Using RFID and sensored zones to geographically control cellular phone audio profiles

• US 7,835,730 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2007
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Diluoffo, Vincent V., Boss, Gregory J., Waters, Timothy M., Hamilton, Rick A. II
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah; Charles N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Akonai; Olumide T Ajibade
• Application Number:
  US11/624,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20080176578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,398 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455418-420, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.6, 455/567, 455/569.1, 455/570, 455/550.1, 455/456.4, 455/569.2, 379/201.01, 379/207.16, 379/373.01, 379/373.02, 379/373.03, 379/374.03, 379/374.02, 379/376.02
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/045 Call privacy arrangements, e.g. timely inhibiting the ring signal

Abstract

A system and method for automatically controlling and adjusting the audio profile of pervasive devices, like cellular phones, within controlled zones. The system and method utilizes RFID and sensors to geographically control and adjust the audio profiles based on set criteria, such as default settings and hierarchy. The audio profiles may be controlled or adjusted based on a control zone profile settings or based on the profile settings of other individual devices within the same control zone. The zones may be adjusted due to the hierarchy or rank of devices present within the zone.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling the audio profile of pervasive devices, comprising:

at least one sensor placed within a control zone; and

,

a controller in communication with said at least one sensor, said controller having an audio profile setting,

wherein said at least one sensor detects the presence of at least one pervasive device within said control zone and transmits an audio profile of said at least one pervasive device to the controller,

said controller receives the transmitted audio profile and determines whether there is a conflict between the audio profile setting of the at least one pervasive device and the controller audio profile setting, and determines precedence of audio profiles based on a hierarchy of policy considerations.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said hierarchy of policy considerations includes at least one of the following factors:

set logic, priority, authorization, hierarchy, relationship, identification information, device attributes and capabilities, system priorities and manual settings.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controller determines whether said at least one pervasive device has a higher priority than the controller.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said controller changes the audio profile of said at least one pervasive device to comply with said controller audio profile setting when the pervasive device does not have a higher priority than the audio profile of the controller.

5. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said controller changes and records its audio profile setting based on said at least one pervasive device when the audio profile setting of the pervasive device has a higher priority than the audio profile of the controller.

6. A method for controlling the audio profile of pervasive devices, comprising:

placing at least one sensor within a control zone;

providing at least one controller in communication with said at least one sensor, said at least one controller having an audio profile setting;

detecting the presence of at least one pervasive device within said control zone;

transmitting an audio profile of said at least one pervasive device to said at least one controller;

receiving the transmitted audio profile of said at least one pervasive device;

determining whether there is a conflict between the audio profile of said at least one pervasive device and the controller audio profile setting; and

determining precedence of audio profiles based on a hierarchy of considerations, wherein said hierarchy of considerations includes at least one of the following factors;

set logic, priority, authorization, hierarchy, relationship, identification information, device attributes and capabilities, system priorities and manual settings.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

determining whether said at least one pervasive device has a higher priority than the controller.

8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:

changing the audio profile of said at least one pervasive device to comply with the controller audio profile setting when the pervasive device does not have a higher priority than the controller.

9. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:

changing and recording an audio profile setting of said controller based on said at least one pervasive device when the audio profile setting of said at least one pervasive device has a higher priority than the controller.

10. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

receive an audio profile of at least one pervasive device in a controlled zone;

determine whether there is a conflict between the audio profile of said at least one pervasive device and a stored audio profile setting for the controlled zone;

determine precedence of audio profiles based on a hierarchy of considerations; and

, determine whether said at least one pervasive device has a higher audio profile priority than said stored audio profile setting.

11. A computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computer to:

transmit a signal that updates the audio profile of said at least one pervasive device to comply with said stored audio profile setting of the controlled zone when said at least one pervasive device does not have a higher priority than the controlled zone.

12. A computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computer to:

update the audio profile setting of the controlled zone to comply with the audio profile setting for said at least one pervasive device when said at least one pervasive device has a higher priority than the controlled zone.

13. A data processing system comprising:

means for receiving an audio profile signal from at least one pervasive device within a controlled zone;

means for determining whether there is a conflict between the audio profile of said at least one pervasive device and a stored audio profile setting for the controlled zone;

means for determining precedence of audio profiles based on a hierarchy of considerations; and

, means for determining whether said at least one pervasive device has a higher audio profile priority than audio profile of the controlled zone.

14. A data processing system according to claim 13, further comprising:

means for transmitting a signal that updates the audio profile of said at least one pervasive device to comply with the stored audio profile setting for the controlled zone when said at least one pervasive device does not have a higher priority than the controlled zone.

15. A data processing system according to claim 13, further comprising:

means for updating the audio profile setting of the controlled zone to comply with the audio profile setting for said at least one pervasive device when said at least one pervasive device has a higher priority than the controlled zone.