Wireless device remote control by DTMF commands

• US 20050096030A1
• Filed: 10/29/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Boyd, Ralph W., Goldberg, Mark A., Hayek, Charbel E.
• Application Number:
  US10/696,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20050096030A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A wireless communications device, such as a cellular telephone (200), is able to accept and process DTMF tones as commands. Appropriate DTMF tones control operating characteristics of the wireless communications device (200). An example is causing a cellular phone to ring even though it has been configured into a “vibrate only” silent ring mode or a mode which has disabled all incoming call notification. Operation of such a DTMF tone facilitates finding a lost or misplaced cellular phone when that phone is configured to not ring in response to other calls. An external data communications port (232) of the wireless communications device (200) can also be controlled or data specified by the DTMF tone can be transmitted out of that data communications port (232).

Claims

1. A method for controlling a wireless device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one DTMF tone over a communications channel at the wireless communications device; and

controlling, in response to the at least one DTMF tone command, an operating characteristic of the wireless communications device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controlling step comprises making at least one observable indication emanate from the wireless communications device.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the observable indication comprises an audible ring.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the observable indication comprises an illumination of at least a portion of the wireless communications device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controlling step comprises changing a ring mode of the wireless communications device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controlling step comprises controlling a communications port of the wireless communications device.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controlling step comprises transferring data out of a communications port of the wireless communications device.

8. A wireless communications device, comprising:

a DTMF receiver for receiving at least one DTMF tone at the wireless communications device; and

a DTMF protocol processor for controlling, in response to the at least one DTMF tone, an operating characteristic of the wireless communications device.

9. The wireless communications device according to claim 8, wherein the DTMF protocol processor makes at least one observable indication emanate from the wireless communications device.

10. The wireless communications device according to claim 9, wherein the observable indication comprises an audible ring.

11. The wireless communications device according to claim 9, wherein the observable indication comprises an illumination of at least a portion of the wireless communications device.

12. The wireless communications device according to claim 8, wherein the DTMF protocol processor further changes a ring mode of the wireless communications device.

13. The wireless communications device according to claim 8, wherein the DTMF protocol processor further controls a communications port of the wireless communications device.

14. The wireless communications device according to claim 8, wherein the DTMF protocol processor further transfers data out of a communications port of the wireless communications device.

15. The wireless communications device according to claim 8, further comprising a packet data receiver for receiving the at least one DTMF tone.

16. The wireless communications device according to claim 8, further comprising a circuit data receiver for receiving the at least one DTMF tone.

17. The wireless communications device according to claim 8, further comprising an associated control channel receiver for receiving the at least one DTMF tone.

18. A computer program product comprising computer programming instructions for controlling a wireless device, the computer programming instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving at least one DTMF tone over a communications channel at the wireless communications device; and

controlling, in response to the at least one DTMF tone, an operating characteristic of the wireless communications device.

19. The computer program product according to claim 18, wherein the instructions for controlling comprise instructions for making at least one observable indication emanate from the wireless communications device.

20. The computer program product according to claim 19, wherein the observable indication comprises an audible ring.

21. The computer program product according to claim 19, wherein the observable indication comprises an illumination of at least a portion of the wireless communications device.

22. The computer program product according to claim 18, wherein the instructions for controlling comprise instructions for changing a ring mode of the wireless communications device.

23. The computer program product according to claim 18, wherein the instructions for controlling comprise instructions for controlling a communications port of the wireless communications device.

24. The computer program product according to claim 18, wherein the instructions for controlling comprise instructions for transferring data out of a communications port of the wireless communications device.