Wearable-Mobile Stowing Detection via Sensor Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices become less convenient to use when stowed, as they enter an inactive state to conserve power, requiring users to manually wake them up, and may inadvertently operate due to being bumped, leading to battery waste and unintended actions.
Innovation Solution
A wearable device communicates with the mobile device to detect when it is being unstowed or stowed, using sensors like Bluetooth LE, accelerometers, and environmental sensors to trigger the mobile device to activate or power down accordingly, based on proximity and motion correlations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the mobile device enters an inactive state to conserve power when stowed, then energy consumption is reduced, but user convenience deteriorates as manual wake-up is required
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable device performs preliminary detection of stowing/unstowing actions and sends wake-up signals to the mobile device before the user actually needs to use it. This preliminary action allows the mobile device to exit inactive state in advance, eliminating the manual wake-up step and maintaining both low power consumption and high user convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring sensor data from both the wearable and mobile devices to detect stowing/unstowing events. This feedback loop enables automatic state transitions of the mobile device based on real-time detection, resolving the contradiction between power saving and user convenience by making the system responsive to actual user behavior.
2Ease of operation
If the mobile device remains active to improve user interaction, then ease of operation is enhanced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the operational state of the mobile device based on real-time detection of user actions. Instead of maintaining a fixed active state, the device transitions between inactive and active states dynamically in response to detected stowing/unstowing events, optimizing the balance between user interaction readiness and energy consumption.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the mobile device is stowed in a pocket or bag, then portability is improved, but unintended operations occur due to bumps
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable device acts as an intermediary between the user and the mobile device. It detects stowing/unstowing actions through motion sensors and communicates this information to the mobile device, which then activates only when properly unstowed. This intermediary mechanism prevents unintended operations during stowing while maintaining portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by detecting stowing actions before unintended operations can occur. When the wearable device detects that the mobile device is being stowed, it sends a signal to deactivate or lock the mobile device in advance, preventing accidental activations that would otherwise occur during the stowing process.
4Ease of operation
If the mobile device automatically activates on unstowing, then user convenience is improved, but false activations may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses multiple sensor modalities and correlation analysis to detect stowing/unstowing events, requiring partial confirmation from multiple sources before triggering activation. This partial action approach reduces false activations by ensuring that the detected event meets multiple criteria simultaneously, while still maintaining automatic activation functionality for genuine events.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates seamless user interaction by automatically preparing the mobile device for use when unstowed and conserving power by detecting stowing, reducing unintended operations and battery waste.
Implementation Method 1
one or both of the devices may have sensors (e.g., Bluetooth LE sensors) capable of determining the proximity to the other device
Implementation Method 2
the wearable device and the mobile device can both have accelerometers or other motion sensors
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile device can communicate with a wearable device to automatically detect when a stowed mobile device becomes unstowed and/or when a mobile device that is in use become stowed. Detection of stowing or unstowing of the mobile device can be based on comparison of data from sensors such as proximity sensors, motion sensors, and/or other environmental sensors between devices. When unstowing is detected, the mobile device can prepare itself for use based in part on context information provided by the wearable device, e.g., by activating a user interface component and/or launching an app based on the context information. When stowing is detected, the mobile device can inactivate a user interface component.