Mobility call management

• US 8,923,826 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2013
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aegis Mobility Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aegis Mobility Incorporated
• Inventors: Kiddie, David John, Geyer, John Joseph, Chan, Mandy
• Primary Examiner(s): Behnamian, Shahriar
• Application Number:
  US14/015,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20140004833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/456.1, 455/414.1, 455/419, 455/550.1, 455/463, 455/410, 455/441
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/651 Text message transmission triggered by call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4285 Notifying, informing or entertaining a held party while on hold, e.g. Music On Hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• 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 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A mobility call management service is disclosed that provides enhanced call management functionality for a wireless mobile terminal (MT). Incoming and/or outgoing calls are managed based on an assessment of the degree of motion of the MT, or other available data pertinent to the MT'"'"'s physical situation, such as but not limited to its location, movement, or rate of movement. The degree of motion or other assessment may be used to determine whether a communication can safely terminate on, originate from, or continue safely on the MT, so as to reduce or remove driver distraction.

Claims

1. A method of processing communications between a remote terminal and a mobile terminal, comprising:

determining a risk context of a mobile terminal based at least in part on a degree of motion of the mobile terminal, wherein the risk context is characterized as;

a low risk context associated with a degree of motion below a first threshold,

a medium risk context associated with a degree of motion between the first threshold and a second threshold, or

a high risk context associated with a degree of motion above the second threshold; and

processing an exchange between a remote terminal and the mobile terminal based at least in part on the determined risk context, wherein;

if the determined risk context corresponds to the low risk context, the exchange is allowed,

if the determined risk context corresponds to the medium risk context, the exchange is routed to a risk mitigation module operable to require acknowledgement of the medium risk context by a user of the mobile terminal and, subsequent to the acknowledgement, allow the exchange, and

if the determined risk context corresponds to the high risk context, the exchange is not allowed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the exchange between the remote terminal and the mobile terminal corresponds to an incoming request for communication to the mobile terminal, an outgoing request for communication from the mobile terminal, or ongoing communication between the remote terminal and the mobile terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the risk mitigation module is further operable to process the exchange according to an enhanced management technique including at least one of causing the mobile terminal to output a notification of the processing of the exchange, causing the mobile terminal to output a warning signal, or placing the exchange on hold for at least a predetermined length of time.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the warning signal is an audible signal other than a ring signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the risk mitigation module is further operable to:

determine an updated risk context of the mobile terminal corresponding to a low risk context; and

process the exchange between a remote terminal and the mobile terminal based at least in part on the updated risk context.

6. A system comprising:

one or more computing devices including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to;

determine a risk context of a mobile terminal based at least in part on a degree of motion of the mobile terminal, wherein the risk context is characterized as;

a first risk context associated with a degree of motion below a first threshold,

a second risk context associated with a degree of motion between the first threshold and a second threshold, or

a third risk context associated with a degree of motion above the second threshold; and

process an exchange between a remote terminal and the mobile terminal based at least in part on the determined risk context of the mobile terminal, wherein;

if the determined risk context corresponds to the first risk context, the exchange is allowed,

if the determined risk context corresponds to the second risk context, acknowledgement of the second risk context by a user of the mobile terminal is required and the exchange is allowed subsequent to the acknowledgement, and

if the determined risk context corresponds to the third risk context, the exchange is not allowed.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the information exchange between the remote terminal and the mobile terminal corresponds to an incoming call from the remote terminal, the method further comprising, if the determined risk assessment state corresponds to the third risk assessment state, recording a voice message from the remote terminal, and subsequently causing the mobile terminal to automatically play the voice message.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the risk context of the mobile terminal is further based on a geographic location of a mobile terminal.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the risk assessment state of the mobile terminal is further based on a determination of whether the mobile terminal is moving along a road or road segment, and wherein the determination of whether the mobile terminal is moving along the road or road segment is based at least in part on the geographic location of a mobile terminal.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein, if the determined risk context corresponds to the second risk context, the exchange is further processed according to an enhanced management technique including at least one of causing the mobile terminal to output a notification of the processing of the exchange, causing the mobile terminal to output a warning signal, or placing the exchange on hold for at least a predetermined length of time.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein, if the determined risk context corresponds to the second risk context, the exchange is further processed according to an enhanced management technique including determining an updated risk context of the mobile terminal, and if the updated risk context corresponds to the first risk context, processing the exchange between a remote terminal and the mobile terminal based at least in part on the updated risk context.

12. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer system, configure the computer system to:

determine a risk context of a mobile terminal based at least in part on a degree of motion of the mobile terminal, wherein the risk context is characterized as;

a first risk context associated with a degree of motion below a first threshold,

a second risk context associated with a degree of motion between the first threshold and a second threshold, or

a third risk context associated with a degree of motion above the second threshold; and

process an exchange between a remote terminal and the mobile terminal based at least in part on the determined risk context of the mobile terminal, wherein;

if the determined risk context corresponds to the first risk context, the exchange is allowed,

if the determined risk context corresponds to the second risk context, acknowledgement of the second risk context by a user of the mobile terminal is required and the exchange is allowed subsequent to the acknowledgement, and

if the determined risk context corresponds to the third risk context, the exchange is not allowed.

13. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein, if the determined risk context corresponds to the second risk context, the exchange is further processed according to an enhanced management technique including at least one of causing the mobile terminal to output a notification of the processing of the exchange, causing the mobile terminal to output a warning signal, or placing the exchange on hold for at least a predetermined length of time.

14. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the risk context of the mobile terminal is further based on a geographic location of a mobile terminal.

15. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the risk assessment state of the mobile terminal is further based on a determination of whether the mobile terminal is moving along a road or road segment, and wherein the determination of whether the mobile terminal is moving along the road or road segment is based at least in part on the geographic location of a mobile terminal.

16. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein, if the determined risk context corresponds to the second risk context, the exchange is further processed according to an enhanced management technique including reception of a user selected call processing option, and wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the one or more computing devices to process the exchange based at least in part on the user selected call processing option.

17. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the user selected call processing option includes at least one of allowance of the exchange, prevention of the exchange, or placement of the exchange on hold.