Method and system for sending ring setting reminders to mobile devices within a predetermined area

• US 8,805,421 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2013
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Services Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Udani, Sanjay Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US13/888,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20130244707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4566, 455/418, 455/422.1, 455/194.1, 455/404.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A method and a system for sending a ring setting reminder to one or more mobile devices within a predetermined area are provided. The ring setting reminder may be a reminder signal sent to cell phones and other mobile devices within a movie theater complex or other predetermined area to remind the users of the mobile devices to silence the ringers of the mobile devices before the start of the movie or other event. The identification of the mobile devices may occur at the predetermined area or through a wireless communication network. The wireless communication network may be configured to identify the predetermined area within the wireless communication network, identify one or more of the mobile devices located within the predetermined area, and send the reminder signal to correspond with the start of an event at the predetermined area.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request identifying a predetermined area in which to send a ring setting reminder signal, the request containing one or more parameters associated with the predetermined area;

identifying one or more mobile devices within the predetermined area by querying each of the one or more mobile devices and receiving responses associated with the location of such mobile device;

transmitting the ring setting reminder signal to the one or more mobile devices within the predetermined area, wherein the ring setting reminder signal is associated with a ring setting of the respective mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ring setting reminder signal includes a message describing the purpose of the signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the message includes instructions to turn the ring setting to a non-audio setting.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining at least one transceiver element for a wireless communication network having a coverage area that includes the predetermined area, the at least one transceiver element being associated with a plurality of mobile devices operating on the wireless communication network and using the at least one transceiver element;

wherein transmitting the ring setting reminder signal includes using the at least one transceiver element to send the ring setting reminder signal.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising code to perform the steps of the method of claim 1.

5. A method comprising:

receiving a request to send a ring setting reminder signal to one or more mobile devices within a predetermined area, wherein the request identifies the predetermined area;

determining at least one transceiver element for a wireless communication network having a coverage area that includes the predetermined area, the at least one transceiver element being associated with a plurality of active mobile devices operating on the wireless communication network and using the at least one transceiver element;

identifying one or more mobile devices that are active within the predetermined area by instructing the at least one transceiver element to send a query signal to each of the plurality of active mobile devices within the coverage area and receive responses associated with the location of each respective active mobile device; and

transmitting a signal to the one or more mobile devices within the predetermined area such that the signal activates a ringer element of each of the one or more mobile devices based on a current setting for the ringer element.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the signal further comprises a message describing the purpose of the signal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the message comprises instructions to turn the ringer element to a non-audio setting.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein identifying comprises:

receiving a number associated with each of the one or more mobile devices.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the number is received prior to entry of each of the one or more mobile devices into the predetermined area.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein identifying comprises:

detecting an electronic surveillance device associated with each of the one or more mobile devices upon entry into the predetermined area.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

creating a database of information about each of the plurality of active mobile devices; and

updating the database as active mobile devices enter and leave the coverage area.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the database comprises information identifying a particular transceiver element in communication with each of the plurality of active mobile devices.

13. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a request to transmit the signal to the one or more active mobile devices within the identified predetermined area.

14. The method of claim 5, wherein the transmission of the signal precedes an event in the predetermined area.

16. A system comprising:

at least one controller element configured to;

receive a request to send a ring setting reminder signal to one or more mobile devices within a predetermined area, wherein the request identifies the predetermined area;

identify one or more of the active mobile devices within the predetermined area by instructing a transceiver element, that has a coverage area that includes the predetermined area, to send a query signal to each of the plurality of active mobile devices within the coverage area and receive responses associated with the location of each respective active mobile device, and

transmit a signal to the one or more active mobile devices within the predetermined area such that the signal activates a ringer element of each of the one or more mobile devices based on a current setting for the ringer element.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

at least one storage element comprising a database of information about each of the one or more active mobile devices wherein the database is continuously updated as active mobile devices enter and leave the predetermined area.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the database comprises information identifying a particular transceiver element in communication with each of the plurality of active mobile devices.