IP Library Granted Patent US 8,320,970
Granted Patent B2
US 8,320,970 · App. 13/028,909 · Granted Nov 27, 2012

Mobile device display management

Assignee: Google Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,320,970
App. No.
13/028,909
Granted
Nov 27, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

The display of a mobile device is managed during a voice communication session using a proximity sensor and an accelerometer. In one example, the display of a mobile device is turned off during a phone call on the mobile device when a proximity sensor detects an object is proximate the device and an accelerometer determines the device is in a first orientation.

Claims (48)

1. A method comprising:

detecting, during a voice communication session on a mobile device, an object proximate the mobile device using a proximity sensor of the mobile device;

determining, during the voice communication session, the mobile device is in an approximately vertical orientation using an accelerometer of the mobile device;

automatically turning off a display of the mobile device during the voice communication session in response to detecting the object proximate the mobile device and detecting the mobile device is in the approximately vertical orientation;

determining, during the voice communication session, the mobile device is in an approximately horizontal orientation using the accelerometer; and

automatically turning on the display,

wherein automatically turning on the display occurs only after the display was turned off responsive to the object being proximate the mobile device and the orientation of the mobile device previously comprising the approximately vertical orientation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein turning on the display comprises turning on the display regardless of whether the proximity sensor detects the object proximate the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, during the voice communication session, the mobile device is in the approximately horizontal orientation for a threshold period of time before turning on the display.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the orientation of the mobile device as approximately horizontal using the accelerometer comprises:

determining an orientation vector of the mobile device using the accelerometer; and

approximating the orientation of the mobile device as horizontal based on the orientation vector.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein approximating the orientation of the mobile device as horizontal based on the orientation vector comprises:

calculating a first angle between the orientation vector and a projection of the vector onto a plane that is generally perpendicular to the direction of gravity; and

approximating the orientation of the mobile device as horizontal when the first angle is less than or equal to approximately 50 degrees.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining the object is not proximate the mobile device using the proximity sensor before automatically turning on the display.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein determining the object is not proximate the mobile device using the proximity sensor occurs before determining, during the voice communication session, the mobile device is in the approximately horizontal orientation using the accelerometer.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one of detecting the object proximate the mobile device a second time using the proximity sensor of the mobile device or determining the mobile device is in the approximately vertical orientation a second time using an accelerometer of the mobile device;

automatically turning off a display of the mobile device during the voice communication session in response to the at least one of detecting the object proximate the mobile device for the second time or determining the mobile device is in the approximately vertical orientation for the second time;

terminating the voice communication session;

determining the object is not proximate the mobile device using the proximity sensor; and

automatically turning on the display.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining an audio input/output configuration of the mobile device as one of a microphone, a speaker phone, or a headset; and

turning off the display of the mobile device when the object is proximate the mobile device, the orientation of the mobile device is approximately vertical, and the audio input/output of the mobile device is the microphone.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the orientation of the mobile device as approximately vertical using the accelerometer comprises:

determining an orientation vector of the mobile device using the accelerometer; and

approximating the orientation of the mobile device as vertical based on the orientation vector.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein approximating the orientation of the mobile device as vertical based on the orientation vector comprises:

calculating a first angle between the orientation vector and the projection of the vector onto a plane that is generally perpendicular to the direction of gravity; and

approximating the orientation of the mobile device as vertical when the first angle is greater than approximately 50 degrees.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the proximity sensor comprises one of a capacitive, photoelectric, or inductive sensor.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the accelerometer comprises at least one of a piezoelectric or capacitive accelerometer, or a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS).

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, during the voice communication session, the mobile device is in the approximately vertical orientation for a threshold period of time before turning off the display.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the object proximate the mobile device using the proximity sensor comprises detecting that the object is a threshold distance away from the mobile device.

16. A mobile device comprising:

a display;

a proximity sensor configured to detect an object proximate to the mobile device; and

an accelerometer configured to determine an orientation of the mobile device; and

one or more processors configured to:

automatically turn off the display of the mobile device during a voice communication session on the mobile device in response to the proximity sensor detecting the object is proximate the mobile device and the accelerometer determining the mobile device is in an approximately vertical orientation and

automatically turn on the display of the mobile device during the voice communication session in response to the accelerometer determining the mobile device is in an approximately horizontal orientation,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to automatically turn on the display only after the display is turned off responsive to the object being proximate the mobile device and the orientation of the mobile device previously comprising the approximately vertical orientation.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:

automatically turn off a display of a mobile device during a voice communication session on the mobile device in response to a proximity sensor of the mobile device detecting an object proximate to the mobile device and an accelerometer of the mobile device determining the mobile device is in an approximately vertical orientation and

automatically turn on the display of the mobile device during the voice communication session in response to determining the mobile device is in an approximately horizontal orientation using the accelerometer, wherein automatically turning on the display occurs only after the display was turned off responsive to the object being proximate the mobile device and the orientation of the mobile device previously comprising the approximately vertical orientation.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 2, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044101/0405 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 17, 2011
From: LOCKWOOD, MIKE
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 025975/0368 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120208601A1 · Aug 16, 2012