Audio alert system and method

• US 8,065,027 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2009
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tischer, Steven N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Briney, III; Walter F
• Application Number:
  US12/428,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20090201167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/578 associated with a synthesized vocal announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72484 wherein functions are triggered by incoming communication events
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver

Abstract

An audio alert system, device, and method includes an audio alert created by a user and programmed into a device, such as a wireless telephone. A user stores in the device a data structure relating an audio alert triggering event to the audio alert. When the device detects an occurrence of the particular audio alert triggering event, the device emits the audio alert related to the triggering event. As such, users are able to customize audio alerts that are easily recognizable and that are associated with a particular event, or signal. Audio alerts can be programmed using different devices and in various formats and can be transmitted to other devices. An audio alert triggering event can modulate an audio alert according to an external variable.

Claims

1. An audio alert system, comprising:

an audio alert;

a device having an emitter for emitting one or more iterations of the audio alert and detecting an occurrence of an audio alert triggering event; and

a data structure for relating the audio alert triggering event to the audio alert;

wherein the device modulates the audio alert according to an external variable to generate the iterations including a modulated audio alert associated with the audio alert triggering event;

wherein when the audio alert triggering event occurs, the data structure causes the device to emit the modulated audio alert associated with the triggering event; and

wherein the device is configured to identify a position of the device relative to at least one additional device, and each of the at least one additional device is associated with a respective distinctive audio alert, each respective distinctive audio alert being modulated by the device as a respective position of the at least one additional device changes relative to the device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the modulated audio alert comprises the audio alert modulated according to global positioning information including at least one member of a group comprising position information, distance information, and directional information relative to another device or location associated with the triggering event.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the another device comprises:

a transmitter for transmitting the audio alert triggering event to the device; and

a global positioning system interface that allows receipt and transmission of the global positioning information comprising latitude, longitude, or altitude of the device relative to the another device;

wherein the device further comprises;

a receiver for receiving incoming transmissions; and

storage having the audio alert and the data structure stored therein; and

wherein the external variable comprising the global positioning information causes the emitter to emit the modulated audio alert comprising an iteration of the audio alert.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a global positioning system wherein the external variable comprises the relative distance information;

wherein the device further comprises a second global positioning system (GPS) interface; and

wherein when the another device is a first distance from the device;

the another device transmits an audio alert triggering signal to the device via the global positioning system;

upon receiving the audio alert triggering signal from the another device at the first distance, the device detects the audio alert triggering signal and the data structure causes the emitter to emit the iteration of the audio alert to indicate the first distance between positions of the device and the another device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein as the another device moves from the first distance to a second distance relative to the device, the another device transmits the audio alert triggering signal to the device via the global positioning system;

wherein upon receiving the audio alert triggering signal at the second distance, the device detects the audio alert triggering signal and the data structure causes the emitter to emit a second iteration of the audio alert to indicate a new relative distance between the positions of the device and the another device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second iteration of the audio alert comprises a modulated variation of the iteration of the audio alert the modulated variation of the iteration indicating a change in relative distance between the device and the another device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein transmission of the audio alert triggering signal from the another device is continuous as the another device moves in position from the first distance to the second distance relative to the device;

and

wherein when continuing changes in the relative distance between the device and the another device occur, modulation of iterations of the audio alert emitted by the device changes, the modulation of the iterations therein becoming at least one of the following louder, more rapid, softer, and less rapid.

8. The system of claim 2, further comprising a global positioning system wherein the external variable comprises directional information;

wherein when the another device is positioned at a first angle from the device the another device transmits an audio alert triggering signal to the device via the global positioning system; and

wherein upon receiving the audio alert triggering signal from the another device at the first angle, the device detects the audio alert triggering signal and the data structure causes the emitter to emit an iteration of the audio alert to indicate the relative first angle between positions of the device and the another device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein as the another device moves from the first angle to a second angle relative to the device, the another device transmits the audio alert triggering signal to the device via the global positioning system;

and

wherein upon receiving the audio alert triggering signal from the another device at the second angle, the device detects the audio alert triggering signal and the data structure causes the emitter to emit another iteration of the audio alert to indicate a new relative angle between the positions of the device and the another device whereby the another iteration of the audio alert emitted from the device comprises a modulated variation of the iteration of the audio alert indicating a change in relative direction between the device and the another device from the first angle to the second angle.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein transmission of the audio alert triggering signal from the another device is continuous as the another device changes from the first angle to the second angle relative to the device;

and

wherein when continuing changes in the relative direction between the device and the another device occur, modulation of iterations of the audio alert emitted by the device changes, the modulation of the iterations therein becoming one of the following louder, more rapid, softer, and less rapid.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein modulation of the audio alert according to the external variable enables the device to rapidly determine a proximity of the another device or a person with the another device to the device thereby allowing real-time notification of movement between the two devices.

12. A device for emitting an audio alert, comprising:

storage for storing data;

an audio alert stored in the device;

a data structure programmed to relate detection of an occurrence of an audio alert triggering event and relate the audio alert triggering event to the audio alert, the data structure stored in the device; and

an emitter for emitting the audio alert;

wherein when the audio alert triggering event occurs, the data structure relates the audio alert triggering event and causes the device to emit the audio alert related to the triggering event;

wherein the device is operable to modulate the audio alert according to an external variable associated with the audio alert triggering event, and

wherein the device is configured to identify a position of the device relative to at least one additional device, and each of the at least one additional device is associated with a respective distinctive audio alert, each respective distinctive audio alert being modulated by the device as a respective position of the at least one additional device changes relative to the device.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the external variable comprises global positioning information.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the external variable comprises relative distance information.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the external variable comprises directional information.

16. A method of customizing audio alerts in a device, comprising:

storing an audio alert in the device;

detecting an occurrence of an audio alert triggering event and relating the audio alert triggering event to the audio alert; and

modulating the audio alert according to an external variable associated with the audio alert triggering event when the occurrence of the audio alert triggering event is detected;

wherein modulating the audio alert generates a modified audio alert file; and

wherein at least one distinctive audio alert associated with at least one additional device is modulated by the device as a respective position of the at least one additional device changes relative to the device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the external variable comprises global positioning information.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the external variable comprises one of relative distance information and directional information.