Controlling alternative communication pathway utilization in a mobile communication device

• US 20070191056A1
• Filed: 05/24/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Seshadri, Nambirajan, Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Application Number:
  US11/440,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20070191056A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A system and method for controlling alternative communication pathway utilization in a mobile communication device. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise at least one communication interface module that is adapted to communicate over at least a first communication network (e.g., a telephone communication network) and a second communication network (e.g., a computer communication network). The at least one communication interface module may also be adapted to perform a plurality of types of communication over the second communication network. Various aspects of the present invention may also comprise at least one module that is adapted to enable a first type of communication over the second communication network and disable a second type of communication over the second communication network.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device (“

MCD”

) comprising;

at least one communication interface module adapted to;

communicate over at least a telephone network and a computer network; and

perform a plurality of types of communication over the computer network; and

at least one module adapted to;

enable a first type of communication of the plurality of types of communication over the computer network; and

disable a second type of communication of the plurality of types of communication over the computer network.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the telephone network is a cellular telephone network.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the computer network comprises the Internet.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the second type of communication comprises communicating voice conversation information.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the second type of communication comprises communicating multimedia conversation information.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one module is adapted to disable the second type of communication by, at least in part, disabling at least one software module associated with the second type of communication.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one module is adapted to disable the second type of communication by, at least in part, disabling at least one hardware module associated with the second type of communication.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one module is adapted to disable the second type of communication by, at least in part, restricting flow of at least one type of information associated with the second type of communication.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one module is further adapted to determine whether to enable or disable the second type of communication over the computer network.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the at least one module is adapted to determine whether to enable or disable the second type of communication over the computer network by, at least in part, accessing and analyzing stored information related to a user and/or the MCD.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one module is further adapted to, prior to disabling the second type of communication:

enable the second type of communication over the computer network; and

determine to disable the second type of communication over the computer network.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one module is further adapted to, prior to disabling the second type of communication:

perform the second type of communication over the computer network; and

log information regarding the performance of the second type of communication over the computer network.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 1, further comprising a user interface module, and wherein the at least one module is adapted to utilize the user interface module to provide an indication to a user of whether the second type of communication over the computer network is enabled.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 1, further comprising a user interface module, and wherein the at least one module is adapted to utilize the user interface module to provide information to a user indicating a manner in which the user may act to enable the second type of communication over the computer network.

15. A mobile communication device (“

MCD”

) comprising;

at least one communication interface module adapted to communicate voice conversation information over at least a cellular telephone network and a computer network; and

at least one module adapted to;

enable the communication of voice conversation information over the cellular telephone network; and

disable communication of voice conversation information over the computer network.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein:

the at least one communication interface module is adapted to communicate a type of information other than voice conversation information over the computer network; and

the at least one module is adapted to enable communication of the type of information other than voice conversation information over the computer network, while the communication of voice conversation information over the computer network is disabled.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module is adapted to disable the communication of voice conversation information over the computer network by, at least in part, disabling a functional module of the MCD.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module is adapted to disable the communication of voice conversation information over the computer network by, at least in part, disabling a functional module of the MCD corresponding to VoIP communication.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module is further adapted to determine whether to enable or disable communication of voice conversation information over the computer network.

20. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein the at least one module is further adapted to, prior to disabling communication of voice conversation information over the computer network:

perform communication of voice conversation information over the computer network; and

log information regarding the communication of voice conversation information over the computer network.

21. In a mobile communication device (“

MCD”

), the MCD capable of communicating over at least a telephone network and a computer network, the MCD capable of performing a plurality of types of communication over the computer network, a method for controlling alternative communication pathway utilization, the method comprising;

enabling a first type of communication of the plurality of types of communication over the computer network; and

disabling a second type of communication of the plurality of types of communication over the computer network.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the second type of communication comprises communicating voice conversation information.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein disabling the second type of communication comprises disabling at least one software module associated with the second type of communication.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein disabling the second type of communication comprises disabling at least one hardware module associated with the second type of communication.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising determining whether to enable or disable the second type of communication over the computer network.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing an indication to a user of whether the second type of communication over the computer network is enabled.

27. In a mobile communication device (“

MCD”

), the MCD capable of communicating voice conversation information over a cellular telephone network and over a computer network, a method for controlling alternative communication pathway utilization, the method comprising;

enabling communication of voice conversation information over the cellular telephone network; and

disabling communication of voice conversation information over the computer network.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising enabling communication of a type of information other than voice conversation information over the computer network, while the communication of voice conversation information over the computer network is disabled.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein disabling communication of voice conversation information over the computer network comprises disabling a functional module of the MCD.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein disabling communication of voice conversation information over the computer network comprises disabling a functional module of the MCD corresponding to VoIP communication.

31. The method of claim 27, further comprising determining whether to enable or disable communication of voice conversation information over the computer network.