Transitioning between two power states based on user-related signals

Abstract

Systems, methods, and machine-readable media transitioning between two power states based on user-related signals are provided. A computing device in a first power state may monitor multiple sensors and receive first sensor signals from a first group of the sensors. One or more radio frequency (RF) signals may be received from one or more nearby communication devices. The first sensor signals may be used to determine that the computing device has been picked up and, in response, an application processor maybe activated. The application processor may select a second power state based on the first power state and the first sensor signals. The second power state includes a power on state when the first power state is a suspended power state and the first sensor signals indicate that the computing device has been picked up while being touched on a screen. The computing device is transitioned to the second power state.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 monitoring, by a computing device in a first power state, a plurality of sensors;   receiving, based on the monitoring, first sensor signals from a first group of the plurality of sensors;   activating an application processor of the computing device;   selecting, by the application processor, a second power state based on the first power state; and   transitioning the computing device to the second power state,   wherein the second power state comprises a suspended power state when the first power state is a hibernation power state and the first sensor signals indicate that the computing device has been left in the hibernation power state for a first predetermined length of time.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second power state comprises the suspended power state when the first power state is a power on state and the first sensor signals indicate that the computing device has been left in a first state for a second predetermined length of time, the first state being characterized by detection of signals indicating at least one of a display device of the computing device being left in a predetermined position or not being viewed,   the second power state comprises an active state when the first power state is the power on state and the computing device is enabled by authentication information received from an authorized user of the computing device, and   the second power state comprises the suspended power state when the first power state is the active state and the first sensor signals indicate that the computing device has been left in a second state for the second predetermined length of time, the second state being characterized by detection of signals indicating at least one of the computing device being left in a predetermined position or the display device of the computing device not being viewed.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving one or more signals from a communication device associated with an authorized user of the computing device, wherein the one or more signals comprise one or more radio frequency (RF) signals.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein the second power state comprises the hibernation power state when the first power state is an active state, the computing device being transitioned to the hibernation power state based on the first sensor signals indicating that the computing device has been left in a second state for a second predetermined length of time and the one or more signals indicating an environment associated with the authorized user, the second state being characterized by detection of signals indicating at least one of the computing device being left in a predetermined position or a display device of the computing device not being viewed. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein the second power state comprises a power on state when the first power state is the suspended power state and the first sensor signals indicate that the computing device has been picked up while being touched on a display device of the computing device, and wherein the second power state comprises an active state when the first power state is the hibernation power state. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 receiving, based on the monitoring, second sensor signals from a second group of the plurality of sensors; and   in response to receiving the second sensor signals and the one or more signals, transitioning the computing device from the second power state to a third power state,   wherein the third power state comprises the hibernation power state when the second sensor signals indicate that the computing device has been left in the first state for a second predetermined length of time.   
     
     
         7 . The computer implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein the third power state comprises the suspended power state when one or more of the computing device is left in the first state for the first predetermined length of time, the computing device is in a second state, or no signals are received from the communication device associated with the authorized user, wherein the second state comprises at least one of the computing device being moved at a speed higher than a threshold speed or the display device of the computing device being proximate to a surface, and wherein the first predetermined length of time is greater than the second predetermined length of time. 
     
     
         8 . The computer implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein the second power state comprises an active state when the first power state is the suspended power state, the first sensor signals indicating that the computing device has been picked up while being touched on a display device of the computing device, wherein the one or more RF signals indicate that the computing device has been picked up by the authorized user of the computing device. 
     
     
         9 . A computing device comprising:
 a sensor-monitoring hub configured to:
 receive first sensor signals from a first group of a plurality of sensors; and 
 process the first sensor signals to generate a first status signal; 
   a state machine configured to determine a current power state of the computing device;   an application processor configured to select a second power state based on a first power state determined by the state machine and the first status signal; and   a power module configured to transition the computing device to the second power state,   wherein the second power state comprises a suspended power state when the first power state is a hibernation power state and the first sensor signals indicate that the computing device has been left in the hibernation power state for a first predetermined length of time.   
     
     
         10 . The computing device of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the second power state comprises the suspended power state when the first power state is a power on state and the first sensor signals indicate that the computing device has been left in a first state for a second predetermined length of time, the first state being characterized by detection of signals indicating at least one of a display device of the computing device being left in a predetermined position or not being viewed,   the second power state comprises an active state when the first power state is the power on state and the computing device is enabled by authentication information received from an authorized user of the computing device, and   the second power state comprises the suspended power state when the first power state is the active state and the first sensor signals indicate that the computing device has been left in a second state for the second predetermined length of time, the second state being characterized by detection of signals indicating at least one of the computing device being left in a predetermined position or the display device of the computing device not being viewed.   
     
     
         11 . The computing device of  claim 9 , sensor-monitoring hub configured to receive one or more signals from a communication device associated with an authorized user of the computing device, wherein the one or more signals comprise one or more radio frequency (RF) signals. 
     
     
         12 . The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein the second power state comprises the hibernation power state when the first power state is an active state, the computing device being transitioned to the hibernation power state based on the first sensor signals indicating that the computing device has been left in a second state for a second predetermined length of time and the one or more signals indicating an environment associated with the authorized user, the second state being characterized by detection of signals indicating at least one of the computing device being left in a predetermined position or a display device of the computing device not being viewed. 
     
     
         13 . The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein the second power state comprises a power on state when the first power state is the suspended power state and the first sensor signals indicate that the computing device has been picked up while being touched on a display device of the computing device, and wherein the second power state comprises an active state when the first power state is the hibernation power state. 
     
     
         14 . The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the sensor-monitoring hub is configured to:
 receive second sensor signals from a second group of the plurality of sensors; 
 process the second sensor signals to generate a second status signal; and 
 communicate the second status signal to the application processor, 
   the application processor is configured to cause the power module to transition the computing device from the second power state to a third power state, and   the third power state comprises the hibernation power state when the second sensor signals indicate that the computing device has been left in the first state for a second predetermined length of time.   
     
     
         15 . The computing device of  claim 14 , wherein the third power state comprises the suspended power state when one or more of the computing device is left in the first state for the first predetermined length of time, the computing device is in a second state, or no signals are received from the communication device associated with the authorized user, wherein the second state comprises at least one of the computing device being moved at a speed higher than a threshold speed or the display device of the computing device being proximate to a surface, and wherein the first predetermined length of time is greater than the second predetermined length of time. 
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors;   a computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors, the computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 monitor a plurality of sensors; 
 receive, based on the monitoring, first sensor signals from a first group of the plurality of sensors; 
 activate an application processor of a computing device; 
 select, by the application processor, a second power state based on a first power state; and 
 transition the computing device to the second power state, 
 wherein the second power state comprises a suspended power state when the first power state is a hibernation power state and the first sensor signals indicate that the computing device has been left in the hibernation power state for a first predetermined length of time. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the second power state comprises a suspended power state when the first power state is a power on state and the first sensor signals indicate that the computing device has been left in a first state for a second predetermined length of time, the first state being characterized by detection of signals indicating at least one of a display device of the computing device being left in a predetermined position or not being viewed,   the second power state comprises an active state when the first power state is the power on state and the computing device is enabled by authentication information received from an authorized user of the computing device, and   the second power state comprises the suspended power state when the first power state is the active state and the first sensor signals indicate that the computing device has been left in a second state for the second predetermined length of time, the second state being characterized by detection of signals indicating at least one of the computing device being left in a predetermined position or the display device of the computing device not being viewed.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 receiving one or more signals from a communication device associated with an authorized user of the computing device, wherein the one or more signals comprise one or more radio frequency (RF) signals.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the second power state comprises the hibernation power state when the first power state is an active state, the computing device being transitioned to the hibernation power state based on the first sensor signals indicating that the computing device has been left in a second state for a second predetermined length of time and the one or more signals indicating an environment associated with the authorized user, the second state being characterized by detection of signals indicating at least one of the computing device being left in a predetermined position or a display device of the computing device not being viewed. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the second power state comprises an active state when the first power state is the suspended power state, the first sensor signals indicating that the computing device has been picked up while being touched on a display device of the computing device, wherein the one or more RF signals indicate that the computing device has been picked up by the authorized user of the computing device.