Determining orientation of a mobile device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10659595-B2
Application number	US-201816167427-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2018
Priority date	Oct 22, 2018
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

A method, a mobile device, and a computer program product for determining orientation of a mobile device. The method includes detecting, via an accelerometer, movement of a mobile device and calculating, by a processor, an orientation of the mobile device based on accelerometer data received from the accelerometer as the mobile device is moving. The method further includes tracking the orientation of the mobile device as the mobile device moves over a period of time and maintaining an image capture device and a display in an off state, while the mobile device is moving. The method further includes determining if the mobile device is in a landing position, based, at least partially, on the calculated orientation of the mobile device and in response to determining that the mobile device is not in the landing position, continuing to maintain the image capturing device in the off state such that power consumption of the mobile device is reduced.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
detecting, via an accelerometer, movement of a mobile device;
calculating, by a processor, an orientation of the mobile device based on accelerometer data received from the accelerometer as the mobile device is moving;
maintaining an image capture device in an off state, while the mobile device is moving;
receiving proximity data from the proximity sensor;
determining if the proximity data indicates that a display of the mobile device is uncovered;
in response to determining that the proximity data indicates that the display of the mobile device is uncovered, setting a state of the mobile device to an uncovered state;
determining if the mobile device is in a landing position, based, at least partially, on the calculated orientation of the mobile device, wherein the mobile device is in the landing position when the mobile device is in a stopped rotating state, a portrait state, and an uncovered state; and
in response to determining that the mobile device is not in the landing position, continuing to maintain the image capture device in the off state such that power consumption of the mobile device is reduced.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining if the mobile device is in the landing position further comprises:
calculating a first rotation angle change for the mobile device based on the accelerometer data;
retrieving a stop rotation angle change threshold;
determining if the first rotation angle change is less than the stop rotation angle change threshold; and
in response to determining that the first rotation angle change is less than the stop rotation angle change threshold, setting a first state of the mobile device to the stopped rotating state.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the orientation of the mobile device further comprises:
calculating a pitch angle of the mobile device based on the accelerometer data;
determining if the pitch angle is within a first angle range;
in response to determining that the pitch angle is within the first angle range, calculating a roll angle of the mobile device based on the accelerometer data;
determining if the roll angle is within a second angle range; and
in response to determining that the roll angle is within the second angle range, setting a second state of the mobile device to the portrait state.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating a second rotation angle change for the mobile device based on the accelerometer data;
retrieving a reset rotation angle change threshold;
determining if the second rotation angle change is greater than the reset rotation angle change threshold; and
in response to determining that the second rotation angle change is greater than the reset rotation angle change threshold, resetting a current state of the mobile device to a waiting for rotation state.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to determining that the mobile device is in the landing position, triggering the image capture device to turn on and autonomously capturing an image via the image capture device;
determining if the captured image includes a user's face in the captured image; and
in response to determining that the captured image includes a user's face in the captured image, identifying pitch and roll angles associated with the captured image that includes the user's face.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
generating an optimal portrait state vector based at least partially on the pitch and roll angles associated with the captured image that includes the user's face; and
saving the optimal portrait state vector to a memory.

7. A mobile device comprising:
a memory having stored thereon an orientation program code for determining an orientation of the mobile device;
an accelerometer that detects movement of the mobile device; and
one or more processors communicatively coupled to the memory and to the accelerometer, the processor executing the orientation program code which enables the mobile device to:
receive accelerometer data from the accelerometer as the mobile device is moving;
calculate, by the processor, an orientation of the mobile device based on the accelerometer data;
maintain an image capture device in an off state, while the mobile device is moving;
receive proximity data from the proximity sensor;
determine if the proximity data indicates that a display of the mobile device is uncovered; and
in response to determining that the proximity data indicates that the display of the mobile device is uncovered, setting a state of the mobile device to an uncovered state;

determine if the mobile device is in a landing position based at least partially on the calculated orientation of the mobile device, wherein in the landing position, the mobile device is in a stopped rotating state, in a portrait state, and in the uncovered state; and
in response to determining that the mobile device is not in the landing position, continuing to maintain the image capture device in the off state such that power consumption of the mobile device is reduced.

8. The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein determining if the mobile device is in the landing position comprises the processor further enabled to:
calculate a first rotation angle change for the mobile device based on the accelerometer data;
retrieve a stop rotation angle change threshold;
determine if the first rotation angle change is less than the stop rotation angle change threshold; and
in response to determining that the first rotation angle change is less than the stop rotation angle change threshold, setting a first state of the mobile device to the stopped rotating state.

9. The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein calculating the orientation of the mobile device comprises the processor further enabled to:
calculate a pitch angle of the mobile device based on the accelerometer data;
determine if the pitch angle is within a first angle range;
in response to determining that the pitch angle is within the first angle range, calculate a roll angle of the mobile device based on the accelerometer data;
determine if the roll angle is within a second angle range; and
in response to determining that the roll angle is within the second angle range, setting a second state of the mobile device to the portrait state.

10. The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further enabled to:
calculate a second rotation angle change for the mobile device based on the accelerometer data;
retrieve a reset rotation angle change threshold;
determine if the second rotation angle change is greater than the reset rotation angle change threshold; and
in response to determining that the second rotation angle change is greater than the reset rotation angle change threshold, resetting a current state of the mobile device to a waiting for rotation state.

11. The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further enabled to:
in response to determining that the mobile device is in the landing position, trigger the image capture device to turn on and autonomously capture an image via the image capture device;
determine if the captured image includes a user's face in the captured image; and
in response to determining that the captured image includes a user's face in the captured image, identify pitch and roll angles associated with the captured image that includes the user's face.

12. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further enabled to:
generate an optimal portrait state vector based at least partially on the pitch and roll angles associated with the captured image that includes the

Assignees

• Motorola Mobility Llc

Inventors

• Hefner Eric J
• Ratke John S
• Zylema Jenna M

Classifications

• H04M2250/52

  including functional features of a camera · CPC title

• H04M2250/12

  including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion · CPC title

• H04M1/72569 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G06K9/00255

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06V10/242

  by image rotation, e.g. by 90 degrees · CPC title