Apparatus and method to automatically adjust volume or control operation of an appliance

• US 7,149,512 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2002
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Connor, Patrick L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ewart, James D.
• Application Number:
  US10/183,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,631 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/63.1, 455/95, 455/420, 455/461, 455/550.1, 455/567, 455/570, 455/41.2, 455/418, 455/419
• US Class Current: 455/420
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances

Abstract

An apparatus includes a device adapted to detect one of receiving an incoming call or initiating an outgoing call. A transmitter is adapted to send a request signal in response to receiving the incoming call or initiating the outgoing call. The request signal may be used to adjust a volume setting or pause operation of an appliance.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a device adapted to detect one of receiving an incoming call and initiating an outgoing call; and

a transmitter adapted to send a request signal in response to one of receiving the incoming call and initiating the outgoing call to cause adjustment of a volume setting of an appliance to be at a selected volume or to control operation of the appliance, wherein the transmitter is further adapted to transmit at least one additional request signal after the response to one of the incoming call and the outgoing call to continue to maintain the selected volume or to continue to control the operation of the appliance.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device is a microprocessor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device is a radio telephone.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmitter has a range between about 10 centimeters and about 10 meters.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is a transmitter of a communication device and the request signal is transmitted at a selected power to propagate only a predetermined distance to the appliance.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is adapted to automatically transmit the additional request signal after a predetermined time period in response to the one of the incoming call and the outgoing call.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is adapted to transmit a resume signal after the incoming call or outgoing call is terminated.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a receiver associated with the appliance to receive the request signal and the resume signal.

9. A communication device, comprising:

a transmitter adapted to send radio signals;

a receiver adapted to receive radio signals;

a transceiver adapted to send a request signal in response to the communication device receiving an incoming call and initiating an outgoing call to adjust a volume setting or pause operation of an appliance;

a controller adapted to control operation of the transmitter, the receiver and the transceiver; and

the transceiver is adapted to repeatedly transmit another request signal at predetermined time intervals until the incoming call or outgoing call is terminated.

10. The communication device of claim 9, wherein the transceiver is adapted to transmit a resume signal after the incoming call or outgoing call is terminated.

11. The communication device of claim 9, wherein the controller is adapted to adjust an alert setting of the communication device to a selected setting in response to the communication device receiving a chosen signal.

12. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the controller is adapted to resume an original alert setting in response to an expiration of a predetermined time period and not receiving another chosen signal.

13. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the controller is adapted to maintain the selected setting in response to receiving another chosen signal within a predetermined time period.

14. A method, comprising:

determining at least one of receiving an incoming call and initiating an outgoing call;

transmitting a request signal;

adjusting a volume setting of an appliance to a selected setting or pausing operation of the appliance in response to the request signal; and

transmitting at least one additional request signal after the determining one of the receiving the incoming call and the outgoing call to continue to maintain the selected setting or the pausing operation of the appliance.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising resuming an original volume setting or continuing operation after termination of the incoming call or the outgoing call.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein resuming the original volume setting or continuing operation comprises transmitting a resume signal after termination of the incoming or outgoing call.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the additional request signal is transmitted within a predetermined time period.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising resuming the original volume setting or continuing operation after a predetermined time period if the additional request signal is not received.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the request signal is transmitted by one of a transmitter of a communication device operating at a selected power or another transmitter separate from the transmitter of the communication device.

20. A computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

determining at least one of receiving an incoming call and initiating an outgoing call;

transmitting a request signal;

adjusting a volume setting of an appliance to a selected setting or pausing operation of the appliance in response to the request signal; and

transmitting at least one additional request signal after the determining one of the receiving the incoming call and the outgoing call to continue to maintain the selected setting or the pausing operation of the appliance.

21. The computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 20, wherein the additional request signal is transmitted within the predetermined time period.

22. The computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 20, further comprising resuming the original volume setting or continuing operation after a predetermined time period if the additional request signal is not received.

23. The computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 20, further comprising resuming an original volume setting or continuing operation after termination of the incoming call or the outgoing call.

24. The computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 23, wherein resuming the original volume setting or continuing operation comprises transmitting a resume signal after termination of the incoming or outgoing call.