to detecting a threshold number of repeated trigger events within a time period,

bypass generating the output signal in response to receiving the trigger event if the trigger event is received during the first quiet period such that no preventative action is to be performed during the first quiet period,

extend the first quiet period if a number of trigger events detected during the first quiet period is greater than a first predetermined threshold, and

terminate the first quiet period if the number of trigger events detected during the first quiet period drops below a second predetermined threshold, wherein the preventative action is to be performed in response to the next trigger event generated by the accelerometer after the first quiet period has been terminated.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the trigger event generator is configured to generate the trigger event if an acceleration value indicated by the raw signal exceeds an acceleration threshold for a time exceeding a duration threshold.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the trigger event generator is further configured to increase the acceleration threshold during the first quiet period.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the trigger event generator is further configured to increase the duration threshold during the first quiet period.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a second accelerometer coupled with a system electronics module, wherein the second accelerometer is configured to provide a second raw signal to the system electronics module, and wherein the processing unit is further configured to output the actuation signal if the second raw signal exceeds a second acceleration threshold for a time exceeding a second duration threshold.

14. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

performing, by a processor of a portable device, a normal detection routine in which in response to a trigger event from an accelerometer attached to the portable device indicating that the portable device is in a sudden move, a preventative action is performed, wherein the preventative action includes;

parking a hard disk drive actuator for a first duration of time, and

unparking the hard disk drive actuator after the first duration of time has lapsed;

initiating, after the first duration of time has lapsed, a quiet period if at least one subsequent trigger event is received, wherein during the quiet period no preventative action is performed;

extending the quiet period if a number of subsequent trigger events detected during the quiet period is greater than a first predetermined threshold;

terminating the quiet period if the number of subsequent trigger events detected during the quiet period drops below a second predetermined threshold; and

resuming the normal detection routine after the quiet period ends, wherein the preventative action is to be performed in response to a next trigger event generated by the accelerometer after the quiet period has been terminated.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the normal detection routine is suspended once the quiet period starts.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the quiet period ends based on a pattern of trigger events during the quiet period.