Apparatus and method for automatically disabling cell phone ringing

• US 6,970,724 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2001
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Leung, Sui-hing
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DAVID Q
• Application Number:
  US09/928,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20030032457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• Field of Search: 455/562, 455/804, 455/63, 455/261, 455/561, 455/421, 455/518, 455/20, 455/63.1, 455/63.2, 455/63.3, 455/63.4, 455/565, 455/414.1, 455/412.1, 325/130
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1041 with alternative alert, e.g. remote or silent alert
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/04 the ringing-current being generated at the substations
• 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: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

The present invention pertains to an apparatus and method for automatically disabling cell phone ringing and/or cell phone beeping. An RF transmitter is used to transmit an RF non-audible mode or control signal. Upon receiving the non-audible mode or control signal, the cell phone and/or beeper automatically disables its audible alarm. Users are notified of incoming calls and/or pages by means of blinking lights or vibration. When the user no longer receives the non-audible mode or control signal or upon the elapse of a fixed, pre-determined amount of time, the cell phone and/or beeper automatically reverts back to its normal mode of operation whereby incoming calls and pages are indicated by cell phone ringing and pager beeping.

Claims

1. A method for automatically disabling an audible alarm in a cell phone, comprising:

providing a mobile radio frequency (RF) transmitter that can be unobtrusively mounted in a setting, said mobile RF transmitter having no RF receiver functionality;

transmitting a non-audible control signal as a directional RF signal from said mobile RF transmitter;

determining whether the cell phone has received the non-audible control signal;

automatically disabling the audible alarm when the non-audible mode or control signal is received;

automatically enabling a non-audible alarm to notify a user of an incoming call when the non-audible control signal is received;

disabling the audible alarm and activating the non-audible alarm for a fixed, pre-determined amount of time after the cell phone receives the directional RF signal; and

automatically reactivating the audible alarm and disabling the non-audible alarm after the fixed, pre-determined amount of time has elapsed.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

activating a blinking light to notify the user of the incoming call when the non-audible control signal is received.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

activating a vibration unit to notify the user of the incoming call when the non-audible control signal is received.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

over-riding the non-audible control signal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the directional RF signal comprises:

a signal for automatically disabling the audible alarm and activating the non-audible alarm when the cell phone receives the directional RF signal broadcasting a quiet mode of operation signal.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the directional RF signal comprises:

a signal for automatically reactivating the audible alarm and disabling the non-audible alarm when the cell phone receives the directional RF signal broadcasting a normal mode of operation signal.

7. An apparatus for automatically disabling an audible alarm in a cell phone, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a non-audible mode signal from a mobile RF transmitter that can be unobtrusively mounted in a setting, said mobile RF transmitter having no RF receiver functionality, which broadcasts a directional non-audible mode signal;

a speaker coupled to the receiver which generates an audible sound to notify a user of an incoming call;

a processor coupled to the speaker which automatically disables an audible alarm when the non-audible mode signal is received and which automatically enables a non-audible alarm to notify a user of any incoming calls when the non-audible mode signal is received;

wherein the processor disables the audible alarm and activates the non-audible alarm for a fixed, pre-determined amount of time after receiving the directional RF signal; and

wherein the processor automatically reactivates the audible alarm and disables the non-audible alarm after the fixed, pre-determined amount of time has elapsed.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the processor activates a blinking light to notify the user of the incoming call when the non-audible control signal is received.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the processor activates a vibration unit to notify the user of the incoming call when the non-audible control signal is received.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising an over-ride switch to over-ride the non-audible control signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the processor automatically disables the audible alarm and activates the non-audible alarm when the cell phone receives the directional RF signal broadcasting a quiet mode of operation signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the processor automatically reactivates the audible alarm and disables the non-audible alarm when the cell phone receives the directional RF signal broadcasting a normal mode of operation signal.