Providing a user interface experience based on inferred vehicle state

A mobile device, comprising:

• a display and a processor configured to control the display;
• a camera configured to capture a space in front of the display;
• an interface module configured to receive inference-input information from one or more input sources, at least one input source configured to provide an indication whether the mobile device is in a vehicle being operated by a user of the mobile device;
• a state detection module configured to infer a vehicle state of the vehicle based on the inference-input information, the vehicle state having an attention profile that characterizes a level of attention and a type of attention which is appropriate for the user to maintain while operating the vehicle;
• an experience presentation module configured to switch a user interface on the display from a handheld mode to a vehicle mode when the mobile device is in the vehicle, the experience presentation module further configured to disallow touch control of the mobile device according to the vehicle state and monitor input from the camera to detect user gestures for controlling the mobile device;
• the interface module, the state detection module, and the experience presentation module being implemented by the processor.

A computer readable storage device for storing computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions executable by one or more processing devices, the computer readable instructions comprising:

• receiving inference-input information from one or more input sources, at least one input source configured to provide an indication whether a mobile device is in a vehicle being operated by a user of the mobile device;
• determining an attention profile that characterizes a level of attention and a type of attention which is appropriate for the user to maintain while operating the vehicle;
• switching a user interface on a display of the mobile device from a handheld mode to a vehicle mode when the mobile device is in the vehicle being operated by the user, wherein the vehicle mode disallows touch control of the mobile device, and wherein the user interface in the vehicle mode reflects the attention profile;
• and,
• in an instance when the user interface is in the vehicle mode, monitoring input from a space in front of the display of the mobile device to detect user gestures for controlling the mobile device.