Motion driven follow-up alerts for mobile electronic device

• US 8,260,367 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2007
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chan, Weng Chong (Peekay)
• Primary Examiner(s): Batista, Marcos
• Application Number:
  US12/001,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20090156172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,728 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 340 758- 762
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72484 wherein functions are triggered by incoming communication events
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

A motion driven event alert system and method synchronize output of follow-up event alerts on a mobile electronic device to changes in the state of motion of the device. Generally, the device outputs an initial alert in response to receipt of a new event from a wireless network. If a user fails to take action on the device after the device outputs the initial alert, the device determines a state of motion of the device and monitors for a change in the state of motion. When a change is detected, the device outputs a follow-up alert. If the user fails to take action on the device after the device outputs the follow-up alert, the device repeats the steps of motion state determination, motion state change monitoring, motion state change detection and output of another follow-up alert.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device, comprising:

a wireless communication interface;

motion detection logic;

an output interface; and

a processor communicatively coupled with the wireless communication interface, the motion detection logic and the output interface, wherein in response to receiving an initial event via the wireless communication interface while the mobile electronic device is moving and under control of the processor the output interface outputs an initial alert respecting the initial event, and wherein before receiving any subsequent event via the wireless communication interface and in synchronization with a change in state of motion of the mobile electronic device from moving to stationary detected by the motion detection logic and under control of the processor the output interface outputs a follow-up alert respecting the initial event.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising an input interface and a memory communicatively coupled with the processor, wherein a type for the alert is determined from an alert profile stored in the memory in response to input on the input interface.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the motion detection logic comprises an accelerometer.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the motion detection logic comprises a tilt sensor.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the motion detection logic comprises sensor logic and the change in state of motion is detected based on a comparison of data collected by the sensor logic with a motion threshold.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the alert comprises an audible alert.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the alert comprises a visual alert.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the alert comprises a tactile alert.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the event comprises a text message.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the event comprises a voicemail message.

11. A method for alerting a user of a mobile electronic device of an event received on the mobile electronic device from a wireless network, comprising the steps of:

receiving on a mobile electronic device an initial event while the mobile electronic device is moving;

outputting on the mobile electronic device an initial alert respecting the initial event; and

before receiving any subsequent event on the mobile electronic device,

detecting on the mobile electronic device a change in the state of motion of the mobile electronic device from moving to stationary; and

outputting on the mobile electronic device in synchronization with the detected change in the state of motion a follow-up alert respecting the initial event.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

receiving on the mobile electronic device an alert profile input by a user; and

determining a type for the alert based on the alert profile.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the detected change comprises a change in acceleration.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the detected change comprises a change in at least one of pitch or roll.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the follow-up alert comprises an audible alert.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the follow-up alert comprises a visual alert.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the follow-up alert comprises a tactile alert.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the event comprises a text message.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the event comprises a voicemail message.