Adaptive Vibration Noise Reduction

Abstract

A mobile device includes a housing having therein at least one single-axis vibrator. A processor within the device is linked to the single-axis vibrator and in an embodiment is configured to drive the single-axis vibrator to provide an alert based on an orientation of the device, an ambient noise level at the device, and the vibrator noise level caused by the single-axis vibrator.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A portable electronic device having adaptive vibration noise reduction comprising:
 a housing forming an internal space and defining a primary device plane;   at least one single-axis vibrator installed within the internal space; and   a processor within the internal space, the processor being linked to the single-axis vibrator and configured to drive the single-axis vibrator to provide an alert by determining an ambient noise level at the device, driving the single-axis vibrator at a predetermined drive level, determining a vibrator noise level caused by the driven single-axis vibrator, generating a modified drive level based on the ambient noise level and vibrator noise level, and driving the single-axis vibrator with the modified drive level.   
     
     
         2 . The portable electronic device in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a timed buffer, and wherein the processor is further configured to retrieve the predetermined drive level from the timed buffer and to write the modified drive level to the timed buffer. 
     
     
         3 . The portable electronic device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to quantify the ambient noise as high or low, and to quantify the vibrator noise level as high or low. 
     
     
         4 . The portable electronic device in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the drive levels define respective drive voltage levels, wherein the predetermined drive level and the modified drive level are selected from a high voltage level and a low voltage level, and wherein the processor is configured to generate the modified drive level by setting the modified drive level to the high voltage level if the vibrator noise level is low or if the vibrator noise level is high but the ambient noise level is also high. 
     
     
         5 . The portable electronic device in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate the modified drive level by setting the modified drive level to the low voltage level if the vibrator noise level is high and the ambient noise level is low. 
     
     
         6 . The portable electronic device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined drive level includes a predetermined drive frequency and wherein the processor is further configured to generate the modified drive level by determining a modified drive frequency. 
     
     
         7 . The portable electronic device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the alert will last for less than a predetermined time period, and to apply the predetermined drive level without generating the modified drive level if it is determined that the alert will last for less than the predetermined time period. 
     
     
         8 . The portable electronic device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the at least one single-axis vibrator is a linear resonant actuator (LRA). 
     
     
         9 . The portable electronic device in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the at least one single-axis vibrator includes multiple LRAs. 
     
     
         10 . A method of providing a user alert in a portable electronic device having a primary device plane and a single-axis vibrator, the method comprising:
 determining an ambient noise level at the device;   driving the single-axis vibrator at a predetermined drive level;   determining a vibrator noise level caused by the driven single-axis vibrator;   generating a modified drive level based on the ambient noise level and vibrator noise level; and   driving the single-axis vibrator at the modified drive level.   
     
     
         11 . The method in accordance with  claim 10 , further comprising retrieving the predetermined drive level from a timed buffer and writing the modified drive level to the timed buffer. 
     
     
         12 . The method in accordance with  claim 10 , further comprising quantifying the ambient noise as high or low, and quantifying the vibrator noise level as high or low. 
     
     
         13 . The method in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the drive levels define respective drive voltage levels, wherein the predetermined drive level and the modified drive level are selected from a high voltage level and a low voltage level, and wherein generating the modified drive level further comprises setting the modified drive level to the high voltage level if the vibrator noise level is low or if the vibrator noise level is high but the ambient noise level is also high. 
     
     
         14 . The method in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein generating the modified drive level further comprises setting the modified drive level to the low voltage level if the vibrator noise level is high and the ambient noise level is low. 
     
     
         15 . The method in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the predetermined drive level includes a predetermined drive frequency and wherein generating the modified drive level comprises determining a modified drive frequency. 
     
     
         16 . The method in accordance with  claim 10 , further comprising determining whether the alert will last for less than a predetermined time period, and applying the predetermined drive level without generating the modified drive level if the alert will last for less than the predetermined time period. 
     
     
         17 . The method in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the at least one single-axis vibrator is a linear resonant actuator (LRA). 
     
     
         18 . The method in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the at least one single-axis vibrator includes multiple LRAs. 
     
     
         19 . A portable electronic device configured to provide a user alert vibration of one of a high magnitude and a low magnitude, wherein the portable device is configured to provide the high magnitude alert vibration except when the device is lying flat and ambient noise at the device is low and to provide the low magnitude alert vibration when the device is lying flat and ambient noise at the device is low. 
     
     
         20 . The portable electronic device in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein the device is determined to be lying flat if its primary plane lies within 15 degrees of a horizontal plane that is perpendicular to gravity.