Dynamic parameter profiles for electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9262182-B2
Application number	US-201213357717-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2012
Priority date	Jan 25, 2012
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

A method for dynamically modifying a characteristic for an electronic device. The method includes activating by a processor a first profile having a first characteristic setting and a first state for an input/output (IO) device. Once the first profile is activated, receiving an input by a sensor and communicating the input to the processor. The method then includes activating by the processor a second profile having a second characteristic setting and a second state for the IO device. The second profile modifies a component of the IO device to include a second characteristic setting and a second state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for transitioning an operating profile for an input/output (IO) device connected to a computing device, the method comprising:
at the computing device:
operating the IO device according to a first profile that is associated with an application that is activated;
determining whether a rate of a user input received from the IO device is in accordance with the first profile or a second profile, wherein the first profile and the second profile are each associated with different sampling rates for an input to the IO device and different reporting rates for an output of the IO device; and
when the rate of the user input received from the IO device is in accordance with the second profile: automatically overriding the first profile with the second profile.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IO device is integrated within the computing device or is external to the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining is based on at least one of the following: a sampling rate, a report rate, a dots per inch value, a debounce value, an acceleration curve, a timeout time, and a quantization value.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IO device includes one or more of the following: a touch screen, a mouse, a display, a track pad, a joystick, a camera, a speaker, a remote control, and a keyboard.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is connected to an auxiliary device, and the second profile modifies a first operational characteristic of the IO device and a second operational characteristic of the auxiliary device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically overriding the first profile with the second profile reduces a polling rate of the IO device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user input comprises at least one of the following: a number of fingers of a user who is interacting with the IO device, and a magnitude of force by which the user is interacting with the IO device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first profile and the second profile are each associated with a reporting rate that determines a frequency at which the IO device reports inputs to the computing device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the reporting rate contributes to a power consumption of the IO device, and overriding the first profile with the second profile reduces the power consumption of the IO device.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IO device includes at least one of a force sensor, a moisture sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a heat sensor, a capacitive sensor, and a power sensor.

11. A computing device, comprising:
a communications interface configured to communicate with an input/output (IO) device operating according to a first profile that is activated when an application is opened;
a processor configured to receive a user input from the IO device and determine whether the user input is in accordance with the first profile or a second profile associated with the IO device, wherein the first profile and the second profile correspond to different sampling rates for an input to the IO device and different reporting rates for an output of the IO device;
a storage device configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to automatically override the first profile with the second profile when the user input received by the IO device reaches or exceeds a minimum level of user input.

12. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the computing device is connected to an auxiliary device, and the second profile modifies a first operational characteristic of the IO device and a second operational characteristic of the auxiliary device.

13. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the IO device comprises a touch screen, a keyboard, a mouse, a track pad, camera, a speaker, a display, a joystick, or a remote control.

14. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein automatically overriding the first profile with the second profile comprises:
updating multiple characteristics of the computing device associated with the IO device in accordance with the second profile.

15. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the user input comprises a series of inputs received at the IO device.

16. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the IO device includes at least one of a force sensor, a moisture sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a heat sensor, a capacitive sensor, and a power sensor.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by a processor included in a computing device, cause the computing device to transition an operating profile of an input/output (IO) device that is in communication with the computing device, by carrying out steps that include:
operating the IO device according to a first profile that is associated with an application that is activated on the computing device;
determining whether a user input received from the IO device is in accordance with the first profile or a second profile, wherein the first profile and the second profile are each associated with different sampling rates for an input to the IO device and different reporting rates for an output of the IO device; and
when the user input received by the IO device is in accordance with the second profile: automatically overriding the first profile with the second profile.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein automatically overriding the first profile with the second profile causes the IO device to consume less power.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein automatically overriding the first profile with the second profile modifies a setting of the application.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the IO device includes at least one of a force sensor, a moisture sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a heat sensor, a capacitive sensor, and a power sensor.

Assignees

• Mullens Christopher T
• Devine Jesse Michael
• Sebastiani Marco
• Parivar Nima
• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Mullens Christopher T
• Devine Jesse Michael
• Sebastiani Marco
• Parivar Nima

Classifications

• G06F1/3206

  Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality · CPC title

• G06F1/325

  Power saving in peripheral device · CPC title

• G06F1/3215

  Monitoring of peripheral devices · CPC title

• Y02B60/185

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• G06F9/4411

  Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers · CPC title