Providing an indication of a wireless accessory status

• US 8,892,036 B1
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Causey, Mark Edward, Andrus, Scott, Luu, Adrianne B., Jones, Kevin W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Zhiyu
• Application Number:
  US11/924,140
• Time in Patent Office: 2,581 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72516 with means for out-of-range alerting

Abstract

A communications device is configured to alert its user when the status of a wireless accessory meets certain conditions. In an example embodiment, when the wireless accessory is removed beyond the proximate area where the communications device is located, the communications device issues an alert to indicate that the communications device may be moving away from the wireless accessory or the wireless accessory may be moving away from the communications device. An exemplary situation includes the user of a mobile phone and a wireless headset accessory. In the example, the user keeps the mobile phone on his or her person. If the user puts down the wireless headset and walks away from the wireless headset, the mobile phone alerts the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a communications device, a signal from a wireless accessory, the communications device and the wireless accessory being capable of voice exchange between the communications device and the wireless accessory, wherein the communications device and the wireless accessory comprise an acoustic interface for the communications device and the wireless accessory to communicate with each other via sound;

determining if a voice exchange is occurring between the wireless accessory and the communications device;

when it is determined that a voice exchange is not occurring between the wireless accessory and the communications device, determining if the signal has been received from the wireless accessory within a first predetermined time period;

upon a determination that the signal has not been received from the wireless accessory within the first predetermined time period, providing a lost connection alert;

upon a determination that the signal has been received from the wireless accessory within the first predetermined time period, determining whether the wireless accessory is signaling a power down status;

upon a determination that the wireless accessory is signaling a power down status, providing a power down alert;

upon a determination that the wireless accessory is not signaling a power down status, determining whether a strength of the signal is below a predetermined threshold;

upon a determination that the strength of the signal is below a predetermined threshold, providing a proximity alert;

upon a determination that the strength of the signal is not below a predetermined threshold, determining whether the wireless accessory has been used within a second predetermined time period;

upon a determination that the wireless accessory has not been used within the second predetermined time period, providing a conserve power alert; and

upon a determination that the wireless accessory has been used within the second predetermined time period, providing a normal alert.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity alert indicates that the wireless accessory and the communications device are moving apart.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the proximity alert includes sending an email to the communications device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the conserve power alert comprises;

an indication of day and time associated with determining whether the wireless accessory has been used within a second predetermined time period; and

a location of the wireless accessory at the day and time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the normal alert to a plurality of communication devices.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting at least one of the lost connection alert, the power down alert, the proximity alert, or the normal alert to a secondary communications device, wherein the transmission is a trigger for the secondary communications device to render the indication of the at least one of the lost connection alert, the power down alert, the proximity alert, or the normal alert.

7. A communications device comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, the memory have executable instructions stored thereon that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

receiving, by a communications device, a signal from a wireless accessory, the communications device and the wireless accessory being capable of voice exchange between the communications device and the wireless accessory, wherein the communications device and the wireless accessory comprise an acoustic interface for the communications device and the wireless accessory to communicate with each other via sound;

determining if a voice exchange is occurring between the wireless accessory and the communications device;

when it is determined that a voice exchange is not occurring between the wireless accessory and the communications device, determining if the signal has been received from the wireless accessory within a first predetermined time period;

upon a determination that the signal has not been received from the wireless accessory within the first predetermined time period, providing a lost connection alert;

upon a determination that the signal has been received from the wireless accessory within the first predetermined time period, determining whether the wireless accessory is signaling a power down status;

upon a determination that the wireless accessory is signaling a power down status, providing a power down alert;

upon a determination that the wireless accessory is not signaling a power down status, determining whether a strength of the signal is below a predetermined threshold;

upon a determination that the strength of the signal is below a predetermined threshold, providing a proximity alert;

upon a determination that the strength of the signal is not below a predetermined threshold, determining whether the wireless accessory has been used within a second predetermined time period;

upon a determination that the wireless accessory has not been used within the second predetermined time period, providing a conserve power alert; and

upon a determination that the wireless accessory has been used within the second predetermined time period, providing a normal alert.

8. The communications device of claim 7, wherein the proximity alert indicates that the wireless accessory and the communications device are moving apart.

9. The communications device of claim 8, wherein the proximity alert includes sending an email to the communications device.

10. The communications device of claim 7, wherein:

the conserve power alert comprises;

an indication of day and time associated with determining whether the wireless accessory has been used within a second predetermined time period; and

a location of the wireless accessory at the day and time.

11. The communications device of claim 7, further comprising:

providing the normal alert to a plurality of communication devices.

12. The communications device of claim 7, the operations further comprising:

transmitting at least one of the lost connection alert, the power down alert, the proximity alert, or the normal alert to a secondary communications device, wherein the transmission is a trigger for the secondary communications device to render the indication of the at least one of the lost connection alert, the power down alert, the proximity alert, or the normal alert.

13. A computer-readable storage medium that is not a propagating signal, the computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising:

receiving, by a communications device, a signal from a wireless accessory, the communications device and the wireless accessory being capable of voice exchange between the communications device and the wireless accessory, wherein the communications device and the wireless accessory comprise an acoustic interface for the communications device and the wireless accessory to communicate with each other via sound;

determining if a voice exchange is occurring between the wireless accessory and the communications device;

when it is determined that a voice exchange is not occurring between the wireless accessory and the communications device, determining if the signal has been received from the wireless accessory within a first predetermined time period;

upon a determination that the signal has not been received from the wireless accessory within the first predetermined time period, providing a lost connection alert;

upon a determination that the signal has been received from the wireless accessory within the first predetermined time period, determining whether the wireless accessory is signaling a power down status;

upon a determination that the wireless accessory is signaling a power down status, providing a power down alert;

upon a determination that the wireless accessory is not signaling a power down status, determining whether a strength of the signal is below a predetermined threshold;

upon a determination that the strength of the signal is below a predetermined threshold, providing a proximity alert;

upon a determination that the strength of the signal is not below a predetermined threshold, determining whether the wireless accessory has been used within a second predetermined time period;

upon a determination that the wireless accessory has not been used within the second predetermined time period, providing a conserve power alert; and

upon a determination that the wireless accessory has been used within the second predetermined time period, providing a normal alert.