Method, system and program for conditionally controlling electronic devices

• US 6,650,894 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2000
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Paolini, Michael A., Berstis, Viktors, Brown, Michael Wayne, Lawrence, Kelvin Roderick
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, Brandon J
• Application Number:
  US09/583,644
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 455/405, 455/420, 455/418-419, 455/525, 455/518, 455/404.2, 340/539
• US Class Current: 455/420
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, an electronic device is enabled to detect the proximity of other electronic devices. Multiple proximity based conditions for usage of the electronic device may be provided by a manufacturer, user and other authorities at the electronic device. The proximity of other electronic devices is compared with the proximity based conditions and a level of usage of the electronic device is determined, such that the level of usage of the electronic device is conditionally adjusted according to the proximity of other electronic devices.

Claims

1. A method for conditionally controlling an electronic device, said method comprising the steps of:

a particular mobile electronic device directly detecting signals transmitted by an alternate mobile electronic device within a particular proximity of the particular mobile electronic device, said step of detecting including;

detecting an identifier and global positioning location by receiving a signal directly from said alternate mobile electronic device at said particular mobile electronic device; and

computing said particular proximity of said global positioning location of said alternate mobile electronic device to a current global positioning location of said particular mobile electronic device; and

in response to said detecting said signals, adjusting a level of usage of said particular mobile electronic device in response to determining a particular conditional usage level selection according to said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device from among a plurality of conditional usage level selections at said particular mobile electronic device, such that said level of usage of said particular mobile electronic device is conditionally adjusted according to said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device.

2. The method for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 1, said step of adjusting a level of usage of said particular mobile electronic device in response to determining a particular conditional usage level selection according to said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device, further comprising the step of:

comparing said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device with said plurality of conditional usage level selections at said particular mobile electronic device.

3. The method for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of conditional usage level selections has an associated priority, said method further comprising the steps of:

determining which of said detected at least one of said plurality of conditional usage level selections is rated with a highest priority, in response to detecting a match of at least one of said plurality of conditional usage level selections according to said particular proximity; and

adjusting said level of usage of said particular mobile electronic device according to said conditional usage level selection rated with said highest priority.

4. The method for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 2, said method further comprising the step of:

adjusting said level of usage of said particular mobile electronic device according to said one of said plurality of conditional usage level selections, in response to detecting a match of one of said plurality of conditional usage level selections according to said particular proximity.

5. The method for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 2, said method further comprising the step of:

maintaining said usage level in response to detecting any control codes that override any conditional usage level settings matched according to said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device.

6. The method for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 2, said method further comprising the step of:

determining if any of said plurality of conditional usage level selections match according to said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device and according to an identifier for said alternate mobile electronic device.

7. The method for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 2, said method further comprising the step of:

determining if any of said plurality of conditional usage level selections match according to said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device and a current time.

8. The method for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 2, said method further comprising the step of:

comparing said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device with said plurality of conditional usage level selections set by a manufacturer at said particular mobile electronic device.

9. The method for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 2, said method further comprising the step of:

comparing said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device with said plurality of conditional usage level selections set by a user at said particular mobile electronic device.

10. The method for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 2, said method further comprising the step of:

comparing said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device with said plurality of conditional usage level selections set by an authority to a user of said particular mobile electronic device.

11. The method for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 1, said method farther comprising the steps of:

receiving a control code at said particular mobile electronic device from said alternate mobile electronic device;

comparing said control code with said plurality of conditional usage level settings; and

adjusting said level of usage of said particular mobile electronic device according to one of said plurality of conditional usage level settings that matches said control code.

12. The method for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 1, said method further comprising the step of:

transmitting a control code from said particular mobile electronic device to said alternate mobile electronic device, in response to adjusting said usage level of said particular mobile electronic devices according to one of said plurality of conditional usage level settings.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting signals comprises detecting one of infrared signals and ultrasound signals.

13. A system for conditionally controlling an electronic device, said system comprising.

a transceiver on a particular mobile electronic device for directly detecting signals transmitted by an alternate mobile electronic device within a particular proximity of the particular mobile electronic device, said transceiver including means for detecting an identifier and global positioning location by receiving a signal directly from said alternate mobile electronic device at said particular mobile electronic device;

means for computing said particular proximity of said global positioning location of said alternate mobile electronic device to a current global positioning location of said particular mobile electronic device; and

means, responsive to detection of said signals, for adjusting a level of usage of said particular mobile electronic device in response to determining a particular conditional usage level selection according to said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device from among a plurality of conditional usage level selections at said particular mobile electronic device, such that said level of usage of said particular mobile electronic device is conditionally adjusted according to said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device.

14. The system for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 13, said means for adjusting a level of usage of said particular mobile electronic device in response to determining a particular conditional usage level selection according to said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device, further comprising:

means for comparing said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device with said plurality of conditional usage level selections at said particular mobile electronic device.

15. The system for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 14, said system further comprising:

means for determining which of said detected at least one of said plurality of conditional usage level selections is rated with a highest priority, in response to detecting a match of at least one of said plurality of conditional usage level selections according to said particular proximity; and

means for adjusting said level of usage of said particular mobile electronic device according to said conditional usage level selection rated with said highest priority.

16. The system for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 14, said system further comprising:

means for adjusting said level of usage of said particular mobile electronic device according to said one of said plurality of conditional usage level selections, in response to detecting a match of one of said plurality of conditional usage level selections according to said particular proximity.

17. The system for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 14, said system further comprising:

means for maintaining said usage level in response to detecting any control codes that override any conditional usage level settings matched according to said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device.

18. The system for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 14, said system further comprising:

means for determining if any of said plurality of conditional usage level selections match according to said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device and according to an identifier for said alternate mobile electronic device.

19. The system for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 14, said system further comprising:

means for determining if any of said plurality of conditional usage level selections match according to said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device and a current time.

20. The system for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 14, said system further comprising:

means for comparing said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device with said plurality of conditional usage level selections set by a manufacturer at said particular mobile electronic device.

21. The system for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 14, said system further comprising:

means for comparing said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device with said plurality of conditional usage level selections set by a user at said particular mobile electronic device.

22. The system for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 14, said system further comprising:

means for comparing said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device with said plurality of conditional usage level selections set by an authority to a user of said particular mobile electronic device.

23. The system for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 13, said system further comprising:

means for receiving a control code at said particular mobile electronic device from said alternate mobile electronic device;

means for comparing said control code with said plurality of conditional usage level settings; and

means for adjusting said level of usage of said particular mobile electronic device according to one of said plurality of conditional usage level settings that matches said control code.

24. The system for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 13, said system further comprising:

means for transmitting a control code from said particular mobile electronic device to said alternate mobile electronic device, in response to adjusting said usage level of said particular mobile electronic devices according to one of said plurality of conditional usage level settings.

38. The system of claim 13, wherein said means for detecting signals comprises means for detecting one of infrared signals and ultrasound signals.

25. A program for conditionally controlling an electronic device, residing on a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means, said program comprising:

means for a particular mobile electronic device directly detecting signals transmitted by an alternate mobile electronic device within a particular proximity of the particular mobile electronic device, said means for detecting an alternate mobile electronic device further including;

means for detecting an identifier and global positioning location by receiving a signal directly from said alternate mobile electronic device at said particular mobile electronic device; and

means for computing said particular proximity of said global positioning location of said alternate mobile electronic device to a current global positioning location of said particular mobile electronic device; and

means, responsive to detection of said signals, for adjusting a level of usage of said particular mobile electronic device in response to determining a particular conditional usage level selection according to said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device from among a plurality of conditional usage level selections at said particular mobile electronic device, such that said level of usage of said particular mobile electronic device is conditionally adjusted according to said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device.

26. The program for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 25, said means for adjusting a level of usage of said particular mobile electronic device in response to determining a particular conditional usage level selection according to said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device, further comprising:

means for comparing said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device with said plurality of conditional usage level selections at said particular mobile electronic device.

27. The program for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 26, said program further comprising:

means for determining which of said detected at least one of said plurality of conditional usage level selections is rated with a highest priority, in response to detecting a match of at least one of said plurality of conditional usage level selections according to said particular proximity; and

means for adjusting said level of usage of said particular mobile electronic device according to said conditional usage level selection rated with said highest priority.

28. The program for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 26, said program further comprising:

means for adjusting said level of usage of said particular mobile electronic device according to said one of said plurality of conditional usage level selections, in response to detecting a match of one of said plurality of conditional usage level selections according to said particular proximity.

29. The program for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 26, said program further comprising:

means for maintaining said usage level in response to detecting any control codes that override any conditional usage level settings matched according to said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device.

30. The program for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 26, said program further comprising:

means for determining if any of said plurality of conditional usage level selections match according to said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device and according to an identifier for said alternate mobile electronic device.

31. The program for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 26, said program further comprising:

means for determining if any of said plurality of conditional usage level selections match according to said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device and a current time.

32. The program for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 26, said program further comprising:

means for comparing said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device with said plurality of conditional usage level selections set by a manufacturer at said particular mobile electronic device.

33. The program for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 26, said program further comprising:

means for comparing said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device with said plurality of conditional usage level selections set by a user at said particular mobile electronic device.

34. The program for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 26, said program further comprising:

means for comparing said particular proximity of said alternate mobile electronic device with said plurality of conditional usage level selections set by an authority to a user of said particular mobile electronic device.

35. The program for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 33, said program further comprising:

means for receiving a control code at said particular mobile electronic device from said alternate mobile electronic device;

means for comparing said control code with said plurality of conditional usage level settings; and

means for adjusting said level of usage of said particular mobile electronic device according to one of said plurality of conditional usage level settings that matches said control code.

36. The program for conditionally controlling an electronic device according to claim 25, said program further comprising:

means for transmitting a control code from said particular mobile electronic device to said alternate mobile electronic device, in response to adjusting said usage level of said particular mobile electronic devices according to one of said plurality of conditional usage level settings.

39. The program of claim 25, wherein said means for detecting signals comprises means for detecting one of infrared signals and ultrasound signals.