Method for alerting a mobile unit of a missed call upon movement of the mobile unit

• US 7,366,548 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2005
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Del Signore, Kenneth W
• Primary Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US11/167,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20060293037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/556.1, 455/567, 455/574, 379/110.01, 379/142.01, 379/93.23, 379/90.01, 340/870.11, 340/539, 340/870.16
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/573 Line monitoring circuits for detecting caller identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• 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

The present invention provides a method for alerting a mobile unit of a missed call. A mobile unit receives a call request. If the mobile unit does not answer the call request and the mobile unit is stationary, the mobile unit waits for the mobile unit to move. Upon movement, the mobile unit notifies, via an audible tone, vibration, or a visual indicator, that the mobile unit had a call while it was stationary.

Claims

1. A method for alerting a mobile unit of a missed call, the method comprising:

determining that a mobile unit has received a call request;

determining that the mobile unit has not answered the call request;

determining that the mobile unit has moved by distinguishing between movement of the mobile unit and motion caused by alerting the mobile unit of the call request by disabling the motion detection mechanism during call alerting; and

notifying a user of the mobile unit that the mobile unit missed the call request.

2. A method for alerting a mobile unit of a missed call in accordance with claim 1, wherein step of determining that the mobile unit has moved comprises determining that the mobile unit has moved using a motion detection mechanism.

3. A method for alerting a mobile unit of a missed call in accordance with claim 2, wherein the step of determining that the mobile unit has moved comprises determining that the mobile unit has moved using an accelerometer.

4. A method for alerting a mobile unit of a missed call in accordance with claim 1, the method further comprising the step of, prior to the step of determining that the mobile unit has moved, determining that the mobile unit is stationary.

5. A method for alerting a mobile unit of a missed call in accordance with claim 4, wherein the step of determining that the mobile unit is stationary comprises determining that the mobile unit has not moved for a predetermined period of time.

6. A method for alerting a mobile unit of a missed call in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of distinguishing between movement of the mobile unit and motion caused by alerting the mobile unit of the call request comprises distinguishing between short-term movement of the mobile unit and long-term movement of the mobile unit.