Analyzing smart phones' 3D accelerometer measurements to identify typical usage positions in voice mode

Smart phone sensors provide new possibilities to understand how devices are actually used and handled in real-life situations. Such information can possibly be used to design better handsets, but also to improve network performance. For example, the radiated performance of a wireless device depends on its orientation and position relative to the user. Hence, knowing realistic handset usage plays a major role in the Over-The-Air characterization of antennas and wireless devices in general. This paper presents an analysis of usage positions for voice service. A simplified statistical model based on data collected from devices acceleration sensors is presented. The analysis shows interesting results from which we can identify some typical ways the user is handling the phone when in a voice conversation. Our analysis shows clear differences of the orientation of the handset when used with a handsfree set and when not.