Automatically activating hands-free mode while tracking speed

• US 9,002,412 B1
• Filed: 09/24/2012
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Fedorov, Boris A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, NAM TRUNG
• Application Number:
  US13/625,734
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 4555691-5692
• US Class Current: 455/569.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• 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 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments relate to a system that enables a user to continue accomplishing a task on a handheld device while moving. During operation, the system tracks the speed of the handheld device while the user is interacting with an application on the device. If the speed is greater than a pre-determined speed, the system audibly prompts the user to enable hands-free mode. If the user says yes, the system enables hands-free mode and the user may continue to use the application in hands-free mode. Otherwise, the system continues to run the application without enabling hands-free mode.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for enabling a user to continue to accomplish a task while moving, the method comprising:

while a user is interacting with an application on a handheld device in a tactile fashion, tracking a speed of the handheld device;

if the speed is greater than a pre-determined speed, prompting the user to ask whether the user wants to activate a hands-free mode for the application;

if the user activates the hands-free mode, running the application in hands-free mode wherein doing so comprises;

completing fields for a task in the application with vocal input from the user by;

automatically selecting a first field;

audibly communicating the first field'"'"'s name to the user;

listening for the user'"'"'s vocal input;

converting the input to a text value; and

entering the text into the first field;

if the user does not activate the hands-free mode, continuing to run the application in non-hands-free mode.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein tracking the speed comprises calculating the speed using an accelerometer.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein tracking the speed comprises calculating the speed using a GPS receiver.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein prompting the user to activate a hands-free mode for the application comprises presenting the user with an audible prompt.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a command to disable tracking the speed of the handheld device, and in response to the command, disabling tracking the speed of the handheld device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the method is implemented as an independent service; and

independent applications make calls to the service.

7. A non-transitory computer-program product for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer-program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein for configuring the computer system to enable a user to continue to accomplish a task while moving, the computer-program mechanism including:

instructions for, while a user is interacting with an application on a handheld device in a tactile fashion, tracking a speed of the handheld device;

instructions for, if the speed is greater than a pre-determined speed, prompting the user to ask whether the user wants to activate a hands-free mode for the application;

instructions for, if the user activates the hands-free mode, running the application in hands-free mode wherein doing so comprises;

completing fields for a task in the application with vocal input from the user by;

automatically selecting a first field;

audibly communicating the first field'"'"'s name to the user;

listening for the user'"'"'s vocal input;

converting the input to a text value; and

entering the text into the first field

instructions for, if the user does not activate the hands-free mode, continuing to run the application in non-hands-free mode.

8. The computer-program product of claim 7, wherein tracking the speed comprises calculating the speed using an accelerometer.

9. The computer-program product of claim 7, wherein tracking the speed comprises calculating the speed using a GPS receiver.

10. The computer-program product of claim 7, wherein prompting the user to activate a hands-free mode for the application comprises presenting the user with an audible prompt.

11. The computer-program product of claim 7, wherein the computer-program mechanism further includes instructions for receiving a command to disable tracking the speed of the handheld device, and in response to the command, disabling tracking the speed of the handheld device.

12. The computer-program product of claim 7, wherein:

the computer-program mechanism is implemented as an independent service; and

independent applications make calls to the service.

13. A computer system, comprising:

a processor;

memory; and

a program module, wherein the program module is stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the processor, the program module including instructions for enabling a user to continue to accomplish a task while moving, wherein the instructions include;

instructions for, while a user is interacting with an application on a handheld device in a tactile fashion, tracking a speed of the handheld device;

instructions for, if the speed is greater than a pre-determined speed, prompting the user to ask whether the user wants to activate a hands-free mode for the application;

instructions for, if the user activates the hands-free mode, running the application in hands-free mode wherein doing so comprises;

completing fields for a task in the application with vocal input from the user by;

automatically selecting a first field;

audibly communicating the first field'"'"'s name to the user;

listening for the user'"'"'s vocal input;

converting the input to a text value; and

entering the text into the first field

instructions for, if the user does not activate the hands-free mode, continuing to run the application in non-hands-free mode.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein tracking the speed comprises calculating the speed using an accelerometer.

15. The computer system of claim 13, wherein tracking the speed comprises calculating the speed using a GPS receiver.

16. The computer system of claim 13, wherein prompting the user to activate a hands-free mode for the application comprises presenting the user with an audible prompt.

17. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the instructions further include instructions for receiving a command to disable tracking the speed of the handheld device, and in response to the command, disabling tracking the speed of the handheld device.