Mobile device mode control based on dual mapping of availability (presence) information

• US 8,712,468 B1
• Filed: 01/20/2011
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Li, Shunge
• Primary Examiner(s): Safaipour, Bobbak
• Application Number:
  US13/010,196
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 455/552.1
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server

Abstract

An availability map may associate each of a plurality of different availability information indicators with one of a plurality of availability statuses. A user may set which availability status is associated with each of the availability information indicators. A mode map may associate each of a plurality of availability statuses with one or more operational modes of a communication system. A user may set which of the operational modes is associated with each of the availability statuses. A current availability status may be determined by equating a current availability information indicator with the availability status indicated in the availability map to be associated with this current availability information indicator. Current availability information indicators may come from sources including communication devices and external networked applications. Operational modes of the communication system may be set in accordance with the operational modes indicated in the mode map to be associated with the current availability status as determined.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

a user interface configured to allow a user to set which of a plurality of availability statuses is associated in an availability map with each of a plurality of different availability information indicators;

an availability retrieval system configured to retrieve a current availability status by looking up the availability status which is indicated in the availability map as being associated with a current availability information indicator;

a communication system configured to communicate with a network communication system;

a data storage system configured to store a mode map that associates each of a plurality of availability statuses with one or more operational modes of the communication system;

wherein the user interface is further configured to allow a user to set which of the operational modes is associated in the mode map with each of the availability statuses; and

a mode controller configured to set the operational modes of the communication system in accordance with the operational modes indicated in the mode map to be associated with the current availability status as determined by the availability retrieval, system.

2. The communication device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the availability statuses is representative of the availability status of a user of the communication device.

3. The communication device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the availability statuses is representative of the availability status of a service used by the communication device.

4. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the availability information indicators include at least one of a plurality of different designated types of entries in an electronic calendar, and the availability map includes an association between each of the types of entries and one of the availability statuses.

5. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the communication device is a mobile communication device and includes a location determination system configured to determine the location of the communication device, the availability information indicators include at least one location of the communication device, and the availability map includes an association between the at least one location and one of the availability statuses.

6. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the communication system is configured to obtain social information from a social network system server, the availability information indicators include information derived from the social information, and the availability map includes an association between the derived information and one of the availability statuses.

7. The communication of claim 1 wherein the communication system is configured to obtain information from a messaging server, the availability information indicators include information derived from the messaging information, and the availability map includes an association between the derived information and one of the availability statuses.

8. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the communication system is configured to cause the current availability status to be delivered to a presence server through the network communication system.

9. The communicator device of claim 1 wherein the availability retrieval system configured to request and obtain the current availability status from a presence server through the network communication system.

10. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a ringer and one of the operational modes which is associated with one of the availability statuses is related to operation of the ringer.

11. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a display and one of the operational modes which is associated with one of the availability statuses is related to what is displayed on the display.

12. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a notification system and one of the operational modes which is associated with one of the availability statuses is related to a notification issued by the notification system.

13. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the communication system in the communication device includes a Wi-Fi transceiver and one of the operational modes which is associated with one of the availability statuses is related to actuation of the Wi-Fi transceiver.

14. The communication device of claim 1 wherein the communication device includes a location determination system configured to determine the location of the communication device, and one of the operational modes which is associated with one of the availability statuses is related to the location determined by the location determination system.

15. A communication system comprising:

a first communication device comprising;

a first user interface configured to allow a user to set which of a plurality of availability statuses is associated in an availability map with each of a plurality or different availability information indicators; and

a first communication system configured to communicate with a network communication system and to deliver the availability map to the network communication system; and

a second communication device different from the first communication device comprising;

a second communication system configured to communicate with the network communication system and to request and receive the current availability status from the network communication system;

a data storage system configured to store a mode map that associates each of the availability statuses with one or more operational modes of the second communication system;

a second user interface configured to allow a user to set which of the operational modes is associated in the mode map with each of the availability statuses; and

a mode controller configured to set the operational modes of the second communication system in accordance with the operational modes indicated in the mode map to be associated with the current availability status as received by the second communication system; and

a third communication system comprising;

a networked application server configured to produce and deliver one or more availability information indicators to the network communication system.

16. The communication system of claim 15

further comprising a presence server configured to receive and store the availability map from the first communication device, to apply the availability map to the availability information indicators received from the third communication system to generate the current availability status, and to provide the current availability status upon request to the second communication device;

wherein the first communication system is configured to cause the current availability map to be delivered to the presence server through the network communication system;

wherein the second communication system is configured to request and obtain the current availability status from the presence server through the network communication system; and

wherein the third communication system is configured to cause the current availability information indicators to be delivered to the presence server through the network communication system.

17. The communication system of claim 16 wherein the presence server is configured to store the availability map and the current availability status.