Triggering actions based on changes in a network connection

Abstract

The described embodiments provide a system for performing an action based on a change in a status of a wired or wireless network connection for the system. During operation, the system detects the change in the status of the network connection. In response to detecting the change, the system determines a state of the system. The system then performs one or more actions using the determined state.

1 . A method for performing an action based on a change in a status of a wired or wireless network connection for a system, comprising:
 detecting the change in the status of the network connection; and   in response to detecting the change in the status:
 determining a state of the system; and 
 performing one or more actions using the determined state. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the change in status includes detecting at least one of:
 a disconnection from or a reconnection to the network connection;   a change in a signal strength of the network connection;   a change in a bandwidth of the network connection; or   an ability or inability to communicate with a predetermined second system on the network connection.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the state of the system involves:
 requesting one or more subsystems in the system to return information about the state of the system;   in response to the request, receiving information about the state of the system from the subsystems; and   recording the information about the state of the system.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein requesting the one or more subsystems to return information about the state of the system includes requesting the one or more subsystems to return information about one or more of a past, current, or projected future state of the system. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the state of the system includes an internal state of the system, and wherein the requested information includes information sampled from at least one of internal hardware or software monitors in the system. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the state of the system includes an external state of the system, and wherein the requested information includes information sampled by one or more sensors in the system about at least one of:
 a geographical or physical location of the system;   a linear or angular velocity or acceleration of the system;   a directional heading of the system;   a temperature external to the system;   a tilt or rotation of the system;   an atmospheric pressure external to the system;   an intensity of light external to the system;   a level of sound external to the system; or   a time.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein returning information about a projected future state of the system involves:
 acquiring one or more current or prior samples of information about a state of the system; and   generating a projected future state of the system from the acquired samples.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein recording the information includes storing the information in at least one of a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein performing the action using the determined state includes at least one of:
 causing one or more subsystems in the system or one or more applications in the system to perform one or more operations using the determined state; or   causing one or more other systems or one or more applications in the other systems to perform one or more operations using the determined state.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the state of the system further comprises waiting a predetermined time after detecting the change in the status of the network connection before determining the state of the system. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein performing the one or more actions using the determined state further comprises waiting a predetermined time after determining a state of the system before performing at least one of the one or more actions. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 detecting the change in the status of the network connection comprises detecting a loss of a connection to a wired or wireless network;   determining a state of the system comprises determining a physical location of the system; and   performing one or more actions using the determined state comprises:
 recording the determined physical location; and 
 using the recorded location to place a marker on a map in a map application. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 detecting the change in the status of the network connection comprises detecting a loss of a connection to a wired or wireless network;   determining a state of the system comprises determining:
 a physical location of the system, and 
 an acceleration of the system within a predetermined time of the loss of the connection to the wired or wireless network; and 
   performing one or more actions using the determined state comprises:
 recording the determined physical location and acceleration; and 
 using the recorded location and acceleration to determine if the system may have been involved in an accident. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 detecting the change in the status of the network connection comprises detecting a formation of a personal area network with another system;   determining a state of the system comprises:
 receiving user identity information from the other system, and 
 determining that the system is to perform one or more actions associated with the identified user of the other system; and 
   performing one or more actions using the determined state comprises performing the one or more actions associated with the identified user of the other system.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 detecting the change in the status of the network connection comprises detecting a loss of a connection to a first wired or wireless network;   determining a state of the system comprises waiting a predetermined time and then determining whether a wired or wireless connection has been made to a second wired or wireless network; and   when a wired or wireless connection has not been made to the second wired or wireless network, performing one or more actions using the determined state comprises performing one or more operations to notify a user that the wired or wireless connection has not been made or to secure the system against theft.   
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for performing an action based on a change in a status of a wired or wireless network connection in a system, comprising:
 a networking subsystem coupled to the network connection;   a processing subsystem coupled to the networking subsystem; and   a service subsystem coupled to the processing subsystem;   wherein upon detecting the change in the status of the network connection, the networking subsystem is configured to send a signal to the processing subsystem to notify the processing subsystem that the change has occurred;   wherein upon receiving the signal from the networking subsystem, the processing subsystem is configured to request state information for the system from the service subsystem; and   wherein upon receiving the requested state information from the service subsystem, the processing subsystem is configured to perform one or more actions using the state information.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein when detecting the change in the status of the network connection, the networking subsystem is configured to detect at least one of:
 an establishment, loss, or termination of the network connection; or   a change in a signal strength or bandwidth of the network connection.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein when requesting state information from the service subsystem, the processing subsystem is configured to request information about at least one of a prior, current, or estimated future state of the system. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising one or more hardware or software monitors coupled to the service subsystem, wherein the one or more hardware or software monitors are configured to monitor an internal state of the system;
 wherein when requesting state information, the processing subsystem is configured to request internal state information acquired from one or more of the hardware or software monitors.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising one or more sensors coupled to the service subsystem, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to monitor an external state of the system including at least one of:
 a geographical or physical location of the system;   a linear or angular velocity or acceleration of the system;   a directional heading of the system;   a temperature external to the system;   a tilt or rotation of the system;   an atmospheric pressure external to the system;   an intensity of light external to the system;   a level of sound external to the system; or   a time; and   wherein when requesting state information, the processing subsystem is configured to request external state information acquired from the one or more sensors.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein when performing the action using the state information, the processing subsystem is configured to at least one of:
 perform one or more operations using the state information;   cause one or more of the other subsystems to perform one or more operations using the state information; or   cause one or more other systems to perform one or more operations using the state information.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to wait a predetermined time after receiving the signal from the networking subsystem before requesting state information for the system. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to wait a predetermined time after receiving the state information before performing at least one of the one or more actions. 
     
     
         24 . An electronic device for performing an action based on a change in a status of a wired or wireless network connection, comprising:
 a networking subsystem coupled to the network connection;   a processing subsystem coupled to the networking subsystem;   a service subsystem coupled to the processing subsystem; and   a memory subsystem coupled to the processing subsystem, wherein the processing subsystem is configured to store data using the memory subsystem;   wherein upon detecting the change in the status of the network connection, the networking subsystem is configured to send a signal to the processing subsystem to notify the processing subsystem that the change has occurred;   wherein upon receiving the signal from the networking subsystem, the processing subsystem is configured to request state information for the system from the service subsystem; and   wherein upon receiving the requested state information from the service subsystem, the processing subsystem is configured to perform one or more actions using the state information.   
     
     
         25 . The electronic device of  claim 24 , wherein when detecting the change in the status of the network connection, the networking subsystem is configured to detect at least one of:
 an establishment, loss, or termination of the network connection; or   a change in a signal strength or bandwidth of the network connection.   
     
     
         26 . The electronic device of  claim 24 , wherein when requesting state information from the service subsystem, the processing subsystem is configured to request information about at least one of a prior, current, or estimated future state of the system. 
     
     
         27 . The electronic device of  claim 26 , further comprising one or more hardware or software monitors coupled to the service subsystem, wherein the one or more hardware or software monitors are configured to monitor an internal state of the system;
 wherein when requesting state information, the processing subsystem is configured to request internal state information acquired from one or more of the hardware or software monitors.   
     
     
         28 . The electronic device of  claim 26 , further comprising one or more sensors coupled to the service subsystem, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to monitor an external state of the system including at least one of:
 a geographical or physical location of the system;   a linear or angular velocity or acceleration of the system;   a directional heading of the system;   a temperature external to the system;   a tilt or rotation of the system;   an atmospheric pressure external to the system;   an intensity of light external to the system;   a level of sound external to the system; or   a time; and   wherein when requesting state information, the processing subsystem is configured to request external state information acquired from the one or more sensors.   
     
     
         29 . The electronic device of  claim 24 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to record the state information in at least one of a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory in the memory subsystem. 
     
     
         30 . The electronic device of  claim 24 , wherein when performing the action using the state information, the processing subsystem is configured to at least one of:
 perform one or more operations using the state information;   cause one or more of the other subsystems to perform one or more operations using the state information; or   cause one or more other systems to perform one or more operations using the state information.   
     
     
         31 . The electronic device of  claim 24 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to wait a predetermined time after receiving the signal from the networking subsystem before requesting state information for the system. 
     
     
         32 . The electronic device of  claim 24 , wherein the processing subsystem is configured to wait a predetermined time after receiving the state information before performing at least one of the one or more actions.