System method and computer program product for managing themes in a mobile phone

• US 7,224,963 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2003
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sheely, Christopher J., Anderson, Keith W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Nguyen T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le; Nhan T.
• Application Number:
  US10/605,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20050085272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379 8822- 8824, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/413, 4554141- 4, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 4554565- 7, 455/456.6, 340/988, 340/993, 340/994, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 455/414.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

Themes provide the mobile phone with changeable characteristics pertaining to the appearance and sound presented by the mobile phone. A theme profile associated with the mobile phone contains data pertaining to which theme to apply to the mobile phone and when to transition to another theme as well as where theme content data is located. The mobile phone then waits for a triggering event to occur. When such a triggering event occurs, it causes a transition from the currently active theme to another theme. A new theme based on an associated triggering event is applied to the mobile phone changing its look and feel.

Claims

1. A method of managing themes applicable to a mobile phone wherein themes provide the mobile phone with changeable characteristics pertaining to the appearance and sound presented by the mobile phone, said method comprising:

checking a theme profile associated with the mobile phone to determine which theme is currently active, wherein the theme profile includes data pertaining to triggering events that cause the mobile phone to transition from one theme to another theme, a priority setting that determines which theme shall be applied to the mobile phone in the event of conflicting triggering events, and pointers to where the content data associated with a theme is located;

waiting for a triggering event to occur to cause a transition from the currently active theme to a new theme; and

applying the new theme based on an associated triggering event.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a triggering event is time based such that a theme transition occurs at a predetermined time.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a triggering event is location based such that a theme transition occurs when the mobile phone approaches a predetermined location.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the mobile phone utilizes a location determination system to determine when the mobile phone is approaching predetermined location.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the theme profile associated with the mobile phone is stored locally on the mobile phone.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the content data associated with a theme is stored locally on the mobile phone.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the content data associated with a theme is stored remotely on the network to which the mobile phone subscribes to and the mobile phone establishes a connection with the network to access and download the content data associated with a theme.

8. A method of managing themes applicable to a mobile phone wherein themes provide the mobile phone with changeable characteristics pertaining to the appearance and sound presented by the mobile phone, and wherein a theme profile associated with the mobile phone is stored remotely on the network to which the mobile phone subscribes to, wherein the theme profile includes data pertaining to triggering events that cause the mobile phone to transition from one theme to another theme, a priority setting that determines which theme shall be applied to the mobile phone in the event of conflicting triggering events, and pointers to where the content data associated with a theme is located, said method comprising:

receiving current theme data upon network registration when the phone is powered on based on the associated stored theme profile;

applying the current theme to the mobile phone;

waiting for a triggering event to occur to cause a transition from the current theme to a new theme; and

applying the new theme based on an associated triggering event.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the content data associated with a theme is stored locally on the mobile phone.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the content data associated with a theme is stored remotely on the network to which the mobile phone subscribes to and the mobile phone establishes a connection with the network to access and download the content data associated with a theme.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein a triggering event is time based such that a theme transition occurs at a predetermined time.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein a triggering event is location based such that a theme transition occurs when the mobile phone approaches a predetermined location.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the mobile phone utilizes a location determination system to determine when the mobile phone is approaching a predetermined location.

14. A computer program product for managing themes applicable to a mobile phone wherein themes provide the mobile phone with changeable characteristics pertaining to the appearance and sound presented by the mobile phone, the computer program product comprising:

computer program code for checking a theme profile associated with the mobile phone to determine which theme is currently active, wherein the theme profile includes data pertaining to triggering events that cause the mobile phone to transition from one theme to another theme, a priority setting that determines which theme shall be applied to the mobile phone in the event of conflicting triggering events, and pointers to where the content data associated with a theme is located;

computer program code for waiting for a triggering event to occur to cause a transition from the currently active theme to a new theme; and

computer program code for applying the new theme based on an associated triggering event.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein a triggering event is time based such that a theme transition occurs at a predetermined time.

16. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein a triggering event is location based such that a theme transition occurs when the mobile phone approaches a predetermined location.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the mobile phone utilizes a location determination system in conjunction with computer program code to determine when the mobile phone is approaching a predetermined location.

18. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the theme profile associated with the mobile phone is stored locally on the mobile phone.

19. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the content tent data associated with a theme is stored locally on the mobile phone.

20. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the content data associated with a theme is stored remotely on the network to which the mobile phone subscribes to and the mobile phone includes computer program code for establishing a connection with the network to access and download the content data associated with a theme.

21. A computer program product for managing themes applicable to a mobile phone wherein themes provide the mobile phone with changeable characteristics pertaining to the appearance and sound presented by the mobile phone, and wherein a theme profile associated with the mobile phone is stored remotely on the network to which the mobile phone subscribes to, wherein the theme profile includes data pertaining to triggering events that cause the mobile phone to transition from one theme to another theme, a priority setting that determines which theme shall be applied to the mobile phone in the event of conflicting triggering events, and pointers to where the content data associated with a theme is located, the computer program product comprising:

computer program code for receiving current theme data upon network registration when the phone is powered on based on the associated stored theme profile;

computer program code for applying the current theme to the mobile phone;

computer program code for waiting for a triggering event to occur to cause a transition from the current theme to a new theme; and

computer program code for applying the new theme based on an associated triggering event.

22. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein the content data associated with a theme is stored locally on the mobile phone.

23. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein the content data associated with a theme is stored remotely on the network to which the mobile phone subscribes to and the mobile phone establishes a connection with the network to access and download the content data associated with a theme.

24. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein a triggering event is time based such that a theme transition occurs at a predetermined time.

25. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein a triggering event is location based such that a theme transition occurs when the mobile phone approaches a predetermined location.

26. The computer program product of claim 25 wherein the mobile phone utilizes a location determination system to determine when the mobile phone is approaching a predetermined location.

27. A system for managing themes applicable to a mobile phone wherein themes provide the mobile phone with changeable characteristics pertaining to the appearance and sound presented by the mobile phone, the system comprising:

means for checking a theme profile associated with the mobile phone to determine which theme is currently active, wherein the theme profile includes data pertaining to triggering events that cause the mobile phone to transition from one theme to another theme, a priority setting that determines which theme shall be applied to the mobile phone in the event of conflicting triggering events, and pointers to where the content data associated with a theme is located;

means for waiting for a triggering event to occur to cause a transition from the currently active theme to a new theme; and

means for applying the new theme based on an associated triggering event.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein a triggering event is time based such that a theme transition occurs at a predetermined time.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein a triggering event is location based such that a theme transition occurs when the mobile phone approaches a predetermined location.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the mobile phone utilizes a location determination system in conjunction with means for determining when the mobile phone is approaching a predetermined location.

31. The system of claim 27 wherein the theme profile associated with the mobile phone is stored locally on the mobile phone.

32. The system of claim 27 wherein the content data associated with a theme is stored locally on the mobile phone.

33. The system of claim 27 wherein the content data associated with a theme is stored remotely on the network to which the mobile phone subscribes to and the mobile phone includes computer program code for establishing a connection with the network work to access and download the content data associated with a theme.

34. A system for managing themes applicable to a mobile phone wherein themes provide the mobile phone with changeable characteristics pertaining to the appearance and sound presented by the mobile phone, and wherein a theme profile associated with the mobile phone is stored remotely on the network to which the mobile phone subscribes to, wherein the theme profile includes data pertaining to triggering events that cause the mobile phone to transition from one theme to another theme, a priority setting that determines which theme shall be applied to the mobile phone in the event of conflicting triggering events, and pointers to where the content data associated with a theme is located, the computer program product comprising:

means for receiving current theme data upon network registration when the phone is powered on based on the associated stored theme profile;

means for applying the current theme to the mobile phone;

means for waiting for a triggering event to occur to cause a transition from the current theme to a new theme; and

means for applying the new theme based on an associated triggering event.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the content data associated with a theme is stored locally on the mobile phone.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein the content data associated with a theme is stored remotely on the network to which the mobile phone subscribes to and the mobile phone establishes a connection with the network to access and download the content data associated with a theme.

37. The system of claim 34 wherein a triggering event is time based such that a theme transition occurs at a predetermined time.

38. The system of claim 34 wherein a triggering event is location based such that a theme transition occurs when the mobile phone approaches a predetermined location.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the mobile phone utilizes a location determination system to determine when the mobile phone is approaching a predetermined location.