Mobile device interface and methods thereof

• US 8,086,265 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2008
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US12/173,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20100016014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/567, 455/566, 455/457, 455/158.4, 455/3.06, 379/387.01, 379/390.03, 340/856.3, 340/856.4
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/044 according to the level of ambient noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264

Abstract

A mobile communication device is configured to sense a plurality of ambient characteristics using a plurality of sensors. In an embodiment, one or more of the plurality of sensors, such as microphone or camera, can be used for other functions of the mobile communication device. The mobile communication device adjusts one or more user interface characteristics of the mobile communication device based on the sensed plurality of ambient characteristics. The mobile communication device thereby provides for automatic adjustment of various user interface characteristics based on the ambient conditions of the environment around the mobile communication device.

Claims

1. A method for sensing a plurality of ambient characteristics on a mobile device, comprising:

associating a plurality of sensors on the mobile device with a first user interface characteristic via a user interface;

receiving first information from a first sensor among the plurality of sensors, the first information indicative of a first ambient characteristic of the mobile communication device;

receiving second information from a second sensor among the plurality of sensors, the second information indicative of a second ambient characteristic of the mobile communication device; and

setting the first user interface characteristic of the mobile communication device based on the first information and the second information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface characteristic comprises a brightness associated with a display of the mobile communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface characteristic comprises a brightness associated with a button light of the mobile communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface characteristic comprises a volume associated with a speaker of the mobile communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the first user interface characteristic comprises selecting a ring tone from a plurality of available ringtones based on the first information and the second information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the first user interface characteristic comprises selecting one of a plurality of user-programmable device profiles based on the first information and the second information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises a camera.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor indicates a geographic location of the mobile communication device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first sensor is a global positioning system (GPS) sensor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a microphone of the mobile communication device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a temperature sensor.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first ambient characteristic is of a first ambient characteristic type and the second ambient characteristic is of a second ambient characteristic type.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting a second user interface characteristic based on the device profile.

14. A method for sensing a plurality of ambient characteristics on a mobile device, comprising:

associating a plurality of sensors on the mobile device with a brightness setting via a user interface;

receiving first information from a first sensor among the plurality of sensors, the first information indicative of a first ambient characteristic of the mobile communication device;

receiving second information from a second sensor among the plurality of sensors, the second information indicative of a second ambient characteristic of the mobile communication device; and

adjusting the brightness setting of the display of the mobile communication device based on the first information and the second information.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising setting a ring volume of the mobile communication device based on the first information.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising setting a ring tone of the mobile communication device based on the first information.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the first sensor comprises a camera.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the first sensor comprises a microphone.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the first sensor comprises a geographic position sensor.

20. A method, comprising:

associating a plurality of sensors on a mobile device with a first user interface characteristic via a user interface;

receiving from the plurality of sensors information indicative of a plurality of ambient characteristics of a mobile communication device; and

setting the first user interface characteristic of the mobile communication device based on the information.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising setting a second user interface characteristic of the mobile communication device based on the information.

22. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a first sensor configured to sense a first ambient characteristic of the mobile communication device;

a second sensor configured to sense a second ambient characteristic of the mobile communication device; and

a control module configured to set a first user interface characteristic of the mobile communication device based on the first ambient characteristic and the second ambient characteristic;

wherein the control module further enables a user to associate and dissociate one or more of the first and second sensors with the first user interface characteristic via a user interface.

23. The mobile communication device of claim 22, further comprising:

a display device, wherein the first user interface characteristic comprises a brightness of the display device.