Method and apparatus for managing ring tones in a mobile device

• US 8,041,402 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2008
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Burkes, Philip Bernard, Awada, Faisal M., Brown, Joe Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): GESESSE, TILAHUN
• Application Number:
  US12/347,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20090104944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 455/567, 455/569.1, 455/550.1, 455/414.1
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/041 Encoding the ringing signal, i.e. providing distinctive or selective ringing capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

An improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions for a mobile device for managing ring tones. A radio frequency transmission is detected from another mobile device. In response to detecting the radio frequency transmission from the other mobile device, a ring tone used by the other mobile device is identified to form an identified ring tone. The current ring tone is selectively changed for the mobile device to an alternate ring tone, depending on the identified ring tone.

Claims

1. A data processing system in a mobile device for managing ring tones, the data processing system comprising:

a bus;

a memory, connected to the bus, wherein the memory containing computer executable instructions;

a processor connected to the bus, wherein the processor executes the computer executable instructions directing the data processing system to;

detect a radio frequency transmission on a first mobile device from a second mobile device;

responsive to detecting the radio frequency transmission from the second mobile device, transmit a current ring identifier for a current ring tone of the first mobile device to the second mobile device and receive a ring identifier transmitted from the second mobile device;

identify a ring tone used by the second mobile device to form an identified ring tone;

responsive to the identified ring tone, comparing the ring identifier of the second mobile device with the current ring identifier for the current ring tone of the first mobile device to determine whether the current ring tone is a same ring tone as the ring tone used by the second mobile device; and

responsive to the current ring tone of the first mobile device being the same ring tone as the ring tone used by the second mobile device, selectively changing the current ring tone for the first mobile device to an alternate ring tone.

2. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the processor executes the computer executable instructions to selectively change further comprises directing the data processing system to:

selectively change the current ring tone of the first mobile device to an alternate ring tone based on a user profile.

3. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the processor executes the computer executable instructions to selectively change further comprises directing the data processing system to:

prompt for a user input to select a new ring tone for the first mobile device.

4. The data processing system of claim 3, wherein the processor executes the computer executable instructions directing the data processing system to select the new ring tone from one of the current ring tone and a different ring tone from the current ring tone.

5. A computer program product in a mobile device for managing ring tones, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable recordable-type media having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, the computer-executable instructions comprising;

computer-executable instructions for detecting a radio frequency transmission on a first mobile device from a second mobile device;

computer-executable instructions responsive to detecting the radio frequency transmission from the second mobile device, for transmitting a current ring identifier for a current ring tone of the first mobile device to the second mobile device and receive a ring identifier transmitted from the second mobile device;

computer-executable instructions for identifying a ring tone used by the second mobile device to form an identified ring tone;

computer-executable instructions responsive to the identified ring tone, for comparing the ring identifier of the second mobile device with the current ring identifier for the current ring tone of the first mobile device to determine whether the current ring tone is a same ring tone as the ring tone used by the second mobile device; and

computer-executable instructions responsive to the current ring tone of the first mobile device being the same ring tone as the ring tone used by the second mobile device, for selectively changing the current ring tone for the first mobile device to an alternate ring tone.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the computer-executable instructions further comprise:

computer-executable instructions for selectively changing the current ring tone of the first mobile device to an alternate ring tone based on a user profile.

7. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the computer-executable instructions further comprise:

computer-executable instructions for prompting for a user input to select a new ring tone for the first mobile device.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the computer-executable instructions further select the new ring tone from one of the current ring tone and a different ring tone from the current ring tone.

9. A mobile device system comprising:

an interconnect system;

a communications unit connected to the interconnect system;

a memory connected to the interconnect system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and

a processor unit connected to the interconnect system, wherein the processor unit executes the set of instructions to;

detect a radio frequency transmission on a first mobile device from a second mobile device;

responsive to detecting the radio frequency transmission from the second mobile device, transmit a current ring identifier for a current ring tone of the first mobile device to the second mobile device and receive a ring identifier transmitted from the second mobile device;

identify a ring tone used by the second mobile device to form an identified ring tone;

responsive to the identified ring tone, comparing the ring identifier of the second mobile device with the current ring identifier for the current ring tone of the first mobile device to determine whether the current ring tone is a same ring tone as the ring tone used by the second mobile device; and

responsive to the current ring tone of the first mobile device being the same ring tone as the ring tone used by the second mobile device, selectively changing the current ring tone for the first mobile device to an alternate ring tone.