COMMUNICATION DELIVERY FILTER FOR MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20090264116A1
• Filed: 04/20/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raphael A. Thompson
• Original Assignee: Raphael A. Thompson
• Inventors: Thompson, Raphael A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,868,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54

Abstract

Messages received by a mobile device can be processed in one of at least two modes. In the normal mode, the messages are handled in accordance with the normal settings of the mobile device. In the filtered mode, or “night-time” mode, incoming messages are examined to determine if they are to be filtered or if they are exempt from filtering. If a message is exempt from filtering, it is processed in accordance with the normal mode. However, if the message is to be filtered, the mobile device is prevented from providing normal message reception alert notifications. Messages can be identified as being exempt to being filtered by editing an address book or selecting entries from an address book. All messages not identified as exempt then get filtered.

Claims

1. A method for providing a filter of particular messages directed for delivery to a mobile device, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying at least one exempt message characteristic;

enabling the filter to be active;

receiving a message; and

examining the message for the exempt message characteristic;

applying normal processing of the call if the exempt message characteristic is identified; and

filtering the message if the exempt message characteristic is absent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device includes a user interface for entering telephone numbers as exempt message characteristics.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device includes the storage of a plurality of telephone numbers and the step of identifying at least one exempt message characteristic further comprises selecting one or more telephone numbers from the plurality of telephone numbers, the selected telephone numbers being exempt message characteristics.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the mobile device includes an internal clock and, the step of enabling the filter to be active further comprises the step of setting a start time at which the filter becomes active.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of setting a stop time at which the filter becomes inactive.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of setting a duration of time for the filter to remain active.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the mobile device includes an alarm set-up interface and the step of enabling the filter further comprises the steps of:

receiving an alarm set on the alarm set-up interface;

prompting a user to enable the filter;

receiving a positive selection from the user; and

enabling the filter mode in response to the positive selection.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of disabling the filter after an alarm occurs in accordance with the alarm set.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

disabling the filter a short delay after the alarm occurs in accordance with the alarm set; and

delaying the step of disabling the filter if a snooze button is actuated during the short delay.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is a voice call and the step of filtering the message if the exempt message characteristic is absent includes instantly sending the message to voice mail.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of filtering the message if the exempt characteristic is absent includes inhibiting the sounding of a message alert.

12. A mobile device for processing received communications in one of a plurality of modes, the mobile device comprising:

a first mode of operation that, in response to receiving a communication, operates to provide a user-indicator of such communication reception;

a second mode of operation that, in response to receiving a communication, operates to filter the communication unless the communication includes at least one exempt characteristic; and

a user interface for enabling operation of the mobile device in the second mode of operation.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the mobile device is a cellular telephone including an address book with at least one entry in the address book including an exempt characteristic.

14. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the mobile device is a cellular telephone including a user interface to enable a user to identify telephone numbers as exempt characteristics.

15. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the mobile device is a cellular telephone and the user interface for enabling operation of the second mode of operation comprises:

an internal clock;

a user interface to receive a start time and a duration indicator;

a software module that enables the second mode of operation when the internal clock reaches the start time and reverts to the first mode of operation in accordance with the duration indicator.

16. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the mobile device is a cellular telephone and the user interface for enabling operation of the second mode of operation comprises:

an alarm clock;

a user interface to enable the alarm clock and set an alarm time; and

a software module that enables the second mode of operation when the alarm clock is enabled and reverts to the first mode of operation within a window of time after the alarm time is reached.

17. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the mobile device is a cellular telephone and the user interface for enabling operation of the second mode of operation comprises:

a user interface to allow the activation of the second mode of operation; and

a timer that causes operation to transition back to the first mode of operation within a window of time after the second mode of operation is enabled.

18. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the second mode of operation for the mobile device operates to filter messages by preventing the user-indicator for a communication reception.

19. A method, operable within a mobile telephone to provide selective filtering of received communications, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing an address book containing telephone numbers, the address book being internal to the mobile telephone, to identify the telephone number of at least one of the entries in the address book as an exempt telephone number;

enabling the filter to be active by setting an active time and a duration indicator;

receiving a communication; and

examining the communication to determine an originating telephone number for the communication;

applying normal processing of the communication if the originating telephone number is an exempt telephone number; and

filtering the communication if the originating telephone number is not an exempt telephone number by suppressing a communication reception indicator.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the communication can be a text based message or a voice based message and, if the communication is a telephone call then the step of filtering the communication further comprises forcing the telephone call to immediately go to voice mail.