Computer system with do not disturb system and method

• US 20040223599A1
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ledbetter, Carl, Adams, Aditha May, Kaneko, Steve, Magendanz, Chad, Bear, Eric Gould
• Granted Patent: US 7,443,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/207.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/908 Multimedia

Abstract

A do not disturb system and method in a computer system at which communications such as voice calls and text messages are received. A user or process may set a computer system into a do not disturb mode, in which any communication routed through the machine will be evaluated against a set of rules to determine how that communication is to be handled, based on criteria such as the source of the communication and the type of communication. A notification and outgoing action is selected and performed in accordance with user-configurable settings. The outgoing action may include a return communication to the source of the communication indicating that the do not disturb mode is in effect.

Claims

23. In a computer system having an operating system, a subsystem comprising:

a communication display mechanism;

a do not disturb mechanism, the do not disturb mechanism operably coupled to provide do not disturb state data to the operating system; and

an operating system component that receives the do not disturb state data from the do not disturb mechanism and determines how to process a received communication based on the do not disturb state data.

24. The subsystem of claim 23 wherein the operating system component determines how to process the received communication by causing a notification corresponding to the received communication to be generated based on the do not disturb state data.

25. The subsystem of claim 24 wherein the notification comprises a visible alert.

26. The subsystem of claim 24 wherein the do not disturb state corresponds to an active state, and wherein the notification comprises a visible alert but not an audible alert.

27. The subsystem of claim 24 wherein the visible alert comprises a light that is illuminated.

28. The subsystem of claim 24 wherein the notification comprises at least one member of the set containing visual, audible, and tactile representations.

29. The subsystem of claim 24 further comprising an auxiliary display and a main display, and wherein the do not disturb state corresponds to an active state and the visible alert is displayed on the auxiliary display instead of the main display based on the active state.

30. The subsystem of claim 24 wherein the do not disturb state corresponds to an active state, and wherein the notification comprises an audible alert that is modified with respect to an audible alert for a same type of communication when the do not disturb state corresponds to an inactive state.

31. The subsystem of claim 23 wherein the communication comprises a voice call.

32. The subsystem of claim 23 wherein the communication comprises a video call.

33. The subsystem of claim 23 wherein the communication comprises a text message.

34. The subsystem of claim 23 wherein the communication comprises an email message.

35. The subsystem of claim 23 wherein the communication comprises an instant message.

36. The subsystem of claim 23 wherein the do not disturb mechanism comprises an automated process.

37. The subsystem of claim 23 wherein the do not disturb mechanism comprises a user-actuated do not disturb button.

38. The subsystem of claim 37 wherein the do not disturb button is located on a computer keyboard.

39. The subsystem of claim 37 wherein the do not disturb button is located on a control panel.

40. The subsystem of claim 37 wherein the do not disturb button is located proximate a display device.

41. The subsystem of claim 37 wherein the do not disturb button is grouped with a set of routing control buttons.

42. The subsystem of claim 37 further comprising an indicator that outputs information corresponding to the do not disturb state.

43. The subsystem of claim 42 wherein the indicator comprises an LED.

44. The subsystem of claim 42 wherein the indicator is located proximate the do not disturb button.

45. In a computer system, a method comprising:

receiving a communication at the computer system;

evaluating a current state of a do not disturb mode with respect to the received communication; and

determining a notification to provide and an action to take based on the current state.

1. In a computer system, a method comprising:

receiving a type of communication at the computer system of a plurality of available types of communications;

evaluating a current state of a do not disturb mode with respect to the received communication type; and

outputting a notification based on the current state.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication type corresponds to a telephone call, wherein the state corresponds to an inactive state, and wherein outputting a notification based on the current state comprises sounding an audible alert.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the state corresponds to an active state, and further comprising, outputting data in response to the communication to indicate that the do not disturb mode is in the active state.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein outputting data in response to the communication comprises playing a voice mail message.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein outputting data in response to the communication comprises sending an email message.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein outputting data in response to the communication comprises sending an instant message.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication type corresponds to a received message, and wherein outputting a notification based on the current state comprises sending a notification to a main display when the current state is inactive and sending a notification to an auxiliary display when the current state is active.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising controlling an indicator based on the current state.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising notifying at least one potential communicant of a change in the current state prior to receiving a communication from that communicant.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein evaluating a current state of a do not disturb mode with respect to the received communication comprises accessing a database based on the type.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein evaluating a current state of a do not disturb mode with respect to the received communication comprises accessing a set of type rules.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising evaluating the current state of the do not disturb mode with respect to a source of the received communication.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the source of the received communication corresponds to caller ID data.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the source of the received communication corresponds to an identity of a sender of a text message.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein evaluating a current state of a do not disturb mode with respect to the source of the received communication comprises accessing a database based on the source.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein evaluating the current state of the do not disturb mode with respect to the received communication comprises accessing a set of source rules.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein evaluating a current state of the do not disturb mode with respect to the received communication type and evaluating the current state of the do not disturb mode with respect to a source of the received communication comprises accessing a database with type data and source data as a key.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein outputting a notification comprises using at least one member of a set containing visual, audible, and tactile representations.

22. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the communication type corresponds to a telephone call, wherein the state corresponds to an active state, and wherein determining a notification to provide and an action to take comprises displaying a visible alert and routing the call to a voice mail system, respectively.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein displaying a visible alert comprises controlling illumination of an LED.

48. The method of claim 46 wherein displaying a visible alert comprises providing data to a display.

49. The method of claim 45 wherein the state corresponds to an active state, and wherein the action corresponds to outputting data in response to the communication to indicate that the do not disturb mode is in the active state.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein outputting data comprises playing a voice mail message.

51. The method of claim 49 wherein outputting data comprises sending an email message.

52. The method of claim 49 wherein outputting data in response to the communication comprises sending an instant message.

53. The method of claim 45 wherein the state corresponds to an active state, and wherein the action corresponds to discarding a received message.

54. The method of claim 45 wherein determining the notification corresponds to sending an alert to a main display when the current state is inactive, or sending an alert to an auxiliary display when the current state is active.

55. The method of claim 45 wherein determining the notification corresponds to sending an alert comprising at least one member of the set containing visual, audible, and tactile representations.

56. The method of claim 45 wherein evaluating a current state of a do not disturb mode with respect to the received communication comprises making a determination based on a communication type.

57. The method of claim 45 wherein evaluating a current state of a do not disturb mode with respect to the received communication comprises making a determination based on a source of the communication.

58. The method of claim 45 wherein evaluating a current state of a do not disturb mode with respect to the received communication comprises accessing a database based on a communication type.

59. The method of claim 45 wherein evaluating a current state of a do not disturb mode with respect to the received communication comprises accessing a database based on a source of the communication.

60. The method of claim 45 wherein evaluating a current state of a do not disturb mode with respect to the received communication comprises accessing a database with communication type data and communication source data as a key.

61. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 45.

67. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication type corresponds to a locally generated message.

68. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication type corresponds to a system event.

69. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication type corresponds to an application notice.

54-1. The method of claim 45 further comprising controlling an indicator based on the current state.

55-2. The method of claim 45 further comprising notifying at least one potential communicant of a change in the current state prior to receiving a communication from that communicant.

62. In a computing environment, a system comprising:

means for evaluating a current state of a do not disturb mode with respect to a type of communication received at the computer system relative to a plurality of available types of communications; and

means for outputting a notification based on the current state.

63. In a computing environment, a system comprising:

means for receiving a command to enter a do not disturb mode;

means for activating the do not disturb mode, including providing a indication that the do not disturb mode is active; and

means for handling a received communication a plurality of available types of communications differently when in the do not disturb mode relative to when not in the do not disturb mode.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication type corresponds to a telephone call, wherein the state corresponds to an active state, and wherein outputting a notification based on the current state comprises generating a visible display without sounding an audible alert.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein generating the visible display comprises lighting an LED.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein generating the visible display comprises providing data to a display.

64. The system of claim 63 wherein the indication comprises illuminating a monitor area in the computing environment.

65. The system of claim 63 wherein the indication comprises illuminating an LED.

66. The system of claim 63 wherein the indication comprises at least one of the set of visible, audible or tactile representations.

66-3. The system of claim 63 wherein the indication comprises changing a theme in the computing environment.