System and method of providing mode changes to wireless devices

• US 9,398,443 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2014
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Keating, Virginia Walker, Barboni, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, MONG-THUY THI
• Application Number:
  US14/268,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20140242966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/411, 4554561-4564, 455/457, 4554141-4142
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/022 with dynamic range variability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A method of providing mode changes to wireless devices is provided. The method may include receiving a request from a wireless device to connect with a network device and sending a signal to the wireless device to enter a location defined mode.

Claims

1. A method of operating a network device that is remote from a wireless device, the method comprising:

receiving a request from the wireless device to connect with a given network device;

sending a signal to the wireless device to enter a location defined mode;

determining, at the network device, that the wireless device has not entered into the location defined mode based on an acknowledgement received from the wireless device; and

denying, at the network device, the wireless device access to a network via the given network device based on the determination that the wireless device has not entered into the location defined mode, and wherein the denying includes blocking access to the network via the given network device in response to the acknowledgment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location defined mode defines at least one behavior of the wireless device while the wireless device is in proximity to a location associated with the given network device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one behavior comprises at least one of a theme, a ringtone, a ringtone volume, a vibrate setting, an alert volume, an instant messaging presence, a message received setting, a call routing setting, a chat handling setting, a connectivity setting, a buddy list, a button press volume, an alarm volume, a text alert volume, a screen saver, a display background, a wallpaper, a game setting, or any combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the location defined mode is defined by an owner of the location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the location defined mode is defined by a user of the wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the location defined mode is defined by a community.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending an override signal to the wireless device in response to the denying, wherein the override signal overrides a current device mode and causes the wireless device to enter the location defined mode.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

granting access to the network based on the wireless device'"'"'s entry into the location defined mode in response to the override signal.

9. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein denying the wireless device access to the network further comprises:

providing an alert to the wireless device that access to the network is blocked.

10. A network device that is remote from a wireless device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory accessible to the processor, wherein the memory comprises;

at least one instruction for receiving a request from the wireless device to connect with a given network device;

at least one instruction for sending a signal to the wireless device to enter a location defined mode;

at least one instruction for determining, at the network device, that the wireless device has not entered into the location defined mode based on an acknowledgement received from the wireless device; and

at least one instruction for denying, at the network device, the wireless device access to a network via the given network device based on the determination that the wireless device has not entered into the location defined mode, and wherein the denying includes blocking access to the network via the given network device in response to the acknowledgment.

11. The network device of claim 10, wherein the location defined mode defines at least one behavior of the wireless device while the wireless device is in proximity to a location associated with the given network device.

12. The network device of claim 11, wherein the at least one behavior comprises at least one of a theme, a ringtone, a ringtone volume, a vibrate setting, an alert volume, an instant messaging presence, a message received setting, a call routing setting, a chat handling setting, a connectivity setting, a buddy list, a button press volume, an alarm volume, a text alert volume, a screen saver, a display background, a wallpaper, a game setting, or any combination thereof.

13. The network device of claim 10, wherein the location defined mode is defined by an owner of the location.

14. The network device of claim 10, wherein the location defined mode is defined by a user of the wireless device.

15. The network device of claim 10, wherein the location defined mode is defined by a community.

16. The network device of claim 10, wherein the memory further comprises:

at least one instruction for sending an override signal to the wireless device in response to the denying, wherein the override signal overrides a current device mode and causes the wireless device to enter the location defined mode.

17. The network device of claim 16, wherein the memory further comprises:

at least one instruction for granting access to the network based on the wireless device'"'"'s entry into the location defined mode in response to the override signal.

18. The network device of claim 10, wherein the memory further comprises:

at least one instruction for providing an alert to the wireless device that access to the network is blocked.

19. A method of operating a wireless device, comprising:

attempting to connect with a network device;

receiving a signal, from the network device, to enter a location defined mode in order gain access to a network via the network device;

prompting a user to accept the location defined mode; and

transmitting an acknowledgment to the network device that indicates that the user has not accepted the location defined mode,

wherein access to the network via the network device is denied based on the transmitted acknowledgment.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

remaining in a device defined mode after the prompting instead of entering the location defined mode;

receiving a signal that access to the network via the network device is blocked based on the wireless device remaining in the device defined mode;

receiving an override signal to override the device defined mode;

entering into the location defined mode in response to the override signal,

wherein access to the network via the network device is granted based on the wireless device'"'"'s entry into the location defined mode in response to the override signal.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

returning to the device defined mode in response to the wireless device disconnecting from the network device.

22. A wireless device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory accessible to the processor, wherein the memory comprises;

at least one instruction for attempting to connect with a network device;

at least one instruction for receiving a signal, from the network device, to enter a location defined mode in order gain access to a network via the network device;

at least one instruction for prompting a user to accept the location defined mode; and

at least one instruction for transmitting an acknowledgment to the network device that indicates that the user has not accepted the location defined mode,

wherein access to the network via the network device is denied based on the transmitted acknowledgment.

23. The wireless device of claim 22, wherein the memory further comprises:

at least one instruction for remaining in a device defined mode after the prompting instead of entering the location defined mode;

at least one instruction for receiving a signal that access to the network via the network device is blocked based on the wireless device remaining in the device defined mode;

at least one instruction for receiving an override signal to override the device defined mode;

at least one instruction for entering into the location defined mode in response to the override signal,

wherein access to the network via the network device is granted based on the wireless device'"'"'s entry into the location defined mode in response to the override signal.

24. The wireless device of claim 23, wherein the memory further comprises:

at least one instruction for returning to the device defined mode in response to the wireless device disconnecting from the network device.