Sensor and program management in a wireless communication device (wcd) based upon detected activity

Abstract

Various embodiments of a wireless communication device (WCD) that can be transported by a user are provided. One embodiment comprises a user interface that enables the WCD to receive inputs from the user and to provide outputs to the user. A sensor associated with the WCD produces sensor data. The sensor data indicative of physical movement of the WCD in three dimensional space. Computer program code is executed on the WCD and enables detection of a mobile thing motion activity (MTMA) associated with the user that is transporting the WCD based at least in part upon the sensor data. The code identifies computer programs and/or sensors to activate or deactivate based at least in part upon the detected MTMA. In some embodiments, the program and sensor decisions can be made based upon more than one detected MTMA, which is the same or different.

At least the following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for use in connection with a wireless communication device (WCD) that can be transported by a user, the WCD comprising a user interface that enables the WCD to receive inputs from the user and to provide outputs to the user, one or more sensors designed to produce sensor data indicative of physical movement of the WCD in three dimensional space, a memory designed to store computer program code; and a processor designed to execute the computer program code, the method comprising:
 enabling detection of a plurality of different mobile thing motion activities (MTMAs) associated with the user that is transporting the WCD based at least in part upon the sensor data;   storing in the memory a first relationship between detection of one or more MTMAs and activation or deactivation of the one or more sensors;   storing in the memory a second relationship between detection of the one or more MTMAs and activation or deactivation of one or more computer programs;   detecting the one or more MTMAs of the plurality of detectable MTMAs;   activating or deactivating, whichever applicable, the sensors based at least in part upon the detected MTMAs; and   activating or deactivating, whichever applicable, the computer programs, based at least in part upon the detected MTMAs.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 monitoring a time duration associated with the detected MTMAs;   comparing the time duration to a predefined threshold; and   initiating the computer program based at least in part upon the comparison.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 communicating a message to the user that requests confirmation from the user prior to activating or deactivating the sensors or computer programs; and   commencing the activation or deactivation once an input is received from the user via the user interface indicating the confirmation.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 accessing user preference information that is input by the user via the user interface; and   identifying the first and second relationships in the user preference information.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more MTMAs is a plurality of different MTMAs. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more MTMAs is a plurality of the same MTMA. 
     
     
         7 . A wireless communication device (WCD) that can be transported by a user, the WCD comprising:
 a user interface that enables the WCD to receive inputs from the user and to provide outputs to the user;   one or more sensors associated with the WCD designed to produce sensor data, the sensor data indicative of physical movement of the WCD in three dimensional space;   a memory designed to store computer program code; and   a processor designed to execute the computer program code, the computer program code comprising:
 code that enables detection of a plurality of different mobile thing motion activities (MTMAs) associated with the user that is transporting the WCD based at least in part upon the sensor data; 
 code that stores, in the memory, a relationship between detection of one or more MTMAs and activation or deactivation of one or more computer programs; 
 code that detects one or more MTMAs of the plurality of detectable MTMAs; 
 code that activates or deactivates the computer programs based at least in part upon the detected MTMAs and the stored relationship. 
   
     
     
         8 . The WCD of  claim 7 , wherein the computer program code further comprises:
 code that monitors a time duration associated with the detected MTMAs;   code that compares the time duration to a predefined threshold; and   code that activates or deactivates the computer programs based at least in part upon the comparison.   
     
     
         9 . The WCD of  claim 7 , wherein the computer program code further comprises code that activates or deactivates the one or more sensors, based at least in part upon the detected MTMAs. 
     
     
         10 . The WCD of  claim 7 , wherein the computer program code further comprises code that communicates a message to the user that indicates the computer programs to be activated or deactivated and that requests confirmation from the user and wherein the code activates or deactivates the computer programs once an input indicating confirmation is received from the user via the user interface. 
     
     
         11 . The WCD of  claim 7 , wherein the computer program code further comprises code that stores and accesses, in the memory, user preference information that is input by the user via the user interface and wherein the stored relationship resides within the user preference information. 
     
     
         12 . The WCD of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more MTMAs is a plurality of different MTMAs. 
     
     
         13 . The WCD of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more MTMAs is a plurality of the same MTMA. 
     
     
         14 . A wireless communication device (WCD) that can be transported by a user, the WCD comprising:
 a user interface that enables the WCD to receive inputs from the user and to provide outputs to the user;   one or more sensors associated with the WCD designed to produce sensor data, the sensor data indicative of physical movement of the WCD in three dimensional space;   a memory designed to store computer program code; and   a processor designed to execute the computer program code, the computer program code comprising:
 code that enables detection of a plurality of different mobile thing motion activities (MTMAs) associated with the user that is transporting the WCD based at least in part upon the sensor data; 
 code that stores, in the memory, a relationship between detection of one or more MTMAs and activation or deactivation of the one or more sensors; 
 code that detects one or more MTMAs of the plurality of detectable MTMAs; 
 code that activates or deactivates the one or more sensors, based at least in part upon the detected MTMAs and the stored relationship. 
   
     
     
         15 . The WCD of  claim 14 , wherein the computer program code further comprises:
 code that stores, in the memory, a relationship between detection of the one or more MTMAs and activation or deactivation of a computer program;   code that activates or deactivates the computer program based at least in part upon the detected one or more MTMAs and the stored relationship.   
     
     
         16 . The WCD of  claim 14 , wherein the computer program code further comprises code that requests confirmation that the one or more sensors should be activated or deactivated, prior to activation or deactivation of the one or more sensors. 
     
     
         17 . The WCD of  claim 14 , wherein the computer program code further comprises code that stores and accesses, in the memory, user preference information that is input by the user via the user interface and wherein the stored relationship resides within the user preference information. 
     
     
         18 . The WCD of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more MTMAs is a plurality of different MTMAs. 
     
     
         19 . The WCD of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more MTMAs is a plurality of the same MTMA.