| 1. | Installation of magnetic switch (e. g. read relay or any other kind of contactless switch) whose task is to recognize if mobile communication device (into which switch is built in) is in carrying case/holder. Device supporting such function should have term "AutoCase Support"listed in its list of supported functions as name of that function. |
| 2. | Installation of e. g. magnet (or any other kind of contactless trigger for switch in claim 1.) into carrying case or any other kind of holder, to the position corresponding to position of switch in mobile communication device from claim 1. Magnet (or any other kind of contactless trigger for switch in claim 1.) serves to change state of magnetic switch (read relay or any other kind of contactless switch) built into mobile communication device. Case/holder supporting such function should have term"AutoCase Support"listed in its list of supported functions as name of that function. |
| 3. | Software upgrade inside mobile communication device in order to offer"AutoCase Vibes"menu whose function, when turned on, will be, according to claims 1. and 2. to recognize when mobile communication device is inside carrying case or holder. Depending on that fact, software will automatically switch vibrating incoming call alert on and ringing alert off when device is inside the case and software will automatically switch vibrating incoming call alert off and ringing alert on when device is removed from the carrying case. |
| 4. | Software upgrade inside mobile communication device in order to offer"AutoCase Ring Off'menu whose function, when turned on, will be, according to claims 1. and 2. to recognize when mobile communication device is inside carrying case or holder. Depending on that fact, software will cancel (silent) incoming call alert as soon as device is removed from the case, without answering or rejecting the call.. |
| 5. | Software upgrade inside mobile communication device in order to offer"AutoCase Answer"menu whose function, when turned on, will be, according to claims 1. and 2. to recognize when mobile communication device is removed from inside carrying case or holder during incoming call alert. As soon as mobile communication device is removed from carrying case during incoming call alert, incoming call will be answered automatically. AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 19 December 2001 (19.12.01) ; Claims 15 are replaced by amended claims 16 (1 page)] title : Automatic Switching Between Ring and Vibrations Call Alert for Mobile Phones 1. Mobile Phone software upgrade in order to offer family of menus menu whose function is to recognize when mobile phone is inside carrying case designed to be worn by user on e. g. belt. |
| 6. | 2 When corresponding menu is on, software will automatically switch vibrating incoming call alert on and ringing alert off when device is inside the case and software will automatically switch vibrating incoming call alert off and ringing alert on when mobile phone is removed from the carrying case. |
| 7. | 3 When corresponding menu is on, software will cancel (silent) incoming call alert (ringing and/or vibrations) as soon as device is removed from the case, without answering or rejecting the call. |
| 8. | 4 When corresponding menu is on, as soon as mobile phone is removed from carrying case during incoming call alert, incoming call will be answered automatically. |
| 9. | 5 By means of insertion or removal of mobile phone form such carrying case, corresponding user profile containing settings according to claim 2 to 4 can be turned on/off instead of changing single settings separately. |
| 10. | Method of recognition that the phone is inserted into it's carrying case designed to be worn by the user on a e. g. belt in claim 1 is magnet placed in carrying case which triggers correspondingly placed magnetic read relay inside mobile phone. |
Description Invention is related to all and any mobile communication devices with incoming call announcement with vibrations and/or acoustic alarm and which can be worn in carrying cases. Such devices include but are not limited to cellular phones, wireless phones, handheld stations and pagers.
Technical problem Problem of selection of enough discreet but always noticeable signaling of incoming call or message in mobile communication devices become noticeable with increase of users that do have e. g. cellular phone with vibration alert. While user carries his or her device in case attached to e. g. belt of pants, as a rule of thumb, vibration alarm is preferred due to its high level of discreetness and reliability. But, when user takes cell phone from case, incoming call alert stays on vibrations so if device is placed e. g. on table, one can not hear incoming call or message alert. Now, only solution is for a user to manually switch incoming call alert between ring and vibrations and vice-versa each time device is to be worn for some time in case on belt (preferred vibrations) and in opposite direction when phone will be outside case for some time-say when user comes to office or home and is not carrying phone in belt case anymore (ring alarm preferred). Second part of discreetness of the incoming call alert problem is that phone continues to ring until user accepts or rejects incoming call. Since most users first like to check name or number of calling party for identifying purposes, device continues to ring unnecessary during this process without regard that user has obviously recognized there is an incoming call, even in situations when loud ringing is not desirable.
Present technical situation Most mobile communication devices today offer ringing and vibrations alarm of incoming call or message. There is obvious trend for new devices to have vibration alarm included in all, even basic models. For now, only possibility is to switch from vibrations to ringing alarm manually when needed-no matter how many times in a day user must perform such an operation. Incoming call alert cancellation (without answering and rejecting call) is possible only on very few mobile communication devices at the market, but even then only manual alert cancellation is available. To the typical users both functions often are not visible solution for the problem so most users are not able to find it when they need it, to remember it and to apply it. Unpleasant results of present situation include: while it is outside belt case, device often remains set to vibrations incoming alert so user can not hear incoming call alert,
or user does not activate vibrations alert every time when he or she carries device in carrying case, or device sounds ringing alert too and unnecessary long. All aforementioned unpleasant results can embarrass user in certain situations. Since carrying cases are often sold together with mobile communication devices and for most devices they can be bought as an option, and due to fact that most users carry their mobile communication devices in carrying cases, these facts could be easily connected to create simple solution for such problems: automatic activation of vibrations incoming call alert while device is in carrying case and automatic activation of ringing incoming call alert while device is outside carrying case. Same principle can be used for automatic cancellation of incoming call signal, whether by vibrations or by ringing, as soon as device is taken out from carrying case during incoming call alert.
Principle of invention Primary target is to enable automatic differentiation whether mobile communication device (e. g. cell phone) is inserted to carrying case or not.
Secondary target is to add software to the mobile communication device menu system so that the user can activate"AutoCase Vibes"function that will automatically activate vibrations incoming call alert while device is in"AutoCase"equipped carrying case/holder and automatically activate ringing incoming call alert while device is outside it.
Third target is to add software to the mobile communication device menu system so that the user can activate"AutoCase Ring Off'function that will automatically cancel incoming call alert as soon as device is extracted from carrying case, irrespectively if ringing or vibrations alert was active. Incoming call will be neither answered nor rejected by this function.
Additional possibility of this innovation is to implement in software (menu system) "AutoCase Answer"function so that incoming call is answered as soon as device is removed from carrying case if user desires so.
Basis of the invention is modification of mobile communication device electronics and carrying case. To the motherboard inside device it is needed to add e. g. read relay (electromagnetic switch that the outside magnet changes state). Into carrying case or any other kind of external holder, to the corresponding place in regards to position of read relay in device (e. g. cell phone), e. g. magnet for triggering e. g. read relay is built in.
Detailed description of at least one way for realization of this invention Installation into mobile communication device.
Best place for installation of contactless switch into device is on left/right narrow edges of device's motherboard, or on top/bottom, in each case immediately next to the outside housing. In practice, solution will be adapted to the shape of device, motherboard inside device and planned types of carrying cases/holders. Read relay as switch is used now in
mobile communication devices often, especially in cell phones that have active flap (which can be used to answer and/or end calls). Therefore installation is extremely inexpensive and simple.
Installation into carrying case or any other holder for carrying mobile communication device Into carrying case inexpensive magnet must be installed. Place for installation of magnet into case depends on shape of mobile device and on planned fitting (way of inserting) of device into case/holder. Place of installation of the magnet must precisely be synchronized with place of read relay as it is built into mobile device so that when mobile device is inserted into carrying case/holder, magnet built into case is directly in alignment with read relay built into mobile device and in correct range so that it can change state of read relay. Largest distance between magnet and read relay in any directions should be within 4 mm.
Cheaper version is to place only one magnet into case/holder and design case/holder in such a way that mobile device can be inserted only in one way so that read relay and magnet in case are correctly aligned. Comfortable version of building magnet in, requires two magnets built into opposite sides of case when case can be designed in such a way that device can be inserted differently, e. g. facing front or back.
Software support Software support consists of changes in menu system of mobile communication device in such a way that it will include one to three new menus:"AutoCase Vibes","AutoCase Ring Off"and"AutoCase Answer". Source code needed to enable aforementioned menu functions is dependant on operating system that particular device uses. All that is important is that these functions are available and supported, since they are substance of this invention.
Software support for"AutoCase Vibes"is tracking read relay state. Following is for situation when this menu is activated (On, Engaged). When read relay signalizes that mobile device is outside"AutoCase"case/holder, ringing incoming call alert is activated and vibrations alarm is deactivated automatically. When read relay changes its state, demonstrating that mobile device is inserted into"AutoCase"carrying case or holder, vibrations incoming call alert is activated and ringing alert is deactivated. If menu is not activated (it is set to Off) or device is not inserted in"AutoCase"case/holder, menu provides no functionality.
Software support for"AutoCase Ring Off'is tracking read relay state during active incoming call alert (vibrations or ringing alarm, whatsoever). Following is for situation when this menu is activated (On, Engaged). When during incoming call alert, read relay signalizes that mobile device is removed from"AutoCase"case/holder, incoming call alert (vibrations or ringing alarm, whatsoever) is canceled automatically. If menu is not activated (it is set to Off) or device is not inserted in"AutoCase"case/holder, menu provides no functionality.
Software support for"AutoCase Answer"is tracking read relay state during active incoming call alert (vibrations or ringing alarm, whatsoever). Following is for situation when this menu is activated (On, Engaged). When during incoming call alert, read relay signalizes that mobile device is removed from"AutoCase"case/holder, incoming call is answered automatically. If menu is not activated (it is set to Off) or device is not inserted in "AutoCase"case/holder, menu provides no functionality.
Application of invention With this invention applied, users of mobile communication devices will be able to always have automatically selected most discreet or most desirable incoming call alert signal with simple insertion or removal of device into/from"AutoCase"case/holder. While device is in carrying case/holder typically it will be set to vibrations incoming call alert and when device is outside case/holder, it will be set to ringing call alert-"AutoCase Vibes". Also, incoming call alert (vibrations or ringing) can be automatically canceled (silenced) as soon as during incoming call device is removed from AutoCase case/holder.-"AutoCase Ring Off". That way user will not disturb its surroundings more than absolutely necessary nor will device continue to sound alert where and when inappropriate. Previous function can be replaced with automatic answer to incoming call when device is removed from case/holder- "AutoCase Answer". Invention is applicable with very low costs to all mobile communications devices that do offer incoming call alert with vibrations and/or ringing and which can be worn in carrying cases or any other kinds of holders, such as: cell phones, home/office wireless phones, pagers or portable radio-stations.
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