System for altering operational aspects of a mobile electronic device based upon location

• US 6,973,301 B1
• Filed: 01/08/2002
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Mobile Communication Development Corporation of USA
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Contino, Jeffrey R., Anderson, Brian M., Jones, Joseph E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US10/042,866
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 455/419, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/569.1, 455/569.2, 455/567, 455/414.1, 455/90, 340/311.1, 320/113, 361/814
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• 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 system for altering an operational aspect of a mobile electronic device based on the location of the device and the proximity of the device to certain components is disclosed. The invention provides a system for altering an operational aspect of a mobile electronic device, comprising a sensor associated with the mobile electronic device and a mating element associated with the sensor. The sensor is configured to develop a unique signal based on the mating element and the proximity of the mobile electronic device to the mating element. The invention also includes logic configured to receive the signal from the sensor and alter a characteristic of the mobile electronic device based on the received sensor signal.

Claims

1. A method for altering an operational aspect of a mobile electronic device, the method comprising:

providing a sensor associated with the mobile electronic device;

determining whether the sensor is coupled to a mating element associated with the sensor;

developing a signal in the sensor, the signal determined by whether the sensor is coupled to and recognizes the mating element;

receiving the signal in a processor; and

altering a characteristic of the mobile electronic device based on the received sensor signal and based on the location of the mobile electronic device with respect to the mating element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the altering step alters a user interface characteristic of the mobile electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the altering step alters a radio frequency (RF) characteristic of the mobile electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a default user interface characteristic and a default radio frequency characteristic if the determining step concludes that the sensor is not coupled to the mating element.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering a user interface characteristic based upon a sensor signal determined by the mating element if the determining step concludes that the sensor is coupled to a mating element.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering a radio frequency (RF) characteristic based upon a sensor signal determined by the mating element if the determining step concludes that the sensor is coupled to a mating element.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the user interface characteristic is predetermined and stored in a memory associated with the processor.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the user interface characteristic is dynamically adjustable by a user of the mobile electronic device.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the RF characteristic is predetermined and stored in a memory associated with the processor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the mating element is chosen from the group consisting of, no coupling, a belt clip, a belt pouch, a charger, a car clip, and a clothing carrier.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the altering step alters an operational aspect of the mobile electronic device based upon whether the mobile electronic device is uncoupled from the mating element and located in any of the belt clip, the belt pouch, the charger, the car clip, and the clothing carrier.

12. A system for altering an operational aspect of a mobile electronic device, comprising:

a sensor associated with the mobile electronic device;

a mating element associated with the sensor, the sensor configured to develop a signal based on whether the sensor recognizes the mating element; and

logic configured to receive the signal from the sensor and alter a characteristic of the mobile electronic device based on the received sensor signal and based on the location of the mobile electronic device with respect to the mating element.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the sensor is decoupled from the mating element and the sensor signal causes the logic to use a default user interface characteristic and a default radio frequency (RF) characteristic.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the sensor is coupled to the mating element and the mating element determines the sensor signal.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the sensor signal causes the logic to alter a user interface characteristic of the mobile electronic device.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the sensor signal causes the logic to alter a radio frequency (RF) characteristic of the mobile electronic device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the user interface characteristic is predetermined and stored in a memory associated with the processor.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the user interface characteristic is dynamically adjustable by a user of the mobile electronic device.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the RF characteristic is predetermined and stored in a memory associated with the processor.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the mating element is chosen from the group consisting of, no coupling, a belt clip, a belt pouch, a charger, a car clip, and a clothing carrier.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein an operational aspect of the mobile electronic device is altered based upon whether the mobile electronic device is uncoupled from the mating element and located in any of the belt clip, the belt pouch, the charger, the car clip, and the clothing carrier.

22. A computer readable medium having a program for altering an operational aspect of a mobile electronic device, the program comprising logic configured to perform the steps of:

determining whether a sensor associated with the mobile electronic device is coupled to a mating element associated with the sensor;

developing a signal in the sensor, the signal determined by whether the sensor is coupled to and recognizes the mating element;

receiving the signal in a processor; and

altering a characteristic of the mobile electronic device based on the received sensor signal and based on the location of the mobile electronic device with respect to the mating element.

23. The program of claim 22, wherein the altering step alters a user interface characteristic of the mobile electronic device.

24. The program of claim 22, wherein the altering step alters a radio frequency (RF) characteristic of the mobile electronic device.

25. The program of claim 22, further comprising logic configured to perform the step of using a default user interface characteristic and a default radio frequency characteristic if the determining step concludes that the sensor is not coupled to the mating element.

26. The program of claim 22, further comprising logic configured to perform the step of altering a user interface characteristic based upon a sensor signal determined by the mating element if the determining step concludes that the sensor is coupled to a mating element.

27. The program of claim 22, further comprising logic configured to perform the step of altering a radio frequency (RF) characteristic based upon a sensor signal determined by the mating element if the determining step concludes that the sensor is coupled to a mating element.

28. The program of claim 26, wherein the user interface characteristic is predetermined and stored in a memory associated with the processor.

29. The program of claim 26, wherein the user interface characteristic is dynamically adjustable by a user of the mobile electronic device.

30. The program of claim 27, wherein the RF characteristic is predetermined and stored in a memory associated with the processor.

31. The program of claim 22, wherein the mating element is chosen from the group consisting of, no coupling, a belt clip, a belt pouch, a charger, a car clip, and a clothing carrier.

32. The program of claim 31, wherein the altering step alters an operational aspect of the mobile electronic device based upon whether the mobile electronic device is uncoupled from the mating element and located in any of the belt clip, the belt pouch, the charger, the car clip, and the clothing carrier.