Automatic Profile Selection on Mobile Devices

• US 20130331067A1
• Filed: 06/12/2012
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Coussemaeker, Didier, Mai, Nicolas
• Granted Patent: US 10,013,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/412.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions

Abstract

Various embodiments pertain to techniques that utilize data obtained from various sensors and sources of information on a mobile device to determine a profile to be applied to the mobile device. Data obtained from various sensors and sources of information on the mobile device can include real-time data from hardware sensors or receivers on the mobile device, local device data, and remote data available via a wireless connection. Applying the profile to the mobile device can include adjusting various parameters, such as ringtone tune, ringtone volume, call filtering, call forwarding, and message notification. In various embodiments, data is obtained and analyzed to determine a profile category for the user. In some embodiments, different types of data can be weighted differently, and data that is more personal can have a higher relative importance when compared to data that is less personal.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving data regarding an environment of a mobile device from at least one of a hardware sensor of the mobile device, a data source internal to the mobile device, or a data source external to the mobile device;

determining a profile category for an environment in which the mobile device is presumed to be according to the received data;

applying to the mobile device one or more profile parameters associated with the profile category; and

receiving, from a user, feedback regarding the profile category.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

altering, based on the received feedback, the profile category for the environment.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, receiving feedback comprising:

displaying one or more questions to the user regarding the profile category; and

receiving, responsive to the one or more questions, feedback from the user indicating the determined profile category is either correct or incorrect.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, determining the profile category comprising weighting the received data according to its relative importance with respect to other received data.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, applying one or more profile parameters comprising altering a ringtone tune, a ringtone volume, call filtering, call forwarding, or a delayed or downgraded message notification setting on the mobile device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, receiving data from a data source external to the mobile device comprising receiving data from a website, a blog, a social network, a geographic positioning system, a database of maps, roads or railway information, or a database of public transportation schedules and routes.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, receiving data from at least one hardware sensor of the mobile device comprising receiving data from a thermometer, a barometer, an ambient light sensor, an accelerometer, or a microphone.

8. One or more computer-readable storage media comprising instructions that are executable to cause a device to perform a process comprising:

receiving data regarding an environment of a mobile device from at least one of a hardware sensor of the mobile device, a data source internal to the mobile device, or a data source external to the mobile device;

determining a profile category according to the received data; and

receiving, from a user, feedback regarding the profile category.

9. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 8, wherein determining the profile category comprises inputting the received data into a decision-making algorithm to determine the profile category for the environment in which the mobile device is presumed to be, the process further comprising:

updating the decision-making algorithm according to the received feedback.

10. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 8, wherein determining the profile category comprises inputting the received data into a decision-making algorithm to determine the profile category for the environment in which the mobile device is presumed to be, the process further comprising:

updating the decision tree according to the received feedback.

11. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 8, receiving data comprising receiving data from a hardware sensor of the mobile device and a data source external to the mobile device.

12. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 8, receiving data comprising receiving data from a hardware sensor of the mobile device and a data source internal to the mobile device.

13. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 8, receiving data comprising receiving data from a data source external to the mobile device and a data source internal to the mobile device.

14. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 8, receiving feedback comprising receiving, from a user, an instruction to alter the profile category.

15. A mobile device comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable storage media;

one or more hardware sensors configured to provide information that is utilized to select a profile for the mobile device; and

a profile selection module configured to;

receive information from the hardware sensor and from at least one of a data source external to the mobile device or a data source internal to the mobile device;

select a profile category according to the received data; and

apply to the mobile device one or more profile parameters associated with the profile category.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the one or more hardware sensors comprise one or more of a thermometer, a global positioning system receiver, an accelerometer, a barometer, an ambient light sensor, or a microphone.

17. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the profile selection module is configured to apply one or more profile parameters by being configured to alter a ringtone tune, a ringtone volume, call filtering, call forwarding, or a delayed or downgraded message notification setting on the mobile device.

18. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the profile selection module is configured to receive information from a data source internal to the mobile device by being configured to receive information stored in an address book or contact list on the mobile device, information stored in a calendar stored on or accessible to the mobile device, information contained in email or short message mailboxes, or geographical data such as maps or lists of points of interest stored on the mobile device.

19. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the profile selection module is further configured to:

receive feedback regarding the selected profile category; and

update decision-making logic used to select the profile category according to the received feedback.

20. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the profile selection module is configured to select a profile category according to the received data by being configured to weight the received data according to its relative importance with respect to other received data.