System for using a local wireless network to control a device within range of the network
First Claim
1. A method for controlling an operating characteristic of a user'"'"'s communication device, comprising the steps of:
- providing a communication device that operates within a first communication network and is capable of operating within a second communication network, the second communication network being a local wireless communication system having a limited range of communication where the communication device can communicate with the local wireless communication system when the communication device is within the range of the local wireless communication system;
detecting whether the communication device is within range of the second communication network;
interacting with the second communication network if the communication device is within range of the second communication network, the second communication network automatically changing the operating characteristic of the communication device; and
providing a hearing aid located within the range of the second communication network and having a certain operating condition where the interacting step causes the communication device to emulate the operating condition of the hearing aid when the communication device is within the range.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This invention provides a communication device that is capable of interacting with a local wireless communication system when the communication device is within range of the local wireless communication system for controlling operating characteristics of the communication device. The communication device may include cellular telephones, mobile phones, voice pagers, data pagers, mobile computers, palm computers, mobile facsimile machines, mobile appliances, multimedia devices and other wireless communication devices. The local wireless communication system may be located in any site such as an office building, home, hotel, concert hall, movie theater, restaurant, conference room, or public transportation systems.
When the local wireless communication system determines that a command is to be sent, the system may transmit a command to all communication devices that are within range of the local wireless communication system, or to a subset of them. For example, the local wireless communication system in an airplane may send a command to all cell phones within its range to turn off to prevent harmful interference with the airplanes communication system. As another example, a local wireless communication system in a concert hall may send a command to change a wireless communication device from ringing mode to vibrate mode during a concert. The command may be any kind of command. The command can change an operating characteristic of the wireless communication device while optionally giving the device the continued ability to communicate and interact with other communication networks. In another alternative, a wireless communication device such as a cell phone may receive information about a user'"'"'s hearing aid and its “prescription” from a local wireless communication system and change its output characteristics to emulate the hearing aid so that the user can use the wireless communication device without the hearing aid. Also, wireless communication device may communicate with a local wireless communication system to turn off a user'"'"'s headphone when the wireless communication device receives an incoming call or data signal.
264 Citations
37 Claims
-
1. A method for controlling an operating characteristic of a user'"'"'s communication device, comprising the steps of:
-
providing a communication device that operates within a first communication network and is capable of operating within a second communication network, the second communication network being a local wireless communication system having a limited range of communication where the communication device can communicate with the local wireless communication system when the communication device is within the range of the local wireless communication system;
detecting whether the communication device is within range of the second communication network;
interacting with the second communication network if the communication device is within range of the second communication network, the second communication network automatically changing the operating characteristic of the communication device; and
providing a hearing aid located within the range of the second communication network and having a certain operating condition where the interacting step causes the communication device to emulate the operating condition of the hearing aid when the communication device is within the range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A communication device that interacts with a local wireless communication system for controlling an operating characteristic of the communication device, comprising:
-
an interface for communicating with a first communication network and a second communication network, the second communication network being a local wireless communication system having a limited range of communication where the communication device can communicate with the local wireless communication system when the communication device is within the range of the local wireless communication system;
a detector that determines whether the communication device is within range of the second communication network;
a control logic that interacts with the second communication network if the communication device is within range of the second communication network and in response to the second communication network, the control logic automatically changing the operating characteristic of the communication device; and
a hearing aid located within the range of the second communication network and having a certain operating condition where the control logic causes the communication device to emulate the operating condition of the hearing aid when the communication device is within the range. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 37)
-
-
33. A communication device for a hearing-impaired user who uses a hearing aid having an operating condition, the communication device interacting with a local wireless communication system for controlling an operating characteristic of the communication device, comprising:
-
an interface for communicating with a first communication network and a second communication network, the second communication network being a local wireless communication system having a limited range of communication encompassing the hearing aid where the communication device can communicate with the second communication network when the communication device is within the range of the second communication network;
a detector that determines whether the communication device is within range of the hearing aid in the second communication network; and
a control logic that receives information about the operating condition of the hearing aid from the second communication network if the communication device is within range of the second communication network, the control logic automatically emulating the operating condition of the hearing aid when the communication device is within the range. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
-
Specification