Automated alert state change of user devices for time-based and location-based events

• US 20010049275A1
• Filed: 02/15/2001
• Published: 12/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Action Engine Corp. (MobUI, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Action Engine Corp. (MobUI, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pierry, Cristiano L. S., Roundtree, Brian
• Application Number:
  US09/783,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20010049275A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/748 Hypervideo linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object in the context of video distribution systems H04N21/858
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/94 Hypermedia Hyperlinking G06F40/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9558 Details of hyperlinks; Management of linked annotations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

Automatically changing the alert state of user devices for time-based and location-based events. In response to a time-based event, such as a scheduled calendar appointment, a system transmits a signal to an associated user device to change its alert state such as from an audible ringer mode to a non-audible vibrate mode. The system can make a similar alert state change upon receiving an indication of a location-based event such as detection of the user device within a particular building geographic area. If the user device is not remote controllable to change its alert state, the system transmits a text message or audio message to the user device to inform the user of the occurrence of the time-based or location-based event.

Claims

1. A method for automatically changing an alert state for a user device, comprising:

storing information concerning time-based events;

associating the events with a user device having a variable alert state;

detecting occurrence of one of the time-based events; and

transmitting a signal to the user device to change the alert state based upon the detecting.

2. The method of

claim 1

wherein the storing step includes maintaining an electronic calendar having information for the time-based events relating to a user associated with the user device.

3. The method of

claim 1

, further including storing an indication to change the alert state from an audible state to a non-audible state based upon the detecting.

4. The method of

claim 1

wherein the detecting step includes detecting a current time matching a time associated with one of the time-based events.

5. The method of

claim 1

, further including receiving information from a user associated with the user device for the time-based events.

6. The method of

claim 1

, further including:

determining that the alert state for the user device is not remote controllable; and

transmitting to the user device a message concerning the time-based event based upon the detecting and the determining.

7. The method of

claim 6

, further including selecting a pre-recorded audible segment to send to the user device as the message.

8. The method of

claim 6

, further including:

determining whether the user device has voice capability; and

selecting a text segment to send to the user device as the message based upon whether the device has the voice capability.

9. A method for automatically changing an alert state for a user device, comprising:

storing information concerning location-based events;

associating the events with a user device having a variable alert state;

receiving an occurrence of one of the location-based events; and

transmitting a signal to the user device to change the alert state based upon the detecting.

10. The method of

claim 9

, further including storing an indication to change the alert state from an audible state to a non-audible state based upon the detecting.

11. The method of

claim 9

wherein the receiving step includes receiving a detection of the user device within a particular geographic area.

12. The method of

claim 9

, further including receiving information from a user associated with the user device for the location-based events.

13. The method of

claim 9

, further including:

determining that the alert state for the user device is not remote controllable; and

transmitting to the user device a message concerning the location-based event based upon the detecting and the determining.

14. The method of

claim 13

, further including selecting a pre-recorded audible segment to send to the user device as the message.

15. The method of

claim 13

, further including:

determining whether the user device has voice capability; and

selecting a text segment to send to the user device as the message based upon whether the device has the voice capability.

16. An apparatus for automatically changing an alert state for a user device, comprising:

a store module for storing information concerning time-based events;

an associate module for associating the events with a user device having a variable alert state;

a detect module for detecting occurrence of one of the time-based events; and

a transmit module for transmitting a signal to the user device to change the alert state based upon the detecting.

17. The apparatus of

claim 16

wherein the store module includes a module for maintaining an electronic calendar having information for the time-based events relating to a user associated with the user device.

18. The apparatus of

claim 16

, further including a module for storing an indication to change the alert state from an audible state to a non-audible state based upon the detecting.

19. The apparatus of

claim 16

wherein the detect module includes a module for detecting a current time matching a time associated with one of the time-based events.

20. The apparatus of

claim 16

, further including a module for receiving information from a user associated with the user device for the time-based events.

21. The apparatus of

claim 16

, further including:

a module for determining that the alert state for the user device is not remote controllable; and

a module for transmitting to the user device a message concerning the time-based event based upon the detecting and the determining.

22. The apparatus of

claim 21

, further including a module for selecting a pre-recorded audible segment to send to the user device as the message.

23. The apparatus of

claim 21

, further including:

a module for determining whether the user device has voice capability; and

a module for selecting a text segment to send to the user device as the message based upon whether the device has the voice capability.

24. An apparatus for automatically changing an alert state for a user device, comprising:

a store module for storing information concerning location-based events;

an associate module for associating the events with a user device having a variable alert state;

a receive module for receiving an occurrence of one of the location-based events; and

a transmit module for transmitting a signal to the user device to change the alert state based upon the detecting.

25. The apparatus of

claim 24

, further including a module for storing an indication to change the alert state from an audible state to a non-audible state based upon the detecting.

26. The apparatus of

claim 24

wherein the receive module includes a module for receiving a detection of the user device within a particular geographic area.

27. The apparatus of

claim 24

, further including a module for receiving information from a user associated with the user device for the location-based events.

28. The apparatus of

claim 24

, further including:

a module for determining that the alert state for the user device is not remote controllable; and

a module for transmitting to the user device a message concerning the location-based event based upon the detecting and the determining.

29. The apparatus of

claim 28

, further including a module for selecting a pre-recorded audible segment to send to the user device as the message.

30. The apparatus of

claim 28

, further including:

a module for determining whether the user device has voice capability; and

a module for selecting a text segment to send to the user device as the message based upon whether the device has the voice capability.