Detecting transitions between physical activity

Abstract

In one example, a method includes determining, by a processor operating in a first power mode and based on first motion data, a first activity of a user, transitioning from operating in the first power mode to operating in a second power mode, wherein the processor consumes less power while operating in the second power mode than in the first power mode, responsive to determining, while the processor is operating in the second power mode and based on second motion data, that a change in an angle relative to gravity satisfies a threshold, transitioning from operating in the second power mode to operating in the first power mode, determining, by the processor and based on second motion data, a second activity of the user, and, responsive to determining that the second activity is different from the first activity, performing an action.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 determining, by a processor of a mobile computing device operating in a first power mode and based on first motion data generated by a motion sensor of the mobile computing device, a first activity of a user associated with the mobile computing device, the first motion data indicating movement of the mobile computing device during a first time period;   transitioning, by the processor, from operating in the first power mode to operating in a second power mode, wherein the processor consumes less power while operating in the second power mode than while operating in the first power mode;   while the processor is operating in the second power mode, determining, by a motion module of the mobile computing device and based on second motion data generated by the motion sensor, that a change in an angle of the mobile computing device relative to gravity satisfies a threshold amount of change;   responsive to determining that the change in the angle satisfies the threshold amount of change, transitioning, by the processor, from operating in the second power mode to operating in the first power mode;   determining, by the processor and based on second motion data generated by the motion sensor during a second time period, a second activity of the user of the mobile computing device; and   responsive to determining that the second activity is different from the first activity, performing, by the mobile computing device, an action determined based on the determining that the second activity is different from the first activity.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performing the action comprises storing an indication of a current location of the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the change in the angle of the mobile computing device relative to gravity is a second change in the angle of the mobile computing device, the method further comprising:
 prior to determining, by the processor, the first activity of the user, determining, by the motion module based on third motion data generated by the motion sensor, that a first change in an angle of the mobile computing device relative to gravity satisfies the threshold amount of change,   wherein performing the action comprises:
 determining, by the processor, a plurality of previously determined activities, wherein each previously determined activity was determined during a time period occurring between the determining that the first change in an angle of the mobile computing device relative to gravity satisfies the threshold amount of change and determining that the second change in an angle of the mobile computing device relative to gravity satisfies the threshold amount of change; and 
 responsive to determining, by the processor, that at least one previously determined activity from the plurality of previously determined activities is incorrect, correcting the at least one previously determined activity. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein correcting the at least one previously determined activity comprises one or more of:
 removing the at least one previously determined activity from the plurality of previously determined activity; and   changing the at least one previously determined activity to correspond to an activity of a majority of the plurality of previously determined activities.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the change in the angle of the mobile computing device is a first change in the angle of the mobile computing device, the method further comprising:
 storing a series of locations of the mobile computing device indicating a route of the user;   determining, by the motion module and based on third motion data generated by the motion sensor, that a second change in the angle of the mobile computing device relative to gravity satisfies the threshold amount of change; and   responsive to determining that the second change in the angle of the mobile computing device relative to gravity satisfies the threshold amount of change, outputting, by the mobile computing device and for display, an indication of the route.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the change in the angle of the mobile computing device is a first change in the angle of the mobile computing device, the method further comprising:
 determining, by the motion module and based on third motion data generated by the motion sensor, that a second change in the angle of the mobile computing device relative to gravity satisfies the threshold amount of change;   determining, by the processor and based on fourth motion data generated by the motion sensor during a third time period, a third activity of a user of the mobile computing device; and   responsive to determining that the third activity is different from the second activity, outputting, by the mobile computing device and for display, an indication of the second activity.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 performing the action comprises determining a current location of the mobile computing device,   the second activity is running or bicycling, and   the current location corresponds to the start of a run or bicycle ride.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 performing the action comprises determining a current location of the mobile computing device,   the first activity is riding in a vehicle,   the second activity is walking, and   the indication of the current location of the mobile computing device indicates a location at which the vehicle is parked.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the motion module includes the motion sensor and a first processor,   the processor is an application processor, and   the first processor and the application processor are different processors.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer. 
     
     
         11 . A mobile computing device comprising:
 one or more processors;   a motion sensor; and   a motion module,   wherein at least one processor of the one or more processors determines, while the at least one processor is operating in a first power mode and based on first motion data generated by the motion sensor, a first activity of a user associated with the mobile computing device, the first motion data indicating movement of the mobile computing device during a first time period, and transitions the mobile computing device from operating in the first power mode to operating in a second power mode, wherein the one or more processors consume less power while operating in the second power mode than while operating in the first power mode,   wherein the motion module determines, while the mobile computing device is operating in the second power mode and based on second motion data generated by the motion sensor, that a change in an angle of the mobile computing device relative to gravity satisfies a threshold amount of change, and   wherein the at least one processor of the one or more processors, responsive to the motion module determining that the change in the angle satisfies the threshold amount of change, transitions the mobile computing device from operating in the second power mode to operating in the first power mode, determines, based on second motion data generated by the motion sensor during a second time period, a second activity of the user of the mobile computing device, and, responsive to determining that the second activity is different from the first activity, performs an action determined based on the determining that the second activity is different from the first activity.   
     
     
         12 . The mobile computing device of  claim 11 , wherein the action comprises storing an indication of a current location of the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         13 . The mobile computing device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the change in the angle of the mobile computing device relative to gravity is a second change in the angle of the mobile computing device,   the motion module, prior to the at least one processor determining the first activity of the user, determines, based on third motion data generated by the motion sensor, that a first change in an angle of the mobile computing device relative to gravity satisfies the threshold amount of change, and   the at least one processors performs the action by at least:
 determining, by the processor, a plurality of previously determined activities, wherein each previously determined activity was determined during a time period occurring between the determining that the first change in an angle of the mobile computing device relative to gravity satisfies the threshold amount of change and determining that the second change in an angle of the mobile computing device relative to gravity satisfies the threshold amount of change; and 
 responsive to determining, by the processor, that at least one previously determined activity from the plurality of previously determined activities is incorrect, correcting the at least one previously determined activity. 
   
     
     
         14 . The mobile computing device of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the at least one processor corrects the at least one previously determined activity by at least performing one or more of:
 removing the at least one previously determined activity from the plurality of previously determined activity; and 
 changing the at least one previously determined activity to correspond to an activity of a majority of the plurality of previously determined activities. 
   
     
     
         15 . The mobile computing device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the change in the angle of the mobile computing device is a first change in the angle of the mobile computing device,   the at least one of the one or more processors stores a series of locations of the mobile computing device indicating a route of the user,   the motion module determines, based on third motion data generated by the motion sensor, that a second change in the angle of the mobile computing device relative to gravity satisfies the threshold amount of change, and   the at least one of the one or more processors, responsive to determining that the second change in the angle of the mobile computing device relative to gravity satisfies the threshold amount of change, outputs, for display, an indication of the route.   
     
     
         16 . The mobile computing device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the change in the angle of the mobile computing device is a first change in the angle of the mobile computing device,   the motion module determines, based on third motion data generated by the motion sensor, that a second change in the angle of the mobile computing device relative to gravity satisfies the threshold amount of change, and   the at least one of the one or more processors determines, based on fourth motion data generated by the motion sensor during a third time period, a third activity of a user of the mobile computing device, and, responsive to determining that the third activity is different from the second activity, outputs, for display, an indication of the second activity.   
     
     
         17 . The mobile computing device of  claim 11 , wherein performing the action comprises determining a current location of the mobile computing device, wherein the second activity is running or bicycling, and wherein the current location corresponds to the start of a run or bicycle ride. 
     
     
         18 . The mobile computing device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 performing the action comprises determining a current location of the mobile computing device,   the first activity is riding in a vehicle,   the second activity is walking, and   the indication of the current location of the mobile computing device indicates a location at which the vehicle is parked.   
     
     
         19 . The mobile computing device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the motion module includes the motion sensor and a first processor,   the processor is an application processor,   the first processor and the application processor are different processors, and   the motion sensor is an accelerometer.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed, cause at least one of a plurality of processors of a mobile computing device to:
 determine, while the at least one processor is operating in a first power mode and based on first motion data generated by a motion sensor of the mobile computing device, a first activity of a user associated with the mobile computing device, the first motion data indicating movement of the mobile computing device during a first time period;   transition, by the at least one processor, from operating in the first power mode to operating in a second power mode, wherein the at least one processor consumes less power while operating in the second power mode than while operating in the first power mode;   while the at least one processor is operating in the second power mode, determine, by a motion module and based on second motion data generated by the motion sensor, that a change in an angle of the mobile computing device relative to gravity satisfies a threshold amount of change;   responsive to determining that the change in the angle satisfies the threshold amount of change, transition, by the at least one processor, from operating in the second power mode to operating in the first power mode;   determine, based on second motion data generated by the motion sensor during a second time period, a second activity of the user of the mobile computing device; and   responsive to determining that the second activity is different from the first activity, perform an action determined based on the determining that the second activity is different from the first activity.