MANAGEMENT OF MOBILE DEVICE COMMUNICATION SESSIONS TO REDUCE USER DISTRACTION

• US 20080305780A1
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aegis Mobility Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aegis Mobility Incorporated
• Inventors: Wright, Andrew S., Geyer, John J., Featherstone, Peter A., Chan, Mandy, Williams, Stephen J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,738,005 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems, methods and interfaces are disclosed for managing communications associated with a mobile communication device. Mobile communication devices process environmental inputs and transmit mobile communication device context information to a communication management system. The context information may, for example, reflect the motion and/or geographic location of the mobile device, and may reflect the risk associated with using the device to handle a call or other communications session. The communication management system uses the context information, optionally in combination with communication device profiles, to determine how to manage incoming and/or ongoing calls or other communication sessions. Mobile device users may also be inhibited from initiating communication sessions.

Claims

1. An automated method of protecting a user of a mobile communications device from potentially dangerous usage conditions, the method comprising:

assessing at least a motion-based context of the mobile communications device while a voice call is in progress between the user of the mobile communications device and an additional party, wherein said motion-based context is assessed via an automated analysis of sensor data on the mobile communications device, and is reflective of a level of user risk associated with using the mobile communications device;

in response to detecting a change in said motion-based context while the voice call is in progress, sending a notification message from the mobile communications device to a communication management system; and

determining, at said communication management system, whether a precautionary action should be taken in response to the change in the motion-based context of the mobile communications device to protect said user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a profile of the user to select a particular precautionary action to be taken in response to the change in the motion-based context of the mobile communications device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing said precautionary action to be taken in response to the change in the motion-based context of the mobile communications device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the precautionary action is termination of the voice call.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising automatically causing said user and said party to be reconnected after a motion-based context that gave rise to termination of the voice call ceases to exist.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the precautionary action playing of an audible warning message on a voice channel of said voice call.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the change in motion-based context is a transition from a non-transit context to a transit context.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the change in motion-based context is a transition from a first transit context to a second transit context.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the change in motion-based context is a transition of the mobile communications device into a geospatial zone, said geospatial zone being a bounded geographic region defined in the mobile communications device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising, at said communication management system, using a rule defined for said geospatial zone and mobile communications device to determine whether a precautionary action should be taken in response to the transition into the geospatial zone.

11. An automated method of protecting a user of a mobile communications device from potentially dangerous usage conditions, the method comprising:

assessing at least a motion-based context of the mobile communications device while a voice call is in progress between the user of the mobile communications device and an additional party, wherein said motion-based context is assessed via an automated analysis of sensor data on the mobile communications device, and is reflective of a level of user risk associated with using the mobile communications device;

in response to detecting a change in said motion-based context while the voice call is in progress, sending a notification message from the mobile communications device to a communication management system; and

determining, at said communication management system, whether a precautionary action should be taken in response to the change in the motion-based context of the mobile communications device to protect said user.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising using a profile of the user to select a particular precautionary action to be taken in response to the change in the motion-based context of the mobile communications device.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising causing said precautionary action to be taken in response to the change in the motion-based context of the mobile communications device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the precautionary action is termination of the voice call.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising automatically causing said user and said party to be reconnected after a motion-based condition that gave rise to termination of the voice call ceases to exist.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the precautionary action playing of an audible warning message on a voice channel of said voice call.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the change in motion-based context is a transition from a non-transit context to a transit context.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the change in motion-based context is a transition from a first transit context to a second transit context.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the change in motion-based context is a transition of the mobile communications device into a geospatial zone, said geospatial zone being a bounded geographic region defined in the mobile communications device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising, at said communication management system, using a rule defined for said geospatial zone and mobile communications device to determine whether a precautionary action should be taken in response to the transition into the geospatial zone.

21. A system for managing communications associated with a mobile communication device comprising:

a mobile communication device interface for obtaining mobile communication device context information, wherein the mobile communication device context corresponds to a set of inputs associated with a current mobile communication device environment;

a mobile communication device profile store for maintaining mobile communication device availability according to specific mobile communication device contexts, wherein the mobile communication device availability is determined asynchronously to a communication request; and

a communication link management component for subsequently managing communications between a mobile communication device and a third-party communication device based on the previously determined mobile communication device availability.

22. A method for managing communications associated with a mobile communication device comprising:

maintaining a mobile communication device profile, wherein the mobile communication device profile defines criteria for processing communications between a third-party communication device and the mobile communication device based on a current mobile communication device context;

prior to a request for communications with the third party communication device, determining a mobile communication device an unavailability of the mobile communication device based on processing current mobile communication device context information with the mobile communication device profile, wherein the mobile communication device availability is an assessment of a desirability of establishing a communication; and

subsequently managing communications between the mobile communication device and the third-party communication device, wherein managing communications includes providing a communication channel mediation response.

23. A method for managing communications comprising:

maintaining a mobile communication device profile, wherein the mobile communication device profile defines criteria for processing audio communications between a third-party communication device and the mobile communication device based on a current mobile communication device context;

prior to a request for communications with the third party communication device, determining an unavailability of the mobile communication device based on processing current mobile communication device context information with the mobile communication device profile; and

obtaining updated mobile communication device context information indicating a change in mobile communication device context; and

establishing an audio communication channel between the third party communication device and the mobile communication device upon determination of the change of context.

24. A system for managing communications associated with a mobile communication device comprising:

a mobile communication device interface for bilateral communications with a mobile communication device, wherein the mobile communication device interface obtains mobile communication device context information;

a mobile communication device data store for maintaining mobile communication device availability profiles according to specific mobile communication device contexts, wherein the mobile communication device availability is determined asynchronously to communication requests; and

a communication processing component for managing communications between a mobile communication device and a third-party communication device based on the mobile communication device profiles and for providing alternative communication links between the mobile communication device and the third-party communication device; and

;

a communication channel mediation component for providing alternative communication channel based on the determination of unavailability.

25. A call processing method, comprising:

receiving a request to route a call, said call placed by a caller to a mobile number associated with a mobile communications device of a callee; and

in response to said request, determining how to route the call based on a combination of at least;

(a) an identity of the caller, (b) a current location of the mobile communications device, as determined from one or more notification messages transmitted by the mobile communications device prior to receipt of said request, (c) electronic calendar data of the callee, and (d) a current time.

26. The call processing method of claim 25, wherein the method comprises detecting that the mobile communications device is located in a geospatial zone, and determining whether the caller is a member of a class of users that are permitted to initiate calls to the mobile communications device while the mobile communications device is in the geospatial zone, said class consisting of some, but not all, users that are permitted to initiate calls to the mobile communications device when the mobile communications device is outside the geospatial zone.

27. The call processing method of claim 25, wherein the method comprises detecting, at a time of said request, that the caller is currently scheduled for a calendared event of a particular type, and determining whether the caller is a member of a class of users that are permitted to initiate calls to the mobile communications device during events of said particular type, said class consisting of some, but not all, users that are permitted to initiate calls to the mobile communications device generally.

28. The call processing method of claim 25, wherein the determination of how to route the call is further based on a result of an assessment of whether the mobile communications device is currently in transit in a vehicle, said assessment made prior to receipt of said request.

29. The call processing method of claim 25, wherein the method comprises identifying a classification assigned by the callee to the caller in a contact management system, and determining a routing policy associated with said classification.

30. A call processing method, comprising:

maintaining state data reflective of a current context of a user of a mobile communications device, said state data reflective of an availability of said user as determined from an electronic calendar of the user, said state data additionally reflective of a current context of the mobile communications device as determined from context-change notification messages received from the mobile communications device, wherein the state data is maintained on a system that is separate from the mobile communications device;

receiving a request to route an incoming call from a caller; and

determining, based at least in part on the state data and an identity of the caller, whether to route the incoming call to the mobile communications device.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of determining whether to route the incoming call to mobile communications device comprises taking into consideration how the caller is classified in a contact management system of the user.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the state data indicates whether the mobile communications device is currently located in a geospatial zone for which a routing policy is specified for the mobile communications device.

33. A method implemented in a computer system for managing communications comprising:

obtaining a mobile communication device profile, wherein the mobile communication device profile defines communication availability for determined mobile communication device contexts;

monitoring mobile communication device use in an identified mobile communication device context; and

updating the mobile communication device profile based on the monitored mobile communication use.

34. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein monitoring mobile communication device use in an identified mobile communication device context corresponds to determining a length of time for an established communication channel.

35. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein updating the mobile communication device profile based on the monitored mobile communication use includes include the measured length of time in estimation for changes in mobile communication device context.

36. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein monitoring mobile communication device use in an identified mobile communication device context includes monitoring a selection of a communication mitigation technique selection and updating the mobile communication device profile to automatically select a communication mitigation technique based on a determined unavailability.

37. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein monitoring mobile communication device use in an identified mobile communication device context includes associating a time of day with a determination of unavailability and storing a predictive unavailability in the mobile communication device store.

38. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein monitoring mobile communication device use in an identified mobile communication device context includes determining a set of requested communications from a previously unidentified third party communication device and automatically generating a mobile communication device profile based after a predefined number of communication requests.