Intelligent multimode message alerts

• US 20040066932A1
• Filed: 10/03/2002
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Seligmann, Doree Duncan
• Granted Patent: US 7,142,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/373.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2094 Proximity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• 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 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• 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: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80
• 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 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 : Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 : Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 : between corresponding nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

An apparatus that intelligently determines how to alert a user to the arrival of an incoming message at a telecommunications terminal, and what information is imparted to the user via the alert, is disclosed. In the illustrative embodiments, the terminal has a processor that makes this determination based on one or more of the following: properties of the incoming message (e.g., who sent the message, a priority level associated with the message, the semantic content of the message, the length of the message, etc.), the time and date (i.e., the “calendrical time”), environmental parameters (e.g., temperature, ambient luminosity, etc.), the user'"'"'s physiological parameters (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate, etc.), the location of the user, the proximity of other wireless terminals in the vicinity, whether the user is currently receiving another message, and the delivery mechanism of the other message (e.g., voice, text chat, etc.).

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving an incoming signal directed to a telecommunications terminal, wherein said incoming signal is characterized by at least one property;

a plurality of transducers, wherein each of said transducers can alert a user to the arrival of said incoming signal; and

a processor for selecting which of said transducers alert said user based on at least one property of said incoming signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of said properties is said incoming signal'"'"'s sender.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of said properties is said incoming signal'"'"'s semantic content.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said processor'"'"'s selecting is also based on at least one of:

whether said receiver is receiving another signal, and

how said receiver is receiving said other signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of said transducers generates an acoustic output signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of said transducers generates a visual output signal.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving an incoming signal directed to a telecommunications terminal, wherein said incoming signal comprises a plurality of sub-signals and is characterized by at least one property;

a processor for selecting at least one of said sub-signals based on at least one of said properties; and

a transducer for generating an output signal based on said selected sub-signals to alert a user to the arrival of said incoming signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein at least one of said properties is said incoming signal'"'"'s sender.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein at least one of said properties is said incoming signal'"'"'s semantic content.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein at least one of said properties is the quantity of information contained in said incoming signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein at least one of said sub-signals is a message subject.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said processor'"'"'s selecting is also based on at least one of:

whether said receiver is receiving another signal, and

how said receiver is receiving said other signal.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving an incoming signal directed to a telecommunications terminal;

a plurality of transducers, wherein each of said transducers can alert a user to the arrival of said incoming signal; and

a processor for selecting which of said transducers alert said user based on at least one of;

the calendrical time at said telecommunications terminal,

the geo-location of said telecommunications terminal,

a change in the geo-location of said telecommunications terminal,

the proximity of said geo-location to another person,

said incoming signal'"'"'s relevance to said other person

an environmental property,

a change in said environmental property,

a physiological property of said user, and

a change in said physiological property of said user.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said environmental property is selected from the group consisting of:

temperature, humidity, air pressure, ambient noise level, and ambient luminosity.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said physiological property is selected from the group consisting of:

heart rate, blood pressure, respiration rate, body temperature, and brain activity.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said processor'"'"'s selecting is also based on at least one of:

whether said receiver is receiving another signal, and

how said receiver is receiving said other signal.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving an incoming signal directed to a telecommunications terminal, wherein said incoming signal comprises a plurality of sub-signals;

a processor for selecting at least one of said sub-signals based on at least one of;

the calendrical time at said telecommunications terminal,

the geo-location of said telecommunications terminal,

a change in the geo-location of said telecommunications terminal,

the proximity of said geo-location to another person,

said incoming signal'"'"'s relevance to said other person

an environmental property,

a change in said environmental property,

a physiological property of said user, and

a change in said physiological property of said user.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said environmental property is selected from the group consisting of:

temperature, humidity, air pressure, ambient noise level, and ambient luminosity.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said physiological property is selected from the group consisting of:

heart rate, blood pressure, respiration rate, body temperature, and brain activity.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said processor'"'"'s selecting is also based on at least one of:

whether said receiver is receiving another signal, and

how said receiver is receiving said other signal.