Wireless communication device having intelligent alerting system

• US 6,954,657 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2001
• Issued: 10/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Bork, Stephan, Eliezer, Oren E., Panasik, Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, LANA N
• Application Number:
  US09/851,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20020010008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,617 Days
• Field of Search: 455/567, 455/550.1, 455/41.2, 455/412.1, 455/67.7, 455/226.1, 455/226.3, 455/226.4, 455/575.1, 455/563, 455/67.11, 455/41, 340/7.58
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/041 Encoding the ringing signal, i.e. providing distinctive or selective ringing capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• 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

Abstract

A wireless device (100) having an optimum alert sequence definition analyzes its environment, including time and type of incoming call, and selects an appropriate alert signal sequence. A central processing unit (114) included within the device (100) is responsive to a transmitted signal from an external communications device to generate active and passive sonic sensing. The reflected signal received through the microphone (110) and a predetermined set of values or ranges stored in a memory (102) coupled to the central processing unit (114) are used as input for a program of instructions tangibly embodied in a programmable storage device executable by the central processing unit (114). Based upon processing of this reflected signal, the central processing unit (114) determines which alert signal is optimum given the environment.

The device (100) may further include characterization of the environment based on processing of the ambient noise within the environment and several inputs including: manual inputs (user indication/selection), real time clock (including date), light sensing, temperature sensing, cellular receiver indications (RSSI and local network ID), motion sensing, caller identification, global positioning system data, and radio link reception (i.e. Bluetooth: office/home network, etc.).

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a microphone;

a codifier coupled to the microphone;

a central processing unit coupled to the codifier to control the codifier to convert an analog signal sensed by the microphone into a digital signal;

at least one alert generator coupled to the central processing unit for generation of the at least one alert signal;

a memory coupled to the central processing unit for storage of an at least one predetermined value;

a programmable storage device readable by the central processing unit, the programmable storage device tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the central processing unit, wherein the program of instructions and the at least one predetermined value define an alert sequence definition;

the central processing unit responsive to the digital signal and the alert sequence definition to select an alert signal by generating at least one control signal for the at least one alert generator;

a transceiver coupled to the central processing unit to communicate with an external device;

a decoder coupled to the central processing unit;

a speaker mounted in a housing, the speaker coupled to the decoder;

the central processing unit responsive to a transmitted signal of the external device received by the transceiver wherein the central processing unit generates a control signal for the speaker to generate a first analog signal and the central processing unit generates a control signal for the codifier to convert a reflected first analog signal sensed by the microphone into a first digital signal, wherein, when the apparatus is placed in a container, the first analog signal is reflected back toward the apparatus and the codifier will convert the reflected first analog signal into the first digital signal at a predetermined delayed interval; and

the central processing unit responsive to the first digital signal to determine the strength of the reflected first analog signal wherein the strength is compared with at least one predetermined threshold stored in memory to determine an optimum alert signal.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one alert generator includes:

a display mounted in the housing and coupled to the central processing unit, the display having at least one feature for generation of a visual alert signal.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one alert generator includes:

an audio alert generator coupled between the central processing unit and the speaker for generation of an audible alert signal.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the central processing unit responsive to the alert sequence definition, adjusts the type of the audible alert signal.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the central processing unit responsive to the alert sequence definition, adjusts the volume of the audible alert signal.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the central processing unit responsive to the alert sequence definition, adjusts the frequency of the audible alert signal.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the central processing unit responsive to the alert sequence definition, adjusts the interval of time for silence between a first and a second audible alert signal.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one alert generator includes:

a tactile alert generator coupled to the central processing unit for generation of a tactile alert signal.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one manually actuated user input coupled to the central processing unit;

wherein the programmable storage device responsive to the at least one manually actuated user input to alter the last alert signal generated.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one manually actuated user input coupled to the central processing unit;

wherein the programmable storage device responsive to the at least one manually actuated user input to alter the alert sequence definition.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a housing wherein the microphone, the speaker, the transceiver, and the at least one manually actuated user input are mounted in the housing.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein one of the at least one predetermined value includes at least one high frequency noise range.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein one of the at least one predetermined value includes at least one low frequency noise range.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the program of instructions includes speech recognition processing instructions.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the program of instructions includes neuron network processing instructions.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a radio link, transceiver coupled to the central processing unit, the radio link transceiver positioned in the housing to communicate with a base station, wherein a transmitted signal from the base station, the predetermined values, and the program of instructions define the alert sequence definition.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the radio link transceiver uses a short-range, cable replacement, radio technology such as Bluetooth™

.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a light sensor coupled to the central processing unit to sense light external to the portable wireless communication device, wherein the sensed light, the predetermined values, and the program of instructions define the alert sequence definition.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a motion sensor coupled to the central processing unit to sense motion exerted on the portable wireless communication device, wherein the sensed motion, the predetermined values, and the program of instructions define the alert sequence definition.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor coupled to the central processing unit to sense temperature external to the portable wireless communication device, wherein the sensed temperature, the predetermined values, and the program of instructions define the alert sequence definition.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein, the predetermined values includes a temperature, motion, high frequency noise, and low frequency noise range.

22. A method of generating an optimum alerting sequence for a wireless communication device having a central processing unit, a codifier, a memory, a programmable storage device tangibly embodying a program of instructions, plurality of alert generators, comprising the steps of:

detecting, by the central processing unit, an incoming call;

generating a first analog signal by a speaker, wherein when the apparatus is in a container, having an interior surface, the first analog signal will be reflected off of the interior surface of the container;

sending a control signal to the codifier coupled to a microphone to receive the reflected first analog signal sensed at the microphone;

converting the reflected first analog signal to a first digital signal;

retrieving a predetermined set of values and coefficients from memory;

determining the strength of the reflected first analog signal by the central processing unit responsive to the first digital signal such that the strength is compared with at least one predetermined threshold stored in a memory as input to determine an optimum alert signal;

processing the first digital signal by the central processing unit to determine an optimum alerting sequence using the predetermined set of values, coefficients, and the first digital signal as inputs for the program of instructions tangibly embodied in the programmable storage device; and

generating an alert signal based upon the output of the program of instructions.

23. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein the program of instructions includes speech recognition processing instructions to process a speech pattern recognized in the digital signal as input to determine the optimum alert sequence.

24. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein the program of instructions includes neuron network processing instructions to determine the optimum alert sequence.