Method of determining a user presence state

• US 20050232404A1
• Filed: 04/15/2004
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Gaskill, Garold B.
• Application Number:
  US10/825,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20050232404A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/201.60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity

Abstract

A method of determining a user presence state includes in a telephonic device, for use by a user to receive and transmit an acoustic wave, detecting orientation of the telephonic device to signal the user'"'"'s presence state to a caller. The telephonic device may be a headset, wherein the relative orientation of a headset microphone to a headset earpiece determines a user presence state signal to be sent, or the telephonic device may be a handset and the gravitation orientation of the handset determines a user presence state signal to be sent. Exemplar user presence state signal include “Listening and Able to Talk” or “Talking,” “Listening,” “Busy,” and “Gone.”

Claims

1. A method of determining a user presence state, comprising:

in a telephonic device, for use by a user to receive and transmit an acoustic wave, detecting orientation of the telephonic device to signal the user'"'"'s presence state.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the telephonic device is a headset and the relative orientation of a headset microphone to a headset earpiece determines a user presence state signal to be sent.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the user presence state signal to be sent is taken from the group of user presence state signals consisting of “

Listening and Able to Talk”

or “

Talking”

when the orientation of the microphone is close to the mouth;

“

Listening”

when the orientation of the microphone is in a position below the mouth, near the neck;

“

Busy”

when the orientation of the microphone is in a position near the user'"'"'s forehead; and

“

Gone”

when the orientation of the microphone is at the back of the user'"'"'s head.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the telephonic device is a handset and the gravitation orientation of the handset determines a user presence state signal to be sent.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the user presence state signal to be sent is taken from the group of signals consisting of “

Listening and Able to Talk”

or “

Talking”

when the orientation of the handset is vertical;

“

Listening”

when the orientation of the handset is face up;

“

Busy”

when the orientation of the handset is on a side thereof; and

“

Gone”

when the orientation of the handset is face down.

6. The method of claim 4 which includes providing a manual override mechanism on a handset to allow operation by a user not in a vertical orientation.

7. A method of determining a user presence state, comprising:

in a telephonic device, for use by a user to receive and transmit acoustic information, detecting the user'"'"'s presence via the orientation of the telephonic device relative to gravity.

8. The method of claim 7 where the presence information is sent to all people on a buddy list.

9. The method of claim 7 where the presence information is sent a caller.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the telephonic device is a headset and the relative orientation of a headset microphone to a headset earpiece determines a user presence state signal to be sent.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the user presence state signal to be sent is taken from the group of user presence state signals consisting of “

Listening and Able to Talk”

or “

Talking”

when the orientation of the microphone is close to the mouth;

“

Listening”

when the orientation of the microphone is in a position below the mouth, near the neck;

“

Busy”

when the orientation of the microphone is in a position near the user'"'"'s forehead; and

“

Gone”

when the orientation of the microphone is at the back of the user'"'"'s head.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the telephonic device is a handset and the gravitation orientation of the handset determines a user presence state signal to be sent.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the user presence state signal to be sent is taken from the group of signals consisting of “

Listening and Able to Talk”

or “

Talking”

when the orientation of the handset is vertical;

“

Listening”

when the orientation of the handset is face up;

“

Busy”

when the orientation of the handset is on a side thereof; and

“

Gone”

when the orientation of the handset is face down.

14. The method of claim 13 which includes providing a manual override mechanism on a handset to allow operation by a user not in a vertical orientation.

15. A method of determining a user presence state, comprising:

in a telephonic device, for use by a user to receive and transmit acoustic information, detecting the user'"'"'s presence via the orientation of the telephonic device'"'"'s headset microphone relative to the headset earpiece.

16. The method of claim 15 where the presence information is sent to all people on a buddy list.

17. The method of claim 15 where the presence information is sent a caller.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the user presence state signal to be sent is taken from the group of user presence state signals consisting of “

Listening and Able to Talk”

or “

Talking”

when the orientation of the microphone is close to the mouth;

“

Listening”

when the orientation of the microphone is in a position below the mouth, near the neck;

“

Busy”

when the orientation of the microphone is in a position near the user'"'"'s forehead; and

“

Gone”

when the orientation of the microphone is at the back of the user'"'"'s head.