Silent zone muting system

• US 20030078080A1
• Filed: 10/23/2001
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miriyala, Srinivas
• Granted Patent: US 7,069,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

A muting system (10) according to the present invention enables wireless communication devices (16,18) that enter a silent zone to generate a silent zone advisory message (64) and subsequently mute the wireless communication devices (16, 18). A muting device (14) remotely instructs the wireless communication devices (16, 18) to enter a silent mode. A digital information system (20) maintains muting status information that includes information such as the event description, location, and duration in a categorized formation. The digital information center (20) remotely communicates the muting status information to the wireless communication devices (16, 18) so that the wireless communication devices (16, 18) can generate a silent zone advisory message to communicate the status information to callers while the devices are muted.

Claims

1. A silent zone system comprising:

a transceiver for defining a silent zone for a wireless communication device;

a muter for automatically issuing a silent zone command to the wireless communication device when the wireless communication device enters the silent zone;

a programmable memory for storing a muting status information, and

a digital information center in communication with the programmable memory for communicating the muting status information to the wireless communication device to enable the wireless communication device to provide notification of a status of the wireless communication device through an advisory messages to another device attempting to communicate with the wireless communication device.

2. The silent zone system of claim 1, wherein the digital information center is for storing one of event and location specific information as the muting status information in extensible markup language format and communicating the muting status information to the wireless communication device in extensible markup language format.

3. The silent zone system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further for facilitating command communication between the muter and the wireless communication device and between the digital information center and the wireless communication device.

4. The silent zone system of claim 3, wherein the transceiver has an override function for terminating the silent mode command based upon a mute override wireless communication device parameter.

5. The silent zone system of claim 1, wherein the muting status information includes at least one of an event location and event time duration.

6. The silent zone system of claim 5, wherein the muting status information further includes at least one of an event description and event purpose.

7. The silent zone system of claim 1, wherein the muting status information is communicated to the wireless communication device based on device specific parameters.

8. The silent zone system of claim 7, wherein the device specific parameters include voice or text communicating capability.

9. A silent zone system comprising:

a wireless transceiver for defining a silent zone for a wireless communication device;

a detector that detects entry of the wireless communication device into the silent zone;

a programmable control unit for transmitting commands including a command directed to the wireless communication device to enter a silent zone mode upon receiving a signal from the detector indicating entry of the wireless communication device into the silent zone;

a memory in electronic communication with the programmable control unit for storing a muting status information; and

the programmable control unit further for transmitting the muting status information.

10. The silent zone system of claim 9, wherein the muting status information includes at least one of an event location and event time duration.

11. The silent zone system of claim 10, wherein the muting status information is stored and transmitted in extensible markup language format.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the muting status information further includes at least one of an event description and event purpose.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the device specific parameters include voice or text communicating capability.

14. A method of implementing a silent zone, comprising:

defining a specific zone in which communication devices are muted;

remotely commanding the communication devices to enter a silent mode in which the devices are muted upon entry into the specific zone;

maintaining silent zone status information including location information; and

communicating the silent zone status information to the communication devices based on device specific parameters subsequent to the remotely commanding the communication devices to enter the silent mode.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising maintaining and communicating the silent zone status information in a categorized format.

16. The method of claim 14, further including maintaining and communicating the silent zone status information in extensible markup language format.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the maintaining of silent zone status information including location information comprises maintaining silent zone status information including zone address and silent mode duration.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the maintaining of silent zone status information including location information comprises maintaining silent zone status information including event description and event purpose.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the communicating of the silent zone status information to the communication devices based on device specific parameters comprises communicating the silent zone status information to the communication devices based on voice or text communicating capability of the communication devices.

20. The method of claim 14 further including a step of communicating an advisory message from one of the communications devices within the specific zone to a calling device.