Notification Profile Configuration Based On Device Orientation

Abstract

In one embodiment, a user places a mobile device (e.g., a smart phone) facing downward on a table. A process running on the mobile device determines an orientation of the mobile device (i.e., a facing downward orientation), and determines that the mobile device has been in the facing downward orientation for over a threshold period of time (e.g., 3 seconds), then the process automatically selects a “Quiet” notification profile, and turn off the mobile device's display, without additional input from the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 a memory storing instructions;   one or more processors operable to execute the instructions to cause the one or more processors to:
 repeatedly and at predefined intervals of time, access an orientation sensor to determine an orientation of the device at a plurality of instances; 
 develop an orientation history based on the orientation of the devices at the plurality of instances; 
 using a sliding window on the orientation history to determine that the device has been in a current orientation for at least a threshold period of time and that the current orientation corresponds to a particular one of a plurality of notification profiles of the device; and 
 in response to determining that the device has been in the current orientation for at least a threshold period of time and that the current orientation corresponds to a particular one of the notification profiles, automatically transition the device to the particular one of the notification profiles. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the current orientation comprises a down-ward facing position such that a backside of the device faces upward, and   the particular one of the notification profiles is associated with a quiet mode.   
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more processors are further operable to execute the instructions to cause the one or more processors to:
 while the device is in the down-ward facing position and operating according to the particular one of the notification profiles, display content on a first display disposed on the back side of the device while maintaining a second display disposed on a front side of the device in a powered off state.   
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the content comprises an indication of the current location of the device; and   the graphical user interface comprises a map comprising the indication.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the content comprises an indication of a current location of a social contact of a user of the device. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the content comprises a newsfeed generated by a social networking system, and   the one or more processors are operable to execute the instructions to cause the one or more processors to:
 access one or more remote data stores; and 
 based on a user identifier associated with a user of the device, obtain the newsfeed from the social networking system. 
   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the content comprises a publication. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the content comprises caller-identification information of an incoming call. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more processors are further operable to execute the instructions to cause the one or more processors to:
 determine that the device, while in a communication session, was in a previous orientation prior to the current orientation, the previous orientation being different from the current orientation; and   automatically terminate the communication session in response to the device being transitioned to the particular one of the notification profiles.   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further operable to execute the instructions to cause the one or more processors to:
 while the device is operating according to the particular one of the notification profiles, receive an incoming call;   determine that the device has transitioned to a new pre-determined orientation, the new pre-determined orientation being an upward-facing or vertical orientation; and   transition the device from the particular one of the notification profiles to another one of the notification profiles that is a communication profile.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further operable to execute the instructions to cause the one or more processors to:
 automatically connect the incoming call in response to the device being transitioned to the communication profile.   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further operable to execute the instructions to cause the one or more processors to:
 automatically display caller-identification information on the device in response to the device being transitioned to the communication profile.   
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 by a computing device, repeatedly and at predefined intervals, accessing an orientation sensor to determine an orientation of the computing device at a plurality of instances;   by the computing device, develop an orientation history based on the orientation of the computing devices at the plurality of instances;   by the computing device, use a sliding window on the orientation history to determine that the computing device has been in a current orientation for at least a threshold period of time and that the current orientation corresponds to a particular one of a plurality of notification profiles of the computing device; and   in response to determining that the computing device has been in the current orientation for at least a threshold period of time and that the current orientation corresponds to a particular one of the notification profiles, automatically transition the computing device to the particular one of the notification profiles.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the current orientation comprises a down-ward facing position such that a backside of the computing device faces upward, and   the particular one of the notification profiles is associated with a quiet mode.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 while the computing device is in the down-ward facing position and operating according to the particular one of the notification profiles, display content on a first display disposed on the back side of the computing device while maintaining a second display disposed on a front side of the computing device in a powered off state.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the content comprises an indication of the current location of the computing device; and   the graphical user interface comprises a map comprising the indication.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the content comprises an indication of a current location of a social contact of a user of the computing device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the content comprises a newsfeed generated by a social networking system, and the method further comprises:
 accessing one or more remote data stores; and   based on a user identifier associated with a user of the computing device, obtaining the newsfeed from the social networking system.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the content comprises a publication. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the content comprises caller-identification information of an incoming call. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 determining that the computing device, while in a communication session, was in a previous orientation prior to the current orientation, the previous orientation being different from the current orientation; and   automatically terminating the communication session in response to the computing device being transitioned to the particular one of the notification profiles.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 while the computing device is operating according to the particular one of the notification profiles, receiving an incoming call;   determining that the computing device has transitioned to a new pre-determined orientation, the new pre-determined orientation being an upward-facing or vertical orientation; and   transitioning the computing device from the particular one of the notification profiles to another one of the notification profiles that is a communication profile.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising automatically connecting the incoming call in response to the computing device being transitioned to the communication profile. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising automatically displaying caller-identification information on the computing device in response to the computing device being transitioned to the communication profile.