Method and apparatus for providing dynamic user alert

• US 20030169151A1
• Filed: 03/05/2002
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hunt, Guerney Douglass Holloway, Ebling, Maria Rene
• Granted Patent: US 7,250,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/7.58
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations

Abstract

Techniques for providing a dynamic alert indication to a user of a signal receiving device. One technique includes the steps of processing a signal transmitted from a signal transmitting device to determine at least one mode to be associated with an alert indication, wherein the processing step includes the step of accessing a look-up table containing information associated with a user of the signal receiving device to determine the at least one mode to be associated with the alert indication; and alerting the user of the signal receiving device via the alert indication that the signal has been received by the signal receiving device.

Claims

1. A method of providing a dynamic alert indication to a user of a signal receiving device, the method comprising the steps of:

processing a signal transmitted from a signal transmitting device, to determine at least one mode to be associated with an alert indication, wherein the processing step includes the step of accessing a look-up table containing information associated with a user of the signal receiving device to determine the at least one mode to be associated with the alert indication; and

alerting the user of the signal receiving device via the alert indication that the signal has been received by the signal receiving device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the mode of the alert indication is at least one of audible and non-audible.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the non-audible mode comprises vibrating the signal receiving device.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the audible mode comprises one or more ring tones.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the mode of the alert indication is suggested by a sender of the signal.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the accessing step occurs within the signal receiving device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of evaluating the signal to determine its relative importance based on content of the signal.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of determining a mode of an alert indication includes the step of evaluating an environment that the user is in.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the environment that the user is in is a context service environment.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the signal receiving device comprises one of a cellular telephone, personal digital assistant, and a pager.

11. A method of providing a dynamic alert indication to a user of a signal receiving device, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a signal from a signal transmitting device to a signal receiving device;

processing the signal to determine at least one mode to be associated with an alert indication, wherein the processing step includes the step of accessing a look-up table containing information associated with a user of the signal receiving device to determine the at least one mode to be associated with the alert indication; and

alerting the user of the signal receiving device via the alert indication that the signal has been received by the signal receiving device.

12. A method of providing a dynamic alert indication to a user of a signal receiving device, the method comprising the steps of:

processing a signal to determine at least one mode to be associated with an alert indication, wherein the processing step includes the step of accessing a look-up table containing information associated with a user of a signal receiving device to determine the at least one mode to be associated with the alert indication; and

receiving the signal from a signal transmitting device in the signal receiving device, wherein the signal alerts the user of the signal receiving device via the alert indication that the signal has been received by the signal receiving device.

13. A method of sending a message and providing a dynamic alert indication therewith, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a recipient of the message;

accessing a database to determine the recipient'"'"'s alert indication preferences;

identifying a known user device associated with the recipient and identifying characteristics associated with the user device;

determining the accessibility of the known user device;

selecting a transmitting device to transmit the message to the user device;

determining a method of alert indication based on the recipient'"'"'s alert indication preferences; and

transmitting the message and alert indication to the user device.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising the step of determining whether the recipient of the message subscribes to a database system which records the recipient'"'"'s alert indication preferences.

15. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising the step of transforming the message prior to transmitting the message.

16. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising the step of determining the context of the recipient prior to transmitting the message.

17. A system for providing a dynamic user alert to a user of a communication device, the system comprising:

a transmitter and a receiver, the transmitter configured to transmit a signal to the receiver and the receiver configured to receive a signal from the transmitter;

a look-up table containing information associated with the user of the receiver for determining a mode of the signal; and

a communication hub configured to process the signal from the transmitter to the receiver, wherein upon receipt of the signal by the receiver, the receiver also receives an alert indication to inform the user of the receiver that the signal has been received.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the signal is a text message.

19. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the communication hub is a service provider associated with a wireless communications company.

20. An apparatus for providing a dynamic alert indication to a user of a communication device, the apparatus comprising:

a processor for processing a signal from a transmitter to determine a mode of an alert indication;

a look-up table containing information associated with the user of the communication device for determining the mode of the alert indication; and

a signal receiving device for receiving the signal, the signal receiving device having means for sending the alert indication to the user.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the look-up table is stored in the communication device.

22. The apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the look-up table is stored in service provider infrastructure.

23. A method of providing a dynamic alert indication to a user of a signal receiving device, the method comprising the steps of:

processing a signal transmitted from a signal transmitting device associated with an environment within which the user of the signal receiving device is located, to determine at least one preferred mode of alert indication to be utilized by the signal receiving device while within the environment; and

alerting the user of the signal receiving device via the preferred mode of alert indication.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the preferred mode of alert indication comprises a non-audible mode of alert.

25. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the environment is a context service environment.

26. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the processing step determines that no mode of alert indication may be utilized by the signal receiving device while within the environment.

27. The method as recited in claim 23, further comprising the step of blocking transmissions to and from the signal receiving device wherein a blocking instruction is determined during the processing step.