Abstract: A wearable electronic device includes one or more processors identifying one or more companion electronic devices operating within a wireless communication radius of the wearable electronic device. One or more sensors identify the wearable electronic device being within a predefined distance of a companion electronic device. A wireless communication circuit, responsive to the one or more processors, delivers an authentication credential to the companion electronic device in response to the one or more sensors identifying that the wearable electronic device is within the predefined distance of the companion electronic device. The one or more sensors thereafter detect a gaze of an authorized user of the wearable electronic device being directed at the companion electronic device, where the wireless communication circuit delivers an actuation command to the companion electronic device.

Abstract: A privacy system and method are provided for selecting an audio play mode in a mobile electronic communications device having a microphone, a loudspeaker and an earpiece speaker. The described technique in an embodiment includes receiving a user request for information, and playing the information via the earpiece speaker if the earpiece speaker is adjacent the user's head and was adjacent the user's head when the user request was received. The information is played via the loud speaker if the earpiece speaker is not adjacent the user's head and was not adjacent the user's head when the user request was received. If the earpiece speaker was adjacent the user's head when the user request was received but is no longer adjacent the user's head, the device requests user permission to play the received information via the loud speaker.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for interacting with a three-dimensional virtual environment, including receiving an input associated with a change in pose of a user's hand; estimating, based on at least the input, a first pose in the virtual environment for an input source associated with the hand; identifying a surface of a virtual object in the virtual environment; rendering a frame depicting elements of the virtual environment, the frame including a pixel rendered for a position on the surface; determining a distance between the position and a virtual input line extending through a position of the first pose and in a direction of the first pose; changing a pixel color rendered for the pixel based on the distance between the position and the virtual input line; and displaying the frame including the pixel with the changed pixel color to the user via a head-mounted display device.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a user interface. The user interface can receive a single command to capture an image. An imager of the electronic device can capture at least the image in response to the single command to capture the image. One or more sensors of the electronic device can determine contextual input from an environment of the electronic device while the imager captures the image. One or more processors of the electronic device can then augment the image with a visible representation of the contextual input to create a single, still, augmented image.

Abstract: Systems and methods for enhanced touch gesture detection and resolution in mobile electronic communications devices entail scanning a touch sensor of the device at a first scan rate, detecting a touch of a finger and determining that the touch has remained present for at least a first threshold period. In response to this determination, the touch sensor is scanned at a second scan rate that is higher than the first scan rate, and it is determined using this second scan rate that a swipe gesture has occurred at the touch sensor within a second threshold period. In response to the swipe gesture, an action is executed at the device.

Abstract: A privacy system and method are provided for selecting an audio play mode in a mobile electronic communications device having a microphone, a loudspeaker and an earpiece speaker. The described technique in an embodiment includes retrieving data for replay to the user, determining based on a characteristic of the data or the user whether the data is private, and playing the retrieved data via the earpiece speaker if the data is private. Otherwise the retrieved data is played via the loud speaker.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a communication device communicating with one or more Internet-of-things devices, one or more processors, and a memory. The communication device receives, from at least one Internet-of-things device, an event notification. The one or more processors identify a notification recipient to whom the event notification should be sent from a plurality of predefined system users, select a receiving electronic device from at least two electronic devices belonging to the notification recipient, convert the event notification from a first event notification type to a second event notification type that is receivable by the receiving electronic device, and transmit the event notification to the receiving electronic device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for user request detection and execution in a mobile electronic communications device entail using a low power request detection module in conjunction with a high power request detection module. The low power request detection module detects speech, determines that the detected speech is that of an authorized user and determines that the speech contains a request. The low power request detection module then awakens the high power request detection module from idle, which then determines with a higher confidence threshold that the speech of the authorized user contains a request and the interprets and executes the request.

Abstract: A method, and corresponding electronic device, receives, at a user interface of the electronic device, a command to capture one or more images. An imager of the electronic device initiates capturing the one or more images. One or more sensors of the electronic device, optionally in conjunction with one or more processors, identify a source of the command to capture the one or more images. The one or more processors can then apply a digital data identifier to the one or more images, the digital data identifier identifying the source of the command to capture the one or more images.

Abstract: An electronic device includes an audio synthesizer. The audio synthesizer can generate a voice-synthesized audio output stream as a function of one or more audible characteristics extracted from voice input received from an authorized user of the electronic device. The audio synthesizer can also apply an acoustic watermark to the voice-synthesized audio output stream, the acoustic watermark indicating that the voice-synthesized audio output stream is machine made.

Abstract: An electronic device includes an audio synthesizer. The audio synthesizer can generate a voice-synthesized audio output stream as a function of one or more audible characteristics extracted from voice input received from an authorized user of the electronic device. The audio synthesizer can also apply an acoustic watermark to the voice-synthesized audio output stream, the acoustic watermark indicating that the voice-synthesized audio output stream is machine made.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a self-aligning user interface in a mobile electronic communications device having a touch sensitive surface include detecting a finger touch on the touch sensitive surface and determining an angular orientation of the touching finger in a continuous angular coordinate system. A user input orientation is assigned to the touch sensitive surface such that it matches the angular orientation of the touching finger. When a finger gesture is detected on the touch sensitive surface, it is then interpreted by reference to the assigned user input orientation.

Abstract: An electronic device includes one or more sensors, a user interface having one or more user interface output devices, and one or more processors operable with the one or more sensors and the user interface. The one or more processors receive, from the user interface, a command to power OFF the electronic device. Upon failing to detect, with the one or more sensors, an authorized user of the electronic device as a source of the command to power OFF the electronic device, the one or more processors disable the one or more user interface output devices while leaving the one or more sensors operational.

Abstract: An electronic device includes one or more sensors, a user interface having one or more user interface output devices, and one or more processors operable with the one or more sensors and the user interface. The one or more processors receive, from the user interface, a command to power OFF the electronic device. Upon failing to detect, with the one or more sensors, an authorized user of the electronic device as a source of the command to power OFF the electronic device, the one or more processors disable the one or more user interface output devices while leaving the one or more sensors operational.

Abstract: Systems and methods for enhanced touch gesture detection and resolution in mobile electronic communications devices entail scanning a touch sensor of the device at a first scan rate, detecting a touch of a finger and determining that the touch has remained present for at least a first threshold period. In response to this determination, the touch sensor is scanned at a second scan rate that is higher than the first scan rate, and it is determined using this second scan rate that a swipe gesture has occurred at the touch sensor within a second threshold period. In response to the swipe gesture, an action is executed at the device.

Abstract: A central console unit includes a communication device and one or more processors. The communication device is in communication with one or more Internet-of-things devices. An artificial intelligence engine receives inputs from the Internet-of-things devices and transforms the inputs into machine-learned knowledge stored in an Internet-of-things knowledge domain. The central console unit detects at least one mobile device having other machine learned knowledge about an authorized user of the mobile device in a user knowledge domain, stored in the at least one mobile device, communicating with the communication device. When this occurs, the central console unit causes the at least one mobile device to deliver an exchange data.

Abstract: An electronic device includes an imager and one or more processors operable with the imager. The imager captures at least one image of a plurality of persons. The one or more processors blur depictions of one or more persons of the plurality of persons until a reveal permission instruction is detected.

Abstract: A central console unit includes a communication device and one or more processors. The communication device is in communication with one or more Internet-of-things devices. An artificial intelligence engine receives inputs from the Internet-of-things devices and transforms the inputs into machine-learned knowledge stored in an Internet-of-things knowledge domain. The central console unit detects at least one mobile device having other machine learned knowledge about an authorized user of the mobile device in a user knowledge domain, stored in the at least one mobile device, communicating with the communication device. When this occurs, the central console unit causes the at least one mobile device to deliver an exchange data.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a fingerprint sensor and one or more processors operable with the fingerprint sensor. One or more motion detectors are also operable with the one or more processors. The one or more processors determine with the fingerprint sensor, a direction of rotation of an object rotating, and in contact with, the fingerprint sensor. The one or more motion detectors detect whether the electronic device is rotating in three-dimensional space. The one or more processors then select and perform a first control operation when the object is rotating in a first axial direction and the electronic device is substantially stationary. Alternatively, the one or more processors select and perform a second control operation when the electronic device is rotating and the object is rotating in the first axial direction.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a fingerprint sensor and one or more processors operable with the fingerprint sensor. One or more motion detectors are also operable with the one or more processors. The one or more processors determine with the fingerprint sensor, a direction of rotation of an object rotating, and in contact with, the fingerprint sensor. The one or more motion detectors detect whether the electronic device is rotating in three-dimensional space. The one or more processors then select and perform a first control operation when the object is rotating in a first axial direction and the electronic device is substantially stationary. Alternatively, the one or more processors select and perform a second control operation when the electronic device is rotating and the object is rotating in the first axial direction.