Method and apparatus of muting an alert

• US 20050059435A1
• Filed: 09/17/2003
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rivera, Ruben, McKee, James Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,027,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/045 Call privacy arrangements, e.g. timely inhibiting the ring signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

A wireless communication device (100, 800) is provided with a movement sensor (802), and circuitry for controlling the operation of the wireless communication device. In operation in response to detecting predetermined movement of the wireless communication device, an alert (212) that was previously activated to alert a user to an incoming wireless communication is muted.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device comprising:

an alert;

a movement sensor capable of generating an electrical signal in response to the wireless communication device being moved;

an electrical circuit coupled to the alert, and the movement sensor, wherein the electrical circuit is adopted to receive wireless communicating signals, activate the alert in response receiving wireless communication signals, and mute the alert in response to the electrical signal generated by the movement sensor.

2. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 wherein:

the movement sensor comprises a speaker.

3. The wireless communication device according to claim 2 wherein:

the speaker comprises a voice coil, including at least one lead.

4. The wireless communication device according to claim 3 wherein:

the electrical circuit comprises a comparator including an output, and one or more inputs coupled to the at least one lead.

5. The wireless communication device according to claim 4 wherein the electrical circuit comprises:

a peak hold circuit coupled between the at least one lead and the comparator;

a microprocessor coupled to the output of the comparator; and

an alert driving circuit coupled to the microprocessor.

6. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 wherein:

the movement sensor comprises an accelerometer.

7. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 wherein:

the movement sensor comprises a shock sensor.

8. The wireless communication device according to claim 1 wherein:

the alert comprises an audible alert.

9. A method of operating a wireless communication device comprising:

receiving a wireless communication signal;

activating an alert in response to receiving the wireless communication signal;

detecting movement of the wireless communication device; and

in response to detecting movement of the wireless communication device,

muting the alert.

10. The method of operating a wireless communication device according to claim 9 wherein activating the alert comprises:

activating an audible alert.

11. The method of operating a wireless device according to claim 9 wherein:

detecting movement of the wireless communication device comprises;

comparing a signal level on a speaker coil lead to a threshold value.

12. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a housing;

a user perceptible alert carried in the housing;

a detector carried in the housing, the detector for detecting a force; and

circuitry coupled to the detector and the alert, the circuitry operable to distinguish a predetermined force being detected by the detector, and selectively disabling the alert for a predetermined period responsive to the predetermined force being detected.