System and method for controlling notification characteristics of a mobile communication device

• US 8,140,127 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2005
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Luo, Hui
• Primary Examiner(s): GESESSE, TILAHUN
• Application Number:
  US11/131,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20060264245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,498 Days
• Field of Search: 455/567, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/415, 455/414.3, 455/414.4
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/04 involving a separate line for each pair of parties

Abstract

A system and method for controlling user notification characteristics of a mobile communication device. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise transmitting a wireless signal from a wireless transmitter. Such a wireless signal may, for example, comprise a characteristic designed to control user notification characteristics of mobile communication devices receiving the wireless signal. Such a wireless signal may, for example, be transmitted to an area in which control of user notification characteristics is desired. Various aspects of the present invention may also comprise receiving a wireless signal at a mobile communication device. The mobile communication device may, based at least in part on a characteristic of the received signal, select one or more user notification characteristics. The mobile communication device may then receive a communication from a communication system and generate a user notification to notify a user of the communication, wherein the user notification comprises the selected characteristic(s).

Claims

1. In a mobile communication device, a method for notifying a user about a communication, the method comprising:

receiving, at the mobile communication device, a control signal from a wireless transmitter, the control signal comprising at least one characteristic specifically adapted to control selection by the mobile communication device of a manner in which the mobile communication device notifies a user of a communication;

selecting, based at least in part on the at least one characteristic of the received control signal, at least one user notification characteristic wherein said selection is based on a notification profile maintained in the mobile communication device;

after receiving the control signal, receiving, at the mobile communication device, a communication from a communication network; and

in response to the received communication, generating a user notification to notify a user about the received communication, where the user notification is characterized, at least in part, by the selected at least one user notification characteristic.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a control signal from a wireless transmitter comprises receiving a wireless control signal that mimics a wireless signal from the communication network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a control signal from a wireless transmitter comprises receiving the control signal from a transmitter that is independent of the communication network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic of the received control signal comprises information communicated by the received control signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one user notification characteristic comprises at least one of:

a vibration characteristic and/or a ring tone characteristic.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, based at least in part on the at least one characteristic of the received control signal, to route the received communication to a mailbox.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting at least one user notification characteristic comprises selecting the at least one user notification characteristic based, at least in part, on a notification profile.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the notification profile comprises information regarding whether the mobile communication device is enabled to perform automated user notification characteristic selection.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the notification profile comprises information identifying a source of the received signal for which automated selection of user notification characteristics is enabled.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a communication from a communication network comprises receiving a cellular telephone call.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after selecting at least one user notification characteristic, detecting a change in the received control signal and selecting, based at least in part on the detected change, at least one next user notification characteristic.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when a user notification characteristic is automatically changed, generating a user output notifying a user of the mobile communication device that the user notification characteristic has been automatically changed in response to the received control signal from the wireless transmitter.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, based at least in part on a characteristic of the received control signal, to operate the mobile communication device in a silent communication mode that allows a user to select one or more prerecorded audible messages for communication from the mobile communication device to a source of the received communication.

14. A mobile communication device, comprising:

at least one module operable to, at least;

receive a control signal from a wireless transmitter, the control signal comprising at least one characteristic specifically adapted to control selection by the mobile communication device of a manner in which the mobile communication device notifies a user of a communication;

select, based at least in part on the at least one characteristic of the control signal received from the wireless transmitter, at least one user notification characteristic wherein said selection is based on a notification profile maintained in the mobile communication device;

after the control signal is received, receive a communication from a communication network; and

in response to the received communication, generate a user notification to notify a user about the received communication, where the user notification is characterized, at least in part, by the selected at least one user notification characteristic.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 14, where the wireless transmitter is independent of the communication network.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 14, where the at least one characteristic of the control signal received from the wireless transmitter comprises information communicated by the received control signal.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 14, where the at least one user notification characteristic comprises at least one of:

a vibration characteristic and/or a ring tone characteristic.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 14, wherein the at least one module is operable to select the at least one user notification characteristic based, at least in part, on a notification profile.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 18, wherein the notification profile comprises information regarding whether the mobile communication device is enabled to perform automated user notification characteristic selection.

20. The mobile communication device of claim 18, wherein the notification profile comprises information identifying a source of the received signal for which automated selection of user notification characteristics is enabled.

21. The mobile communication device of claim 14, where the communication network comprises a cellular telephone communication network.

22. The mobile communication device of claim 14, wherein the at least one module is operable to, when a user notification characteristic is automatically changed, generate a user output notifying a user of the mobile communication device that the user notification characteristic has been automatically changed in response to the received control signal from the wireless transmitter.

23. The mobile communication device of claim 14, wherein the at least one module is operable to receive a control signal from the wireless transmitter by, at least in part, operating to receiving a wireless control signal that mimics a wireless signal from the communication network.

24. The mobile communication device of claim 14, wherein the at least one module is operable to determine, based at least in part on the at least one characteristic of the received control signal, to route the received communication to a mailbox.

25. The mobile communication device of claim 14, wherein the at least one module is operable to, after operating to select at least one user notification characteristic, detect a change in the received control signal and select, based at least in part on the detected change, at least one next user notification characteristic.

26. The mobile communication device of claim 14, wherein the at least one module is operable to determine, based at least in part on a characteristic of the received control signal, to operate the mobile communication device in a silent communication mode that allows a user to select one or more prerecorded audible messages for communication from the mobile communication device to a source of the received communication.