RETRIEVAL OF NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS BASED ON PROXIMITY SENSING

• US 20160021638A1
• Filed: 05/31/2015
• Published: 01/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matthew R. Kissinger, Michael J. Andri
• Original Assignee: Matthew R. Kissinger
• Inventors: ANDRI, MICHAEL J., KISSINGER, MATTHEW R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,526,084 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/048 Arrangements providing optical indication of the incoming call, e.g. flasher circuits
• 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: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mobile device periodically polls a network server via a communications network to obtain new communications addressed to a client account according to a polling schedule. The mobile device receives an indication of a threshold change of one or more of ambient light, temperature, or proximity of an object to the mobile device via an optical sensor of the mobile device, or an indication of motion of the mobile device via a motion sensor of the mobile device. The polling schedule is advanced responsive to the indication of the threshold change of ambient light, temperature, or proximity, or the indication of motion. The mobile device outputs a notification that new communications have been received by the mobile device from the network server.

Claims

1. A method for a mobile device, comprising:

polling a network server via a communications network to obtain new communications addressed to a client account based on a polling schedule;

receiving an indication of a threshold change of proximity of an object to the mobile device via an optical sensor of the mobile device; and

advancing the polling schedule responsive to the indication of the threshold change of proximity.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting a notification at the mobile device via one or more output devices responsive to obtaining the new communications addressed to the client account from the network server via the communications network;

the output devices to output the notification as one or more of a visual indication, an audible indication, or a haptic indication.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

discontinuing output of the notification after a period of time;

receiving a subsequent indication of a threshold change of proximity of an object to the mobile device via the optical sensor of the mobile device; and

outputting a subsequent notification at the mobile device via the one or more output devices after the notification is discontinued responsive to receiving the subsequent indication of the threshold change of proximity.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

avoiding output of the subsequent notification responsive to receiving the subsequent indication during output of the notification and beginning before the notification is discontinued.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

avoiding output of the subsequent notification responsive to receiving the subsequent indication beginning within a threshold period of time after the notification is discontinued.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

resuming the polling schedule after at least one polling event has been advanced.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the polling schedule defines how frequently the mobile device requests and receives new communications addressed to the client account;

and

wherein advancing the polling schedule includes the mobile device requesting the new communications from the network server upon obtaining the indication of the threshold change of proximity to temporarily increase the frequency of the polling schedule.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

advancing the polling schedule in time responsive to a user waking the mobile device from an idle state.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the new communications include new email communications.

10. A mobile device, comprising:

an optical sensor to detect proximity of objects to the mobile device; and

a control system to;

periodically poll a network server according to a polling schedule via a communications network to obtain new communications addressed to a client account;

receive an indication of a threshold change in proximity of an object to the mobile device via the optical sensor; and

advance the polling schedule in time responsive to the indication of the threshold change in proximity.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, further comprising:

one or more output devices to output one or more of a visual indication, an audible indication, or a haptic indication;

wherein the control system is further to output a notification at the mobile device via the one or more output devices responsive to obtaining the new communications addressed to the client account via the communications network.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the control system is further to:

discontinue output of the notification after a period of time; and

output a subsequent notification at the mobile device via the one or more output devices after the notification is discontinued responsive to receiving a subsequent indication of a threshold change in proximity of an object via the optical sensor that follows the indication of the indication prior to the subsequent indication in time.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the control system is further to:

avoid output of the subsequent notification responsive to receiving the subsequent indication during output of the notification and beginning before the notification is discontinued.

14. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the control system is further to:

avoid output of the subsequent notification responsive to receiving the subsequent indication beginning within a threshold period of time after the notification is discontinued.

15. The mobile device of claim 10, further comprising:

a motion sensor;

wherein the control system is further to;

receive an the indication of motion of the mobile device via the motion sensor; and

advance the polling schedule in time responsive to the indication of motion of the mobile device.

16. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the control system is further to:

resume the polling schedule after at least one polling event has been advanced.

17. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the control system is further to:

advance the polling schedule in time responsive to a user waking the mobile device from an idle state.

18. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the control system includes:

one or more processors; and

a storage device having or including computer readable instructions stored thereon executable by the one or more processors.

19. A computer readable storage device having computer readable instructions stored thereon executable by one or more processors of a mobile device to:

receive an indication of a threshold change of proximity of an object to the mobile device via an optical sensor of the mobile device;

request new communications addressed to a client account from a network server via a communications network responsive to receiving the indication of the threshold change of proximity; and

output a notification at the mobile device via one or more output devices responsive to obtaining one or more new communications.

20. The computer readable storage device of claim 19, wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to:

receive an indication of motion of the mobile device via a motion sensor of the mobile device; and

request new communications addressed to the client account from the network server via the communications network prior to a scheduled polling event defined by a polling schedule responsive to receiving the indication of motion via the motion sensor.