Apparatus and methods for enforcement of policies upon a wireless device

• US 9,451,448 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2015
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lovich, Vitali, Bell, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Kashif
• Application Number:
  US14/816,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20160029206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 using filters or firewalls
• 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 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• 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

Apparatus and methods for changing one or more functional or operational aspects of a wireless device, such as upon the occurrence of a certain event. In one embodiment, the event comprises detecting that the wireless device is within range of one or more other devices. In another variant, the event comprises the wireless device associating with a certain access point. In this manner, various aspects of device functionality may be enabled or restricted (device “policies”). This policy enforcement capability is useful for a variety of reasons, including for example to disable noise and/or light emanating from wireless devices (such as at a movie theater), for preventing wireless devices from communicating with other wireless devices (such as in academic settings), and for forcing certain electronic devices to enter “sleep mode” when entering a sensitive area.

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising:

wireless circuitry configured to communicate with at least one wireless node via a wireless network;

a display;

sensor circuitry;

one or more processors; and

one or more memories having program instructions stored thereon that are executable by the one or more processors to cause the mobile device to;

display an option to accept future alteration of one or more parameters of the mobile device;

detect, using the sensor circuitry, a condition associated with the mobile device, wherein the condition comprises at least one of an environmental condition, a wireless connection condition, or a location condition; and

automatically implement, in response to detecting the condition and user selection of the option, an adjustment to a display parameter.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein acceptance of the option is required for connection, by the mobile device, to a wireless node.

3. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein the mobile device is configured to receive information specifying the adjustment to the display parameter from the wireless node.

4. The mobile device of claim 3,

wherein the mobile device is further configured to receive, from the wireless node, information specifying a threshold amount of ambient light;

and

wherein the mobile device is configured to implement the adjustment to the display parameter based on whether ambient light measured by the mobile device exceeds the threshold.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the display parameter comprises an intensity parameter or a brightness parameter.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the condition includes an environmental condition.

7. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the condition includes a location condition of the mobile device.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the condition includes that the mobile device has moved more than a threshold distance over a time interval.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the condition includes that the mobile device is not in a hands-free mode of operation.

10. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the condition includes an environmental condition corresponding to an amount of ambient light measured by the mobile device.

11. A method, comprising:

displaying, by a mobile device, an option to accept a connection to a wireless node, wherein the option indicates potential altering of at least one or more parameters of the mobile device based on the connection;

detecting, by the mobile device, a wireless connection condition associated with the mobile device; and

altering, by the mobile device, one or more display parameters of the mobile device in response to the detecting and a user response to the option.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless connection condition is a connection to a wireless node that specifies at least one of the one or more display parameters for adjustment.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, by the mobile device from an access point, information specifying a threshold amount of ambient light;

wherein the altering is further performed in response to determining whether ambient light measured by the mobile device exceeds the threshold.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more parameters of the display include at least one of:

an intensity parameter or a brightness parameter.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that are executable by a mobile computing device to perform operations comprising:

displaying a user-selectable option to accept a future alteration of a display parameter of the mobile computing device;

detecting an environmental condition associated with the mobile device, wherein the environmental condition corresponds to an amount of ambient light measured by the mobile device;

determining a current time of day; and

altering the display parameter of the mobile device in response to the detecting and based on the current time of day matching a predetermined time of day.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the amount of ambient light is specified by a wireless node.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise altering an audio parameter of the mobile device in response to the detecting.