# US 10,484,534 B2 · Methods of operating a user device in a user device group and related user devices and control servers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,484,534 B2 - Document ID: US10484534B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/067,976 - Filed: 2016-11-18 - Published: 2019-01-10 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-01-04 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericcson (publ) - Applicants: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Inventors: Paolo Fiorini; Samy Touati - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10484534B2 ## CPC - H04M 3/42263: {where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism} - H04M 1/663: Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set - H04M 1/72448: with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions - H04M 3/42: Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers (specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00) - H04W 68/00: User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like - H04W 88/02: Terminal devices - H04W 88/022: {Selective call receivers} - H04M 1/00: Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers (subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08) - H04M 2203/2044: Group features, e.g. closed user group - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A first user device may be included in a user device group including the first user device and a second user device that share a same service identifier for a communication service. The method may include accepting user input at the first user device to activate an operation mode for the first user device. Responsive to accepting the user input to activate the operation mode at the first user device, the operation mode may be activated at the first user device. Responsive to accepting the user input to activate the operation mode at the first user device, a notification regarding activation of the operation mode may be transmitted to a control server that is remote from the first user device. Related user devices and control servers are also discussed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a first user device, included in a user device group including the first user device and a second user device that share a same service identifier for a communication service, the method comprising: accepting user input at the first user device to activate an operation mode for the first user device; responsive to accepting the user input to activate the operation mode at the first user device, activating the operation mode at the first user device; and responsive to accepting the user input to activate the operation mode at the first user device, transmitting a notification regarding activation of the operation mode to a control server that is remote from the first user device; and wherein the method further comprises: after activating the operation mode, accepting user input at the first user device to deactivate the operation mode for the first user device; responsive to accepting the user input to deactivate the operation mode at the first user device, deactivating the operation mode at the first user device; and responsive to accepting the user input to deactivate the operation mode at the first user device, transmitting a notification regarding deactivation of the operation mode to the control server that is remote from the first user device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the operation mode is a silent operation mode, and wherein activating the silent operation mode comprises one or more of: disabling audible alerts for the first user device; enabling a do not disturb mode for the first user device; and de-registering the first user device from an Internet Protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem core. ### Claim 3 A first user device of a user device group including the first user device and a second user device that share a same service identifier for a communication service, the first user device comprising: a communication interface configured to provide communications over a network; a user interface configured to accept user input from a user of the first user device; and a processor coupled with the communication interface and the user interface, wherein the processor is configured to transmit communications through the communication interface to the network and to receive communications through the communication interface from the network, and wherein the processor is configured to receive user input accepted through the user interface, and wherein the processor is configured to: accept user input at the first user device to activate an operation mode for the first user device; activate the operation mode at the first user device responsive to accepting the user input to activate the operation mode at the first user device; and transmit a notification regarding activation of the operation mode to a control server that is remote from the first user device, responsive to accepting the user input to activate the operation mode at the first user device; wherein the processor is further configured to: provide a prompt for user input regarding activation of the operation mode at the second user device of the user device group, responsive to accepting the user input to activate the operation mode; accept user input to activate the operation mode at the second user device of the user device group; and transmit the notification regarding activation by transmitting the notification regarding activation responsive to accepting the user input to activate the operation mode at the first user device and responsive to accepting the user input to activate the operation mode at the second user device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The first user device of claim 3, wherein the operation mode is a silent operation mode, and wherein the processor is configured to activate the silent operation mode by one or more of: disabling audible alerts for the first user device; enabling a do not disturb mode for the first user device; and de-registering the first user device from an Internet Protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem core. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The first user device of claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to: accept user input at the first user device to deactivate the operation mode for the first user device after activating the operation mode; deactivate the operation mode at the first user device, responsive to accepting the user input to deactivate the operation mode at the first user device; and transmit a notification regarding deactivation of the operation mode to the control server that is remote from the first user device, responsive to accepting the user input to deactivate the operation mode at the first user device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The first user device of claim 3, wherein the user device group includes the first user device, the second user device, and a third user device all sharing the service identifier for the communication service, wherein the prompt is a single prompt to activate the operation mode at the second and third user devices of the user device group, and wherein the processor is configured to transmit the notification by transmitting the notification to indicate activation of the operation mode at the second and third user devices of the user device group. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The first user device of claim 3, wherein the user device group includes the first user device, the second user device, and a third user device all sharing the service identifier for the communication service, wherein the prompt includes a first prompt to activate the operation mode for the second user device and a second prompt to activate the operation mode for the third user device, wherein the processor is configured to accept user input to activate the operation mode at the second user device by accepting user input for the second user device without accepting user input for the third user device, and wherein the processor is configured to transmit the notification by transmitting the notification requesting activation of the operation mode for the second user device without requesting activation of the operation mode for the third communication device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The first user device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive information regarding the second user device and the third user device from the control server before providing the prompt including the first prompt for the second user device and the second prompt for the third user device; and provide the prompt including the first prompt and the second prompt by providing the first and second prompts responsive to receiving the information regarding the second and third user devices. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The first user device of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to transmit the notification by transmitting the notification to the control server as part of a synchronization service. ### Claim 10 A method of operating a control server that provides service for a user device group that includes a first user device and a second user device sharing a same service identifier for a communication service, wherein the first user device and the second user device are remote from the control server, the method comprising: receiving a first notification from the first user device regarding activation of an operation mode at the first user device; and responsive to receiving the first notification from the first user device, transmitting a second notification to the second user device regarding activation of the operation mode for the second user device; and wherein the user device group includes the first user device, the second user device, and a third user device all sharing the service identifier for the communication service, wherein the first notification indicates activation of the operation mode for the second user device without requesting activation of the operation mode for the third communication device, and wherein the processor is configured to transmit the second notification by transmitting the second notification to the second user device without transmitting a notification to the third user device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the operation mode is a silent operation mode to one or more of: disable audible alerts for the first user device; enable a do not disturb mode for the first user device; and de-register the first user device from an Internet Protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem core. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: responsive to receiving the first notification, transmitting a third notification regarding activation of the operation mode at the third user device of the user device group. ### Claim 13 A control server configured to provide service for a user device group including a first user device and a second user device that share a same service identifier for a communication service, the control server comprising: a network interface configured to provide communications over a network; and a processor coupled with the network interface, wherein the processor is configured to transmit and receive communications over the network through the network interface, and wherein the processor is configured to: receive a first notification from the first user device regarding activation of an operation mode at the first user device; and transmit a second notification to the second user device regarding activation of the operation mode for the second user device, responsive to receiving the first notification from the first user device; and wherein the user device group includes the first user device, the second user device, and a third user device all sharing the service identifier for the communication service, wherein the first notification indicates activation of the operation mode for the second user device without requesting activation of the operation mode for the third communication device, and wherein the processor is configured to transmit the second notification by transmitting the second notification to the second user device without transmitting a notification to the third user device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The control server of claim 13, wherein the operation mode is a silent operation mode to one or more of: disable audible alerts for the first user device; enable a do not disturb mode for the first user device; and de-register the first user device from an Internet Protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem core. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The control server of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to: transmit a third notification regarding activation of the operation mode at the third user device of the user device group, responsive to receiving the first notification. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The control server of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to: transmit information regarding the second user device and the third user device to the first user device before receiving the first notification from the first user device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The control server of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to: receive the first notification by receiving the first notification from the first user device as part of a synchronization service for the user device group; and transmit the second notification by transmitting the second notification to the second user device as a part of the synchronization service for the user device group.