System and method for reducing RF radiation exposure for a user of a mobile communication device by saving transmission containing non time-sensitive media until the user of the mobile communication device is a safe distance away from the user

• US 8,447,287 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2009
• Issued: 05/21/2013
• 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): Magloire, Vladimir
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sarwar, Babar
• Application Number:
  US12/607,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20100144320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,302 Days
• Field of Search: 4554121-4122, 4554141-4142, 455/422.1, 455/456.3, 455/556.2, 455/522, 455/550.1, 455/41.2, 455/556.1, 455/420, 455418-419, 725/58, 725/10, 725/32, 725/62, 725/106, 725/133, 725/153, 379/201.01
• US Class Current: 455/418
• 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 voice media created by a user of a wireless communication device as the user speaks into the wireless communication device, the voice media for transmission over a wireless network to a recipient;

determining at the wireless communication device if the voice media is either time-sensitive or not time-sensitive, the voice media determined as time-sensitive when the recipient is rendering the voice media “

live”

in a near real-time mode and not time-sensitive when the recipient is not rendering the voice media live in the near real-time mode;

storing the voice media at the wireless communication device if the voice media is determined to be not time-sensitive;

determining when the wireless communication device is placed at a safe position away from the head of the user; and

transmitting the not time-sensitive voice media from storage when the wireless communication device is positioned at the safe position away from the head of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising transmitting the voice media from the wireless communication device to the recipient over the wireless network as the voice media is created when the voice media is determined to be time-sensitive.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the voice media further comprises storing the voice media in a time-indexed format.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the voice media determined to be time-sensitive.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining when the wireless communication device has been placed at the safe position away from the head of the user further comprises one of the following:

(i) relying on a motion detector embedded in the wireless communication device to determine when the wireless communication device is no longer held by the user;

(ii) relying on a capacitance sensor embedded in the wireless communication device to determine when the wireless communication device is no longer in contact with the user;

(iii) relying on a resistive sensor embedded in the wireless communication device to determine when the wireless communication device is no longer in contact with the user;

(iv) relying on an image detector embedded in the wireless communication device to determine when the wireless communication device is no longer held near the head of the user;

(v) relying on a timer which times the transmission of the not time-sensitive voice media from storage a predetermined period of time after the timer has been set;

or

(vi) any combination of (i) through (v).

6. 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;

or

(viii) a satellite radio.

7. A communication device,

comprising:

a receiver configured to receive voice media created by a user of the communication device, the voice media for wireless transmission to a recipient;

a storage element configured to store the received voice media as the voice media is received;

a time-sensitivity element configured to determine if the voice media is either time-sensitive or not time-sensitive, the time-sensitivity element determining that the voice media is time-sensitive when the recipient is rendering the voice media “

live”

in a near real-time mode or not time-sensitive when the recipient is not rendering the voice media live in the near real-time mode;

a position detector to determine when the communication device is placed a safe distance away from the head of the user; and

an RF transmitter configured to;

(i) wirelessly transmit the voice media as it is created and stored when the time-sensitivity element determines that the voice media is time-sensitive; and

(ii) wirelessly transit the voice media out of storage when;

(a) the time sensitivity element determines that the voice media is not time-sensitive; and

(b) the position detector determines that the communication device is placed a safe distance away from the head of the user.

8. The communication device of claim 7, wherein the storage element is further configured to store the voice media in a time-indexed format.

9. The communication device of claim 7, wherein the storage element is a persistent storage element configured to persistently store the voice media.

10. The communication device of claim 7, wherein the storage element and the RF transmitter are further configured to simultaneously and progressively store and wirelessly transmit the voice media, as the voice media is created by the user, when the time-sensitivity element determines that the voice media is time-sensitive.

11. The communication device of claim 7, further comprising an encode element configured to simultaneously and progressively encode the voice media as the voice media is created by the user.

12. The communication device of claim 7, wherein the receiver comprises a microphone.

13. The communication device of claim 7, wherein the position detector determines that the communication device is placed a safe distance away from the head of the user by one of the following:

(i) a motion detector embedded in the communication device to determine when the communication device is no longer held by the user;

(ii) a capacitance sensor embedded in the communication device to determine when the communication device is no longer in contact with the user;

(iii) a resistive sensor embedded in the communication device to determine when the communication device is no longer in contact with the user;

(iv) an image detector embedded in the communication device to determine when the communication device is no longer held near the head of the user;

(v) a timer which times the RF transmission of the not time-sensitive voice media from storage a predetermined period of time after the timer has been set;

or

(vi) any combination of (i) through (v).

14. The communication device of claim 7, wherein the 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;

or

(viii) a satellite radio.

15. Computer code embedded in a non-transient computer readable medium for execution on a wireless communication device, the computer code configured to:

receive voice media created by a user of the wireless communication device as the user speaks into the wireless communication device, the voice media intended for transmission over a wireless network to a recipient;

determine at the wireless communication device if the voice media is either time-sensitive or not time-sensitive, the voice media determined as time-sensitive when the recipient is rendering the voice media “

live”

in a near real-time mode and not time-sensitive when the recipient is not rendering the voice media live in the near real-time mode;

store the voice media at the wireless communication device if the voice media is determined to be not time-sensitive;

determine when the wireless communication device is placed at a safe position away from the head of the user; and

transmit the not time-sensitive voice media from storage when the wireless communication device is positioned at the safe position away from the head of the user.

16. The computer code of claim 15, further configured to transmit the voice media from the wireless communication device to the recipient over the wireless network as the voice media is created when the voice media is determined to be time-sensitive.

17. The computer code of claim 15, further configured to store the voice media in a time-indexed format.

18. The computer code of claim 15, further configured to store the voice media determined to be time-sensitive as the voice media is received and transmitted.

19. The computer code of claim 15, further configured to determine when the wireless communication device has been placed at the safe position away from the head of the user from one of the following:

(i) in response to a motion detector embedded in the wireless communication device and configured to determine when the wireless communication device is no longer held by the user;

(ii) in response to a capacitance sensor embedded in the wireless communication device and configured to determine when the wireless communication device is no longer in contact with the user;

(iii) in response to a resistive sensor embedded in the wireless communication device and configured to determine when the wireless communication device is no longer in contact with the user;

(iv) in response to an image detector embedded in the wireless communication device and configured to determine when the wireless communication device is no longer held near the head of the user;

(v) in response to a timer configured to time the transmission of the not time-sensitive voice media from storage a predetermined period of time after the timer has been set;

or

(vi) any combination of (i) through (v).

20. The computer code of claim 15, wherein the wireless communication device configured to execute the computer code comprises 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;

or

(viii) a satellite radio.