TEMPORARY NOTIFICATION PROFILE SWITCHING ON AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20080207263A1
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Hardy, Michael Thomas, MAY, DARRELL REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US11/678,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20080207263A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations

Abstract

Automated switching of notification profiles is provided on a mobile electronic device having a plurality of different notification profiles each specifying event notification behavior for the mobile electronic device. The device switches to a first notification profile to specify event notification behavior for the mobile electronic device, the first notification profile having a specified expiration time; monitors for expiration of the first notification profile in dependence on the expiration time; and switches, upon expiration of the first notification profile, to a second notification profile to specify event notification behavior for the mobile electronic device.

Claims

1. A method for automated switching of notification profiles on a mobile electronic device having a plurality of different notification profiles each specifying event notification behavior for the mobile electronic device, the method comprising:

switching to a first notification profile to specify event notification behavior for the mobile electronic device, the first notification profile having a specified expiration time;

monitoring for expiration of the first notification profile in dependence on the expiration time; and

switching, upon expiration of the first notification profile, to a second notification profile to specify event notification behavior for the mobile electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising generating a user notification through an interface of the mobile electronic device when the expiration time has been reached.

3. The method of claim 2 comprising:

determining, after generating the user notification and prior to switching to the second notification profile, if a user input is received indicating the user desires to extend the expiration time, and if so, extending the expiration time.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring for expiration of the first notification profile comprises:

determining when the expiration time has been reached and then generating a user notification through an interface of the mobile electronic device; and

waiting, after generating the user notification, for a user input confirming that the user desires to switch to the second notification profile.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein monitoring for expiration of the first notification profile comprises determining when the expiration time has been reached, and

switching to the second notification profile automatically occurs immediately when the expiration time has been reached.

6. The method of claim 1 comprising, prior to switching to the first notification profile to specify event notification behavior for the mobile electronic device:

using the second notification profile to specify event notification behavior for the mobile electronic device;

receiving user input to the mobile electronic device selecting the first notification profile to replace the second notification profile and setting the specified expiration time.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein a calendar program is resident on the device for scheduling events, the method comprising:

storing on the mobile device event information about a scheduled event including an event start time and an event end time; and

prior to switching to the first notification profile, using the second notification profile to specify event notification behavior for the mobile electronic device;

wherein switching to the first notification profile occurs at the event start time and the expiration time is set in dependence on the event end time.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein storing the event information includes storing information identifying one of the plurality of different notification profiles to use as the first notification profile.

9. The method of claim 8 comprising, prior to storing the event information, receiving through a wireless communications interface of the mobile device the event information, including the information identifying a notification profile to use as the first notification profile, as part of a meeting request initiated by a third party.

10. The method of claim 1 comprising, prior to switching to the first notification profile to specify event notification behavior for the mobile electronic device:

using the second notification profile to specify event notification behavior for the mobile electronic device;

receiving instructions through a communications interface of the mobile device to switch from the second notification profile to the first notification profile and setting the specified expiration time.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first notification profile specifies that the mobile electronic device will remain mute when an incoming phone call is received at the electronic mobile device and the second notification profile specifies that the mobile electronic device will issue an audible alert when an incoming phone call is received at the electronic mobile device.

12. A computer-readable medium upon which a plurality of instructions are stored, the instructions for performing the steps of the method of claim 1.

13. A mobile electronic device having an event notification indicator for indicating the occurrence of an event to a user of the device, the device being switchable between a first notification profile having a specified expiration time and a second notification profile, the first and second notification profiles respectively specifying a first and second behavior of the event notification indicator, the device being configured for switching to the first notification profile, monitoring for expiration of the first notification profile in dependence on the expiration time, and then switching, upon expiration of the first notification profile, from the first expiration profile to the second notification profile.

14. The mobile electronic device of claim 13 wherein the device is configured for generating a user notification when the expiration time has been reached.

15. The mobile electronic device of claim 14 wherein the user notification prompts the user to indicate if the user desires to extend the expiration time or the user desires to switch to the second notification profile, the device being configured for determining, prior to switching to the second notification profile, (i) if a user input is received at the device indicating the user desires to extend the expiration time, and if so, extending the expiration time, and (ii) if a user input is received at the device indicating the user desires to switch to the second notification profile, and if so, switching to the second notification profile.

16. The mobile electronic device of claim 13 wherein the device is configured for, prior to switching to the first notification profile:

using the second notification profile to specify behavior of the event notification indicator;

receiving user input to the mobile electronic device selecting the first notification profile to replace the second notification profile and setting the specified expiration time.

17. The mobile electronic device of claim 13 wherein a calendar program is resident on the device for scheduling events, the device being configured for:

storing on the mobile device event information about a scheduled event including an event start time and an event end time;

prior to switching to the first notification profile, using the second notification profile to specify behavior of the event notification indicator; and

setting the expiration time in dependence on the event end time,

wherein the device automatically switches, at the event start time, from the second notification profile to first notification profile.

18. The mobile electronic device of claim 17 wherein the stored event information includes information identifying one of the plurality of different notification profiles to use as the first notification profile.

19. The mobile electronic device of claim 13 wherein the device is configured for, prior to switching to the first notification profile, using the second notification profile to specify behavior for event notification indicator, and switching from the second notification profile to the first notification profile and setting the specified expiration time in response to instructions received through a wireless communications interface of the mobile electronic device.

20. The mobile electronic device of claim 13 wherein the event notification indicator includes at least one of a audio speaker, a vibratory device, and a display screen, and types of events for which the behavior of the event notification indicator is specified in the notification profiles includes at least one of an incoming phone call, an incoming email message and a calendar event.