Location-based alerting

• US 9,961,502 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Workday Incorporated
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Frank, Scott, Starr, Robert, Ruckart, John, Tischer, Steven, Zellner, Samuel
• Primary Examiner(s): HTUN, SAN A
• Application Number:
  US14/974,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20160100292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method may use location information to transmit alert information to a communications device. Such a method may include receiving location information identifying a physical location of a mobile device; responsive to receiving an indication of communication intended for the mobile device, selecting an alerting tone based on the physical location of the mobile device; and providing instructions to adjust an alerting mechanism of the mobile device based on the selecting of the alerting tone. Other methods and systems are also provided.

Claims

1. A network device communicating with at least one server via a communication link, the network device comprising:

a network interface unit;

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

receiving location information identifying a physical location of a mobile device;

defining a geographic zone using a coordinate system;

responsive to receiving an indication of communication intended for the mobile device, selecting an alerting tone based on the physical location of the mobile device, wherein;

the alerting tone is transmitted when the mobile device is detected to be inside the defined geographic zone,

the communication is an audio communication, and

the alerting tone includes at least a nonsilent setting; and

providing instructions to adjust an alerting mechanism of the mobile device based on the selecting of the alerting tone; and

providing the mobile device an estimate of a location range over which security control of an alerting setting of the mobile device is surrendered.

2. The network device of claim 1, wherein the current physical location is within a first geographic zone of a plurality of geographic zones associated with a respective third party.

3. The network device of claim 1, wherein the alerting tone includes at least one of sound, music, or ringtone.

4. The network device of claim 1, the operations further comprising determining whether the location information matches the geographic zone for which a feature may be adjusted.

5. A method comprising:

receiving, by a network device, location information identifying a physical location of a mobile device;

defining, by the network device, a geographic zone using a coordinate system;

responsive to receiving an indication of communication intended for the mobile device, selecting, by the network device, an alerting tone based on the physical location of the mobile device, wherein;

the alerting tone is transmitted when the mobile device is detected to be inside the defined geographic zone, and

the communication is an audio communication, and

the alerting tone includes at least a nonsilent setting; and

providing instructions, by the network device, to adjust an alerting mechanism of the mobile device based on the selecting of the alerting tone; and

providing the mobile device an estimate of a location range over which security control of an alerting setting of the mobile device is surrendered.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing the mobile device an estimate of a location range over which security control of an alerting setting of the mobile device is surrendered.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the current physical location is within a first geographic zone of a plurality of geographic zones associated with a respective third party.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the alerting tone includes at least one of sound, music, or ringtone.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining whether the location information matches the geographic zone for which a feature may be adjusted.

10. A system comprising:

a mobile device comprising;

a transceiver;

a processor coupled with the transceiver; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising receiving instructions to adjust an alerting mechanism; and

a network device communicating with at least one server via a communication link, the network device comprising;

a network interface unit;

a processor communicatively connected with the network interface unit; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

receiving location information identifying a physical location of a mobile device;

defining a geographic zone using a coordinate system;

responsive to receiving an indication of communication intended for the mobile device, selecting an alerting tone based on the physical location of the mobile device, wherein;

the alerting tone is transmitted when the mobile device is detected to be inside the defined geographic zone,

the communication is an audio communication, and

the alerting tone includes at least a nonsilent setting; and

providing instructions to adjust an alerting mechanism of the mobile device based on the selecting of the alerting tone; and

providing the mobile device an estimate of a location range over which security control of an alerting setting of the mobile device is surrendered.

11. The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising providing the mobile device an estimate of a location range over which security control of an alerting setting of the mobile device is surrendered.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the current physical location is within a first geographic zone of a plurality of geographic zones associated with a respective third party.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the alerting tone includes at least one of sound, music, or ringtone.