Inferring placement of mobile electronic devices

Abstract

A 'Placement Detector' enables handheld or mobile electronic devices such as phones, media players, tablets, etc., to infer their current position or placement. Placement inference is performed by evaluating one or more sensors associated with the device relative to one or more trained probabilistic models to infer device relative to a user. Example placement inferences include, but are not limited to, inferring whether the device is currently in a user's pocket, in a user's purse (or other carrying bag or backpack), in a closed area such as a drawer or box, in an open area such as on a table, indoors, outdoors, etc. These types of placement inferences facilitate a wide range of automated user-device interactions, including, but not limited to, placement-dependent notifications, placement-dependent responses to various inputs, prevention of inadvertent 'pocket dialing,' prevention of inadvertent power cycling of devices, lost or misplaced device location assistance, etc.