Automatic switching of modes and mode control capabilities on a wireless communication device

A wireless communication device, comprising:

• a radio frequency transceiver;
• and
• a processor coupled to the radio frequency transceiver and configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
• receiving signals from a wireless identity transmitter, wherein receiving signals from the wireless identity transmitter indicates that the wireless identity transmitter is within a defined proximity of the wireless communication device;
• receiving a notification of a geofence event that identifies a location of the wireless communication device;
• determining a first operating mode by applying the location of the wireless communication device to the wireless identity transmitter;
• identifying a set of operating characteristics associated with the first operating mode;
• switching operation of the wireless communication device into the first operating mode by implementing the identified set of operating characteristics on the wireless communication device
• determining whether the first operating mode is associated with at least one mode control capability, wherein each mode control capability comprises a setting that defines a level of user control for selecting a mode other than the first operating mode;
• and
• determining whether to switch to a new mode control capability in response to determining that the first operating mode is associated with at least one mode control capability.

A wireless communication device, comprising:

• means for receiving signals from a wireless identity transmitter, wherein receiving signals from the wireless identity transmitter indicates that the wireless identity transmitter is within a defined proximity of the wireless communication device;
• means for receiving a notification of a geofence event that identifies a location of the wireless communication device;
• means for determining a first operating mode by applying the location of the wireless communication device to the wireless identity transmitter;
• means for identifying a set of operating characteristics associated with the first operating mode;
• means for switching operation of the wireless communication device into the first operating mode by implementing the identified set of operating characteristics on the wireless communication device;
• means for determining whether the first operating mode is associated with at least one mode control capability, wherein each mode control capability comprises a setting that defines a level of user control for selecting a mode other than the first operating mode;
• and
• means for determining whether to switch to a new mode control capability in response to determining that the first operating mode is associated with at least one mode control capability.

A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor of a wireless communication device to perform operations comprising:

• receiving signals from a wireless identity transmitter, wherein receiving the signals from the wireless identity transmitter indicates that the wireless identity transmitter is within a defined proximity of the wireless communication device;
• receiving a notification of a geofence event that identifies a location of the wireless communication device;
• determining a first operating mode by applying the location of the wireless communication device to the wireless identity transmitter;
• identifying a set of operating characteristics associated with the first operating mode;
• switching operation of the wireless communication device into the first operating mode by implementing the associated set of operating characteristics on the wireless communication device;
• determining whether the first operating mode is associated with at least one mode control capability, wherein each mode control capability comprises a setting that defines a level of user control for selecting a mode other than the first operating mode;
• and
• determining whether to switch to a new mode control capability in response to determining that the first operating mode is associated with at least one mode control capability.