Remote notification control in wireless communication device

• US 6,161,021 A
• Filed: 05/11/1998
• Issued: 12/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ironworks Patents LLC, Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Akpa, Marcellin A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US09/075,575
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 455/415, 455/417, 455/445, 455/512, 455/527, 455/412, 455/513, 455/509, 370/443, 370/444, 370/455
• US Class Current: 455/512
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/022 Selective call receivers

Abstract

A communications system allows the user of a wireless communications device to prioritize the incoming communications by the source of the incoming communications such that even when the user disables the notification function of the wireless communications device, the user is contemporaneously alerted of certain incoming communications having predetermined priority assigned thereto. The user of wireless telecommunications device is notified of incoming communication which the user has designated with high level priority even when the user has disabled the notification function of the wireless communications device.

Claims

1. A communication system for information transmission, comprising:

a signal provider for receiving communication information from a remote source and in accordance therewith generating a control signal, said communication information including a predetermined selection code, said selection code capable of prioritizing the transmission of said corresponding communication information; and

a wireless device having a first operation mode and a second operation mode, said wireless device configured to selectively operate between said first and second operation modes in accordance with said control signal,

wherein said signal provider determines whether said wireless device is operating in a first or second operation mode, and in accordance therewith, selectively transmits said communication information to said wireless device; and

further

wherein when said predetermined selection code for said communication information corresponds to a high priority transmission and said wireless device is operating in said second operation mode said signal provider is configured to place said wireless device in said first mode and to transmit said communication information.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said first operation mode includes a wireless device volume control ON mode, and further, wherein said second operation mode includes a wireless device volume control OFF mode.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said first operation mode includes a wireless device vibration control ON mode and further wherein said second operation mode includes a wireless device vibration control OFF mode.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said signal provider is further configured to transmit a request control signal, wherein said wireless device is configured to receive said request control signal and to provide an acknowledge signal.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said signal provider is configured to receive said acknowledge signal from said wireless device and in accordance therewith transmit said communication information.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said wireless device is a cellular telephone, and further, wherein said communication information includes voice data.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said data information includes a telephone call or a pager call.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said wireless device is a pager, and further, wherein said communication information is data information.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said data information includes information generated by the remote source.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said wireless device includes a Personal Communication System or a Personal Handy-Phone System.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said wireless device is a personal digital assistant, and further, wherein said communication information includes audio data.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said communication information includes video data.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said signal provider includes a message center for temporarily storing information.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said communication information is selectively transmitted to either of said wireless device or said message center.

15. A method of controlling remote notification mode for a wireless device, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving an incoming signal;

determining the operating mode of said wireless device and in accordance therewith, generating an operating mode signal;

generating a remote notification mode signal in accordance with said operating mode signal; and

transmitting said incoming signal in accordance with said remote notification mode signal;

wherein when said operating mode of said wireless device indicates a non-active state of said wireless device and said incoming signal includes a high priority transmission level, said remote notification mode signal configured to place said wireless device in an active state.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said operating mode of said wireless device includes one of stand-by mode, power-on mode and power-off mode.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said operating mode signal in said step of generating a remote notification mode signal corresponds to said stand-by mode.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said incoming signal includes a user-specific code and further, wherein said step of generating said remote notification mode signal includes the step of determining the level of pre-assigned priority of said user-specific code.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said step of transmitting said incoming signal includes the step of transmitting said incoming signal to said wireless device if said level of pre-assigned priority of said user-specific code is above a predetermined priority level, and transmitting said incoming signal to a remote storage device if said level of pre-assigned priority of said user-specific code is below said predetermined priority level.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said remote storage device includes a message center.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein said predetermined priority level is established by the user of said remote device.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein said notification function includes one of an audible alarm and a vibration mechanism.

23. A communication system, comprising:

a signal provider for receiving communication signal from a remote source, said signal configured to determine the priority of said communication signal transmission; and

a wireless device capable of operating in one of a stand-by mode and an active mode;

wherein when the wireless device is operating in said stand-by mode and said priority of said communication signal transmission is within a predetermined group of high priority transmission, said signal provider is configured to place said wireless, device in said active mode such that a user of said wireless device is alerted of the incoming communication signal transmission.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein said wireless device is not capable of alerting said user of said incoming communication signal in said stand-by mode.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein said predetermined group of high priority transmission is determined by said user of said wireless device.

26. The system of claim of claim 23 wherein said wireless device is capable of receiving and/or transmitting communication signal when in said active mode.

27. The system of claim 23 wherein said user is alerted of said incoming communication signal transmission by one of an audible alert and a vibration alert.

28. The system of claim 23 wherein said remote source includes a third party calling device capable of transmitting said communication signal.

29. The system of claim 23 wherein said communication signal includes one of an audio signal, a video signal or a combination of audio and video signals.

30. A method of controlling notification mode of a wireless device, comprising the steps of:

receiving an incoming communication signal;

determining a priority of transmitting said communication signal to a wireless device;

determining a notification mode of said wireless device; and

when said notification mode is disabled and said transmission priority is high, transmitting a request notification signal to said wireless device, and upon receipt of a notification acknowledge signal from said wireless device, transmitting said communication signal to said wireless device.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein when said priority of said communication signal is low and said notification mode is disabled, rerouting said communication signal.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein said communication signal is re-routed to a message center capable of temporarily storing said communication signal.

33. The method of claim 30 wherein said priority of said communication signal is predetermined by the user of said wireless device.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein said notification mode includes one of a vibration alert and an audible alert.

35. The method of claim 30 wherein said communication signal includes one of an audio signal, a video signal or a combination of audio and video signals.