Method of giving the user information, portable device, and computer program product

• US 20050110611A1
• Filed: 12/28/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ironworks Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: MobileMedia Ideas LLC
• Inventors: Ronkainen, Sami
• Granted Patent: US 8,847,734 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/7.580
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72475 specially adapted for disabled users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

There is provided a portabledevice, comprising: control means for monitoring and controlling the operation of the device; and a user interface which comprises alarm means for performing a silent alarm producing a silent, invisible, tactile sensation in the user; the control means are arranged to give the user abstract information on multiple internal operational events of the device by using various silent alarm patterns of silent, invisible sensations produced by the alarm means and sensed by the user, the alarm patterns differing from one another such that at least one alarm pattern characteristic sensed by the user varies, said abstract information comprising a notification of a specific internal operational event of the device.

Claims

1-42. -42. (canceled)

43. A portable device, comprising:

control means for monitoring and controlling the operation of the device; and

a user interface which comprises alarm means for performing a silent alarm producing a silent, invisible, tactile sensation in the user;

the control means are arranged to give the user abstract information on multiple internal operational events of the device by using various silent alarm patterns of silent, invisible sensations produced by the alarm means and sensed by the user, the alarm patterns differing from one another such that at least one alarm pattern characteristic sensed by the user varies, said abstract information comprising a notification of a specific internal operational event of the device.

44. The portable device of claim 43, wherein the notification of the specific internal operational event of the device is an error message to the user.

45. The portable device of claim 43, wherein the notification of the specific internal operational event of the device is a notification of a specific telephone number appearing at the user interface of the device while the user is selecting the desired telephone number prior to starting the call.

46. The portable device of claim 45, wherein the control means are arranged to provide a specific alarm pattern indicating the specific telephone number when the specific telephone number is on a selection list at a point where it can be selected.

47. The portable device of claim 45, wherein the same telephone number is always indicated with the same alarm pattern in the case of both an incoming call and a user-originated call.

48. The portable device of claim 43, wherein the notification of the specific internal event of the device comprises feedback to the user on a successful personal identification number enquiry.

49. A portable device, comprising:

control means for monitoring and controlling the operation of the device; and

a user interface which comprises alarm means for performing a 35 silent alarm producing a silent, invisible, tactile sensation in the user;

the control means are arranged to give the user abstract information on multiple internal operational events of the device by using various silent alarm patterns of silent, invisible sensations produced by the alarm means and sensed by the user, the alarm patterns differing from one another such that at least one alarm pattern characteristic sensed by the user varies, said abstract information comprising a notification of a specific telephone number appearing at the user interface of the device while the user is selecting the desired telephone number prior to starting the call.

50. The portable device of claim 49, wherein the control means are arranged to provide a specific alarm pattern indicating the specific telephone number when the specific telephone number is on a selection list at a point where it can be selected.

51. The portable device of claim 49, wherein the same telephone number is always indicated with the same alarm pattern in the case of both an incoming call and a user-originated call.

52. A portable device, comprising:

control means for monitoring and controlling the operation of the device; and

a user interface which comprises alarm means for performing a 20 silent alarm producing a silent, invisible, tactile sensation in the user;

the control means are arranged to give the user abstract information on multiple internal operational events of the device by using various silent alarm patterns of silent, invisible sensations produced by the alarm means and sensed by the user, the alarm patterns differing from one another such that at least one alarm pattern characteristic sensed by the user varies, said abstract information comprising an error message to the user about a specific operational event of the device.

53. A method of giving the user information on the operation of the device, which comprises:

detecting an event that concerns the operation of the device and interest the user with the control means of the portable device;

if at least one silent alarm pattern producing silent, invisible, tactile sensation in the user is attached to the event, giving the user abstract information on multiple internal operational events of the device by using at least one silent alarm pattern, produced by the alarm means and sensed by the user, the various alarm patterns differing from one another such that at least one alarm pattern characteristic sensed by the user varies, said abstract information comprising a notification of a specific internal operational event of the device.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the notification of the specificinternal operational event of the device is an error message to the user.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein the notification of the specific internal operational event of the device is a notification of a specific telephone number appearing at the user interface of the device while the user is selecting the desired telephone number prior to starting the call.

56. The method of claim 53, wherein the same telephone number is always indicated with the same alarm pattern in the case of both an incoming call and a user-originated call.

57. A method of giving the user information on the operation of the device, which comprises:

detecting an event that concerns the operation of the device and interest the user with the control means of the portable device;

if at least one silent alarm pattern producing silent, invisible, tactile sensation in the user is attached to the event, giving the user abstract information on multiple internal operational events of the device by using at least one silent alarm pattern, produced by the alarm means and sensed by the user, the various alarm patterns differing from one another such that at least one alarm pattern characteristic sensed by the user varies, said abstract information comprising a notification of a specific telephone number appearing at the user interface of the device while the user is selecting the desired telephone number prior to starting the call.

58. A method of giving the user information on the operation of the device, which comprises:

detecting an event that concerns the operation of the device and interest the user with the control means of the portable device;

if at least one silent alarm pattern producing silent, invisible, tactile sensation in the user is attached to the event, giving the user abstract information on multiple internal operational events of the device by using at least one silent alarm pattern, produced by the alarm means and sensed by the user, the various alarm patterns differing from one another such that at least one alarm pattern characteristic sensed by the user varies, said abstract information comprising an error message to the user about a specific operational event of the device.

59. A computer program product encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process for method of giving the user information on the operation of the device, the process comprising:

detecting an event that concerns the operation of the device and interests the user with the control means of the portable device;

if at least one silent alarm pattern producing silent, invisible, tactile sensation in the user is attached to the event, the user is given abstract information on multiple internal operational events of the device by using at least one silent alarm pattern, produced by the alarm means and sensed by the user, the various alarm patterns differing from one another such that at least one alarm pattern characteristic sensed by the user varies, said abstract information comprising a notification of a specific internal operational event of the device.

60. A computer program product encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process for method of giving the user information on the operation of the device, the process comprising:

detecting an event that concerns the operation of the device and interests the user with the control means of the portable device;

if at least one silent alarm pattern producing silent, invisible, tactile sensation in the user is attached to the event, the user is given abstract information on multiple internal operational events of the device by using at least one silent alarm pattern, produced by the alarm means and sensed by the user, the various alarm patterns differing from one another such that at least one alarm pattern characteristic sensed by the user varies, said abstract information comprising a notification of a specific telephone number appearing at the user interface of the device while the user is selecting the desired telephone number prior to starting the call.

61. A computer program product encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process for method of giving the user information on the operation of the device, the process comprising:

detecting an event that concerns the operation of the device and interests the user with the control means of the portable device;

if at least one silent alarm pattern producing silent, invisible, tactile sensation in the user is attached to the event, the user is given abstract information on multiple internal operational events of the device by using at least one silent alarm pattern, produced by the alarm means and sensed by the user, the various alarm patterns differing from one another such that at least one alarm pattern characteristic sensed by the user varies, said abstract information comprising an error message to the user about a specific operational event of the device.

62. A computer program product encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process for method of giving the user information on the operation of the device, the process comprising:

detecting an event that concerns the operation of the device and interests the user with the control means of the portable device;

if at least one silent alarm pattern producing silent, invisible, tactile sensation in the user is attached to the event, the user is given abstract information on multiple internal operational events of the device by using at least one silent alarm pattern, produced by the alarm means and sensed by the user, the various alarm patterns differing from one another such that at least one alarm pattern characteristic sensed by the user varies, said abstract information comprising a notification of a selected item on the menu of the user interface.