Abstract: Various embodiments provide dynamic display locations of virtual control buttons based upon detected movement of a computing device. A computing device displays a virtual control button at a first location, such as a location based upon a grip profile. At some point later, the computing device detects movement via a sensor included in the computing device. Upon detecting the movement, the computing device visually moves the virtual control button to at least a second location based upon the detected movement.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide virtual control buttons on a computing device, such as a mobile device, e.g. a smart phone, to produce a computing. The computing device includes a housing component defined by a top edge, a bottom edge, a left edge and a right edge. A touchscreen display defines at least a front surface of the housing component and wraps around at least one edge of the housing component to define at least portions of the one edge. The computing device is configured to receive touch input corresponding to a user gripping the device on the at least one edge. A grip profile is identified and corresponds to placement of a user's digits on the at least one edge. Responsive to identifying the grip profile, at least one virtual control button is visually placed on the touchscreen display based, at least in part, on the grip profile.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide activation of virtual control buttons through verbal commands. In some embodiments, a computing device receives audio input, and, upon receiving the audio input, analyzes the audio input to identify an input command. The analysis can sometimes include voice authentication associated with a user. Upon identifying the input command, the computing device visually displays a virtual control button on a touchscreen display. In some embodiments, the computing device displays the virtual control button at a location corresponding to a current grip in contact with the touchscreen display.

Abstract: In aspects of a wireless RFID-based hand sensory apparatus with contextual antenna selection, a wearable article is worn by a user who moves items that each have an RFID tag. A tracking system implemented in the wearable article includes a RFID reader designed to interrogate the RFID tags and receive an identification response from each of the RFID tags associated with the respective items. The tracking system also includes an omnidirectional antenna usable by the RFID reader to interrogate the RFID tags of a group of the items, and includes a narrow beam antenna usable by the RFID reader to interrogate the RFID tag of a selected item. The wearable article can be a glove of a pair of gloves with the narrow beam antenna implemented in the index finger of the glove, and the narrow beam antenna is directional based on where the user points the index finger.

Abstract: In aspects of a wireless hand sensory apparatus for weight monitoring, a wearable article is worn by a user who moves items. A tracking system is implemented in the wearable article, and the tracking system includes a force sensor, or force sensors, in the wearable article to register a force on an item. The tracking system includes tracking logic that determines a weight of the item based on the force on the item. The tracking system may also include a motion sensor to sense motion of the wearable article, and the tracking logic determines how the item is moved based on the motion of the wearable article. The tracking logic can also determine the weight of the item based on the force on the item in combination with a speed of the motion of the wearable article.

Abstract: In aspects of a wireless RFID-based hand sensory apparatus with contextual antenna selection, a wearable article is worn by a user who moves items that each have an RFID tag. A tracking system implemented in the wearable article includes a RFID reader designed to interrogate the RFID tags and receive an identification response from each of the RFID tags associated with the respective items. The tracking system also includes an omnidirectional antenna usable by the RFID reader to interrogate the RFID tags of a group of the items, and includes a narrow beam antenna usable by the RFID reader to interrogate the RFID tag of a selected item. The wearable article can be a glove of a pair of gloves with the narrow beam antenna implemented in the index finger of the glove, and the narrow beam antenna is directional based on where the user points the index finger.

Abstract: This document describes techniques (400, 500, 600) and apparatuses (100, 700) for implementing low-power near-field communication (NFC) authentication. These techniques (400, 500, 600) and apparatuses (100, 700) enable a computing device (102) to detect, in a low-power state, an NFC-enabled device (104) with which to authenticate via NFC. In some embodiments, various components of a computing device (102) in a sleep state are activated to perform authentication and/or an indication is provided to a user indicating an initiation of the authentication.

Abstract: In aspects of a RFID-based hand sensory apparatus for monitoring handled inventory, a wearable article is worn by a user who moves items, or a container of items, and each of the items has an RFID tag. A tracking system implemented in the wearable article includes force sensors to register a force on an item or the container, and includes a motion sensor to sense motion of the wearable article. Tracking logic of the tracking system initiates an RFID reader to interrogate the RFID tags of the items based on the registered force on the item or the container, and based on the motion of the wearable article. The RFID reader may be integrated in a wearable article, may be an external device, and/or may be affixed to the container of items and initiated when the container is moved.

Abstract: In aspects of RFID-based sensory monitoring of sports equipment, a number of RFID readers are positioned throughout a sports area to interrogate RFID tags that are associated with objects, such as sports equipment, used within the sports area. An object, such as a sports ball or protective equipment, can be set in motion along a trajectory within the sports area, and a RFID tag associated with the object receives an interrogation from the RFID readers positioned throughout the sports area. The object can include sensors integrated within a housing of the object, and the sensors are implemented to sense data about the motion and the trajectory of the object, as well as contact by the object with other objects. The sensed data is then communicated from the RFID tag of the object back to the one or more RFID readers that initiated the interrogation of the RFID tag.

Abstract: A method, device, system, or article of manufacture is provided for low-power management of multiple sensor chip architecture. In one embodiment, a method comprises, at a computing device that includes a first processor, a second processor and a third processor, receiving, at the first processor, first sensor data from a first sensor; determining, at the first processor, a motion state of the computing device using the first sensor data; in response to determining that the motion state corresponds to a predetermined motion state, activating the second processor; receiving, at the second processor, second sensor data from a second sensor; determining, by the second processor, that the motion state corresponds to the predetermined motion state using the second sensor data; and, in response to determining that the motion state corresponds to the predetermined motion state using the second sensor data, sending the motion state to the third processor.

Abstract: A method includes a first wireless device initiating a wireless connection to a second wireless device and monitoring at least one context associated with one of the wireless connection and the second device. When contextual data is received that indicates a condition, the method further includes determining, based on a search of a firmware update service (FUS) database, whether a firmware update for the second wireless device is available within the FUS database. And when an available firmware update is received from the FUS database, the method includes triggering the first device to initiate the firmware update for the second device. The triggering of the first device to initiate the firmware update includes: transmitting a command to place the second device in firmware update mode; and forwarding the firmware update to the second device, such that the first device controls and/or initiates the firmware upgrade of the second device.

Abstract: A method includes a first wireless device initiating a wireless connection to a second wireless device and monitoring at least one context associated with one of the wireless connection and the second device. When contextual data is received that indicates a condition, the method further includes determining, based on a search of a firmware update service (FUS) database, whether a firmware update for the second wireless device is available within the FUS database. And when an available firmware update is received from the FUS database, the method includes triggering the first device to initiate the firmware update for the second device. The triggering of the first device to initiate the firmware update includes: transmitting a command to place the second device in firmware update mode; and forwarding the firmware update to the second device, such that the first device controls and/or initiates the firmware upgrade of the second device.

Abstract: A method uses a computing device that includes a first processor in a first, inactive state operatively coupled to a second processor in an active state. While the first processor is in the first state (301) the second processor uses sensors to determine (303) that a first condition occurred. In response to determining that the first condition has occurred, the first processor initializes (305) to a second, active state. If the first or second processor determines (311) that a second condition has occurred within a given time period (307 and 309) after the first condition occurred, the first processor performs (315) a first action such as launching a software application, capturing a digital photograph, or placing a phone call.

Abstract: This document describes techniques (400, 500, 600) and apparatuses (100, 700) for implementing sensor-based near-field communication (NFC) authentication. These techniques (400, 500, 600) and apparatuses (100, 700) enable a computing device (102) to detect, in a low-power state, environmental variances indicating proximity with an NFC-enabled device (104) with which to authenticate. In some embodiments, various components of a computing device (102) in a sleep state are activated to process environmental variance(s), perform authentication operations, and/or an indicate initiation of authentication operations to a user.

Abstract: This document describes techniques (400, 500, 600) and apparatuses (100, 700) for implementing low-power near-field communication (NFC) authentication. These techniques (400, 500, 600) and apparatuses (100, 700) enable a computing device (102) to detect, in a low-power state, an NFC-enabled device (104) with which to authenticate via NFC. In some embodiments, various components of a computing device (102) in a sleep state are activated to perform authentication and/or an indication is provided to a user indicating an initiation of the authentication.

Abstract: A method, device, system, or article of manufacture is provided for low-power management of multiple sensor chip architecture. In one embodiment, a method comprises, at a computing device that includes a first processor, a second processor and a third processor, receiving, at the first processor, first sensor data from a first sensor; determining, at the first processor, a motion state of the computing device using the first sensor data; in response to determining that the motion state corresponds to a predetermined motion state, activating the second processor; receiving, at the second processor, second sensor data from a second sensor; determining, by the second processor, that the motion state corresponds to the predetermined motion state using the second sensor data; and, in response to determining that the motion state corresponds to the predetermined motion state using the second sensor data, sending the motion state to the third processor.

Abstract: A method, device, system, or article of manufacture is provided for low-power management of multiple sensor chip architecture. In one embodiment, a method comprises, at a computing device that includes a first processor, a second processor and a third processor, performing, by the second processor, a first scan at a first scan rate for first location data using a sensor; receiving, at the second processor, from the sensor, the first location data; determining, by the second processor, a first location using the first location data; receiving, by the second processor, a modality of the computing device; in response to determining the first location, determining, by the second processor, that the modality corresponds to a predetermined state; and in response to determining that the modality corresponds to the predetermined state, performing, by the second processor, a second scan at a second scan rate for second location data using the sensor.

Abstract: A method uses a computing device that includes a first processor in a first, inactive state operatively coupled to a second processor in an active state. While the first processor is in the first state (301) the second processor uses sensors to determine (303) that a first condition occurred. In response to determining that the first condition has occurred, the first processor initializes (305) to a second, active state. If the first or second processor determines (311) that a second condition has occurred within a given time period (307 and 309) after the first condition occurred, the first processor performs (315) a first action such as launching a software application, capturing a digital photograph, or placing a phone call.

Abstract: A method uses a computing device that includes a first processor in a first, inactive state operatively coupled to a second processor in an active state. While the first processor is in the first state (301) the second processor uses sensors to determine (303) that a first condition occurred. In response to determining that the first condition has occurred, the first processor initializes (305) to a second, active state. If the first or second processor determines (311) that a second condition has occurred within a given time period (307 and 309) after the first condition occurred, the first processor performs (315) a first action such as launching a software application, capturing a digital photograph, or placing a phone call.