SOCIALIZATION OF COMMUNICATIONS ENABLED DEVICES

• US 20100257112A1
• Filed: 04/01/2009
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Yazbek, Daniel, Minhazuddin, Muneyb, Barrett, Karen L., Iles, Verna L.
• Application Number:
  US12/416,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20100257112A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/319
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

The present invention provides a systems, device, and methods for establishing an ad-hoc communication network. Members to the ad-hoc network are allowed to operate in a social mode that allows the devices to share state information with one another and further implement similar behavioral mannerisms. More specifically, the ad-hoc network may be defined by certain functions that are enabled/disabled and any member to that particular ad-hoc network agrees to operate its functionality according to the functions that have been enabled/disabled for that network.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a communication device, an invitation to join a social network comprising a communication device behavior associated therewith;

receiving an indication to accept the invitation to subscribe to the social network; and

altering a behavior of the communication device from a first default behavior to a second behavior, wherein the second behavior complies with the communication device behavior associated with the social network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second behavior deactivates at least one of a function, application, and component of the communication device that is active in the first default behavior.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second behavior activates at least one of a function, application, and component of the communication device that is inactive in the first default behavior.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

leaving, by the communication device, a range of the social network;

un-subscribing the communication device from the social network; and

resuming, by the communication device, the first default behavior.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the communication device to join the social network;

determining that the communication device is eligible to join the social network;

adding the communication device to a member list for the social network;

preparing a message for the communication device that includes a definition of the behavior associated with the social network; and

transmitting the message to the communication device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving, by the communication device, the message;

analyzing the message to determine the behavior associated with the social network; and

thereafter, performing the altering step.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the social network comprises a mandatory compliance social network, the method further comprising:

identifying all communication devices within a range of the social network;

ensuring that requests to join the social network are received from each identified communication device;

generating a message for each identified communication device, wherein each message includes a definition of the behavior associated with the social network; and

transmitting the message to its respective communication device, wherein each identified communication device applies the behavior associated with the social network during operation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the invitation is received from a communication device subscribing to the social network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the invitation is received from a social network facilitator.

10. A computer readable storage medium comprising processor executable instruction operable to perform the method of claim 1.

11. A method, comprising:

receiving a request from a communication device to join a social network;

determining that the communication device is eligible to join the social network;

preparing a message for the communication device that includes a definition of behavior associated with the social network; and

transmitting the message to the communication device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein upon receiving the message, the communication device alters its behavior from a first default behavior to a second behavior, wherein the second behavior complies with the behavior associated with the social network.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the social network comprises a mandatory compliance social network, the method further comprising:

identifying all communication devices within a range of the social network;

ensuring that requests to join the social network are received from each identified communication device;

generating a message for each identified communication device, wherein each message includes a definition of the behavior associated with the social network; and

transmitting the message to its respective communication device, wherein each identified communication device applies the behavior associated with the social network during operation.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the request comprises security key and wherein determining that the communication device is eligible to join the social network comprises:

extracting the security key from the request; and

determining that the security key is a valid security key and provides permissions to join the social network.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising adding the communication device to a member list for the social network.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the second behavior deactivates at least one of a function, application, and component of the communication device that is active in the first default behavior.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the second behavior activates at least one of a function, application, and component of the communication device that is inactive in the first default behavior.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, at the communication device, an invitation to join the social network;

receiving an indication to accept the invitation to subscribe to the social network;

in response to receiving the indication to accept the invitation, generating the request to join the social network; and

sending the request to at least one of an existing subscriber to the social network and a social network facilitator.

19. A communication device, comprising:

a communication interface operable to receiving an invitation to join a social network comprising a communication device behavior associated therewith;

a user input operable to receive an indication to accept the invitation to subscribe to the social network; and

a processor operable to alter a behavior of the communication device from a first default behavior to a second behavior, wherein the second behavior complies with the communication device behavior associated with the social network.

20. The device of claim 19, further comprising:

at least one of a function, application, and component that is active while operating in the first behavior but inactive while operating in the second behavior.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the at least one of a function, application, and component is a component and wherein the component is a speaker that is adapted to generate audible tones in the first behavior but rendered inactive in the second behavior.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein the at least one of a function, application, and component is an application and wherein the application is a communication application that is adapted to allow a user to connect with other communication devices and conduct communication sessions with such devices in the first behavior but locked in the second behavior.

23. The device of claim 19, further comprising:

at least one of a function, application, and component that is inactive while operating in the first behavior but active while operating in the second behavior.

24. The device of claim 19, wherein the invitation is received from a communication device subscribing to the social network.