Location Trigger Unit for Portable Device Mode Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electronic devices lack an efficient mechanism to automatically adapt their operating modes based on physical location, leading to manual profile switching and increased power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A portable electronic device with a separate location trigger unit and application unit, where the location trigger unit, equipped with a first processor, receives location data and controls the application unit's operating modes or powers it on/off based on predefined locations, using GPS or cellular networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the application unit continuously monitors location and automatically changes operating modes, then the adaptability to different locations is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into two independent processor units: a location trigger unit with a first processor that continuously monitors location data, and an application unit with a second processor that executes applications. This segmentation allows the location monitoring function to operate independently with lower power consumption, while the application processor remains in sleep mode when not needed, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The location trigger unit proactively monitors location data and determines when to wake up the application unit before actual application execution is needed. This preliminary action allows the system to prepare for mode changes or application activation in advance, ensuring timely response to location-based triggers while keeping the main application processor in low-power state most of the time.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the application unit is kept in sleep mode to conserve battery power, then the power consumption is reduced, but the response time to location-based triggers increases
Solution Approach 1:
The location trigger unit continuously monitors location data in advance and determines when location-based triggers are activated before the application unit needs to respond. This preliminary detection and determination process ensures that when the application unit is woken up, it can immediately execute the appropriate response without delay, thus maintaining fast response time while keeping the application unit in sleep mode most of the time to conserve power.
Solution Approach 2:
The location trigger unit acts as an intermediary between the continuous location data source and the application unit. It processes location data, determines trigger conditions, and activates the application unit only when necessary. This intermediary role allows the system to maintain low power consumption while ensuring rapid response to location-based events, as the trigger unit is always active and ready to wake up the application unit immediately when a trigger condition is met.
3Device complexity
If manual profile switching is required, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device automatically monitors its own location data and autonomously determines when to change operating modes or activate applications based on pre-configured location triggers. This self-service capability eliminates the need for manual profile switching by the user, providing automatic adaptability to different locations while maintaining relatively simple device architecture through the use of a dedicated low-power location trigger unit.
Data Source
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AI summary
A portable electronic device (10) includes a housing (130), a receiver (190, 450) operably coupled to the housing for receiving data regarding a physical location of the portable electronic device, a location trigger unit (300), and an application unit (200). The location trigger unit is operably coupled to the housing and to the receiver, and the location trigger unit comprises a first processor (322). The application unit is operably coupled to the housing and to the location trigger unit, and comprises a second processor (222). The application unit comprises a plurality of operating modes. The location trigger unit, based on the physical location of the portable electronic device, is operable to at least one of effect a) changing the operating mode of the application unit, and b) turning on and off the second processor of the application unit. The portable electronic device maybe a portable phone.