METHOD AND APPARATUS TO REMOTELY SET ALARMS ON A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20090303066A1
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Michael, Gregg, Justin, Seguin, Chad
• Granted Patent: US 8,432,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/679
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42136 Administration or customisation of services

Abstract

A method and apparatus for a mobile device to set an alarm based on an external request is described. In one embodiment of the invention, the mobile device receives the external request which includes a set of one or more parameters at least partially defining the alarm and a set of one or more actions to take upon the alarm triggering. Upon determining that the external request is trusted, the mobile device automatically sets the alarm on the mobile device according to the set of parameters included in the request. Upon the alarm triggering, the mobile device performs the set of actions included in the external request. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Claims

1. A method for a mobile device to set an alarm based on an external request, comprising:

receiving the external request to create an alarm on the mobile device, the external request including a set of one or more parameters at least partially defining the alarm and a set of one or more actions to take upon the alarm triggering;

upon determining that the external request is trusted, automatically setting the alarm on the mobile device according to the set of parameters included in the request; and

upon the alarm triggering, performing the set of actions included in the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the alarm cannot be modified, with an exception of the entity requesting the alarm.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the set of actions includes automatically putting the mobile device in an alarm triggered state until a set of one or more conditions are met.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the alarm triggered state includes disabling at least certain features of the mobile device based on the set of actions included in the request.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising removing the mobile device from the alarm triggered state upon the mobile device being located in a predefined area.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising removing the mobile device from the alarm triggered state upon a user of the mobile device calling a predefined telephone number.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising disabling entertainment features of the mobile device until the set of conditions is met.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the alarm triggered state further includes preventing the mobile device from being powered off until the set of conditions is met.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the external request is received from another mobile device.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the external request is received from a remote alarm server.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the set of parameters defines a location area, and further comprising monitoring the mobile device'"'"'s location and triggering the alarm if the mobile device is in the defined location area.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the set of parameters define a maximum amount of operating time for the mobile device for a certain time period, and triggering the alarm if the mobile device exceeds the maximum amount of operating time for that time period.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a notification message to a device based on the set of actions.

14. A mobile device to set an alarm based on an external request, comprising:

a messaging module to receive the external request, the external request to include a set of one or more parameters at least partially defining the alarm and a set of one or more actions to take upon the alarm triggering;

a security module coupled with the messaging module, the security module to authenticate the external request; and

an alarm module coupled with the messaging module, the alarm module including,

an alarm creation module to create the alarm in accordance with the external request,

an alarm trigger detection and action module to detect whether to trigger the alarm, and to perform the set of actions upon determining to trigger the alarm, and

a clear alarm module to detect whether to clear the alarm and to clear the alarm.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the alarm cannot be modified, with an exception of a source of the external request, and wherein the mobile device cannot be powered off by a user upon the alarm trigger detection and action module determining to trigger the alarm.

16. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the alarm trigger detection and action module further is to disable one or features of the mobile device based on the set of actions included in the external request, and wherein those features are disabled until the clear alarm module clears the alarm.

17. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the clear alarm module is to clear the alarm upon the mobile device being in a predefined location.

18. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the clear alarm module is to clear the alarm upon the mobile device calling a predefined telephone number.

19. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein at least one of the set of parameters defines a location area, wherein the alarm trigger detection and action module further to monitor a location of the mobile device and trigger the alarm if the mobile device is in the defined location area.

20. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the alarm trigger detection and action module further is to transmit a notification to an entity upon determining to trigger the alarm.

21. A machine-readable storage medium that provides instructions that, if executed by a processor, will cause said processor to perform operations for a mobile device to set an alarm based on an external request, comprising:

receiving the external request to create an alarm on the mobile device, the external request including a set of one or more parameters at least partially defining the alarm and a set of one or more actions to take upon the alarm triggering;

upon determining that the external request is trusted, automatically setting the alarm on the mobile device according to the set of parameters included in the request; and

upon the alarm triggering, performing the set of actions included in the request.

22. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the alarm cannot be modified, with an exception of the entity requesting the alarm.

23. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein performing the set of actions includes automatically putting the mobile device in an alarm triggered state until a set of one or more conditions are met.

24. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the alarm triggered state includes disabling at least certain features of the mobile device based on the set of actions included in the request.

25. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, further comprising removing the mobile device from the alarm triggered state upon the mobile device being located in a predefined area.

26. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, further comprising removing the mobile device from the alarm triggered state upon a user of the mobile device calling a predefined telephone number.

27. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 24, further comprising disabling entertainment features of the mobile device until the set of conditions is met.

28. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the alarm triggered state further includes preventing the mobile device from being powered off until the set of conditions is met.

29. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the external request is received from another mobile device.

30. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the external request is received from a remote alarm server.

31. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein at least one of the set of parameters defines a location area, and further comprising monitoring the mobile device'"'"'s location and triggering the alarm if the mobile device is in the defined location area.

32. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein at least one of the set of parameters define a maximum amount of operating time for the mobile device for a certain time period, and triggering the alarm if the mobile device exceeds the maximum amount of operating time for that time period.

33. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 21, further comprising sending a notification message to a device based on the set of actions.

34. A method for a computing device to remotely set an alarm on a mobile device, comprising:

selecting one or more alarms to set on the mobile device;

defining one or more actions for the mobile device to perform upon at least some of the one or more alarms triggering;

configuring an alarm request message to include the selected alarms and defined actions;

adding security information to the alarm request message; and

transmitting the alarm request message to the mobile device.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

receiving a notification from the mobile device that indicates whether the mobile device successfully set the one or more alarms.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

receiving a notification from the mobile device indicating that at least one of the alarms has triggered.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the one or more alarms and one or more actions included in the alarm request message cannot be modified by the mobile device.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein at least one of the defined actions includes disabling certain features of the mobile device until a set of one or more conditions is met.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the set of one or more conditions includes the mobile device being located in a predefined area.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the set of one or more conditions includes the mobile device calling a predefined telephone number.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein at least one of the defined actions includes preventing the mobile device from being powered off until the set of conditions is met.

42. A computing device to remotely set an alarm on a mobile device, comprising:

a user interface to allow a user of the computing device to select an alarm to set on the mobile device and to select one or more actions the mobile device is to take upon the alarm triggering;

a remote alarm module coupled with the user interface, the remote alarm module to create an alarm request message including the alarm and actions;

a security module to add security data to the alarm request message; and

a messaging module coupled with the security module, the messaging module to transmit the alarm request message to the mobile device.

43. The computing device of claim 42, wherein the user interface is a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface to display possible alarms that the mobile device supports and possible actions that the mobile device supports, and to allow a user of the computing device to select from those possible alarms and possible actions.

44. The computing device of claim 43, further comprising one or more application modules coupled with the user interface, wherein the one or more application modules assist the user of the computing device in selecting the alarm and actions.

45. The computing device of claim 44, wherein the one or more application modules includes a map application to assist the user of the computing device in selecting a location based alarm or a location based action.

46. The computing device of claim 42, wherein the security data added to the alarm request message includes encrypted authentication information.

47. A machine-readable storage medium that provides instructions that, if executed by a processor, will cause said processor to perform operations for a computing device to remotely set an alarm on a mobile device, comprising:

selecting one or more alarms to set on the mobile device;

defining one or more actions for the mobile device to perform upon at least some of the one or more alarms triggering;

configuring an alarm request message to include the selected alarms and defined actions;

adding security information to the alarm request message; and

transmitting the alarm request message to the mobile device.

48. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 47, further comprising:

receiving a notification from the mobile device that indicates whether the mobile device successfully set the one or more alarms.

49. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 47, further comprising:

receiving a notification from the mobile device indicating that at least one of the alarms has triggered.

50. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 47, wherein the one or more alarms and one or more actions included in the alarm request message cannot be modified by the mobile device.

51. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 47, wherein at least one of the defined actions includes disabling certain features of the mobile device until a set of one or more conditions is met.

52. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein the set of one or more conditions includes the mobile device being located in a predefined area.

53. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein the set of one or more conditions includes the mobile device calling a predefined telephone number.

54. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein at least one of the defined actions includes preventing the mobile device from being powered off until the set of conditions is met.