Abstract:
According to embodiments described in the specification, a method and apparatus for managing message notifications in a portable electronic device including a thermal notifier output device. The method comprises receiving a message at the portable electronic device; determining a notification setting responsive to receiving the message; and generating a thermal notification signal at the thermal notifier output device according to the determined notification setting. The thermal notification signal provides non-visual identification of an originator of the received message.

Description:
FIELD 
     The specification relates generally to message notifications, and specifically to a method and apparatus for managing message notifications in a portable electronic device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     As the use of hand-held communication devices such as smart telephones and cellular telephones continues to grow, so too does the potential for disruptive notifications from such devices. For example, a ring tone sounding during a meeting or conversation is disruptive to all those involved in the meeting or conversation. Under various prior art approaches, ring tones may be replaced by vibration alerts to reduce the likelihood of a call notification being disruptive. Vibration alerts, however, may not help to identify the source of the incoming call or other communication. Such identification may still disadvantageously require a visual inspection of the device, which can be inconvenient and embarrassing, and may in fact be impossible, for example in the case of a visually impaired user. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments are described with reference to the following figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a schematic representation of a portable electronic device, according to a non-limiting embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a schematic representation of the reverse side of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 1 , according to a non-limiting embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  depicts a schematic block diagram showing various internal components of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 1 , according to a non-limiting embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  depicts a method for managing message notifications in the portable electronic device of  FIG. 1 , according to a non-limiting embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  depicts a schematic representation of a contacts database maintained at the portable electronic device of  FIG. 1 , according to a non-limiting embodiment; and 
         FIG. 6  depicts a schematic representation of a notification setting maintained at the portable electronic device of  FIG. 1 , according to a non-limiting embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a schematic representation of a computing device in the form of a portable electronic device is indicated generally at  20 . In the present embodiment, portable electronic device  20  is based on the computing environment and functionality of a hand-held wireless communication device. It will be understood, however, that portable electronic device  20  is not limited to a hand-held wireless communication device. Various electronic devices are possible, such as cellular telephones, smart telephones, and laptop computers. Referring again to  FIG. 1 , portable electronic device  20  includes a housing  22 , a plurality of output devices and a plurality of input devices. Housing  22  is constructed of a suitable material, as will occur to those skilled in the art. In a present embodiment, the output devices of portable electronic device  20  include a display  24  framed by housing  22 . Display  24  may be, for example, an LCD display, and may also be combined with or implemented as a touch screen. Portable electronic device  20  also includes a further output device in the form of a speaker  26 . In a present embodiment, the input devices of portable electronic device  20  include a pointing device  28  in the form of a trackball. It will be understood that in some embodiments, pointing device  28  may also comprise a touch screen integrated with display  24 . The input devices of portable electronic device  20  can also include a keypad  30 , a microphone  32  and an exit key  34  (which can be depressed in the direction of arrow “A”). 
     With reference now to  FIG. 2 , a schematic representation of the reverse side of portable electronic device  20  as shown in  FIG. 1  is depicted. In addition to exit key  34  and other input and output devices as described above, portable electronic device  20  includes a further output device in the form of a thermal notifier  36 . Thermal notifier  36  provides non-visual identification of an originator of a message received at portable electronic device  20 , as will be described in further detail below. 
     In a present embodiment, a surface of thermal notifier  36  is substantially flush with an exterior surface  38  of the reverse side of housing  22  of portable electronic device  20 . Thermal notifier  36  thus occupies a portion of the external surface of portable electronic device  20 . Thermal notifier  36  can be a strip of thermally conductive material, as will occur to those skilled in the art. In other embodiments (not shown), the size and placement of thermal identifier  36  may be varied, and multiple thermal identifiers  36  may be provided. As will be described in further detail below, in a present embodiment the temperature of thermal notifier  36  can be biased above ambient temperature to generate a “Hot” thermal notification signal and below ambient temperature to generate a “Cold” thermal notification signal. In the absence of bias, the temperature of thermal notifier  36  remains substantially equal to ambient temperature, and a “Neutral” thermal notification signal is generated. It will be appreciated that the “Neutral” thermal notification signal is equivalent to the absence of a thermal notification signal. If a bias is applied and then removed, the temperature of thermal notifier  36  returns from a hotter-than-ambient or colder-than-ambient temperature to substantially ambient temperature. 
     It will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that various bias mechanisms may be used to bias the temperature of thermal notifier  36  in order to generate the above “Hot,” and “Cold” thermal notification signals. For example, in some embodiments exothermic and endothermic chemical reactions can be used. Exothermic reactions can conduct heat to thermal notifier  36 , thereby increasing the temperature of thermal notifier  36 . Endothermic reactions can draw heat from thermal notifier  36 , thereby decreasing the temperature of thermal notifier  36 . In such embodiments, removeable cartridges (not shown) containing necessary reagents for the above-mentioned reactions may be provided within housing  22  of portable electronic device  20 . In a present embodiment, the temperature of thermal notifier  36  is biased as described above by way of resistive heating and thermoelectric cooling. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a schematic block diagram shows portable electronic device  20  in greater detail. It will be understood that the structure in  FIG. 3  is purely exemplary, and contemplates a device that may be used for both wireless voice (e.g. telephony) and wireless data (e.g. email, web browsing, text) communications. Portable electronic device  20  includes input devices such as pointing device  28 , keypad  30  and microphone  32 . Other input devices, such as a camera lens and associated image sensor (not shown), are also contemplated. Portable electronic device  20  is based on a microcomputer that includes a processor  40 . Input from pointing device  28 , keypad  30  and microphone  32  can be received at processor  40 . Processor  40 , in turn, communicates with a non-volatile storage unit  42  (e.g. read only memory (“ROM”), Electrically Eraseable Programmable Read Only Memory (“EEPROM”), flash memory) and a volatile storage unit  44  (e.g. Random Access Memory (“RAM”)). Processor  40  also communicates with output devices such as display  24 , speaker  26  and thermal notifier  36 , and can thus cause the output devices to provide various output signals. 
     Portable electronic device  20  also includes a network interface such as a radio  48  communicating with processor  40 . Radio  48  provides wireless communication capabilities to portable electronic device  20  by way of a wireless link  50  connecting portable electronic device  20  to a network  52 . Link  50  between portable electronic device  20  and network  52  may be based in a present embodiment on core mobile network infrastructure (e.g. Global System for Mobile communications (“GSM”); Code Division Multiple Access (“CDMA”); CDMA 2000; 3G; 4G). Link  50  may also be based on wireless local area network (“WLAN”) infrastructures such as the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (“IEEE”) 802.11 Standard (and its variants), Bluetooth or the like, or hybrids thereof. Note that in an exemplary variation of portable electronic device  20 , link  50  may also be a wired connection and radio  48  may be a network interface capable of receiving and communicating over the wired connection. 
     Programming instructions that implement the functional teachings of portable electronic device  20  as described herein are typically maintained in a computer readable storage medium such as non-volatile storage unit  42 . The programming instructions are used by processor  40 , which makes appropriate utilization of volatile storage unit  44  during the execution of such programming instructions. Non-volatile storage unit  42  persistently maintains a contacts database  54 , a messaging application  56  and a profile application  58 . Messaging application  56  and profile application  58  can be executed on processor  40 , making use of non-volatile storage unit  42  and volatile storage unit  44  as appropriate. It will be understood that either or both of messaging application  56  and profile application  58  may be integrated with other applications that will occur to those skilled in the art according to the desired configuration and functioning of portable electronic device  20 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a flowchart is provided depicted a method, indicated generally at  400 , for managing message notifications in a portable electronic device. Method  400  will be described in conjunction with its exemplary performance on portable electronic device  20 , but it will be understood that portable electronic device  20  and method  400  may both be varied and that those variations are within the scope of the present teachings. 
     Method  400  begins at block  410  with the receipt of a message at portable electronic device  20 . A message as used herein may be any of a variety of communications. For example, in a present embodiment, the message may be an incoming voice call. In other embodiments, the message may be a text message, an email or the like. It will now be apparent that message application  56 , in other embodiments, can be replaced by multiple applications, each directed to the processing of different types of communications. Continuing with the present exemplary performance of method  400 , processor  40  of portable electronic device  20  is configured, via execution of message application  56 , to communicate with radio  48  to receive the message at block  410  from network  52  (via link  50 ). 
     In a present embodiment, block  410  of method  400  also includes the receipt of an originator identifier for the message. The originator identifier, in a present embodiment, is a telephone number of an entity from which the received message originated. It will now be apparent that other originator identifiers are also suitable. The received originator identifier can be used, as will be described in further detail below, to search contacts database  54 . For the present exemplary performance of method  400 , the originator identifier received at block  410  is “555-5552.” 
     An exemplary contacts database  54  is shown in  FIG. 5 . Contacts database  54  contains information relating to various people and/or entities. It will be understood that the columns of contacts database  54  shown in  FIG. 5  are purely exemplary, and that other configurations of contacts database  54  may also occur to those skilled in the art. Of particular note, contacts database  54  includes a “Phone #” column and a “Group” column. The “Phone #” column contains an originator identifier in the form of a telephone number for each contact. It will be noted that the “Email” column contains another type of originator identifier in the form of an email address. The “Group” column contains an indication of which group of contacts a given contact falls into. For example, the contact named “Alice” has been placed within the “Work” group. The contact named “Ace” has been placed within the “Work VIP” group. This can indicate that messages received from Ace are of a different priority than messages received from Alice. It will now be apparent that many configurations exist for contacts database  54  and that many combinations of groups may be used to organize contacts within contacts database  54 . In other embodiments (not shown), the “Group” column may be omitted from contacts database  54  and instead stored in portable electronic device  20  as a separate database. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 4 , method  400  continues at block  415 . At block  415 , a notification setting is determined in response to the receipt of a message and originator identifier at block  410 . At block  415 , processor  40  is configured, via execution of profile application  58 , to determine a currently active notification setting for the message received at block  410 . Profile application  58  can maintain a plurality of notification settings, any one of which may be the active notification setting at a given time. An exemplary notification setting is represented schematically in  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 6  shows a “Meeting” notification setting maintained at portable electronic device  20  by profile application  58 . The “Meeting” notification setting includes an indication that the audible “Ring” notification signal generated, for example, by speaker  26  of portable electronic device  20 , is “Off” (disabled). The “Meeting” notification setting further includes an indication that the “Vibration” notification signal is “On” (enabled). Of particular note, the notification setting contains indications of various thermal notification signals to be generated by thermal notifier  36 . In a present embodiment as depicted in  FIG. 6 , the “Hot” thermal notification signal is indicated for messages received from contacts associated with the “Work” group. Similarly, the “Cold” thermal notification signal is indicated for messages received from contacts associated with the “Work VIP” group, and the “Neutral” thermal notification signal is indicated for all other contacts (that is, contacts belonging to other groups or belonging to no group). As noted above, the “Neutral” indication may instead be replaced with an “Off” or “Not Applicable” indication, as the “Neutral” thermal notification signal in fact represents a lack of thermal notification signal. 
     It will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that many variations may be made to the notification settings of profile application  58 . For example, additional settings (such as ring volume and ring tone, as well as vibration frequency and length) may be included in each notification setting. Further, the indicated thermal notification signal may be varied. For example, an indication may be provided for contacts belonging to no groups but appearing in contact database  54 , while a separate indication may be provided for contacts not appearing in contact database  54 . These and other variations are within the scope of the present teachings. 
     Returning to  FIG. 4 , for the present exemplary performance of method  400 , the “Meeting” notification setting is the active notification setting. Thus, at block  415  of method  400 , processor  40  of portable electronic device is configured, via execution of profile application  58 , to determine the “Meeting” notification setting. 
     Method  400  continues with the performance of block  420 . At block  420 , a thermal notification signal is generated at thermal notifier  36  according to the notification setting determined at block  415  and the originator identifier received at block  410 . Processor  40  of portable electronic device  20  is configured to search contacts database  54 , via execution of messaging application  56 , for entries matching the originator identifier received at block  410 . As seen in  FIG. 5 , the originator identifier “555-5552” received at block  410  matches the second entry of contacts database  54 , corresponding to the contact named “Ace.” It will be noted that the contact “Ace” is assigned to the group “Work VIP.” Processor  40  or portable electronic device  20  is therefore configured to cause thermal notifier  36  to generate a thermal notification signal corresponding to the thermal notification signal associated with the “Work VIP” group in the active notification setting (the “Meeting” notification setting). Thus, in the present exemplary performance of method  400 , processor  40  causes thermal notifier  36  to generate the “Cold” thermal notification signal in response to the message received at block  410 . 
     In order to generate the “Cold” thermal notification signal, processor  40  of portable electronic device  20  is configured to apply a bias to reduce the temperature of at least a portion of thermal notifier  36  below ambient temperature. It will now be appreciated that in other performances of method  400 , processor  40  may instead cause the temperature of at least a portion of thermal notifier  36  to increase (corresponding to the “Hot” thermal notification signal), or to remain substantially unchanged (corresponding to the “Neutral,” or lack of, thermal notification signal). It will also be appreciated that the terms “increase” and “decrease” used above are merely for explanatory purposes. The various thermal notification signals may be associated with specific temperatures, or may be associated with increments above or below current ambient temperature. In some embodiments (not shown), portable electronic device  20  can thus include an additional input device in the form of a temperature sensor to determine the ambient temperature. 
     In a present embodiment, the thermal notification signal generated at block  420  of method  400  is maintained for a predetermined amount of time, after which the temperature of thermal notifier  36  returns substantially to ambient temperature. In other embodiments (not shown), the predetermined amount of time may be set for each notification setting maintained by profile application  58 . 
     Although the embodiments described herein provide “Hot” and “Cold” thermal notification signals, it will now be apparent that additional thermal notification signals may also be provided and generated at thermal notifier  36 . Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that there are yet more alternative implementations and modifications possible for implementing the embodiments, and that the above implementations and examples are only illustrations of one or more embodiments. The scope, therefore, is only to be limited by the claims appended hereto.