Automatic user availability status determination for a handheld communication device

• US 20060052061A1
• Filed: 02/03/2005
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Klassen, Gerhard D., Wisebourt, Shaul S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,064,355 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/67.110
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• 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: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

To automatically determine the availability status of the user of a handheld communication device, various selected conditions of the device may be checked, which imply whether or not the user is likely Available, or Unavailable or the equivalent. Normally, the selected conditions are checked only if the user has not explicitly or semi-explicitly set his or her status to Unavailable. The conditions to be checked can vary widely, but generally include anything from which it might be inferred or implied that the user is likely either Available or Unavailable or the equivalent. Such conditions can include, for example, whether or not a specified timeout for use of a keypad, trackwheel or other mechanical feature of the device has elapsed yet; whether or not a real-time application is in use; and preferably any one or more of a variety of other conditions, one further example being whether or not there are any unattended-to notifications such as an unanswered phone call, or a missed e-mail, SMS or other message.

Claims

1. For a handheld communication device, a method for determining the availability status of a user of the device, comprising the steps of:

checking whether or not a defined timeout has elapsed, from the last use of the device by the user;

if the timeout has not elapsed, deeming the availability status to be Available;

if the timeout has elapsed, checking to see if a real-time application is in use, and if so, deeming the availability status to be Available, or if not, checking to see if there are any unattended-to notifications; and

if there are any unattended-to notifications, then deeming the availability status to be Unavailable, but otherwise deeming the availability status to be Available.

2. A method as in claim 1, comprising the additional step, prior to checking whether or not a defined timeout has elapsed, of checking whether or not user availability status has been explicitly or semi-explicitly set to Unavailable, and if so, bypassing the subsequent steps.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein after bypassing said subsequent steps, there is no further checking until when and if user availability status is set to Available.

4. A method as in claim 2, wherein after bypassing said subsequent steps, there is no further checking until a defined time interval has passed.

8. A handheld communication device as in claim 2, wherein after bypassing said subsequent steps, there is no further checking until a defined time interval has passed.

5. A handheld communication device, programmed with a method for determining the availability status of a user of the device, the method comprising the steps of:

checking whether or not a defined timeout has elapsed, from the last use of the device by the user;

if the timeout has not elapsed, deeming the availability status to be Available;

if the timeout has elapsed, checking to see if a real-time application is in use, and if so, deeming the availability status to be Available, or if not, checking to see if there are any unattended-to notifications; and

if there are any unattended-to notifications, then deeming the availability status to be Unavailable, but otherwise deeming the availability status to be Available.

6. A handheld communication device as in claim 5, wherein the method comprises the additional step, prior to checking whether or not a defined timeout has elapsed, of checking whether or not user availability status has been explicitly or semi-explicitly set to Unavailable, and if so, bypassing the subsequent steps.

7. A handheld communication device as in claim 6, wherein after bypassing said subsequent steps, there is no further checking until when and if user availability status is set to Available.