Presenting Indications of Usage of a Communication Device Using Separate Hardware Element of Communication Device
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- obtaining, by a wireless communication device, a usage limit for a service provided by a wireless service provider;
determining, by the wireless communication device, an amount of usage of the service by the wireless communication device;
comparing, by the wireless communication device, the amount of usage with one or more usage thresholds; and
indicating, by the wireless communication device, that the amount of usage at least reaches a threshold of the one or more usage thresholds, wherein the indicating comprises changing an ambient element of the wireless communication device, wherein the ambient element is a hardware element integrated with the wireless communication device, and separate from a graphical user interface display of the wireless communication device, that outputs at least one of a visual indication or a tactile indication.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments that indicate usage information of services for wireless communication devices via ambient elements are disclosed. Some embodiments determine usage of a service for a wireless communication device and manipulate one or more ambient elements to indicate the usage to a user of the device. Various embodiments may determine usage by measuring a quantity of data transferred or measuring a number of voice minutes consumed according to a rate plan. Changing ambient elements may comprise activating vibration modules or changing colors of screen elements, or changing screen brightness of the devices, as examples. Examples of wireless communication devices are cell phones, smartphones, satellite phones, and other types of mobile communication devices that use wireless communication services.
13 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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obtaining, by a wireless communication device, a usage limit for a service provided by a wireless service provider; determining, by the wireless communication device, an amount of usage of the service by the wireless communication device; comparing, by the wireless communication device, the amount of usage with one or more usage thresholds; and indicating, by the wireless communication device, that the amount of usage at least reaches a threshold of the one or more usage thresholds, wherein the indicating comprises changing an ambient element of the wireless communication device, wherein the ambient element is a hardware element integrated with the wireless communication device, and separate from a graphical user interface display of the wireless communication device, that outputs at least one of a visual indication or a tactile indication. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 24, 25)
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2-4. -4. (canceled)
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8. An apparatus, comprising:
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a usage determiner to determine an amount of usage of a service of a wireless communication device; a threshold comparer to compare the amount of usage with one or more usage thresholds of a usage limit; and an element changer to change an operation of an ambient element of the wireless communication device in response to the amount of usage at least reaching a usage threshold of the one or more usage thresholds, wherein the ambient element is a hardware element integrated with the wireless communication device, and separate from a graphical user interface display of the wireless communication device, that outputs at least one of a visual indication or a tactile indication. - View Dependent Claims (9, 11, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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10. (canceled)
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12-14. -14. (canceled)
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15. A computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable storage device of a wireless communication device including instructions that, when executed by a processor of the wireless communication device, causes the processor to; receive a usage limit for a service provided by a wireless service provider; determine an amount of usage of the service by the wireless communication device; compare the amount of usage with one or more usage thresholds; determine that the amount of usage at least reaches a threshold of the one or more thresholds; and indicate that the amount of usage at least reaches the threshold by changing an ambient element of the wireless communication device, wherein the ambient element is a hardware element integrated with the wireless communication device, and separate from a graphical user interface display of the wireless communication device, that outputs at least one of a visual indication or a tactile indication. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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16-23. -23. (canceled)
Specification