Automatically modifying a do not disturb function in response to device motion

• US 9,641,669 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2016
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ziemianska, Natalia, Varoglu, Devrim
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Nghi H
• Application Number:
  US14/992,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20160241706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 455418, 4554564, 455441, 4554221
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs logging of telephone numbers H04M1/56, H04M1/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• 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 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication

Abstract

A processor-based personal electronic device (such as a smartphone) is programmed to automatically respond to data sent by various sensors from which the user'"'"'s activity may be inferred. When one or more alarms on the device are temporarily disabled or ignored, they may be automatically restored when sensor data indicates a change in the user'"'"'s activity. The restoration of alarm functionality may be accompanied by a repeat of notifications missed or not responded to during a certain period prior to the sensed change in user activity.

Claims

1. A method for operating a mobile device, the method comprising:

entering, by the mobile device, a do not disturb state, wherein the mobile device, while in the do not disturb state, suppresses audible or tactile notifications of incoming communications; and

after entering the do not disturb state;

detecting, by the mobile device, a motion of the mobile device;

determining, by the mobile device, based at least in part on the detected motion, whether to exit the do not disturb state or wait;

in response to determining, based at least in part on the detected motion, to exit the do not disturb state, exiting, by the mobile device, the do not disturb state such that receiving a communication from another device causes an audible or tactile notification to be presented; and

in response to determining to wait;

remaining, by the mobile device, in the do not disturb state such that receiving a communication from another device does not cause an audible or tactile notification to be presented.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the mobile device, a user input indicating that the mobile device should enter the do not disturb state,

wherein entering the do not disturb state occurs in response to the user input.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device enters the do not disturb state based on a schedule provided to the mobile device by the user.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

establishing, by the mobile device, an end time for the do not disturb state; and

in the event that the mobile device remains in the do not disturb state until the end time, automatically exiting the do not disturb state at the end time.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein establishing the end time for the do not disturb state includes:

prompting, by the mobile device, the user to specify the end time for the do not disturb state.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the end time for the do not disturb state is established based on a schedule provided to the mobile device by the user.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein determining, based at least in part on the detected motion, whether to exit the do not disturb state or wait includes:

determining a duration of the detected motion;

in the event that the duration of the detected motion does not exceed a threshold duration, determining to wait; and

in the event that the duration of the detected motion exceeds the threshold duration, determining to exit the do not disturb state.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the threshold duration is selected to distinguish an instance of the user checking a time displayed on the mobile device and returning the device to a resting place from an instance of the user continuing to hold and manipulate the device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein determining, based at least in part on the detected motion, whether to exit the do not disturb state or wait includes:

determining a duration of the detected motion;

in the event that the duration of the detected motion does not exceed a threshold duration, determining to wait; and

in the event that the duration of the detected motion exceeds the threshold duration, prompting the user to indicate whether to exit the do not disturb state or wait.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein determining, based at least in part on the detected motion, whether to exit the do not disturb state or wait further includes:

responsive to detecting the motion of the mobile device, monitoring for user inputs to the device;

determining, based on the monitoring for user inputs, whether the user is engaged in active use of the device;

in the event that the user is not engaged in active use of the device, determining to wait; and

in the event that the user is engaged in active use of the device, determining to exit the do not disturb state.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein determining, based at least in part on the detected motion, whether to exit the do not disturb state or wait further includes:

responsive to detecting the motion of the mobile device, monitoring for user inputs to the device;

determining, based on the monitoring for user inputs, whether the user is engaged in active use of the device;

in the event that the user is not engaged in active use of the device, determining to wait; and

in the event that the user is engaged in active use of the device, prompting the user to indicate whether to exit the do not disturb state or wait.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

after exiting the do not disturb state, automatically presenting an alert to the user of at least one notification that was suppressed while the mobile device was in the do not disturb state.

13. A mobile device comprising:

a user interface;

a motion sensor;

communication circuitry operable to send and receive electronic communications via a network; and

a processor coupled to the user interface, the motion sensor, and the communication circuitry, the processor configured to;

place the mobile device in a do not disturb state, wherein the mobile device, while in the do not disturb state, suppresses notifications of incoming communications; and

after entering the do not disturb state;

detect, based on a signal from the motion sensor, a motion of the mobile device;

determine, based at least in part on the detected motion, whether to exit the do not disturb state or wait;

in response to determining, based at least in part on the detected motion, to exit the do not disturb state, exit the do not disturb state such that receiving a communication from another device causes an audible or tactile notification to be presented; and

in response to determining, based at least in part on the detected motion, to wait;

remain in the do not disturb state such that receiving a communication from another device does not cause an audible or tactile notification to be presented.

14. The mobile device of claim 13 wherein the motion sensor includes at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a proximity sensor, or a location sensor.

15. The mobile device of claim 13 wherein the processor is further configured to:

establish an end time for the do not disturb state; and

in the event that the mobile device remains in the do not disturb state until the end time, automatically exit the do not disturb state at the end time.

16. The mobile device of claim 13 wherein the processor is further configured to, after exiting the do not disturb state, automatically present an alert to the user of any notifications that were suppressed while the mobile device was in the do not disturb state.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon program code instructions that, when executed by a processor of the mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform a method comprising:

entering a do not disturb state, wherein the mobile device, while in the do not disturb state, suppresses notifications of incoming communications;

after entering the do not disturb state;

detecting a motion of the mobile device;

determining based at least in part on the detected motion, whether to exit the do not disturb state or wait;

in response to determining, based at least in part on the detected motion, to exit the do not disturb state, exiting the do not disturb state such that receiving a communication from another device causes an audible or tactile notification to be presented; and

in response to determining, based at least in part on the detected motion, to wait;

remaining in the do not disturb state such that receiving a communication from another device does not cause an audible or tactile notification to be presented.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a user input indicating that the mobile device should enter the do not disturb state,

wherein entering the do not disturb state occurs in response to the user input.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the method further comprises:

establishing an end time for the do not disturb state; and

in the event that the mobile device remains in the do not disturb state until the end time, automatically exiting the do not disturb state at the end time.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein establishing the end time for the do not disturb state includes:

prompting, by the mobile device, the user to specify the end time for the do not disturb state.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein the mobile device enters the do not disturb state based on a schedule provided to the mobile device by the user and wherein the end time for the do not disturb state is established based on the schedule provided to the mobile device by the user.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein determining, based at least in part on the detected motion, whether to exit the do not disturb state or wait is based at least in part on a duration of the detected motion.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein determining, based at least in part on the detected motion, whether to exit the do not disturb state or wait is based in part on the detected motion and in part on whether the mobile device receives user inputs indicating that the user is engaged in active use of the device.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein determining, based at least in part on the detected motion, whether to exit the do not disturb state or wait is further based in part on a user response to a prompt to exit the do not disturb state.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the method further comprises:

after exiting the do not disturb state, automatically presenting an alert to the user of any notifications that were suppressed while the mobile device was in the do not disturb state.