Integrated mobile phone ring scheduler

• US 20050164746A1
• Filed: 01/26/2004
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Boyd, Martha Karen
• Granted Patent: US 7,353,047 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations

Abstract

A mobile telephone comprises a ringer to provide an audible alert of an incoming telephone call. The mobile telephone has a ringer schedule interface to receive a ringer control schedule. The ringer control schedule indicates times at which a parameter of the ringer is to change. The mobile telephone further comprises an integrated ringer controller to automatically change the parameter of the ringer according to the ringer control schedule.

Claims

1. A mobile telephone comprising:

a ringer to provide audible alert of an incoming telephone call;

a ringer schedule interface to receive a ringer control schedule, the ringer control schedule indicating times at which a parameter of the ringer is to change; and

a ringer controller to automatically change the parameter of the ringer according to the ringer control schedule.

2. The mobile telephone of claim 1 wherein the ringer control schedule indicates, for each day of the week, the times at which the parameter is to change.

3. The mobile telephone of claim 2 wherein the ringer control schedule comprises a first time for a first day of the week at which the ringer is to be turned off, and a second time for the first day of the week at which the ringer is to be turned back on.

4. The mobile telephone of claim 3 wherein the ringer control schedule for a second day of the week differs from that for the first day of the week.

5. The mobile telephone of claim 1 wherein the change in the ringer is selected from turning the ringer off, turning the ringer on, changing a ring tone, and changing a ring volume.

6. The mobile telephone of claim 1 further comprising:

a display device; and

a user input device;

wherein the ringer schedule interface uses the display device to display at least part of the ringer control schedule and the user input device to create at least part of the ringer control schedule.

7. The mobile telephone of claim 1 further comprising:

an interface to an external device;

wherein the ringer schedule interface uses the interface to receive at least part of the ringer control schedule created using and downloaded by the external device.

8. The mobile telephone of claim 7 wherein the interface comprises a short-range wireless interface.

9. The mobile telephone of claim 8 wherein the short-range wireless interface comprises a BLUETOOTH interface.

10. The mobile telephone of claim 7 wherein the interface comprises a data port.

11. The mobile telephone of claim 1 further comprising a control to override the ringer control schedule.

12. A mobile telephone comprising:

a ringer to audibly alert of an incoming telephone call;

a display device;

a user input device;

a ringer schedule interface to receive a ringer control schedule, the ringer control schedule indicating times at which a parameter of the ringer is to change, wherein the ringer schedule interface uses the display device to display at least part of the ringer control schedule and the user input device to create at least part of the ringer control schedule; and

a ringer controller to automatically change the parameter of the ringer according to the ringer control schedule;

wherein the ringer control schedule indicates, for each day of the week, the times at which the parameter is to change; and

wherein the ringer control schedule comprises a first time for a first day of the week at which the ringer is to be turned off, and a second time for the first day of the week at which the ringer is to be turned back on.

13. The mobile telephone of claim 12 further comprising a control to override the ringer control schedule.

14. The mobile telephone of claim 12 wherein the ringer control schedule for a second day of the week differs than that for the first day of the week.

15. The mobile telephone of claim 12 wherein the change in the parameter of the ringer is selected from turning the ringer off, turning the ringer on, changing a ring tone, and changing a ring volume.

16. A mobile telephone comprising:

a ringer to audibly alert of an incoming telephone call;

a display device;

a user input device;

an interface to interface with an external device;

a ringer schedule interface to receive a ringer control schedule, the ringer control schedule indicating times at which a parameter of the ringer is to change, wherein the ringer schedule interface uses the display device to display at least part of the ringer control schedule and the user input device to create part of the ringer control schedule, and wherein the ringer schedule interface uses the interface to receive another part of the ringer control schedule created using and downloaded thereto by the external device; and

a ringer controller to automatically change the parameter of the ringer according to the ringer control schedule.

17. The mobile telephone of claim 16 wherein the interface comprises a short-range wireless interface.

18. The mobile telephone of claim 17 wherein the short-range wireless interface comprises a BLUETOOTH interface.

19. The mobile telephone of claim 16 wherein the interface comprises a data port.