Method and apparatus for event confirmation using personal area network

• US 20070298791A1
• Filed: 06/23/2006
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sierra Wireless Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sierra Wireless Incorporated
• Inventors: Waung, William Yih Yuan
• Application Number:
  US11/473,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20070298791A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

A method and a system for confirming an event using a short-range wireless communications network are disclosed. The mechanism includes various steps including monitoring the event, verifying the event, and performing a function when the event is verified. In one embodiment, a series of events are initially entered in a scheduling database such as a calendar software. Once the events are stored in the scheduling database, the mechanism monitors the events in accordance with a predefined sequence. In one aspect, the events may be ordered in a chronological order. If an occurrence of the event according to a predefined sequence is detected, the mechanism obtains ambient information using its short-range wireless capability to verify the actual occurrence of the event. Upon verifying the occurrence of the event, the mechanism performs a function, which can be a predetermined function or a real-time instructed function.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring an event in accordance with a predefined sequence;

detecting an occurrence of the event;

identifying confirmation data in response to the event;

activating a short-range wireless communications network to obtain surrounding data in response to the confirmation data;

verifying the surrounding data in according with the event; and

issuing a confirmation signal when the surrounding data verifies the occurrence of the event.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

entering information relating to a series of events, the predefined sequence and the confirmation data in an event database; and

identifying one of the series of events to be monitored in accordance with the predefined sequence.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein entering information relating to the predefined sequence further includes organizing the series of events in a sequential order in accordance with a calendar software.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein organizing the series of events in a sequential order further includes organizing the events in a chronological order.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a predefined function in response to a verified occurrence of the event.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein monitoring an event further includes identifying one of a scheduled meeting, a specific geographic location, a predefined situation, and a predefined ambient environment.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a function according to a real-time instruction obtained from a remote device connected through a network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying confirmation data further includes determining information relating to expected environment for the event.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein activating a short-range wireless communications network includes establishing a personal area network to obtain ambient data in accordance with the event.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a monitor configured to identify an occurrence of an event in accordance with a predefined sequence;

an identification coupled to the monitor and configured to identify confirmation data in response to the event;

a short-range wireless device coupled to the identification and configured to communicate with nearby wireless communications devices to obtain surrounding information according to the confirmation data;

a verification coupled to the short-range wireless component and configured to verify the occurrence of the event in response to the surrounding information; and

a logic device coupled to the verification and operable to perform a function in response to a verified event.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the logic device further obtains real-time instructions describing specific function to be perform from a remote system connected through a wireless network.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the event is a meeting

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein a predefined sequence is a chronological order.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the short-range wireless device is capable of establishing a personal area network.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the short-range wireless device is capable of establishing a wireless local area network.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the verification further includes a comparison circuitry for comparing the surrounding information with stored expected environment according to the event.

17. A method for automatically adjusting a setting of a device according to an occurrence of a meeting comprising:

monitoring an occurrence of a meeting in accordance with a chronological order in an electronic calendar;

identifying confirmation data stored in an event database in response to the meeting;

activating a personal area network (“

PAN”

) to collect ambient information relating to the meeting in response to the confirmation data;

verifying the occurrence of the meeting in response to comparison between collected ambient data and expected ambient environment; and

adjusting notification settings of the device when the occurrence of the meeting is confirmed.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein activating a PAN further includes:

locating a nearby device that also has wireless capability through PAN;

obtaining an email identification from the nearby device; and

comparing the email identification from the nearby device with email identifications listed in stored meeting notice.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein activating a PAN further includes:

locating a location identification device utilizing the PAN;

obtaining a location identity from the location identification device through the PAN;

comparing the location identity with meeting room listed in a meeting notice; and

issuing a signal of a verified event when the location identity matches with the meeting room.

20. An apparatus comprising:

means for monitoring an event in accordance with a predefined sequence;

means for detecting an occurrence of the event;

means for identifying confirmation data in response to the event;

means for activating a short-range wireless communications network to obtain surrounding data in response to the confirmation data;

means for verifying the surrounding data against the event; and

means for issuing a confirmation signal when the surrounding data verifies the occurrence of the event.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

means for entering information relating to a series of events, the predefined sequence and the confirmation data in an event database; and

means for identifying one of the series of events to be monitored in accordance with the predefined sequence.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein means for entering information relating to the predefined sequence further includes means for organizing the series of events in a sequential order in accordance with a calendar software.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein means for organizing the series of events in a sequential order further includes means for organizing the events in a chronological order.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising means for performing a predefined function in response to a verified occurrence of the event.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein means for monitoring an event further includes means for identifying one of a scheduled meeting, a specific geographic location, a predefined situation, and a predefined ambient environment.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising means for performing a function according to a real-time instruction obtained from a remote device connected through a network.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein means for identifying confirmation data further includes means for determining information relating to expected environment of the event.

28. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein means for activating a short-range wireless communications network includes means for establishing a personal area network to obtain ambient data in response to the event.

29. A method comprising:

monitoring an event in accordance with a predefined sequence;

detecting an occurrence of the event;

identifying confirmation data in response to the event;

activating a short-range wireless communications network to collect ambient data in response to the confirmation data;

verifying the surrounding data in according with the event; and

issuing an event delay signal when collected ambient data fails to verify the occurrence of the event.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

entering information relating to a series of events, the predefined sequence and the confirmation data in an event database; and

identifying one of the series of events to be monitored in accordance with the predefined sequence.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein entering information relating to the predefined sequence further includes organizing the series of events in a sequential order in accordance with a calendar software.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein organizing the series of events in a sequential order further includes organizing the events in a chronological order.

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising performing a predefined function in response to the event delay signal.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein monitoring an event further includes identifying one of a scheduled meeting, a specific geographic location, a predefined situation, and a predefined ambient environment.

35. The method of claim 29, further comprising performing a function according to a real-time instruction obtained from a remote device connected through a network.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein identifying confirmation data further includes determining information relating to expected environment for the event.