Handheld communications device with automatic alert mode selection

• US 20060116175A1
• Filed: 11/29/2004
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chu, Steve C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,469,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/044 according to the level of ambient noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/047 Vibrating means for incoming calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/048 Arrangements providing optical indication of the incoming call, e.g. flasher circuits
• 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

Abstract

Apparatus for automatically alerting a user of a handheld communications device of an incoming transmission includes a plurality of sensors each of which produces a signal indicative of a physical parameter of a surrounding environment of the handheld communications device. Also included is a processor that executes a programmed set of instructions to determine an optimal alert mode setting based on a combination of the sensor signals. A plurality of output units produces one or more sensory alert outputs In response to the optimal alert mode setting. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. Apparatus for automatically alerting a user of a handheld communications device of an incoming transmission comprising:

means for producing a plurality of sensor signals each of which corresponds to a physical parameter of a surrounding environment of the handheld communications device;

means for processing the sensor signals in accordance with a programmed selection algorithm and generating a certain alert mode setting based on a combination of the sensor signals; and

means for producing one or more sensory alert outputs in response to the certain alert mode setting.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensor signals include audio signals.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensor signals Include light signals.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensor signals include global position signals.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensor signals include proximity signals.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensor signals include motion signals.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more sensory alert outputs includes an audible output.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more sensory alert outputs includes a visual display output.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more sensory alert outputs includes a vibration output.

10. Apparatus for automatically alerting a user of a handheld communications device of an incoming transmission comprising:

a plurality of sensors each of which produces a signal indicative of a physical parameter of a surrounding environment of the handheld communications device;

a processor that executes a programmed set of instructions to determine a certain alert mode setting based on a combination of the sensor signals; and

a plurality of output units that produce one or more sensory alert outputs in response to the certain alert mode setting.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the one or more sensory alert outputs comprise a temporal sequence of alert outputs.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein one of the sensors includes an audio sensor and one of the output units includes an audio output unit that produces an audible sensory alert output

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the optimal alert mode setting includes an audio volume setting that depends on a noise level detected by the audio sensor.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein one of the sensors includes a light sensor, and one of the output units includes a display output unit that produces a visual display output.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein one of the sensors includes a proximity sensor and one of the output units includes a vibration output unit that produces a vibration output.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein one of the sensors includes a global positioning system (GPS) sensor that produces a position signal, and further comprising;

a memory coupled to the processor that stores a database of transmission sensitive or restricted locations.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the audio volume setting comprises either a low volume or silent audible sensory alert output when the position signal indicates that the handheld communications device is in a transmission sensitive or restricted location.

18. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein one of the sensors includes a battery charging sensor that produces a signal which indicates when the handheld communications device is being charged.

19. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

a control unit coupled to receive processor output signals that represent the certain alert mode setting, in response to the processor output signals the control unit generating control signals that cause the output units to produce the one or more sensory alert outputs.

20. A processor-implemented method for automatically alerting a user of a handheld communications device of an incoming transmission comprising;

generating a set of signals each of which is indicative of a physical parameter of a surrounding environment of the handheld communications device;

determining a certain alert mode setting based on the set of signals according to a programmed algorithm; and

producing one or more sensory alert outputs in response to the certain alert mode setting.

21. The processor-implemented method of claim 20 wherein the one or more sensory alert outputs comprise a temporal sequence of alert outputs.

22. The processor-implemented method of claim 20 wherein the one or more sensory alert outputs includes an audible sensory alert output.

23. The processor-implemented method of claim 20 wherein the one or more sensory alert outputs includes a visual output.

24. The processor-implemented method of claim 20 wherein the one or more sensory alert outputs includes a vibration output.

25. The processor-implemented method of claim 20 wherein one of the signals is a global position signal, and further comprising:

storing in a memory a database of transmission sensitive or restricted locations;

comparing the global position signal to the transmission sensitive or restricted locations stored in the database, the optimal alert mode setting comprising either a low volume or silent audible setting when the position signal indicates that the handheld communications device is in a transmission sensitive or restricted location.

26. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium and computer readable code embodied on the computer useable medium, wherein upon execution by one or more processors, the computer readable code causes a handheld communications device to:

automatically determine, according to a programmed algorithm, a certain alert mode setting based on a set of sensor signals, each of the sensor signals indicating a physical parameter of a surrounding environment of the handhold communications device; and

produce one or more sensory alert outputs in response to the certain alert mode setting.

27. The computer program product of claim 26 wherein the one or more sensory alert outputs comprise a temporal sequence of alert outputs.

28. The computer program product of claim 26 wherein the one or more sensory alert outputs includes an audible sensory alert output.

29. The computer program product of claim 26 wherein the one or more sensory alert outputs includes a visual output.

30. The computer program product of claim 26 wherein the one or more sensory alert outputs includes a vibration output.

31. The computer program product of claim 26 wherein one of the sensor signals comprises global position signal, and execution of the computer readable code further causes the handheld communications device to:

compare the global position signal to a set of transmission sensitive or restricted locations stored in a database, the optimal alert mode setting comprising either a low volume or silent audible setting when the global position signal indicates that the handheld communications device is in a transmission sensitive or restricted location.