SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A FEATURE OF A TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICE BASED ON THE BODY TEMPERATURE OF A USER

• US 20100105423A1
• Filed: 10/24/2008
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gupta, Shekhar
• Granted Patent: US 8,494,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/550.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3234 Power saving characterised by the action undertaken
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/006 Call diverting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• 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 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method for controlling a feature of a telecommunications device includes determining a proximity of a user to the telecommunications device by detecting the body heat of the user. In response to determining proximity of the user, a feature of the telecommunications device is toggled between an activated state and a deactivated state.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a feature of a telecommunications device comprising:

determining a proximity of a user to the telecommunications device by detecting the body heat of the user; and

in response to determining the proximity of the user, toggling the feature of the telecommunications device between an activated state and a deactivated state.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the feature is toggled to the activated state when the user'"'"'s body heat is not detected.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the feature is toggled to the deactivated state when the user'"'"'s body heat is detected.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the feature is toggled to the deactivated state when the user'"'"'s body heat is not detected.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the feature is toggled to the activated state when the user'"'"'s body heat is detected.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the feature is voicemail.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the feature is a call-forwarding function.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the feature is a vibrate function.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the feature is a ring function.

10. A telecommunications device, comprising:

a temperature sensor configured to detect the body heat of a user;

a memory configured to store a set of instructions; and

a processor in communication with the temperature sensor and the memory, and configured to execute the set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions cause the processor to;

determine a proximity of the user to the telecommunications device by receiving a signal from the temperature sensor, the signal associated with the body heat of the user; and

in response to determining the proximity of the user, toggle a feature of the telecommunications device between an activated state and a deactivated state.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the set of instructions cause the processor to toggle the feature to the activated state when the user'"'"'s body heat is not detected.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein the set of instructions cause the processor to toggle the feature to the deactivated state when the user'"'"'s body heat is detected.

13. The device of claim 10 wherein the set of instructions cause the processor to toggle the feature to the deactivated state when the user'"'"'s body heat is not detected.

14. The device of claim 10 wherein the set of instructions cause the processor to toggle the feature to the activated state when the user'"'"'s body heat is detected.

15. The device of claim 10 wherein the feature is voicemail.

16. The device of claim 10 wherein the feature is a call-forwarding function.

17. The device of claim 10 wherein the feature is a vibrate function.

18. The device of claim 10 wherein the feature is a ring function.

19. A method for providing telephone services, said system comprising:

determining the proximity of a user to a primary wireless telecommunications device of the user in response to determining the user'"'"'s body heat;

in response to determining the proximate toggling a call forwarding feature to an activated state;

in response to receiving a call request when the call forwarding feature is in an activated state;

determining whether the primary wireless telecommunications device is positioned within a predetermined range of a secondary telecommunications device;

in response to determining that the primary wireless telecommunications device is within the predetermined range of the secondary telecommunications device, causing a call associated with the call request to be routed to the secondary telecommunications device.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising toggling the call forwarding feature to a deactivated state in response to determining that the user is near the primary wireless telecommunications device.