AUTOMATIC OPERATION OF A WIRELESS DEVICE BASED ON PHYSICAL SPEED

• US 20130102336A1
• Filed: 12/10/2012
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: WORMALD, CHRISTOPHER, OWEN, RUSSELL N.
• Application Number:
  US13/709,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20130102336A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/458
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/04 multi-step notification using statistical or historical mobility data

Abstract

A wireless device operates in an operating state determined as a function of the wireless device'"'"'s physical speed. In some implementations, the wireless device determines the physical speed using a GPS (global positioning system). If the wireless device determines based on the physical position and/or physical speed that the user is driving an automobile in a region in which using a wireless device is not permitted while driving, then the wireless device automatically disables device features. However, if the user is actually a passenger, then the user may over-ride the automatic disabling of device features. In some implementations, the wireless device also informs other wireless users that communication is inappropriate or impossible. In some implementations, the wireless device also informs a communications node to process communications directed to the wireless device.

Claims

1. A method in a communications node comprising:

receiving status information of a wireless device;

receiving a request to communicate with the wireless device; and

automatically processing the request based on the status information;

wherein the status information comprises at least one of an indication of whether the wireless device is travelling, an operating state, physical location, and physical speed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the request to communicate with the wireless device is an electronic message; and

automatically processing the request based on the status information comprises generating and sending an auto-reply message if the status information indicates that the wireless device is unable to process communications.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the request to communicate with the wireless device is a voice call; and

automatically processing the request based on the status information comprises routing the voice call to a voice mail if the status information indicates that the wireless device is unable to process communications.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the status information indicates whether the wireless device is travelling.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the status information indicates the operating state of the wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the status information indicates at least one of the physical location of the wireless device and the physical speed of the wireless device.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution on a processor of a communications node so as to implement the method of claim 1.

8. A communications node comprising a status information function adapted to:

receive status information of a wireless device;

receive a request to communicate with the wireless device; and

automatically process the request based on the status information;

wherein the status information comprises at least one of an indication of whether the wireless device is travelling, an operating state, physical location, and physical speed.

9. The communications node of claim 8 wherein:

the request to communicate with the wireless device is an electronic message; and

the status information function is adapted to automatically process the request based on the status information by generating and sending an auto-reply message if the status information indicates that the wireless device is unable to process communications.

10. The communications node of claim 8 wherein:

the request to communicate with the wireless device is a voice call; and

the status information function is adapted to automatically process the request based on the status information by routing the voice call to a voice mail if the status information indicates that the wireless device is unable to process communications.

11. The communications node of claim 8 wherein the status information indicates whether the wireless device is travelling.

12. The communications node of claim 8 wherein the status information indicates the operating state of the wireless device.

13. The communications node of claim 8 wherein the status information indicates at least one of the physical location of the wireless device and the physical speed of the wireless device.

14. A method in a communications node comprising:

receiving status information of a wireless device;

maintaining privilege information, the privilege information indicating a subset of a plurality of communications devices that are allowed to access the status information; and

allowing access of the status information to the subset of the plurality of communications devices;

wherein the status information comprises at least one of an indication of whether the wireless device is able to process communications, an operating state, physical location, and physical speed.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the status information indicates whether the wireless device is travelling.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the status information indicates the operating state of the wireless device.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution on a processor of a communications node so as to implement the method of claim 14.

18. A communications node comprising a status information function adapted to:

receive status information of a wireless device;

maintain privilege information, the privilege information indicating a subset of a plurality of communications devices that are allowed to access the status information; and

allow access of the status information to the subset of the plurality of communications devices;

wherein the status information comprises at least one of an indication of whether the wireless device is able to process communications, an operating state, physical location, and physical speed.

19. The communications node of claim 18 wherein the status information indicates whether the wireless device is travelling.

20. The communications node of claim 18 wherein the status information indicates the operating state of the wireless device.