System and method for controlling notification characteristics of a mobile communication device

• US 20060264245A1
• Filed: 05/18/2005
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Luo, Hui
• Granted Patent: US 8,140,127 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/04 involving a separate line for each pair of parties

Abstract

A system and method for controlling user notification characteristics of a mobile communication device. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise transmitting a wireless signal from a wireless transmitter. Such a wireless signal may, for example, comprise a characteristic designed to control user notification characteristics of mobile communication devices receiving the wireless signal. Such a wireless signal may, for example, be transmitted to an area in which control of user notification characteristics is desired. Various aspects of the present invention may also comprise receiving a wireless signal at a mobile communication device. The mobile communication device may, based at least in part on a characteristic of the received signal, select one or more user notification characteristics. The mobile communication device may then receive a communication from a communication system and generate a user notification to notify a user of the communication, wherein the user notification comprises the selected characteristic(s).

Claims

1. In a mobile communication device, a method for notifying a user about a communication, the method comprising:

receiving, at the mobile communication device, a signal from a wireless transmitter;

selecting, based at least in part on a characteristic of the received signal, at least one user notification characteristic;

receiving, at the mobile communication device, a communication from a communication network; and

in response to the received communication, generating a user notification to notify a user about the received communication, wherein the user notification is characterized, at least in part, by the selected at least one user notification characteristic.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a signal from a wireless transmitter comprises receiving at least one of:

a wireless communication network signal and a signal that mimics a wireless communication network signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a signal from a wireless transmitter comprises receiving the signal from a transmitter that is independent of the communication network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the received signal comprises information communicated by the received signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one user notification characteristic comprises at least one of:

a vibration characteristic and a ring tone characteristic.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, based at least in part on a characteristic of the received signal, to route the received communication to a mailbox.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting at least one user notification characteristic comprises selecting the at least one user notification characteristic based, at least in part, on a notification profile.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the notification profile comprises information regarding whether the mobile communication device is enabled to perform user notification characteristic selection.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the notification profile comprises information identifying at least one source potentially associated with the received signal.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a communication from a communication network comprises receiving a cellular telephone call.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after selecting at least one user notification characteristic, detecting a change in the received signal and selecting, based at least in part on the detected change, at least one next user notification characteristic.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a user output indicating that a user notification characteristic has been automatically changed.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, based at least in part on a characteristic of the received signal, to operate the mobile communication device in a silent communication mode that allows a user to communicate prerecorded audible messages from the mobile communication device.

14. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a communication interface module adapted to receive a signal from a wireless transmitter;

at least one module that is adapted to select, based at least in part on a characteristic of the signal received from the wireless transmitter, at least one user notification characteristic;

a communication interface module adapted to receive a communication from a communication network; and

a user interface module adapted to, in response to a received communication, generate a user notification to notify a user about the received communication, wherein the user notification is characterized, at least in part, by the selected at least one user notification characteristic.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 14, wherein the wireless transmitter is independent of the communication network.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 14, wherein the characteristic of the signal received from the wireless transmitter comprises information communicated by the received signal.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 14, wherein the at least one user notification characteristic comprises at least one of:

a vibration characteristic and a ring tone characteristic.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 14, wherein the at least one module is adapted to select the at least one user notification characteristic based, at least in part, on a notification profile.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 14, wherein the communication network comprises a cellular telephone communication network.

20. The mobile communication device of claim 14, further comprising a user interface module adapted to generate a user output indicating that a user notification characteristic has been modified.

21. A method for controlling characteristics of a user notification generated by a mobile communication device concerning a communication, the method comprising:

transmitting a signal from a wireless transmitter, wherein;

the signal is adapted to be received by a mobile communication device; and

the signal comprises at least one characteristic adapted to, when received and processed by the mobile communication device, cause the mobile communication device to control at least one characteristic of user notifications generated by the mobile communication device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein transmitting a signal from a wireless transmitter comprises transmitting the signal to a coverage area in which it is desired to control characteristics of user notifications generated by mobile communication devices.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising transmitting a plurality of signals from a plurality of respective antennas, wherein respective coverage areas of the plurality of signals are controlled such that the aggregate coverage area of the plurality of signals represents an area in which it is desired to control characteristics of user notifications generated by mobile communication devices.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein transmitting a signal from a wireless transmitter comprises transmitting at least one of:

a communication network signal and a signal that mimics a communication network signal.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one characteristic comprises information communicated by the signal.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the wireless transmitter is not associated with a communication network.

27. A system for controlling characteristics of a user notification generated by a mobile communication device, the system comprising:

a wireless transmitter; and

at least one module adapted to cause the wireless transmitter to transmit a wireless signal, wherein the wireless signal comprises at least one characteristic adapted to cause a mobile communication device receiving the wireless signal to select at least one aspect of user notifications generated by the mobile communication device.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the wireless transmitter is adapted to transmit the wireless signal to a coverage area in which it is desired to control characteristics of user notifications generated by mobile communication devices.

29. The system of claim 27, further comprising a plurality of antennas with which a plurality of respective wireless signals are transmitted, wherein respective coverage areas of the plurality of respective wireless signals are controlled such that the aggregate coverage area of the plurality of respective wireless signals substantially corresponds to an area in which it is desired to control characteristics of user notifications generated by mobile communication devices.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the wireless signal comprises at least one of:

a communication network signal and a signal that mimics a communication network signal.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least one characteristic comprises information communicated by the wireless signal.