# US 8,787,865 B2 · System and method for activating an electronic device

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- Number: US 8,787,865 B2
- Document ID: US8787865B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/557,973
- Filed: 2009-09-11
- Published: 2010-01-14
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2005-11-10
- Assignees: BlackBerry Limited
- Applicants: Kevin Orr; Steven Fyke; David Mak-Fan
- Inventors: Kevin Orr; Steven Fyke; David Mak-Fan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8787865B2

## CPC

- G06F 1/3203: Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
- G06F 1/3237: by disabling clock generation or distribution
- G06F 1/324: by lowering clock frequency
- Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
- Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE

## Abstract

The disclosure provides a circuit and method for activating an electronic device from a low power state. The activation circuit comprises: a first accelerometer in the device; a second accelerometer which is activated upon receiving a movement signal from the first accelerometer; an input device; and a circuit to provide power to the input device when a series of connected movements signals from at least one of the first and the second accelerometers match a predetermined movement gesture.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An activation circuit for activating an electronic communication device, the activation circuit comprising:
a first accelerometer in the electronic communication device;
a second accelerometer configured to be activated by a movement signal from the first accelerometer;
a circuit connected to the second accelerometer to generate an output signal when the circuit detects two or more connected movement signals from the second accelerometer analyzed as a series of sequential components that match a movement gesture;
an input device;
a threshold detector circuit connected to an output of the second accelerometer and configured to compare the output against a threshold value and generate an activation signal when the threshold value is exceeded; and
a monitoring circuit connected to the input device, the monitoring circuit comprising
a plurality of staged latches that generate a trigger signal used to provide power to the input device based on a slow clock signal and a reset signal provided to the plurality of staged latches, the slow clock signal and the reset signal being generated by a microprocessor in the electronic communication device,
wherein the first accelerometer is an analog accelerometer and the second accelerometer is a digital accelerometer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The activation circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein after the monitoring circuit provides power to the input device, the monitoring circuit is configured to generate a second activation signal to place the electronic communication device in a higher power state when the monitoring circuit detects a notable signal from the input device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The activation circuit for an electronic communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the input device is one of a keypad, a touchscreen, a touchpad, a touchstrip, a trackball, a fingerprint reader, a mouse, a trackwheel, a joystick, a switch, a motion sensor, a light sensor, a microphone, an infrared sensor or a third accelerometer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The activation circuit for an electronic communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the monitoring circuit is further configured to:
analyze at least one of data from a system notification, time, date or an alarm to determine whether to provide power to the input device when the monitoring circuit detects the two or more connected movement signals.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The activation circuit as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:
the microprocessor;
a wake-up software routine operating on the microprocessor to place the electronic communication device in the higher power state upon receipt of the second activation signal; and
a timing module configured to initiate a timing window after detection of the two or more connected movement signals,
wherein the monitoring circuit is activated during the timing window and if the monitoring circuit detects an input signal from the input device during the timing window, the monitoring circuit generates the second activation signal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The activation circuit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second activation signal is used to reset the monitoring circuit.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The activation circuit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the input device is activated by a power signal generated by the monitoring circuit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The activation circuit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second activation signal is provided to an interrupt line of the microprocessor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The activation circuit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the timing module generates the slow clock signal when the microprocessor is in a lower power state.

### Claim 10

A method for activating an electronic communication device, the method comprising:
monitoring signals from a low-g MEM accelerometer to indicate an initial movement of the electronic communication device;
activating a second accelerometer upon detection of the initial movement and monitoring the second accelerometer for two or more connected movement signals;
determining whether the two or more connected movement signals match a movement gesture; and
activating an input device for the electronic communication device when the two or more connected movement signals analyzed as a series of sequential components match the movement gesture also utilizing a plurality of staged latches that generate a trigger signal used to provide power to the input device based on a slow clock signal and a reset signal provided to the plurality of staged latches, the slow clock signal and the reset signal being generated by a microprocessor in the electronic communication device,
wherein the low-g MEM accelerometer is an analog accelerometer and the second accelerometer is a digital accelerometer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method for activating an electronic communication device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:
after the input device is activated, monitoring for a signal from the input device for a period of time; and
if the signal is received within the period of time, generating an activation signal to place the electronic communication device in a higher power state.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method for activating an electronic communication device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:
comparing an output of the second accelerometer against a threshold value; and
when the threshold value is exceeded, monitoring the second accelerometer for the two or more connected movement signals.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method for activating an electronic communication device as claimed in claim 11, wherein:
the slow clock signal is used to track the period of time.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method for activating an electronic communication device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:
deactivating the input device if the period of time elapses without receiving the signal from the input device.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method for activating an electronic communication device as claimed in claim 11, wherein:
the activation signal is provided to the microprocessor to transit the electronic communication device to the higher power state.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The method for activating an electronic communication device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:
resetting a monitoring circuit associated with the second accelerometer to allow the monitoring circuit to process subsequent signals from the second accelerometer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The method for activating an electronic communication device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:
generating a pulse timing signal for a timing window after detection of the two or more connected movement signals; and
using the pulse timing signal to determine when to generate the trigger signal.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The method for activating an electronic communication device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the input device detects movement of a finger.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The method for activating an electronic communication device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the movement gesture is a snap movement or a movement in a circular pattern.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method for activating an electronic communication device as claimed in claim 19, further comprising:
if the two or more connected movement signals are not received within a predetermined time, deactivating the input device and the second accelerometer,
wherein the low-g MEM accelerometer utilizes less power than said second accelerometer.