Devices and methods for selectively filtering message content

• US 8,301,168 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2009
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zubas, Michael, Causey, Mark, Luu, Adrianne
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US12/580,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20110092221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-457, 4554141-4143, 455/466, 455/3.06
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8207 Time based data metric aspects, e.g. VoIP or circuit switched packet data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based
• 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods for selectively filtering message content received at a mobile device based upon a current location of the mobile device and/or a user'"'"'s presence status and devices configured to selectively filter message content based upon a location of the mobile device and/or a user'"'"'s presence status.

Claims

1. A method for selectively filtering message content received at a mobile device, based upon a current location of the mobile device, comprising:

detecting a message transmitted for receipt at the mobile device, the message comprising message content;

determining a current location of the mobile device;

analyzing the message content to determine, based upon a filtering rule established for the mobile device corresponding to the current location, whether any portion of the message content is inappropriate;

if it is determined that no portion of the message content is inappropriate, presenting the message content to a user of the mobile device when the mobile device is at the current location; and

if it is determined that any portion of the message, content is inappropriate based upon the filtering rule established for the mobile device corresponding to the current location;

modifying the inappropriate portion of the message content, such that the inappropriate portion is indiscernible to the user when the mobile device is at the current location;

presenting any appropriate portion of the message content to the user of the mobile device;

monitoring movement of the mobile device from the current location to a safe location, wherein a filtering rule established for the mobile device for the safe location considers the inappropriate portion of the message content to be appropriate when the mobile device is at the safe location;

modifying the message content based upon the filtering rule established for the mobile device for the safe location, such that the inappropriate portion of the message content previously determined to be inappropriate is available to the user when the mobile device is at the safe location; and

presenting the message content to the user of the mobile device when the mobile device is at the safe location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the message comprises detecting a text message, the message content including text.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the message comprises detecting a multimedia message, the message content including at least two of text, graphics, audio, and video.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the message content to determine whether any portion of the message content is inappropriate based upon the filtering rule established for the current location comprises analyzing the message content to determine whether any portion of the message content is inappropriate based upon the filtering rule established for the current location and an area around the current location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the message content to determine whether any portion of the message content is inappropriate based upon the filtering rule established for the current location comprises analyzing the message content to determine whether any portion of the message content is inappropriate based upon the filtering rule established for the current location, the filtering rule being defined by the user of the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the filtering rule being defined by the user of the mobile device comprises the filtering rule being defined based upon a content rating assigned to message content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the message content to determine whether any portion of the message content is inappropriate based upon the filtering rule established for the current location comprises analyzing the message content to determine whether any portion of the message content is inappropriate based upon the filtering rule established for the current location, the filtering rule being set by a wireless service provider.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

modifying the inappropriate portion of the message content, such that the inappropriate portion is indiscernible to the user when the mobile device is at the current location comprises blocking the inappropriate portion of the message content; and

modifying the message content based upon the filtering rule established for the mobile device for the safe location, such that the inappropriate portion of the message content previously determined to be inappropriate is available to the user when the mobile device is at the safe location comprises unblocking the previously considered inappropriate portion of the message content.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein

modifying the inappropriate portion of the message content, such that the inappropriate portion is indiscernible to the user when the mobile device is at the current location comprises temporarily removing the inappropriate portion of the message content;

and

modifying the message content based upon the filtering rule established for the mobile device for the safe location, such that the inappropriate portion of the message content previously determined to be inappropriate is available to the user when the mobile device is at the safe location comprises adding the previously considered inappropriate portion of the message content back into the message content.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

modifying the inappropriate portion of the message content, such that the inappropriate portion is indiscernible to the user when the mobile device is at the current location comprises altering the inappropriate portion of the message content; and

modifying the message content based upon the filtering rule established for the mobile device for the Safe location, such that the inappropriate portion of the message content previously determined to be inappropriate is available to the user when the mobile device is at the safe location comprises undoing the altering of the previously considered inappropriate portion of the message content.

11. A method, for selectively filtering message content received at a mobile device, based upon a current presence status of a user of the mobile device, comprising:

detecting a message transmitted for receipt at the mobile device, the message comprising message content;

analyzing the message content to determine, based upon a filtering rule established for a current presence status of a user of the mobile device, whether any portion of the message content is inappropriate;

if it is determined that no portion of the message content is inappropriate, presenting the message content to the user of the mobile device; and

if it is determined that any portion of the message content is inappropriate based upon the filtering rule established for the current present status of the user of the mobile device;

modifying the inappropriate portion of the message content, such that the inappropriate portion is indiscernible to the user when the current presence status is active;

presenting the appropriate portion of the message content to the user of the mobile device;

detecting a change from the current presence status to a new presence status, the new presence status triggering a new filtering rule to be implemented that considers the inappropriate portion of the message content previously determined to be inappropriate as being appropriate for the new presence status;

modifying the message content based upon the new filtering rule, such that the inappropriate portion of the message content previously determined to be inappropriate is available to the user; and

presenting the message content to the user of the mobile device when the new presence status is active.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein analyzing the message content to determine whether any portion of the message content is inappropriate based upon the filtering rule established for the current presence status comprises analyzing the message content to determine whether any portion of the message content is inappropriate based upon the filtering rule established for the current presence status, the filtering rule being set by the user of the mobile device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the filtering rule being defined based upon criteria set by the user of the mobile device, in setting the filtering rule, comprises the filtering rule being defined based upon a content rating assigned to message content.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein analyzing the message content to determine whether any portion of the message content is inappropriate based upon the filtering rule established for the current presence status comprises analyzing the message content to determine whether any portion of the message content is inappropriate based upon the filtering rule established for the current presence status, the filtering rule being set by a wireless service provider.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein:

modifying the inappropriate portion of the message content, such that the inappropriate portion is indiscernible to the user when the current presence status is active comprises blocking the inappropriate portion of the message content; and

modifying the message content based upon the new filtering rule, such that the inappropriate portion of the message content previously determined to be inappropriate is available to the user comprises unblocking the previously considered inappropriate portion of the message content.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein

modifying the inappropriate portion of the message content, such that the inappropriate portion is indiscernible to the user during the current presence status comprises temporarily removing the inappropriate portion of the message content;

and

modifying the message content based upon the new filtering rule, such that the inappropriate portion of the message content previously determined to be inappropriate is available to the user comprises adding the previously considered inappropriate portion of the message content back into the message content.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein:

modifying the inappropriate portion of the message content, such that the inappropriate portion is indiscernible to the user when the current presence status is active comprises altering the inappropriate portion of the message content; and

modifying the message content based upon the new filtering rule, such that the inappropriate portion of the message content previously determined to be inappropriate is available to the user comprises undoing the altering of the previously considered inappropriate portion of the message content.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein detecting the message comprises detecting a text message, the message content including text.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein detecting the message comprises detecting a multimedia message, the message content including at least two of text, graphics, audio, and video.

20. A mobile device, configured to selectively filter message content based upon a location of the mobile device, comprising:

a transceiver for receiving message content;

a processor operably connected to the transceiver;

a location component operably connected to the processor; and

a memory, operably connected to the processor, the memory having instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including;

detecting a message transmitted for receipt at the mobile device, the message comprising message content;

determining a current location of the mobile device, the current location being determined using the location component of the mobile device;

analyzing the message content to determine, based upon a filtering rule established for the mobile device corresponding to the current location, whether any portion of the message content is inappropriate;

if it is determined that no portion of the message content is inappropriate, presenting the message content to a user of the mobile device when the mobile device is at the current location; and

if it is determined that any portion of the message content is inappropriate based upon the filtering rule established for the mobile device corresponding to the current location;

modifying the inappropriate portion of the message content, such that the inappropriate portion is indiscernible to the user when the mobile device is at the current location;

presenting the appropriate portion of the message content, if any, to the user of the mobile device;

monitoring movement of the mobile device from the current location to a safe location, wherein a filtering rule established for the mobile device for the safe location considers the inappropriate portion of the message content to be appropriate when the mobile device is at the safe location;

modifying the message content based upon the filtering rule established for the mobile device for the safe location, such that the inappropriate portion of the message content previously determined to be inappropriate is available to the user when the mobile device is at the safe location; and

presenting the message content to the user of the mobile device when the mobile device is at the safe location.