Method and apparatus for call control using motion and position information

• US 8,532,285 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Coughlan, Marc William Joseph, Forbes, Alexander Quentin, Gannon, Ciaran, Livingood, Rod D., Michaelis, Paul Roller, Runcie, Peter Donald, Warta, Ralph
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Teshale, Akelaw
• Application Number:
  US11/899,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20090060170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,197 Days
• Field of Search: 379/188, 379/433.02, 379/52, 455/456.3, 455/569.1, 455/456.1, 381/56, 381/57, 381/60, 381/314, 381/315
• US Class Current: 379/433.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/605 involving control of the receiver volume to provide a dual operational mode at close or far distance from the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera

Abstract

A method and apparatus perform call control by obtaining initial biometric information of ears of a user of a handheld audio device; detecting a change in the biometric information of the ears of the user; determining a position and motion of the handheld audio device by analyzing the detected change in biometric information; and performing call control based on the determined position and motion. Further, the method and apparatus perform a first call control operation in response to the determined motion and position if the handheld audio device is communicating with a first endpoint and a second call control operation if communicating with a second endpoint. In addition, the method and apparatus change an internal call control operation of a handheld audio device by determining motion and a position of the handheld audio device. Also, the method and apparatus control internal operations of an endpoint by determining motion and position of the handheld audio device without terminating communication with the handheld audio device wherein the endpoint is one of a voice messaging system, conferencing system, or telephone operator.

Claims

1. A method for call control, comprising:

obtaining initial biometric information of ears of a user of a handheld audio device;

detecting a change in the biometric information of the ears of the user;

determining a position of the handheld audio device by analyzing the detected change in biometric information; and

performing call control based on the determined position wherein the call control is at least one of controlling an already established call from another handheld audio device, a voice messaging system, a conference call, or an operator.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises determining motion of the handheld audio device by analyzing the detected change in biometric information;

and

the performing further performing call control based on the determined motion.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprises transmitting a message to the endpoint by the handheld audio device in response to the determined motion and position wherein the message requests an internal operation be performed by the endpoint without terminating communication with the handheld audio device wherein the endpoint is one of a voice messaging system, conferencing system, telephone operator, or other automated system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the obtaining and detecting comprise performing visual operations.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the performing visual operations comprises gathering visual information of an ear;

and

comparing the gathered visual information with visual information stored in a database.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the obtaining and detecting comprise performing sonic operations.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the performing sonic operations comprises gathering sonic information from an ear canal of the ear;

and

comparing the gathered sonic information with sonic information stored in a database.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein gathering comprises transmitting ultrasonic signals into the ear canal;

and

analyzing reflected signals resulting from the transmitted ultrasonic signals for physical characteristics of the ear canal.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprises changing in response to determined position an operation to change the internal call control operations of the handheld audio device.

10. A handheld audio device, comprising:

a computer for obtaining initial biometric information of ears of the user of the handheld device;

the computer further detecting a change in the biometric information of the ears;

the computer further determining a position of the handheld audio device by analyzing the detected change in biometric information; and

the computer further performing call control based on the determined position wherein the call control is at least one of controlling an already established call from another handheld audio device, a voice messaging system, a conference call, or an operator.

11. The handheld audio device of claim 10 further comprises:

the computer further determining motion of the handheld audio device by analyzing the detected change in biometric information; and

the computer further performing call control based on the determined motion.

12. The handheld audio device of claim 11 further comprises:

a ultrasonic transmitter for transmitting sonic signals into at least an ear canal of the ear of the user or a head of the user;

a ultrasonic receiver for receiving reflected ultrasonic signals resulting from the transmitted ultrasonic signals from at least the ear canal or the head; and

the computer further processing the reflected ultrasonic signals to determined motion and position of the handheld audio device.

13. The handheld device of claim 11 further comprises:

an imaging module for obtaining digital images of at least an ear or head of the user; and

the computer further processing the obtaining digital images to determine the motion and position of the handheld audio device.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for call control, comprising computer-executable instructions configured for:

computer-executable instructions for obtaining initial biometric information of ears of a user of a handheld audio device;

computer-executable instructions for detecting a change in biometric information of the ears of the user,

computer-executable instructions for determining a position of the handheld audio device by analyzing the detected change in biometric information; and

computer-executable instructions for performing call control based on the determined position wherein the call control is at least one of controlling an already established call from another handheld audio device, a voice messaging system, a conference call, or an operator.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 further comprises computer-executable instructions for determining motion of the handheld audio device by analyzing the detected change in biometric information;

and

the computer-executable instructions for performing further performing call control based on the determined motion.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the computer-executable instructions for obtaining and detecting comprise computer-executable instructions for performing visual operations.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein the computer-executable instructions for performing visual operations comprise computer-executable instructions for gathering visual information of an ear;

and

computer-executable instructions for comparing the gathered visual information with visual information stored in a database.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the computer-executable instructions for obtaining and detecting comprise computer-executable instructions for performing sonic operations.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the computer-executable instructions for performing sonic operations comprise computer-executable instructions for gathering sonic information from an ear canal of the ear;

and

computer-executable instructions for comparing the gathered sonic information with sonic information stored in a database.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein computer-executable instructions for gathering comprise computer-executable instructions for transmitting ultrasonic signals into the ear canal;

and

computer-executable instructions for analyzing reflected signals resulting from the transmitted ultrasonic signals for physical characteristics of the ear canal.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the call control is at least one of controlling a call from another telephone, a voice messaging system, a conference call, or an operator.