System and method for automatically setting environment of user terminal

• US 8,554,217 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2011
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Shin, Hyun Soon, Shin, Hyun Moon, Jo, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEDRICK, CHARLES TERRELL
• Application Number:
  US13/032,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20110207449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 455/435.1, 455/456, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 379/207.02
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• 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

Abstract

A system for automatically setting an environment of a user terminal includes a space and context-aware device for sensing a space and a context using a plurality of sensors, defining environment setting information corresponding to the sensed space and context, and sending the defined environment setting information to a user terminal, thereby requesting environment setting or release. Further, the system for automatically setting an environment of a user terminal includes a user terminal for changing environment setting mode while communicating with the space and context-aware device and automatically changing to a status corresponding to the environment setting information when the environment setting information is received.

Claims

1. A system for automatically setting an environment of a user terminal, comprising:

a space and context-aware device for sensing a space and a context using a plurality of sensors, defining environment setting information corresponding to the sensed space and context, and sending the defined environment setting information to a user terminal, thereby requesting environment setting or release; and

a user terminal for changing environment setting mode while communicating with the space and context-aware device and automatically changing to a status corresponding to the environment setting information when the environment setting information is received,

wherein the space and context-aware device, when the user terminal has entered a specific space or is in a specific context, sends an automatic environment setting ID assigned to the user terminal, and defines the environment setting information for the user terminal based on the specific space or the specific context when receiving a response message including the automatic environment setting ID and the environment setting information from the user terminal, and

wherein the space and context-aware device, when the user terminal has moved out of the specific space or the specific context, defines automatic environment setting release information, sends the automatic environment setting release information to the user terminal, and eliminates the automatic environment setting ID and the environment setting information corresponding to the user terminal when receiving a response message from the user terminal.

2. A system for automatically setting an environment of a user terminal, comprising:

a space and context sensing unit for performing sensing on a user or a user terminal which is located in a specific space and a specific context using a multi-modal sensor unit, and outputting sensed information;

a space and context analysis unit for analyzing at least one of entry and exit, a location, a space, a direction, and a speed based on the sensed information, and defining environment setting information corresponding to the specific space or specific context; and

an automatic environment setting communication unit for including the environment setting information transferred by the analysis unit in an environment setting change message, and sending the environment setting change message to the user terminal,

wherein the analysis unit, when the user or user terminal has entered the specific space, sends an automatic environment setting ID assigned to the user terminal, and defines environment setting status information for the user terminal based on the specific space when receiving a response message including the automatic environment setting ID and the current environment setting status information from the user terminal, and

wherein the analysis unit, when the user or user terminal has moved out of the specific space or specific context, defines automatic environment setting release information, sends the automatic environment setting release information to the user terminal via the communication unit, and eliminates the automatic environment setting ID and the environment setting status information corresponding to the user terminal when receiving the response message from the user terminal.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the environment setting information is a command to control at least one of manner mode, call blocking, frequency blocking, and a reduction in call quality related to the user terminal.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the multi-modal sensor unit comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS), a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) system, a speed sensor, an infrared sensor, a direction sensor, and an image sensor.

5. A method of automatically setting an environment of a user terminal, comprising:

sensing a user or a user terminal using a plurality of sensors by means of a multi-modal sensor unit, and outputting sensed information;

analyzing a space and a context based on the sensed information;

determining whether the user or user terminal has entered or exited into or from a specific space;

if the user or user terminal has entered the specific space, performing automatic environment setting communication with the user terminal; and

requesting the user terminal to make a change to environment setting corresponding to the specific space,

wherein the performing automatic environment setting communication comprises;

sending an assigned automatic environment setting ID to the user terminal; and

receiving a response message including the automatic environment setting ID and the current environment setting status information from the user terminal, and

wherein the method further comprises;

if the user or user terminal has moved out of the specific space, defining environment setting release information and sending the defined environment setting release information to the user terminal; and

if a response message is received from the user terminal, eliminating an automatic environment setting ID and environment setting status information assigned to the user terminal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the requesting a setting change comprises:

defining environment setting information corresponding to the specific space or specific context; and

including the defined environment setting information in an environment setting change message, and sending the environment setting change message to the user terminal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the environment setting information is a command to control at least one of manner mode, call blocking, frequency blocking, and a reduction in call quality related to the user terminal.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the multi-modal sensor unit comprises a GPS, an RFID system, a speed sensor, an infrared sensor, a direction sensor, and an image sensor.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the specific space is any one of an office, a theater, a performance hall, a train, a conference room, a classroom, an airplane, a hospital, and an automobile.

10. A method of automatically setting an environment of a user terminal, comprising:

receiving an automatic environment setting ID from a space and context-aware device after a user or a user terminal has entered into a specific space;

storing the received environment setting ID, and changing environment setting mode from manual setting mode to automatic environment setting mode; and

when receiving environment setting change information from the space and context-aware device, automatically changing to a status corresponding to the environment setting change information,

wherein the method further comprises;

if the user or user terminal is present in a context in the specific space, receiving the environment setting change information from the space and context-aware device which has sensed the presence of the user or user terminal;

automatically changing to an status corresponding to the environment setting change information;

if the user or user terminal has moved out of the specific space or specific context, receiving the automatic environment setting release information from the space and context-aware device which has sensed the movement out of the specific space or specific context; and

automatically changing an environment setting status to a previous environment setting status based on the automatic environment setting release information.