Methods and apparatuses for configuration automation

• US 7,715,790 B1
• Filed: 03/19/2004
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Kennedy, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yun; Eugene
• Application Number:
  US10/805,144
• Time in Patent Office: 2,244 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/462, 455/417, 455/428, 455/445, 455/414.1, 455/465, 455/554.1, 455/554.2, 455/555, 455/557, 455/556.1, 455/550.1, 455/552.1
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/006 Call diverting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for automated configuring of user preferences. In one aspect of the present invention, a method to operate a data processing system, includes: detecting whether or not a portable device is connected to the data processing system; and automatically configuring one or more user preferences of the data processing system according to an identity of the portable device in response to a change in whether or not the portable device is connected to the data processing system. In one aspect of the present invention, call forwarding of at least one of a land line phone and a mobile phone is automatically configured when the mobile phone is brought close to the land line phone or when the mobile phone is taken away from the land line phone.

Claims

1. A device to configure telephone services, the device comprising:

a signal detecting circuit;

a control circuit coupled to the signal detecting circuit to determine whether or not a first phone and a second phone are positioned with respect to each other according to a relation;

a call forwarding configuring circuit coupled to the control circuit, the control circuit causing the call forwarding configuring circuit to configure a call forwarding service of the first phone in response to a change in whether or not the first phone and the second phone are positioned with respect to each other according to the relation and in response to the current time; and

a handset configuring circuit coupled to the control circuit, the control circuit causing the handset configuring circuit to automatically use the first phone as a cordless handset for the second phone according to the change in whether or not the first phone and the second phone are positioned with respect to each other according to the relation, wherein automatically using the first phone as a cordless handset for the second phone comprises using the first phone to answer and place calls using a phone line coupled to the second phone while the first phone is being used as the cordless handset for the second phone wherein the first phone uses a first wireless communication protocol to answer and place calls on the first phone and the first phone uses a second wireless communication protocol to answer and place calls when the first phone is being used as the cordless handset for the second phone.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the call forwarding configuring circuit comprises a dialing circuit, the control circuit causing the dialing circuit to dial a sequence to configure the call forwarding service of the first phone in response to the change in whether or not the first phone and the second phone are positioned with respect to each other according to the relation.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein a sequence is dialed to start forwarding calls of the first phone to the second phone when the first phone and the second phone are positioned with respect to each other according to the relation.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein a sequence is dialed to stop forwarding calls of the first phone to the second phone when the first phone and the second phone are not positioned with respect to each other according to the relation.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein a sequence is dialed to start forwarding calls of the first phone to the second phone when the first phone and the second phone are not positioned with respect to each other according to the relation.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein a sequence is dialed to stop forwarding calls of the first phone to the second phone when the first phone and the second phone are positioned with respect to each other according to the relation.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the first phone and the second phone are positioned with respect to each other according to the relation when the signal detecting circuit detects signals from the second phone.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the signals from the second phone are one of:

signals transmitted through a wire connecting the second phone and the device;

infrared signals;

radio signals for Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPAN); and

radio signals for Wireless Local Area Networking (WLAN).

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the device shares at least a portion of the dialing circuit with the first phone.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is separate from the first phone;

and the device is connected to the phone line of the first phone.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit further causes the call forwarding configuring circuit to automatically stop forwarding calls of the first phone to the second phone while the second phone is on a call.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the control circuit does cause the call forwarding configuring circuit to not configure the call forwarding service of the first phone in response to a user input.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the user input is in response to displaying a question to a user.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a device configuration circuit coupled to the control circuit, the control circuit causing the device configuration circuit to detect whether or not the first phone and a configurable device are positioned in the relation with respect to each other and to automatically configure the configurable device in response to a change in whether or not the first phone and the configurable device are positioned in the close relation with respect to each other.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the configurable device is an automobile and wherein automatically configuring the configurable device comprises adjusting at least one of a mirror position and a seat position and an other setting of a driver.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein automatically configuring the configurable device comprises adjusting at least one of the following:

a font setting, a color setting, and a window size setting.

44. The device of claim 14, wherein the configurable device is a computer.

17. A method to configure telephone services, the method comprising:

detecting whether or not a first phone and a second phone are positioned in a close relation with respect to each other;

automatically configuring a call forwarding service of the first phone in response to a change in whether or not the first phone and the second phone are positioned in the close relation with respect to each other, wherein configuring the call forwarded service is also in response to the current time; and

automatically using the first phone as a cordless handset for the second phone while the first phone and the second phone are positioned in the close relation with respect to each other, wherein automatically using the first phone as a cordless handset for the second phone comprises using the first phone to answer and place calls using a phone line coupled to the second phone while the first phone is being used as the cordless handset for the second phone wherein the first phone uses a first wireless communication protocol to answer and place calls on the first phone and the first phone uses a second wireless communication protocol to answer and place calls when the first phone is being used as the cordless handset for the second phone.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

automatically configuring a call forwarding service of the second phone in response to the change.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein a sequence is dialed to start forwarding calls of the first phone to the second phone when the first phone and the second phone are positioned in the close relation with respect to each other.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein a sequence is dialed to stop forwarding calls of the first phone to the second phone when the first phone and the second phone are not positioned in the close relation with respect to each other.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein a sequence is dialed to start forwarding calls of the first phone to the second phone when the first phone and the second phone are not positioned in the close relation with respect to each other.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein a sequence is dialed to stop forwarding calls of the first phone to the second phone when the first phone and the second phone are positioned in the close relation with respect to each other.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the first phone and the second phone are positioned in the close relation with respect to each other when the first phone and the second phone are in radio communication.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the radio communication is in accordance with one of:

IEEE 802.11; and

IEEE 802.15.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the first phone and the second phone are positioned in the close relation with respect to each other when one of the first phone and the second phone is connected to a control device with one of:

a wired link;

a infrared link; and

a low power radio link.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the control device is one of:

integrated within one of the first phone and the second phone; and

co-located with one of the first phone and the second phone.

27. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

automatically stop forwarding calls of the first phone to the second phone while the second phone is on a call.

28. The method of claim 17, the automatically configuring the call forwarding service of the first phone further comprises not configuring the call forwarding service in response to a user input.

29. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

detecting whether or not the first phone and a configurable device are positioned in the close relation with respect to each other; and

automatically configuring the configurable device in response to a change in whether or not the first phone and the configurable device are positioned in the close relation with respect to each other.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the configurable device is an automobile and wherein automatically configuring the configurable device comprises adjusting at least one of a mirror position and a seat position and an other setting of a driver.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the configurable device is a computer.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein automatically configuring the configurable device comprises adjusting at least one of the following:

a font setting, a color setting, and a window size setting.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the user input is received in response to displaying a question to a user.

34. A machine readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause said system to perform a method to configure telephone services, the method comprising:

determining whether or not a first phone and a second phone are positioned in a close relation;

automatically configuring a call forwarding service of the first phone in response to a change in whether or not the first phone and the second phone are positioned in the close relation and in response to the current time; and

automatically using the first phone as a cordless handset for the second phone while the first phone and the second phone are positioned in the close relation with respect to each other, wherein automatically using the first phone as a cordless handset for the second phone comprises using the first phone to answer and place calls using a phone line coupled to the second phone while the first phone is being used as the cordless handset for the second phone wherein the first phone uses a first wireless communication protocol to answer and place calls on the first phone and the first phone uses a second wireless communication protocol to answer and place calls when the first phone is being used as the cordless handset for the second phone.

35. The medium of claim 34, wherein the first phone and the second phone are positioned in the close relation when a communication link between the first phone and the second phone is established.

36. The medium of claim 35, wherein the communication link is in accordance with one of:

IEEE 802.11; and

IEEE 802.15.

37. The medium of claim 34, wherein the first phone and the second phone are positioned in the close relation when a communication link between the first phone and a control device is established;

wherein the control device is one of;

integrated within the second phone;

co-located with the second phone; and

connected to a phone line of the second phone.

38. The medium of claim 34, the method further comprising:

automatically stop forwarding calls of the first phone to the second phone while the second phone is on a call.

39. The medium of claim 34, the automatically configuring the call forwarding service of the first phone further comprises not configuring the call forwarding service in response to a user input.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the user input is received in response to displaying a question to a user.

41. The medium of claim 34, the method further comprising:

detecting whether or not the first phone and a configurable device are positioned in the close relation with respect to each other; and

automatically configuring the configurable device in response to a change in whether or not the first phone and the configurable device are positioned in the close relation with respect to each other.

42. The medium of claim 41, wherein the configurable device is an automobile and wherein automatically configuring the configurable device comprises adjusting at least one of a mirror position and a seat position and an other setting of a driver.

43. The medium of claim 42, wherein automatically configuring the configurable device comprises adjusting at least one of the following:

a font setting, a color setting, and a window size setting.

45. The medium of claim 41, wherein the configurable device is a computer.