Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for receiving sensor data indicative of one or more vibrational and/or environmental characteristics associated with a user device, a user of the user device, and/or an environment that includes the user device; determining a value for a metric representative of the one or more characteristics; determining a value of a gesture detection parameter based at least in part on the value of the metric; receiving input corresponding to a touch event detected at a touch-sensitive display of the device; and analyzing the input based at least in part on the value of the gesture detection parameter to determine whether the touch event corresponds to a particular type of gesture.

Abstract: A computing device can obtain usage data associated with the device. The usage data indicate how the computing device operates or how the device is used. The device can analyze the usage data to recognize usage patterns. The usage patterns can correspond to recurring actions or tasks initiated by the user using the device, such as actions or tasks initiated due to the user's habits and/or routines. Based on the usage patterns, the device can determine a task that has a sufficient likelihood of being performed using the device within a specified or determined time (e.g., 5 minutes from now, one year from now, etc.). The device can provide information (e.g., recommendations) associated with the task, and likely relevant to the user. The user can use the provided information to perform the task, thereby increasing the ease of access or efficiency associated with performing the task.

Abstract: An access control application for mobile devices is provided. The access control application may be configured to generate a set of security tasks based at least in part on information corresponding to a user's interactions with the mobile device. An unlock screen of the mobile device may be triggered and a security tasks from the generated set of security tasks may be displayed through a user interface of the mobile device. The user's response to the security tasks may be obtained and a confidence score may be calculated, based at least in part on the response. The access control application may then determine, based at least in part on the score and one or more attributes of the environment, whether to unlock the mobile device or prompt the user to provide an additional response to another security task.

Abstract: An access control application for mobile devices is provided. The access control application may be configured to generate a set of security tasks based at least in part on information corresponding to a user's interactions with the mobile device. An unlock screen of the mobile device may be triggered and a security tasks from the generated set of security tasks may be displayed through a user interface of the mobile device. The user's response to the security tasks may be obtained and a confidence score may be calculated, based at least in part on the response. The access control application may then determine, based at least in part on the score and one or more attributes of the environment, whether to unlock the mobile device or prompt the user to provide an additional response to another security task.

Abstract: Users may access a variety of content in many locations. Described herein are systems, devices and methods for introducing users that are in close proximity to one another. Historical location data of the media devices, data indicating content usage on the media devices, or a combination of the two is used to determine a correspondence between two or more users. Once the correspondence has been determined, an introduction may be provided.

Abstract: Techniques are described for determining height, weight, or other characteristics of a user based on processed sensor data. The sensor data may include data collected by sensors on the user's computing device or other computing devices, or data collected by stationary, external sensors. Different types of sensor data may be processed to estimate at least one physical characteristic of the user, such as the user's height, weight, apparel size, age, and so forth. The estimated characteristics may be employed to perform actions based on the user's identity or category, to customize content delivery for the user, or for other purposes.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for generating a baseline use profile that indicates typical patterns of use of a device over time, transitioning the device to a challenge mode when sensor data indicates a deviation from the baseline use profile by more than a permissible tolerance, presenting challenges to the user while in the challenge mode, and determining whether to restrict or allow access to device functionality based on user responses to the challenges.

Abstract: A handheld electronic device determines its position in a moving vehicle based on changes in air pressure that occur when the vehicle undergoes acceleration. Based on a direction of acceleration that correlates to a subsequent reduction in air pressure, a determination is made as to whether the device is in the front left, front right, back left, or back right quadrant of the vehicle. The device then alters its configuration based on the quadrant in which it is located.

Abstract: Approaches to enable a computing device, such as a phone or tablet computer, to compute a probability that the user currently using the device matches a profile of an authorized user and to set or change a security level of the computing device based on the computed probability. The security level can be one of many security levels each having a different scope of authorized access to data or functions of the computing device. The computing device may periodically re-compute the probability and change the security level whenever the probability crosses certain predefined thresholds.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying a user of a device includes comparing audio received by a device with acoustic fingerprint information to identify a user of the device. Image data, video data and other data may also be used in the identification of the user. Once the user is identified, operation of the device may be customized based on the user. Further, once the user is identified, data can be associated with the user, for example, usage data, location data, gender data, age data, dominant hand data of the user, and other data. This data can then be used to further customize the operation of the device to the specific user.

Abstract: In some examples, an electronic device may include one or more recognition devices able to be used to recognize a current user. If the electronic device recognizes that a primary user, such as an owner, is currently using the electronic device, the electronic device may allow access to all of the primary user's private information and all of the features of the electronic device. On the other hand, when the electronic device determines that the current user is an unknown user, or that the current user is a known user who is authorized to access only limited information or features of the electronic device, the electronic device may send a communication to restrict the current user from accessing private information of the primary user. In some cases, the electronic device may enable the primary user to designate which items known users and/or unknown users may access.

Abstract: A system and method determines whether a finger touch on a touch screen device is outside the defined boundary of a touch target. In such situations a device may adjust the location coordinates of the finger touch to adaptively correspond to an appropriate touch target based on such factors as context, region, distance from touch target, user history, device movement, parallax, etc. The method and system may also be applied to overlapping touch targets.

Abstract: Content is presented by media devices to a user. Described herein are techniques and systems for determining occurrence of one or more events at, or proximate to, the media device. Once an event is determined, one or more actions to modify presentation of the content may be initiated. The actions may include starting presentation of the content, stopping presentation of the content, applying noise mitigation techniques to the content, and so forth. The noise mitigation techniques may include modification of an intended signal from the content to produce a noise mitigation zone 118 proximate to, or encompassing, at least a portion of the user's head.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, devices and methods for presenting content based on the spatial relationship between a media device and a user of the media device. The media device may present content based on an angle between an eye axis of the user and a device axis of the media device.

Abstract: Systems and approaches are provided for automating privacy control for a computing device based on a privacy or security context of the device. The privacy or security context of the computing device can be determined by analyzing sensor data or other input data captured by the device. The sensor and other input data can provide information such as a location of the computing device or the presence of other persons within the vicinity of the device to indicate whether the user is situated within a private or secure setting or a public or unsecure setting. A privacy or security control can be updated based on the determined privacy or security context, such as modifying a manner of displaying a pin or password during entry, elements of a home screen of the computing device, or preview content of user applications.

Abstract: An adaptive navigation system anticipates a user's interactions with a device, modifying the device in the future based on past user movements and interactions. The system records a user's movement patterns and correlates movement patterns with how the user interacts with the device. When the movement patterns recur, the system modifies at least one behavior of the device based upon past interaction of the user with the device.

Abstract: Examples of when to perform a flash update to reset pixels of a display device are described. In some implementations, a pixel threshold may be determined based at least partly on a temperature associated with a display device. A counter may be modified based at least partly on a number of pixels changed by a plurality of updates sent within a predetermined period of time to the display device. A flash update of the display device may be performed based at least partly based on determining that the counter satisfies the pixel threshold.