Methods and apparatus to detect user attentiveness to handheld computing devices

1. A handheld computing device, comprising:

means for detecting at least one of a first orientation change of the handheld computing device or a first position change between the handheld computing device and a user; and

means for comparing at least one of the first orientation change or the first position change to a plurality of spatial condition change combinations associated with respective likelihoods indicative of user attentiveness related to the handheld computing device to determine user attentiveness to a presentation on the handheld computing device, the plurality of spatial condition change combinations including a plurality of orientation changes from respective starting orientations to respective ending orientations and a plurality of position changes from respective starting positions to respective ending positions.

2. The handheld computing device of claim 1 , wherein the first orientation change is at least one of a horizontal orientation change or a vertical orientation change relative to a reference orientation.

3. The handheld computing device of claim 1 , wherein the user attentiveness represents how likely at least one of the first orientation change, the first position change, or a combination of the first orientation change and the first position change corresponds to the user paying attention to the presentation on the handheld computing device.

4. The handheld computing device of claim 1 , wherein the user attentiveness represents how likely at least one of the first orientation change, the first position change, or a combination of the first orientation change and the first position change corresponds to the user beginning to pay attention to the presentation on the handheld computing device.

5. The handheld computing device of claim 1 , wherein the user attentiveness represents how likely at least one of the first orientation change, the first position change, or a combination of the first orientation change and the first position change corresponds to the user not paying attention to the presentation on the handheld computing device.

6. The handheld computing device of claim 1 , wherein the user attentiveness represents how likely at least one of the first orientation change, the first position change, or a combination of the first orientation change and the first position change corresponds to the user beginning to not pay attention to the presentation on the handheld computing device.

7. The handheld computing device of claim 1 , wherein the means for detecting is to detect the first orientation change and the first position change, and the means for comparing is to determine the user attentiveness based on the first orientation change and the first position change.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

means for identifying a change of a handheld computing device from a first starting spatial condition to a first ending spatial condition based on a signal generated by a sensor of the handheld computing device, the means for identifying is to calculate a position of the handheld computing device relative to a user;

means for storing a plurality of spatial condition changes associated with likelihoods indicative of user attentiveness, a first subset of the spatial condition changes being associated with corresponding engagement likelihoods representing how likely respective ones of the first subset of the spatial condition changes correspond to the user beginning to pay attention to a presentation on the handheld computing device; and

means for determining whether the plurality of spatial condition changes includes a first spatial condition change having the first starting spatial condition and the first ending spatial condition of the identified change.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the means for identifying is to calculate an angular position of the handheld computing device.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein a second subset of the spatial condition changes is associated with corresponding disengagement likelihoods representing how likely respective ones of the second subset of the spatial condition changes correspond to the user beginning to disengage from the presentation on the handheld computing device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a third subset of the spatial condition changes is associated with corresponding engagement likelihoods representing how likely respective ones of the first subset of the spatial condition changes coinciding with respective ones of the second subset of the spatial condition changes correspond to the user beginning to engage with the presentation on the handheld computing device.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a third subset of the spatial condition changes is associated with corresponding disengagement likelihoods representing how likely respective ones of the first subset of the spatial condition changes coinciding with respective ones of the second subset of the spatial condition changes correspond to the user beginning to disengage from the presentation on the handheld computing device.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the means for determining is to, when the plurality of spatial condition changes includes the first spatial condition changes having the first starting spatial condition and the first ending spatial condition of the identified change, select a likelihood associated with the first spatial condition change as a measure of user attentiveness to the handheld computing device.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the means for determining is to, when the plurality of spatial condition changes includes the first spatial condition changes having the first starting spatial condition and the first ending spatial condition of the detected change and a second spatial condition change having a second detected starting spatial condition and a second detected ending spatial condition of a second identified change, combine a first likelihood associated with the first spatial condition change with a second likelihood associated with the second spatial condition change to form a measure of user attentiveness to the handheld computing device.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

means for identifying a change of a handheld computing device from a first starting spatial condition to a first ending spatial condition, the first starting spatial condition and the first ending spatial condition being angular orientations of the handheld computing device relative to a reference;

means for storing a plurality of spatial condition changes associated with likelihoods indicative of user attentiveness to a presentation on the handheld computing device; and

means for determining whether the plurality of spatial condition changes includes a first spatial condition change having the first starting spatial condition and the first ending spatial condition of the identified change, a first subset of the spatial condition changes being associated with respective disengagement likelihoods representing how likely respective ones of the first subset of the spatial condition changes correspond to a user beginning to disengage from the presentation on the handheld computing device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the means for identifying is to communicate with a sensor to determine the angular orientations of the handheld computing device.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein a second subset of the spatial condition changes is associated with corresponding engagement likelihoods representing how likely respective ones of the second plurality of the spatial condition changes correspond to the user beginning to pay attention to the presentation on the handheld computing device.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein:

a second subset of the spatial condition changes is associated with respective engagement likelihoods representing how likely respective ones of a third subset of spatial condition changes coinciding with respective ones of a fourth subset of spatial condition changes correspond to a user beginning to engage with a presentation on the handheld computing device,

the third subset of the spatial condition changes is associated with corresponding engagement likelihoods representing how likely respective ones of the third subset of spatial condition changes correspond to the user beginning to pay attention to the presentation on the handheld computing device, and

the fourth subset of the spatial condition changes is associated with respective disengagement likelihoods representing how likely respective ones of the fourth subset of spatial condition changes correspond to the user beginning to disengage from the presentation on the handheld computing device.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein:

a second subset of the spatial condition changes is associated with respective disengagement likelihoods representing how likely respective ones of a third subset of spatial condition changes coinciding with respective ones of a fourth subset of spatial condition changes correspond to the user beginning to disengage from the presentation on the handheld computing device,

the third subset of the spatial condition changes is associated with corresponding engagement likelihoods representing how likely respective ones of the third subset of spatial condition changes correspond to the user beginning to pay attention to the presentation on the handheld computing device,

the fourth subset of the spatial condition changes is associated with respective disengagement likelihoods representing how likely respective ones of the fourth subset of spatial condition changes correspond to the user beginning to disengage from the presentation on the handheld computing device.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the means for determining is to, when the plurality of spatial condition changes includes the first spatial condition change having the first starting spatial condition and the first ending spatial condition of the change, select a likelihood associated with the first spatial condition change as a measure of user attentiveness to the handheld computing device.

21. The apparatus of claim 15 , further means for determining is to, when the plurality of spatial condition changes includes the first spatial condition change having the first starting spatial condition and the first ending spatial condition of the change and a second spatial condition change having a second detected starting spatial condition and a second detected ending spatial condition of a second identified change, combine a first likelihood associated with the first spatial condition change with a second likelihood associated with the second spatial condition change to form a measure of user attentiveness to the handheld computing device.