Methods and apparatus for processing discovery signals and/or controlling alert generation

• US 8,745,201 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Park, Vincent D., Laroia, Rajiv, Li, Junyi
• Primary Examiner(s): BARQADLE, YASIN M
• Application Number:
  US12/395,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20100223376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,922 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-207, 709217-229, 455/412, 455/414.1, 455/412.1
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/385 of the core network

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for processing discovery signals and/or generating alerts based on received discovery signals are described. In at least some embodiments, alert signal generation is performed on a selective basis in response to received discovery signals. In at least some embodiments a user is given at least some control over alert generation with the user being able to indicate types of signals which should not trigger generation of an alert, the minimum permitted frequency of particular alerts or types of alerts and/or time or location constraints which are considered when a device determines whether or not to generate an alert in response to a received discovery signal. While user control of discovery signal processing and alert generation are provided, automatic control or adjustment of discovery signal processing and alert generation may also be implemented or the automatic control may be implemented as an alternative to the user control.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communications device, the method comprising:

assigning a received wireless discovery signal to at least one alert category based on at least one of a time at which the wireless discovery signal is received or a location of the communications device;

determining an information type indicator of a plurality of information type indicators for the received wireless discovery signal, the plurality of information type indicators including a predetermined information type indicator and an unknown information type indicator, the predetermined information type indicator being associated with zero or more alert categories and the unknown information type indicator being associated with no alert categories;

determining whether the received wireless discovery signal matches with an alert category associated with the determined information type indicator;

determining whether to generate an alert for the received wireless discovery signal based on the at least one alert category and based on wireless discovery signal statistical information associated with the received wireless discovery signal; and

refraining from generating the alert upon a determination not to generate the alert,

wherein the determining if the alert is to be generated for the received wireless discovery signal comprises determining to generate the alert when the received wireless discovery signal matches with an alert category associated with the determined information type indicator and determining not to generate the alert when the received wireless discovery signal does not match with an alert category associated with the determined information type indicator.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deciding a type of the alert to be generated based on said at least one alert category upon a determination to generate the alert.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

controlling, based on the wireless discovery signal statistical information, at least one of said assigning or said deciding.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

controlling, based on a user alert setting, at least one of said assigning, said determining, or said deciding.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining is further based on at least one of time or location.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the received wireless discovery signal matches with any of a plurality of alert categories, wherein the received wireless discovery signal is assigned to the at least one alert category of the plurality of alert categories only if the received wireless discovery signal is determined to match with the at least one alert category.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining to generate the alert further comprises determining to generate the alert based on one or more time requirements.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining to generate the alert further comprises determining to generate the alert based on one or more previously received wireless discovery signals.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining to generate the alert based on the one or more previously received wireless discovery signals is based on at least one of a number of the one or more previously received wireless discovery signals and the received wireless discovery signal or a rate of receipt of the one or more previously received wireless discovery signals and the received wireless discovery signal.

10. A communications device, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

assign a received wireless discovery signal to at least one alert category based on at least one of a time at which the wireless discovery signal is received or a location of the communications device;

determine an information type indicator of a plurality of information type indicators for the received wireless discovery signal, the plurality of information type indicators including a predetermined information type indicator and an unknown information type indicator, the predetermined information type indicator being associated with zero or more alert categories and the unknown information type indicator being associated with no alert categories;

determine whether the received wireless discovery signal matches with an alert category associated with the determined information type indicator;

determine whether to generate an alert for the received wireless discovery signal based on the at least one alert category and based on wireless discovery signal statistical information associated with the received wireless discovery signal; and

refrain from generating the alert upon a determination not to generate the alert,

wherein the determine if the alert is to be generated for the received wireless discovery signal comprises determine to generate the alert when the received wireless discovery signal matches with an alert category associated with the determined information type indicator and determine not to generate the alert when the received wireless discovery signal does not match with an alert category associated with the determined information type indicator; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

11. The communications device of claim 10, wherein said at least one processor is further configured to:

decide a type of the alert to be generated based on said at least one alert category upon a determination to generate the alert.

12. The communications device of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

control, based on the wireless discovery signal statistical information, at least one of said assigning or said deciding.

13. The communications device of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

control, based on a user alert setting, at least one of said assigning, said determining, or said deciding.

14. The communications device of claim 10, wherein said processor is further configured to:

use at least one of time and location as part of determining if an alert is to be generated.

15. A communications device, comprising:

means for assigning a received wireless discovery signal to at least one alert category based on at least one of a time at which the wireless discovery signal is received or a location of the communications device;

means for determining an information type indicator of a plurality of information type indicators for the received wireless discovery signal, the plurality of information type indicators including a predetermined information type indicator and an unknown information type indicator, the predetermined information type indicator being associated with zero or more alert categories and the unknown information type indicator being associated with no alert categories;

means for determining whether the received wireless discovery signal matches with an alert category associated with the determined information type indicator

means for determining whether to generate an alert for the received wireless discovery signal based on the at least one alert category and based on wireless discovery signal statistical information associated with the received wireless discovery signal; and

means for refraining from generating the alert upon a determination not to generate the alert,

wherein the means for determining if the alert is to be generated for the received wireless discovery signal is configured to determine to generate the alert when the received wireless discovery signal matches with an alert category associated with the determined information type indicator and to determine not to generate the alert when the received wireless discovery signal does not match with an alert category associated with the determined information type indicator.

16. The communications device of claim 15, further comprising:

means for deciding a type of the alert to be generated based on said at least one alert category upon a determination to generate the alert.

17. The communications device of claim 16, further comprising:

means for controlling, based on the wireless discovery signal statistical information, at least one of said means for assigning or said means for deciding.

18. The communications device of claim 16, further comprising:

means for controlling, based on a user alert setting, at least one of said means for assigning, said means for determining, or said means for deciding.

19. A computer program product in a communications device, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to assign a received wireless discovery signal to at least one alert category based on at least one of a time at which the wireless discovery signal is received or a location of the communications device;

code for causing at least one computer to determine an information type indicator of a plurality of information type indicators for the received wireless discovery signal, the plurality of information type indicators including a predetermined information type indicator and an unknown information type indicator, the predetermined information type indicator being associated with zero or more alert categories and the unknown information type indicator being associated with no alert categories;

code for causing at least one computer to determine whether the received wireless discovery signal matches with an alert category associated with the determined information type indicator;

code for causing the at least one computer to determine whether to generate an alert for the received wireless discovery signal based on the at least one alert category and based on wireless discovery signal statistical information associated with the received wireless discovery signal; and

code for causing the at least one computer to refrain from generating the alert upon a determination not to generate the alert,

wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine if the alert is to be generated for the received wireless discovery signal comprises code for causing the at least one computer to determine to generate the alert when the received wireless discovery signal matches with an alert category associated with the determined information type indicator and to determine not to generate the alert when the received wireless discovery signal does not match with an alert category associated with the determined information type indicator.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises:

code for causing the at least one computer to decide a type of the alert to be generated based on said at least one alert category upon a determination to generate the alert.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises:

code for causing the at least one computer to control, based on the wireless discovery signal statistical information, at least one of said assigning or said deciding.

22. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises:

code for causing the at least one computer to control, based on a user alert setting, at least one of said assigning, said determining, or said deciding.