Presence-based device mode modification

• US 10,003,687 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2017
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IP3 2017, Series 200 of Allied Security Trust I (Allied Security Trust)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Ur, Shmuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Garcia, Santiago
• Application Number:
  US15/705,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20180007195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 277 Days
• Field of Search: 455418
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

In some examples, a first device may detect the presence of a second device or a particular person and, when a triggering event related to the second device or the particular person applies, the first device may change from a first mode to a second mode.

Claims

1. A method to switch a mode of operation of a first device, the method comprising:

receiving, by the first device, location information of a second device;

determining, by the first device and based at least on the received location information, that the second device is present within a particular range of distance from the first device;

in response to the determining that the second device is present within the particular range of distance from the first device, switching, by the first device, the mode of operation of the first device from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation;

determining, by the first device, that the second device is no longer present within the particular range of distance from the first device; and

switching, by the first device, based at least on the determination that the second device is no longer present within the particular range of distance from the first device, the mode of operation of the first device from the second mode of operation to a third mode of operation, which is different from the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the first device, short-range communication between the first device and the second device,

wherein the determining that the second device is present within the particular range of distance from the first device is further based on the detected short-range communication between the first device and the second device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the first device, long-range communication between the first device and the second device,

wherein the determining that the second device is present within the particular range of distance from the first device is further based on the detected long-range communication between the first device and the second device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the location information of the second device includes receiving the location information from one of:

the second device, a base station, or a server.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the first device, that a particular amount of time has elapsed since the determination of the second device being present within the particular range of distance from the first device, wherein the

switching the mode of operation of the first device from the second mode of operation to the third mode of operation is further based on the determination that the particular amount of time has elapsed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the switching, by the first device, the mode of operation of the first device from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation comprises:

determining whether a triggering event has occurred, in response to the determining that the second device is present within the particular range of distance from the first device; and

switching the mode of operation based at least on a determination that the triggering event has occurred.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the determining whether the triggering event has occurred includes determining whether a particular amount of time has passed since the determination of the second device being within the particular range of distance from the first device.

8. A device, comprising:

a memory configured to store instructions; and

a processor operatively coupled to the memory and configured to execute or facilitate execution of the instructions to;

obtain location information of another device;

determine, based at least on the obtained location information, whether the another device is present within a particular range of distance from the device;

switch, based at least on a determination that the another device is present within the particular range of distance from the device, a mode of operation of the device from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation;

determine that the another device is no longer present within the particular range of distance from the device; and

switch, based at least on the determination that the another device is no longer present within the particular range of distance, the mode of operation of the device from the second mode of operation to a third mode of operation, which is different from the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to execute or facilitate execution of the instructions to:

determine that a particular amount of time has elapsed since the determination of the another device being present within the particular range of distance from the device, wherein the

switch of the mode of operation of the device from the second mode of operation to the third mode of operation is further based on the determination that the particular amount of time has elapsed.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the location information is obtained from one of:

the another device, a base station, or a server.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the location information includes a global positioning system (GPS) location of the another device.

12. The device of claim 8, further comprising:

a database configured to store the mode of operation of the device, wherein the mode of operation of the device includes one of;

a notification mode, a power saving mode, and an airplane mode, and wherein the notification mode includes one of;

a normal operation mode, a selective silent mode, a meeting mode, and a silent mode.

13. A method performed under control of a server, the method comprising:

receiving first presence information of a first device;

receiving second presence information of a second device;

determining a distance between the first device and the second device based on the first presence information and the second presence information;

in response to the distance being less than or equal to a particular threshold value, notifying the first device to switch a mode of operation of the first device from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation;

determining that the distance between the first device and the second device is no longer less than or equal to the particular threshold value; and

in response to the determination that the distance between the first device and the second device is no longer less than or equal to the particular threshold value, notifying the first device to switch the mode of operation of the first device from the second mode of operation to a third mode of operation, which is different from the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining whether a triggering event has occurred based on the distance between the first device and the second device,

wherein the notifying the first device is further based on a determination that the triggering event has occurred.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the receiving the first presence information includes receiving a location information of the first device, and wherein the receiving the second presence information includes receiving a location information of the second device.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium hosted on a server to store one or more executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause the server to perform or control perform of operations comprising:

obtain, from a first device, a first communication that includes first presence information of the first device;

obtain, from a second device, a second communication that includes second presence information of the second device;

determine a distance between the first device and the second device based on the first presence information and the second presence information;

determine whether a triggering event is applicable based on the distance between the first device and the second device is less than or equal to a particular threshold distance;

responsive to a determination that the triggering event is applicable, transmit a third communication, to the first device, to change a notification mode from a first mode to a second mode;

determine whether another triggering event is applicable based on the distance between the first device and the second device is no longer less than or equal to the particular threshold distance; and

responsive to a determination that the another triggering event is applicable, transmit a fourth communication, to the first device, to change the notification mode from the second mode to a third mode, which is different from the first mode and the second mode.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the first mode includes an audible notification mode, and wherein the second mode includes a non-audible notification mode.