System and method for controlling a feature of a telecommunications device based on the body temperature of a user

• US 8,494,574 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2008
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gupta, Shekhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Nimesh
• Application Number:
  US12/258,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20100105423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3234 Power saving characterised by the action undertaken
• 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 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• 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: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method for controlling a feature of a telecommunications device includes determining a proximity of a user to the telecommunications device by detecting the body heat of the user. In response to determining proximity of the user, a feature of the telecommunications device is toggled between an activated state and a deactivated state.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a call-forwarding function of a telecommunications device comprising:

detecting, with the telecommunications device, temperature information based on body heat of a user;

communicating, with the telecommunications device, detected temperature information;

receiving, at a network server, the detected temperature information;

determining, with the network server, that the telecommunications device should be in a call forwarding mode, based on the detected temperature information;

receiving a telephone call directed to the telecommunications device;

receiving, with the network server, global positioning system (“

GPS”

) coordinates from the telecommunications device;

receiving, with the network server, GPS coordinates from a plurality of secondary telecommunications devices;

determining, based on the received GPS coordinates, whether any secondary telecommunications device is within a predetermined range of the telecommunications device;

if it is determined that a secondary telecommunications device is within a predetermined range of the telecommunications device, forwarding the telephone call to the secondary telecommunications device that is within the predetermined range of the telecommunications device; and

if it is determined that no secondary telecommunications device is within a predetermined range of the telecommunications device, forwarding the telephone call to a voicemail system for the telecommunications device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the call-forwarding mode is toggled to an activated state when the user'"'"'s body heat is not detected.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the call-forwarding mode is toggled to a deactivated state when the user'"'"'s body heat is detected.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

storing, at the network server, a list identifying the plurality of secondary telecommunications devices.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

identifying a secondary telecommunications device in close proximity to the telecommunications device.

6. A system, comprising:

a telecommunications device configured to;

detect temperature information based on body heat of a user; and

communicate detected temperature information; and

a network server configured to;

receive the detected temperature information;

determine that the telecommunications device should be in a call forwarding mode, based on the detected temperature information;

receive a telephone call directed to the telecommunications device;

receive global positioning system (“

GPS”

) coordinates from the telecommunications device;

receive GPS coordinates from a plurality of secondary telecommunications devices;

determine, based on the received GPS coordinates, whether any secondary telecommunications device is within a predetermined range of the telecommunications device;

if it is determined that a secondary telecommunications device is within a predetermined range of the telecommunications device, forward the telephone call to the secondary telecommunications device that is within the predetermined range of the telecommunications device; and

if it is determined that no secondary telecommunications device is within a predetermined range of the telecommunications device, forward the telephone call to a voicemail system for the telecommunications device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the call-forwarding mode is toggled to an activated state when the user'"'"'s body heat is not detected.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the call-forwarding mode is toggled to a deactivated state when the user'"'"'s body heat is detected.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the network server is further configured to:

store a list identifying the plurality of secondary telecommunications devices.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the network server is further configured to:

identify a secondary telecommunications device in close proximity to the telecommunications device.

11. A network server configured to:

receive detected temperature information, based on body heat of a user, from a telecommunications device;

determine that the telecommunications device should be in a call forwarding mode, based on the detected temperature information;

receive a telephone call directed to the telecommunications device;

receive global positioning system (“

GPS”

) coordinates from the telecommunications device;

receive GPS coordinates from a plurality of secondary telecommunications devices;

determine, based on the received GPS coordinates, whether any secondary telecommunications device is within a predetermined range of the telecommunications device;

if it is determined that a secondary telecommunications device is within a predetermined range of the telecommunications device, forward the telephone call to the secondary telecommunications device that is within the predetermined range of the telecommunications device; and

if it is determined that no secondary telecommunications device is within a predetermined range of the telecommunications device, forward the telephone call to a voicemail system for the telecommunications device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the call-forwarding mode is toggled to an activated state when the user'"'"'s body heat is not detected.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the call-forwarding mode is toggled to a deactivated state when the user'"'"'s body heat is detected.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the network server is further configured to:

store a list identifying the plurality of secondary telecommunications devices.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the network server is further configured to:

identify a secondary telecommunications device in close proximity to the telecommunications device.