Movement detection system for a portable device such as a portable phone

• US 8,934,880 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2013
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scott C Harris
• Original Assignee: Scott C Harris
• Inventors: Harris, Scott C.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAHEED, KHALID W
• Application Number:
  US14/093,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20140094154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/404.1, 455/411, 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/456.4, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/550.1
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• 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 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

An unintentional dialing event is detected by characterizing some action of a portable phone, e.g., its movement or its surroundings. The action can be characterized by a sensor, and that sensor can be for example an accelerometer, a camera in the phone, or a microphone in the phone, or some other way. The movement can be characterized to see if it is synchronous with entries on the keyboard, which would likely represent the unintentional dialing event or “but dialing”. The environment can also be characterized other ways, for example by using a microphone in the phone to text sound profiles or to detect sounds in sync with the entries, or can be characterized using a camera in the phone to detect a light profile.

Claims

1. A portable communication device, comprising:

a housing;

a processor, in the housing, and detecting information indicative of changes in an environment of the portable communication device,

said processor also detecting actuations to a user interface of the portable communication device,

said processor comparing said changes to said actuations, and detecting a synchronism between said changes and said actuations;

and if said changes are detected to be in synchronism with said actuations, executing a routine that prevents said actuations from carrying out a first function, and otherwise if said changes are not in synchronism with said actuations, carrying out said first function;

a microphone, in said housing, that operates to sense said changes, said microphone sensing changes to an environmental condition surrounding said housing, wherein said environmental conditions comprises a profile of noises sensed by the microphone.

2. The device as in claim 1, wherein said first function is a function that occurs without further user confirmation and if said changes are detected to be in synchronism with said actuations, said processor requiring user confirmation.

3. The device as in claim 1, wherein said processor compares said changes to at least one profile of movements.

4. The device as in claim 1, wherein said processor further comprises detecting a second communication that is an emergency call, and wherein said second communication is made independent of comparing the changes to the actuations.

5. A method of operating portable communication device, comprising:

using a processor in a housing of the portable communication device for operating a user interface to detect actuations on the user interface that carry out functions including initiating a first communication;

using the processor for detecting changes in an environment of the portable communication device;

comparing said changes to said actuations, and detecting a synchronism between said changes and said actuations;

if said changes are detected to be in synchronism with said actuations, preventing said actuations from carrying out a first function, and

if said changes are not in synchronism with said actuations, carrying out said first function, wherein said first function is a function that occurs without further user confirmation and if said changes are detected to be in synchronism with said actuations, requiring user confirmation,

wherein said processor detects information from a sensor in said housing, said sensor sensing changes to an environmental condition surrounding said housing and said processor detecting information indicative of said changes in the environmental condition,

wherein said sensor is a microphone, and said environmental condition is a profile of noises sensed by the microphone.

6. A portable communication device, comprising:

a housing;

a user interface, in the housing;

a processor, in the housing, and detecting information indicative of changes in an environment of the portable communication device, said processor detecting changes based on a first output from a camera in the housing, and also detecting changes based on a second output from a microphone in the housing,

said processor also detecting at least one actuation to the user interface;

said processor analyzing said changes in both said first output and in said second output, and said actuation, and detecting a relationship between said changes and said actuations;

said processor preventing said actuations from carrying out a first function when there is a first relationship between said first and second output and said actuations, and allowing said actuation to carry out said first function when there is a second relationship different than the first relationship between said first and second output and said actuation, wherein said relationships comprise temporal synchronization between multiple actuations and outputs from said camera and said microphone.

7. The device as in claim 6, wherein said processor compares said changes to said first output and said second output to at least one profile of movements.

8. The device as in claim 7, wherein said profile comprises a profile of light and darkness.

9. The device as in claim 7, wherein said profile comprises a profile of noises sensed by the microphone.