Mobile communication device, method, and system for reducing exposure to radio frequency energy during transmissions by transmitting media in/out while the mobile communication device is safe distance away from user

• US 8,270,950 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2009
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Voxer IP LLC (Voxer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Voxer IP LLC (Voxer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Katis, Thomas E., Panttaja, James T., Panttaja, Mary G., Ranney, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sarwar, Babar
• Application Number:
  US12/606,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20100144321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 4554121-4122, 4554141-4142, 455/422.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/550.1, 455/522, 455/458, 455/69, 455/556.2
• US Class Current: 455/412.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• 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 2250/64 file transfer between terminals download of applications H04M1/72406; transfer of messages, e.g. SMS, e-mail or MMS H04M1/7243
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A mobile communication device and method for reducing exposure to radio frequency (RF) energy during outgoing and incoming transmissions. During outgoing transmissions, media is stored in a local storage element on the mobile communication device as the media is being created. When the device is positioned a safe distance away from the user, the media is transmitted out of storage over the network to the recipient. Alternatively for incoming transmissions, media is stored on the network as it is created. While the wireless communication device is a safe distance away from the user, the media stored on the network is transmitted to the mobile communication device, where it is locally stored. The user of the mobile communication device can then review the incoming media at an arbitrary later time out of storage. As a result, the exposure of the user of the mobile communication device to RF energy for both outgoing and incoming transmissions is either substantially reduced or eliminated altogether.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a notification on a network to implement an RF energy protection mode for a wireless communication device wirelessly connected to the network, the notification generated at the wireless communication device and transmitted to the network in response to;

(i) an explicit command entered into the wireless communication device by the user;

or

(ii) the user'"'"'s behavior when using the wireless communication device in an unsafe position relative to the user;

storing media intended for the wireless communication device on the network while the energy protection mode is implemented;

receiving a second notification on the network when the wireless communication device is positioned a safe distance away from the user of the wireless communication device;

transmitting the media stored on the network while the RF protection mode was implemented to the wireless communication device after receiving the second notification when the wireless communication device is positioned the safe distance away from the user;

enabling the storage of the transmitted media on the wireless communication device when the media is transmitted from the network to the wireless communication device; and

enabling the user of the wireless communication device to render the media after transmission by accessing the media out of storage on the wireless communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the media intended for the wireless communication device on the network further comprises storing the media on a server located on the network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein storing the media on the server located on the network further comprising storing the media on the server in a time-indexed format.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second notification notifying the network when the wireless communication device is positioned the safe distance away from the user further comprises receiving a safe-to-transmit signal from the wireless communication device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the safe-to-transmit signal is generated at the wireless communication device in accordance with one of the following:

(i) a motion detector embedded in the wireless communication device determining when the wireless communication device is no longer being held by the user;

(ii) a sensor embedded in the wireless communication device determining when the wireless communication device is no longer in contact with the user;

(iii) an image detector embedded in the wireless communication device determining when the wireless communication device is no longer being held near the head of the user;

or

(iv) generating the safe-to-transmit signal in response to instructions entered into the wireless communication device by the user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third notification at the network to not implement the RF energy protection mode for the wireless communication device; and

forwarding media intended for the wireless communication device from a sender as the media is received on the network when the RF energy protection mode is not implemented.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is one of the following:

(i) a wireless phone;

(ii) a cellular phone;

(iii) a mobile phone;

(iv) a satellite phone;

(v) a computer;

(vi) a radio;

(vii) a tactical radio;

(viii) a satellite radio;

or

(ix) a tactical radio.

8. A node on a network, the node configured to:

receive a first notification at the node to implement an RF energy protection mode for a wireless communication device wirelessly connected to the network, the first notification received from the wireless communication device either;

(i) in response to an explicit command entered by the user of the wireless communication device;

(ii) automatically when the wireless communication device is placed in an unsafe position relative to the user;

storing media on the node received over the network and intended for the wireless communication device while the RF energy protection mode is implemented;

receiving a second notification at the node when the wireless communication device is positioned a safe distance away from the user of the wireless communication device;

transmitting the media stored at the node, while the RF energy protection mode was implemented, to the wireless communication device in response to the second notification, the transmission enabling;

(iii) the wireless communication device to locally store the transmitted media as the media is received and;

(iv) the user of the wireless communication device to render the media out of local storage on the wireless communication device.

9. The node of claim 8, wherein the automatic receipt of the first notification is generated by the communication device automatically based on the placement of the communication device relative to the user'"'"'s head.

10. The node of claim 8, wherein the received second notification is a safe-to-transmit signal received from the wireless communication device.

11. The node of claim 10, wherein the safe-to-transmit signal is generated by one of the following:

(i) a motion detector embedded in the wireless communication device that determines when the wireless communication device is no longer being held by the user;

(ii) a sensor embedded in the wireless communication device that determines when the wireless communication device is no longer in contact with the user;

(iii) an image detector embedded in the wireless communication device that determines when the wireless communication device is no longer being held near the head of the user;

or

(iv) in response to instructions entered into the wireless communication device by the user.

12. A method performed on a network, the method comprising:

receiving a first notification at a node on the network to implement an RF energy protection mode for a wireless communication device wirelessly connected to the network, the first notification received from the wireless communication device either;

(i) in response to an explicit command entered by the user of the wireless communication device;

or

(ii) automatically when the wireless communication device is placed in an unsafe position relative to the user;

storing media on the node received over the network and intended for the wireless communication device while the RF energy protection mode is implemented;

receiving a second notification at the node when the wireless communication device is positioned a safe distance away from the user of the wireless communication device;

transmitting the media stored at the node, while the RF energy protection mode was implemented, to the wireless communication device in response to the second notification the transmission enabling;

(iii) the wireless communication device to locally store the transmitted media as the media is received and;

(iv) the user of the wireless communication device to render the media out of local storage on the wireless communication device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the automatic receipt of the first notification is generated by the communication device automatically based on the placement of the communication device relative to the user'"'"'s head.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the received second notification is a safe-to-transmit signal received from the wireless communication device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the safe-to-transmit signal is generated by one of the following:

(i) a motion detector embedded in the wireless communication device that determines when the wireless communication device is no longer being held by the user;

(ii) a sensor embedded in the wireless communication device that determines when the wireless communication device is no longer in contact with the user;

(iii) an image detector embedded in the wireless communication device that determines when the wireless communication device is no longer being held near the head of the user;

or

(iv) in response to instructions entered into the wireless communication device by the user.

16. Computer code embedded in a non-transitory computer readable medium and configured to be executed on a wireless communication device connected to a wireless network, the code configured to:

generate an RF protection mode signal that notifies the network not to transmit media intended for the wireless communication device because the wireless communication device is placed in an unsafe position relative to a user of the communication device, the code generating the RF protection mode signal either;

(i) in response to an explicit command entered by the user of the wireless communication device;

or

(ii) automatically when the wireless communication device is in an unsafe position relative to the user;

generate a safe-to-transmit signal that notifies the network that it is safe to transmit the media intended for the wireless communication device and stored on the network while RF protection mode was implemented;

store the transmitted media received from the network in response to the safe-to-transmit signal; and

enabling the user of the communication device to render the media out of storage.

17. The code of claim 16, wherein the code is further configured to automatically generate the RF protection mode signal based on the placement of the communication device relative to the user'"'"'s head.

18. The code of claim 16, wherein the code is further configured to generate the safe-to-transmit signal in response to a motion detector embedded in the wireless communication device that determines when the wireless communication device is no longer being held by the user.

19. The code of claim 16, wherein the code is further configured to generate the safe-to-transmit signal in response to a sensor embedded in the wireless communication device that determines when the wireless communication device is no longer in contact with the user.

20. The code of claim 16, wherein the code is further configured to generate the safe-to-transmit signal in response to an image detector embedded in the wireless communication device that determines when the wireless communication device is no longer being held near the head of the user.

21. The code of claim 16, wherein the code is further configured to generate the safe-to-transmit signal in response to in response to instructions entered into the wireless communication device by the user.