Alert mechanism interface

• US 20040266491A1
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Howard, Dane M., Thompson, R. Donald III, VanderSpek, Paul Jacob Johannes, Tan, Albert W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,433,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/86 Arrangements characterised by the broadcast information itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/70 characterised in that receivers can be addressed
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are generally related to an alert mechanism. The alert mechanism is activated by the detection of one or more triggers, where the triggers can be categorized as time based and event based. Time-based triggers include timer based functions and scheduler based functions, while event-based triggers include internal alert functions and message based alert functions. Alerts are processed based on a priority scheme. Alerts take over the display area until dismissed by activation of one or more selectors by the user. Indicators may be included in a display screens to keep the user informed of ongoing changes in the alert status.

Claims

1. A method for alerting a user of a device that includes a user interface, comprising:

detecting an alert in response to a trigger;

identifying the alert that is associated with the trigger;

activating an alert mode operating state in response to a selected alert;

mapping a context of the user interface to another context that is associated with the selected alert when the alert mode operating state is active; and

notifying the user of the selected alert through the user interface when the alert mode operating state is active.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the alert in response to the trigger corresponds to at least one of:

detecting an interrupt request on the device, detecting a service request from an application program on the device, and detecting a received broadcast transmission that is received by the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger corresponds to at least one of a time based trigger, an event based trigger, and a peer-to-peer based trigger.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger corresponds to a time based trigger that is associated with at least one of a scheduler function, a calendar function, an appointment function, an alarm clock function, a chronograph function, and a countdown timer function.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger corresponds to an event based trigger that is associated with at least one of a low battery warning, a stolen device warning, a registration warning, and a message notification.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prioritizing the identified alert, and selecting the identified alert as the selected alert when the priority of the identified alert satisfies a priority rule.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the priority rule is arranged to manage identified alerts according to a hierarchy based on at least one of:

an assigned priority level that is associated with the identified alert and a time of occurrence that is associated with the identified alert.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein a low battery alert has a higher priority than a message alert.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

persisting in the alert mode operating state until the selected alert is dismissed.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

dismissing the selected alert in response to a timeout condition that is associated with the selected alert.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the timeout condition is associated with at least one of:

the expiration of a scheduled appointment, the expiration of a scheduled alarm, the expiration of a countdown timer, and the expiration of a specified time.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

dismissing the selected alert in response to a selector from the user interface.

13. The method of claim 9,.wherein notifying the user of the selected alert corresponds to activating a visual cue with the user interface, wherein the visual cue includes at least one field that is dynamically updated while the alert mode persists.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

returning to an initial operating state when the selected alert is dismissed.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises at least one of:

a display screen, a speaker-type device, an LED-type device, and a vibrating-type device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the user of the selected alert corresponds to activating a cue on the user interface, wherein the cue corresponds to at least one of:

a visual cue, an audible cue, and a vibrating cue.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the activated cue is associated with at least one of:

the selected alert, a type that is associated with the selected alert, and a status that is associated with the selected alert.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the user of the selected alert corresponds to activating a visual cue that is associated with the selected alert, wherein the visual cue corresponds to at least one of:

a graphical display screen, an animation sequence, a flashing screen, a pop-up display, a screen overlay, a colored screen, a colored pattern for a display screen, a colored LED, a blinking LED, a blinking sequence for an LED, and a colored blinking sequence for a colored LED.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the user of the selected alert corresponds to activating an audible cue that is associated with the selected alert, wherein the audible cue corresponds to at least one of:

a single tone, a sequence of tones, multiple tones, a sequence of multiple tones, a compressed audio file playback, an uncompressed audio file playback, a MIDI file playback, and a synthesized sound playback.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the user of the selected alert corresponds to activating a vibrating cue that is associated with the selected alert, wherein the vibrating cue corresponds to at least one of:

a single vibration, a repeating vibration, a sequence of vibrations, and a pattern of vibrations that form a rhythm.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

activating a transition sequence after a predetermined time interval expires while the alert mode operating state is active.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the transition sequence comprises at least one of:

a horizontal screen wipe, a vertical screen wipe, a fade effect, a half-tone effect, a flash-fade effect, a flashing effect, and a cross-dissolve effect.

23. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

returning to an initial screen after the selected alert is dismissed, and updating a status indicator of a display in the user interface after the selected alert is dismissed, wherein the status indicator is related to the selected alert.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the status indicator dynamically changes.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

a user interface that includes a display screen and a selector; and

a means for detecting an alert in response to a trigger;

a means for identifying the alert that is associated with the trigger;

a means for activating an alert mode operating state in response to a selected alert;

a means for mapping a context of the user interface to another context that is associated with the selected alert when the alert mode operating state is active; and

a means for notifying the user of the selected alert through the user interface when the alert mode operating state is active.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a means for prioritizing the identified alert, and a means for selecting the identified alert as the selected alert when the priority of the identified alert satisfies a priority rule.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for notifying the user of the selected alert corresponds to a means for activating a visual cue that is associated with the selected alert, wherein the visual cue corresponds to at least one of:

a graphical display screen, an animation sequence, a flashing screen, a pop-up display, a screen overlay, a colored screen, a colored pattern for a display screen, a colored LED, a blinking LED, a blinking sequence for an LED, and a colored blinking sequence for a colored LED.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for notifying the user of the selected alert corresponds to a means for activating an audible cue that is associated with the selected alert, wherein the audible cue corresponds to at least one of:

a single tone, a sequence of tones, multiple tones, a sequence of multiple tones, a compressed audio file playback, an uncompressed audio file playback, a MIDI file playback, and a synthesized sound playback.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for notifying the user of the selected alert corresponds to a means for activating a vibrating cue that is associated with the selected alert, wherein the vibrating cue corresponds to at least one of:

a single vibration, a repeating vibration, a sequence of vibrations, and a pattern of vibrations that form a rhythm.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a means for dynamically updating the display screen when the alert mode operating state is active such that content associated with the display screen is updated according to a time interval.

31. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a means for dynamically changing a status indicator region of the display screen, wherein the status indicator region is includes information that is associated with an identified alert.

32. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a means for transitioning the display screen from an alert screen to an initial screen when the alert mode operating state is active over a predetermined timeout interval.

33. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a means for alternating between views on the display screen when the alert mode operating state is active.

34. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a means for transitioning between views on the display screen after the selected alert is dismissed.

35. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a means for transitioning a header region of the display screen after the selected alert is dismissed, wherein the header region includes an indicator that is associated with the selected alert.

36. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a means for prioritizing identified alert, and a means for selecting the identified alert as the selected alert when the priority of the identified alert satisfies a priority rule.

37. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a means for dismissing the selected alert in response to at least one of;

a timeout and the activation of the selector in the user interface.

38. An apparatus, comprising:

a user interface that includes a display and a selector; and

an electronic system that is arranged to interact with the user interface and the display, wherein the electronic system is configured to;

detect an alert in response to a trigger;

identify the alert that is associated with the trigger;

activate an alert mode operating state in response to a selected alert;

map a context of the user interface to another context that is associated with the selected alert;

notify the user of the selected alert through the user interface when the alert mode operating state is active.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the user interface includes a vibrating means, and wherein the electronic system is arranged to notify the user of the selected alert by activating the vibrating means when the alert mode operating state is active.

40. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the user interface includes a sound means, and wherein the electronic system is arranged to notify the user of the selected alert by activating the sound means when the alert mode operating state is active.