System and methods for monitoring the context associated with a mobile communication device

• US 8,000,689 B2
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aegis Mobility Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aegis Mobility Incorporated
• Inventors: Geyer, John J., Featherstone, Peter A., Chan, Mandy, Williams, Stephen J., Wright, Andrew S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar; Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZHANG, XIANG
• Application Number:
  US12/040,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20080318562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 455/402.2, 4554561-4566, 370/450, 370/459
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems, methods and interfaces are disclosed for managing communications associated with a mobile communication device. Mobile communication devices process environmental inputs and transmit mobile communication device context information to a communication management system. The context information may, for example, reflect the motion and/or geographic location of the mobile device, and may reflect the risk associated with using the device to handle a call or other communications session. The communication management system uses the context information, optionally in combination with communication device profiles, to determine how to manage incoming and/or ongoing calls or other communication sessions. Mobile device users may also be inhibited from initiating communication sessions.

Claims

1. A power-efficient method of assessing mobile communications context information, the method comprising:

for each collection interval in a first set of collection intervals associated with a first transit state;

obtaining multiple sets of input corresponding to information from sensor associated with a mobile communication device environment;

determining whether the multiple sets of input are indicative of a transition of a mobile communication device from the first transit state to a second transit state; and

determining whether to modify at least one interval of the first set of collection intervals based on anticipated variance in information to be received, the anticipated variance based on information received during a previous collection interval; and

transmitting an updated context change for the mobile communication device based on a determination of the transition from the first transit state to the second transit state.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the set of inputs includes a velocity associated with the current mobile communication device environment.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the set of inputs includes a distance traveled associated with the current mobile communication device environment.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the set of inputs includes a bearing traveled associated with the current mobile communication device environment.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first transit state is indicative of a non-transitory state, wherein the second transit state is indicative of an in-transit state and wherein determining whether the multiple sets of input are indicative of a transition of a mobile communication device from the first transit state to the second transit state includes determining whether a minimum movement has been detected.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first transit state is indicative of a city/urban transit state, wherein the second transit state is indicative of a highway transit state, and wherein determining whether the multiple sets of input are indicative of a transition of a mobile communication device from a first transit state to a second transit state includes determining whether criteria indicative of city/urban transit has been satisfied.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the criteria indicative of city/urban transit includes one of a velocity, a distance traveled and a bearing.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the criteria indicative of city/urban transit further include variance information for at least one of velocity, distance traveled and bearing.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the variance information for the at least one of velocity, distance traveled and bearing includes absolute variance and rate of variance change.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

upon transmitting the updated context information, for each collection interval in a second set of collection intervals associated with the second transit state;

obtaining multiple sets of input corresponding to information from sensor associated with a mobile communication device environment;

determining whether the multiple sets of input are indicative of a transition of a mobile communication device from the second transit state to a third transit state; and

determining whether to modify at least one interval of the second set of collection intervals based on anticipated variance in information to be received, the anticipated variance based on information received during a previous collection interval; and

transmitting an updated context change for the mobile communication device based on a determination of the transition from the second transit state to the third transit state.

11. A mobile communications device programmed to perform the method of claim 1.

12. An automated method of protecting a user of a mobile communications device from potentially dangerous usage conditions, the method comprising:

for each interval in a first set of dynamic collection intervals associated with a previous motion-based context of a mobile communications device;

assessing at least a second motion-based context of the mobile communications device wherein said second motion-based context is assessed via an automated analysis of sensor data on the mobile communications device;

determining whether there is a change from the previous motion-based context; and

determining whether to modify at least one interval of the first set of dynamic collection intervals based on anticipated variance in information to be received, the anticipated variance based on information received during a previous collection interval; and

in response to detecting a change from the previous motion-based context, sending a notification message from the mobile communications device to a communication management system.

13. The method as recited claim 12 further comprising publishing a current motion-based context.

14. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein determining whether there is a change from a previous motion-based context includes determining whether criteria indicative of a specific transit state has been satisfied.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the criteria include a determination of whether a minimal movement has been detected.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the criteria include a determination of whether a variance from values from a first set of information and values from a second set of information exceed variance criteria.

17. A mobile communications device programmed to perform the method of claim 12.

20. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprising:

for each interval in a second set of collection intervals associated with the second motion-based context of a mobile communications device;

assessing at least a third motion-based context of the mobile communications device wherein said third motion-based context is assessed via an automated analysis of sensor data on the mobile communications device;

determining whether there is a change from the second motion-based context; and

determining whether to modify at least one interval of the second set of collection intervals based on anticipated in information to be received, the anticipated variance based on information received during a previous collection interval; and

in response to detecting a change from the second motion-based context, sending a notification message from the mobile communications device to a communication management system.

18. A call processing method, comprising:

maintaining state data reflective of a current context of a user of a mobile communications device, said state data reflective of a current transit state;

for each interval in a first set of collection intervals associated with the current transit state;

receiving sensor data corresponding to at least one of velocity, distance traveled and bearing; and

dynamically modifying at least one interval of the first set of collection intervals based on anticipated variance in information to be received, the anticipated variance based on information received during a previous collection interval; and

evaluating the information collected in the set of intervals to determine whether the sensor data is commensurate with a transition from the current transit state to another transit; and

transmitting an information reflective of updated current transmit state from the current transit state to the second transit state.

19. The method as recited in claim 18 further comprising:

for each interval in a second set of collection intervals associated with the updated current transit state;

receiving sensor data corresponding to at least one of velocity, distance traveled and bearing; and

dynamically modifying at least one interval of the second set of collection intervals based on anticipated variance in information to be received, the anticipated variance based on information received during a previous collection interval; and

evaluating the information collected in the set of intervals to determine whether state transition from the updated current state to a third state has been satisfied; and

transmitting an information reflective of updated current transmit state from the updated current transit state to the third transit state.