System and method for optimizing user notifications for small computer devices

• US 7,458,080 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2000
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Vale, Peter, Parker, Kathryn L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Haresh N
• Application Number:
  US09/741,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20020116541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,898 Days
• Field of Search: 709/318, 709200-203, 709217-228, 719/318, 719310-317, 455/556.2, 700/66
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/02 manually operated with input through keyboard and computation using a built-in program, e.g. pocket calculators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location

Abstract

A system and method for notifying users in a manner that is appropriate for the event and the environment for the user. The method of the present invention relates to determining the desired properties of an event and assigning varying notification characteristics to that event. Profiles are created of the various events, wherein each profile relates to a different mode or situational environment, such as a meeting environment, an office or normal environment, a louder outside-type environment, etc. The invention further relates to placing the small computer device in a particular mode, either automatically or manually. Once in a particular mode the device provides notifications according to that mode.

Claims

1. A storage medium of a computer encoding instructions for executing a computer process on a small computer device for notifying a user of notification events with predetermined notification types depending on the user'"'"'s environment, the process comprising:

storing two or more notification profiles for each of one or more users, such that each notification profile is assigned a predetermined environmental notification mode from a selection of one or more environmental notification modes and such that each notification profile has one or more notification events from a selection of one or more notification events and such that eachof the notification events is assigned at least one notification type from a selection of one or more notification types;

displaying an environmental notification mode menu comprising two or more of the following modes for the user'"'"'s environment;

inside, outside, office, normal, meeting, and off;

displaying a notification event menu comprising one or more of the following notification events;

reminder event from a calendar-type application program, reception of email, and reception of priority email;

displaying a notification type menu comprising one or more of the following notification types;

visual display, vibration signal, and audible signal and such that the audible signal comprises one of the following volume levels;

loud, intermediate and disabled;

receiving a selection signal to select one notification mode from the displayed notification mode menu;

applying the selected notification mode to the small computer device such that the device remains in the selected notification mode until another notification mode is selected; and

as a result of applying the selected notification mode, notifying the user of notification events with assigned notification types in accordance with the notification profile assigned to the selected notification mode.

2. The storage medium as defined in claim 1 such that the computer device further comprises the calendar-type application program storing reminder events and such that the selection signal for selecting one notification mode is generated by the calendar-type application program.

3. The storage medium as defined in claim 1 such that the computer process for notifying a user of a small computer device of notification events further comprises:

selecting a particular notification mode to modify a notification profile assigned to that mode;

modifying the notification profile; and

storing the modified profile.

4. The storage medium as defined in claim 1 such that the computer process for notifying a user of a small computer device of notification events further comprises:

assigning a plurality of volume levels of the small computer device with different notification types assigned to notification events within a notification profile; and

selecting volume levels for different notification types assigned to notification events within a notification profile.

5. The storage medium as defined in claim 1 such that the visual display is a message comprising text.

6. The storage medium as defined in claim 1 such that the visual display is a flashing light.

7. The storage medium as defined in claim 1 such that the two or more stored notification profiles include one or more assignments of a particular sound file to a particular event.

8. The storage medium as defined in claim 1 such that each profile comprises at least two event notification types based on a user'"'"'s environment.

9. The storage medium as defined in claim 1 such that a user is capable of being notified of an event in a plurality of ways, depending on a selected profile.

10. The storage medium as defined in claim 1 such that the notification event is a reception of email over a wireless network.

11. The storage medium as defined in claim 1 such that the notification event is a reception of a voicemail.

12. A method for notifying a user of a small computer device of notification events with predetermined notification types depending on the user'"'"'s environment and corresponding to stored notification profiles, the method comprising:

storing two or more notification profiles for each of one or more users, such that each notification profile is assigned a predetermined environmental notification mode from a selection of one or more environmental notification modes and such that each notification profile has one or more notification events from a selection of one or more notification events and such that each of the notification events is assigned at least one notification type from a selection of one or more notification types;

displaying an environmental notification mode menu comprising two or more of the following modes for the user'"'"'s environment;

inside, outside, office, normal, meeting, and off

displaying a notification event menu comprising one or more of the following notification events;

reminder event from a calendar-type application program, reception of email, and reception of priority email;

displaying a notification type menu comprising one or more of the following notification types;

visual display, vibration signal, and audible signal and such that the audible signal comprises one of the following volume levels;

loud, intermediate, and disable;

receiving a selection signal to select a first notification mode from the displayed notification mode menu;

applying the first notification mode to the small computer device such that the device remains in the first notification mode until another notification mode is selected;

as a result of applying the first notification mode, notifying the user of notification events with assigned notification types in accordance with the notification profile assigned to the first notification mode;

receiving a selection signal to select a second notification mode from the displayed notification mode menu;

applying the second notification mode to the small computer device such that the device remains in the second notification mode until another notification mode is selected; and

as a result of applying the second notification mode, notifying the user of notification events with assigned notification types in accordance with the notification profile assigned to the second notification mode.

13. A small computer system for notifying a user of notification events with at least one predetermined notification type based on the user'"'"'s environment, the system comprising:

a memory unit storing two or more notification profiles for each of one or more users, such that each notification profile is assigned a predetermined environmental notification mode from a selection of one or more environmental notification modes and such that within each notification profile are notification events from a selection of one or more notification events and such that each of the notification events is assigned at least one notification type;

a display unit for showing an environmental notification mode menu comprising two or more of the following modes for the user'"'"'s environment;

inside, outside, office, normal, meeting, and off, for showing a notification event menu comprising one or more of the following notification events;

reminder event from a calendar-type application program, reception of email, and reception of priority email, and for showing a notification type menu comprising one or more of the following notification types;

visual display, vibration signal, and audible signal and the audible signal comprises one of the following volume levels;

loud, intermediate and disabled;

an input unit for selecting at least one from a group consisting of a notification profile from the two or more notification profiles, a notification mode from the notification mode menu, a notification event from the notification event menu, and a notification type from the notification type menu;

a first output unit for notifying the user of a first notification event using a first notification type;

a second output unit for notifying the user of the first notification event using a second notification type such that the second notification type is different from the first notification type;

a processing unit in response to the notification profile selected from the two or more profiles in the memory unit and in response to the notification event, automatically determining whether to notify the user using the first notification type or the second notification type; and

the processing unit utilizing the first or second output unit to notify the user.

14. The computer system as defined in claim 13 such that a type of notification event is a reception of email over a wireless network.

15. The computer system as defined in claim 13 such that the notification event is a calendar event stored by a calendar-type application program.

16. The computer system as defined in claim 13 such that the first notification type is an audible signal and the second notification type is a visual display.

17. The computer system as defined in claim 13 such that the first notification type is a vibration signal and the second notification type is an audible signal.

18. The computer system as defined in claim 13 such that the stored notification profiles include one or more assignments of a particular sound file to a particular event.