US 2018/0020424 A1 · SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING MOBILE DEVICE ALERTS BASED ON USER ACTIVITY

Abstract

A system and method for managing alerts of a mobile communications device is provided. The system includes the device, a processor, and a sensor for monitoring activity of a user and generating sensor data indicative of the activity. The processor is configured for processing the sensor data to determine a current activity of the user; detecting an alert corresponding to an incoming communication; classifying the alert as being immediate or deferred based at least in part on the current activity. If the alert is immediate, the processor is configured to announce the alert without delay; otherwise, the processor is configured to announce the alert after a delay. The delay can terminate when a holdback timer expires or the current activity changes to an activity that indicates that the user can be notified.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A method for managing alerts of a mobile communications device, the method comprising:

a) using a sensor to monitor activity of a user of the mobile communications device and generate sensor data indicative of the activity;
b) processing the sensor data to determine a current activity of the user, the current activity being indicative of whether the user can be notified;
c) detecting an alert corresponding to an incoming communication from a wireless network to the mobile communications device;
d) classifying the alert as being immediate or deferred based at least in part on the current activity;
and
e) if the alert is immediate, announcing the alert without delay;
f) otherwise, announcing the alert after a delay, the delay terminating when at least one of a holdback timer expires and the current activity changes to an activity that indicates that the user can be notified, the announcing the alert after the delay comprising:
i. determining whether the holdback timer is in progress;
ii. if the holdback timer is not in progress, initializing the holdback timer based upon the current activity;
iii. storing, in memory, the alert as a pending alert with a corresponding announcement indicator indicating that the alert has not been announced;
iv. detecting that the delay has terminated;
and
v. announcing one or more pending alerts stored in the memory.

10 more elements

A method for managing alerts of a mobile communications device, the method comprising:

a) using a sensor to monitor activity of a user of the mobile communications device and generate sensor data indicative of the activity;
b) processing the sensor data to determine a current activity of the user, the current activity being indicative of whether the user can be notified;
c) detecting an alert corresponding to an incoming communication from a wireless network to the mobile communications device;
d) classifying the alert as being immediate or deferred based at least in part on the current activity;
and
e) if the alert is immediate, announcing the alert without delay;
f) otherwise, announcing the alert after a delay, the delay terminating when at least one of a holdback timer expires and the current activity changes to an activity that indicates that the user can be notified,
g) wherein the classifying the alert as being immediate or deferred based at least in part on the current activity further comprises:
i. determining whether the incoming communication is urgent or not urgent;
and
ii. if the incoming communication is urgent, classifying the alert as being immediate irrespective of the current activity;
iii. if the incoming communication is not urgent and the current activity indicates that the user can be notified, classifying the alert as being immediate;
iv. otherwise, classifying the alert as being deferred;
and
h) wherein the determining whether the incoming communication is urgent or not urgent comprises:
i. determining an originating phone number from which the incoming communication originates;
ii. accessing a database to determine whether the originating phone number corresponds an urgent originating phone number;
and
iii. if the originating phone number corresponds to an urgent originating phone number, determining that the incoming communication is urgent;
iv. otherwise, determining that the incoming communication is not urgent.

17 more elements

A method for managing alerts of a mobile communications device, the method comprising:

a) using a sensor to monitor activity of a user of the mobile communications device and generate sensor data indicative of the activity;
b) processing the sensor data to determine a current activity of the user, the current activity being indicative of whether the user can be notified;
c) detecting an alert corresponding to an incoming communication from a wireless network to the mobile communications device;
d) classifying the alert as being immediate or deferred based at least in part on the current activity;
and
e) if the alert is immediate, announcing the alert without delay;
f) otherwise, announcing the alert after a delay, the delay terminating when at least one of a holdback timer expires and the current activity changes to an activity that indicates that the user can be notified,
g) wherein the classifying the alert as being immediate or deferred based at least in part on the current activity further comprises:
i. determining whether the incoming communication is urgent or not urgent;
and
ii. if the incoming communication is urgent, classifying the alert as being immediate irrespective of the current activity;
iii. if the incoming communication is not urgent and the current activity indicates that the user can be notified, classifying the alert as being immediate;
iv. otherwise, classifying the alert as being deferred;
and
h) wherein the determining whether the incoming communication is urgent or not urgent comprises:
i. determining an originating phone number from which the incoming communication originates;
ii. accessing a database to determine whether the originating phone number corresponds to an originating phone number for the one or more pending alerts;
and
iii. if the originating phone number corresponds to an originating phone number for the one or more pending alerts:
A. determining a total of the one or more pending alerts and the incoming communication having a same originating phone number;
and
B. if the total exceeds a threshold number, determining that the incoming communication is urgent;
C. otherwise, determining that the incoming communication is not urgent;
iv. otherwise, determining that the incoming communication is not urgent.

21 more elements

A system for managing alerts of a mobile communications device, the system comprising:

a) a mobile communications device, the mobile communications device comprising a wireless communication subsystem for communicating over a wireless network;
b) a sensor for monitoring activity of a user of the mobile communications device and generating sensor data indicative of the activity;
and
c) a processor configured for:
i. processing the sensor data to determine a current activity of the user, the current activity being indicative of whether the user can be notified;
ii. detecting an alert corresponding to an incoming communication from a wireless network to the mobile communications device;
iii. classifying the alert as being immediate or deferred based at least in part on the current activity;
and
iv. if the alert is immediate, announcing the alert without delay;
v. otherwise, announcing the alert after a delay, the delay terminating when at least one of a holdback timer expires and the current activity changes to an activity that indicates that the user can be notified,
d) wherein the announcing the alert after a delay comprises:
i. determining whether the holdback timer is in progress;
ii. if the holdback timer is not in progress, initializing the holdback timer based upon the current activity;
iii. storing, in memory, the alert as a pending alert with a corresponding announcement indicator indicating that the alert has not been announced;
iv. detecting that the delay has terminated;
and
v. announcing one or more pending alerts stored in the memory.

14 more elements

A system for managing alerts of a mobile communications device, the system comprising:

a) a mobile communications device, the mobile communications device comprising a wireless communication subsystem for communicating over a wireless network;
b) a sensor for monitoring activity of a user of the mobile communications device and generating sensor data indicative of the activity;
and
c) a processor configured for:
i. processing the sensor data to determine a current activity of the user, the current activity being indicative of whether the user can be notified;
ii. detecting an alert corresponding to an incoming communication from a wireless network to the mobile communications device;
iii. classifying the alert as being immediate or deferred based at least in part on the current activity;
and
iv. if the alert is immediate, announcing the alert without delay;
v. otherwise, announcing the alert after a delay, the delay terminating when at least one of a holdback timer expires and the current activity changes to an activity that indicates that the user can be notified,
d) wherein the classifying the alert as being immediate or deferred based at least in part on the current activity further comprises:
i. determining whether the incoming communication is urgent or not urgent;
and
ii. if the incoming communication is urgent, classifying the alert as being immediate irrespective of the current activity;
iii. if the incoming communication is not urgent and the current activity indicates that the user can be notified, classifying the alert as being immediate;
iv. otherwise, classifying the alert as being deferred;
and
e) wherein the determining whether the incoming communication is urgent or not urgent comprises:
i. determining an originating phone number from which the incoming communication originates;
ii. accessing a database to determine whether the originating phone number corresponds an urgent originating phone number;
and
iii. if the originating phone number corresponds to an urgent originating phone number, determining that the incoming communication is urgent;
iv. otherwise, determining that the incoming communication is not urgent.

20 more elements

A system for managing alerts of a mobile communications device, the system comprising:

a) a mobile communications device, the mobile communications device comprising a wireless communication subsystem for communicating over a wireless network;
b) a sensor for monitoring activity of a user of the mobile communications device and generating sensor data indicative of the activity;
and
c) a processor configured for:
i. processing the sensor data to determine a current activity of the user, the current activity being indicative of whether the user can be notified;
ii. detecting an alert corresponding to an incoming communication from a wireless network to the mobile communications device;
iii. classifying the alert as being immediate or deferred based at least in part on the current activity;
and
iv. if the alert is immediate, announcing the alert without delay;
v. otherwise, announcing the alert after a delay, the delay terminating when at least one of a holdback timer expires and the current activity changes to an activity that indicates that the user can be notified,
d) wherein the classifying the alert as being immediate or deferred based at least in part on the current activity further comprises:
i. determining whether the incoming communication is urgent or not urgent;
and
ii. if the incoming communication is urgent, classifying the alert as being immediate irrespective of the current activity;
iii. if the incoming communication is not urgent and the current activity indicates that the user can be notified, classifying the alert as being immediate;
iv. otherwise, classifying the alert as being deferred;
and
e) wherein the determining whether the incoming communication is urgent or not urgent comprises:
i. determining an originating phone number from which the incoming communication originates;
ii. accessing a database to determine whether the originating phone number corresponds to an originating phone number for the one or more pending alerts;
and
iii. if the originating phone number corresponds to an originating phone number for the one or more pending alerts:
A. determining a total of the one or more pending alerts and the incoming communication having a same originating phone number;
and
B. if the total exceeds a threshold number, determining that the incoming communication is urgent;
C. otherwise, determining that the incoming communication is not urgent;
iv. otherwise, determining that the incoming communication is not urgent.

24 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for managing mobile device alerts based on user activity

Life of this patent

System and method for managing mobile device alerts based on user activity

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27