Abstract:
A cell phone having a normal notification mode and an enhanced silent notification mode. The phone includes a memory, a speaker, a touch screen and a processor. The memory stores contact information for a plurality of contacts including general contacts and emergency contacts. The contact information includes an emergency notification setting for incoming calls and an emergency notification setting for incoming text messages that are selectable by a user via the touch screen on a contact by contact basis. In the normal notification mode, incoming calls and incoming text messages from both the general contacts and the emergency contacts cause the speaker to generate sounds. In the enhanced silent notification mode, incoming calls and incoming text messages from the general contacts do not cause the speaker to generate sounds, but at least one of incoming calls and incoming text messages from the emergency contacts causes the speaker to generate sounds.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This is a continuation of co-pending application Ser. No. 15/048,282 filed Feb. 19, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,509,831, which issued Nov. 29, 2016 and is a continuation of application Ser. No. 14/589,984 filed Jan. 5, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,300,786, which issued Mar. 29, 2016 and is a continuation of application Ser. No. 13/892,877 filed May 13, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,929,875, which issued Jan. 6, 2015. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates, in general, to wireless communications devices and, in particular, to a wireless communications device having an audible notification mode and an enhanced silent notification mode. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Wireless communications devices are used to access a variety of services and participate in various communications events. For example, these communications may include incoming and outgoing telephone calls, incoming and outgoing text messages, incoming and outgoing SMS messages, incoming and outgoing MMS messages, incoming and outgoing e-mails, WAP sessions and the like. More generally, these communications may include any form of communication between the user of a wireless communications device and at least one correspondent. 
         [0004]    Commonly, wireless communications devices host a personal information manager (PIM) software application. The PIM software application is a computer program which allows a user to maintain and organize various types of personal information. PIM software applications often incorporate or communicate with a contacts database for storing and organizing contact information. The contacts database, which may be referred to as a contact manager or address book, typically contains one record or profile for each personal or business contact whose information is being maintained. Each profile may have such data fields as first name, last name, company name, department, address, city, state, country, zip code, email address and multiple telephone numbers such as home, work, mobile and facsimile. In addition, each profile may include other user selectable preferences such as ringtones for incoming telephone calls and text tones for incoming text, SMS or MMS messages. 
         [0005]    It has been found, however, that the constant ringing, beeping and chirping of wireless communications devices at night can be disruptive to the sleep patterns of wireless communications device users. Accordingly, many wireless communications device users turn off their wireless communications device or shift their wireless communications device from an audible notification mode to a silent notification mode. It has been found, however, that certain important or emergency messages may not be obtained timely when a wireless communications device is in silent notification mode. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The present disclosure is directed a wireless communications device having contact specific silent mode disabling capabilities that enable a user to place the wireless communications device in silent mode while still receiving notifications for important or emergency messages from individually selected contacts. 
         [0007]    In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a wireless communications device. The wireless communications device includes a memory, an output device, an input device and a processor. The memory is adapted to maintain individual profiles relating to each of a plurality of user contacts. The profiles include a silent notification mode setting. The output device is operable to emit audible notifications responsive to incoming communications from the user contacts. The input device is operable to change a notification mode of the device between an audible notification mode and a silent notification mode. The processor is coupled to the memory, the output device and the input device. The processor is operable for processing user selections of the silent notification mode setting between a silent mode enabled setting and a silent mode disenabled setting for the profiles. The processor is configured to cause the output device to emit audible notifications responsive to incoming communications from the user contacts, when the device is in the audible notification mode. The processor is configured to prevent the output device from emitting audible notifications responsive to incoming communications from the user contacts having profiles with the silent mode enabled, when the device is in the silent notification mode. The processor is configured to cause the output device to emit audible notifications responsive to incoming communications from the user contacts having profiles with the silent mode disabled, when the device is in the silent notification mode. 
         [0008]    In some embodiments, the silent notification mode setting may include a first silent notification mode setting for a first type of incoming communication and a second silent notification mode setting for a second type of incoming communication. In these embodiments, the first and second types of incoming communications may be incoming telephone calls, incoming text messages, incoming SMS messages, incoming MMS messages and incoming email messages. Also, in these embodiments, the processor may be configured to cause the output device to emit audible notifications responsive to incoming communications from the user contacts having profiles with the silent mode disabled for the type of incoming communication received, when the device is in the silent notification mode. In certain embodiments, the silent notification mode setting may be operated responsive to a soft switch. In one embodiment, the output device may be a speaker. In some embodiments, the input device may be a hard switch, a soft switch or a timer. In certain embodiments, the silent notification mode may include visual notifications, vibration notifications and no notifications. 
         [0009]    In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method of operating a wireless communications device. The method includes maintaining individual profiles relating to each of a plurality of user contacts, the profiles including a silent notification mode setting; processing user selections of the silent notification mode setting between a silent mode enabled setting and a silent mode disenabled setting for the profiles; emitting audible notifications responsive to incoming communications from the user contacts, when the device is in an audible notification mode; preventing audible notifications responsive to incoming communications from the user contacts having profiles with the silent mode enabled, when the device is in a silent notification mode; and emitting audible notifications responsive to incoming communications from the user contacts having profiles with the silent mode disabled, when the device is in the silent notification mode. 
         [0010]    The method may also include processing a user selection of a first silent notification mode setting for a first type of incoming communication and processing a user selection of a second silent notification mode setting for a second type of incoming communication; emitting audible notifications responsive to incoming communications from the user contacts having profiles with the silent mode disabled for the type of incoming communication received, when the device is in the silent notification mode; shifting a soft switch to enable user selection of the silent notification mode setting; emitting audible notifications from a speaker; and/or operating the device between the silent notification mode and the audible notification mode with an input device selected from the group consisting of a hard switch, a soft switch and a timer. 
         [0011]    In a further aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a set of computer instructions executable by a processor for operating a wireless communications device. The computer instructions are configured to maintain individual profiles relating to each of a plurality of user contacts, the profiles including a silent notification mode setting; process user selections of the silent notification mode setting between a silent mode enabled setting and a silent mode disenabled setting for the profiles; cause an output device to emit audible notifications responsive to incoming communications from the user contacts, when the device is in an audible notification mode; prevent the output device from emitting audible notifications responsive to incoming communications from the user contacts having profiles with the silent mode enabled, when the device is in a silent notification mode; and cause the output device to emit audible notifications responsive to incoming communications from the user contacts having profiles with the silent mode disabled, when the device is in the silent notification mode. 
         [0012]    Additional computer instructions may be configured to process a user selection of a first silent notification mode setting for a first type of incoming communication and process a user selection of a second silent notification mode setting for a second type of incoming communication; cause the output device to emit audible notifications responsive to incoming communications from the user contacts having profiles with the silent mode disabled for the type of incoming communication received, when the device is in the silent notification mode; and/or receive the user selection of the silent notification mode setting responsive to shifting a soft switch. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    For a more complete understanding of the features and advantages of the present disclosure, reference is now made to the detailed description along with the accompanying figures in which corresponding numerals in the different figures refer to corresponding parts and in which: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of an exemplary wireless communications device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0015]      FIGS. 2A-2C  are schematic diagrams of an exemplary touch screen display of a wireless communications device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure depicting various Notifications screens; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 3A-3C  are schematic diagrams of an exemplary touch screen display of a wireless communications device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure depicting various Contacts screens; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram illustrating a method of operating a wireless communications device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    While the making and using of various embodiments of the present disclosure are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present disclosure provides many applicable inventive concepts, which can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative and do not delimit the scope of the present disclosure. 
         [0019]    Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , therein is depicted a wireless communications device  10  such as a smartphone, a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a tablet computer or other similar computing device. Wireless communications device  10  includes a microprocessor  12  that controls the overall operation of device  10  and may also be referred to simply as a “processor.” Device  10  has a one or more input devices  14  such as an on/off switch, volume buttons, a home button, a touch screen, a keyboard and the like. In addition, device  10  includes a notification mode switch  16  in the form of a hard switch that is used to operate device  10  between an audible notification mode and a silent notification mode. In the illustrated embodiment, device  10  has other input/output devices including a set of auxiliary I/O devices  18 , a serial port  20 , a speaker  22  and a microphone  24 . Wireless communications device  10  includes a communications subsystem  26 , a short-range communications subsystem  28 , a display  30 , such as a touch screen display, memory devices including a flash memory  32  and a Random Access Memory (RAM)  34  as well as various other device subsystems  36 . Device  10  includes a battery  38  to power the active elements of device  10 . 
         [0020]    Operating system software executed by the microprocessor  12  may be stored in a persistent store, such as flash memory  32  or alternatively may be stored in other types of memory devices, such as a read only memory (ROM) or similar storage element. In addition, system software, specific device applications, or parts thereof, may be temporarily loaded into a volatile store, such as RAM  34 . Communication signals received by device  10  may also be stored to RAM  34 . 
         [0021]    Microprocessor  12 , in addition to performing its operating system functions, executes software applications (computer programs)  40 A- 40 N on device  10 . A predetermined set of applications that control basic device operations, such as voice and data communications modules  40 A and  40 B, may be installed on device  10  during manufacture. Voice communication module  40 A may incorporates a voice recognition engine. Also installed during or after manufacture is a personal information manager (PIM) application  40 C for storing and organizing personal information. The PIM application  40 C communicates with a contacts database  42  which may be incorporated into PIM application  40 C. Contacts database  42  is not necessarily a conventional database although it could be a conventional database in some embodiments. Also installed during or after manufacture is a silent notification mode (SNM) module  40 D that communicates with contacts database  42  to identify the silent notification mode setting in the profile of a user contact upon receipt of a communication messages from that user contact to determine whether speaker  22  should emit an audible notification responsive to the incoming communication when device  10  is in the silent notification mode. Additional software modules, illustrated as software modules  40 N, may also be installed during or after manufacture. 
         [0022]    Wireless communication device  10  may be a two-way RF communication device having voice and data communication capabilities. Communication functions, including data and voice communications, are performed by device  10  through communication subsystem  26  and possibly through short-range communications subsystem  28 . Communication subsystem  26  includes a receiver  44 , a transmitter  46  and one or more antennas  48 ,  50 . In addition, communication subsystem  26  includes a processing module, such as a digital signal processor (DSP)  52  and local oscillators (LOs)  54 . The specific design and implementation of communication subsystem  26  is dependent upon the communication network in which device  10  is intended to operate. For example, communication subsystem  26  of device  10  may be designed to operate with the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) mobile data communication networks and may also be designed to operate with any of a variety of voice communication networks, such as Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Personal Communication Services (PCS), Global System for Mobile communication (GSM), third generation (3G) wireless, Universal Mobile Telecommunications Standard (UMTS) and/or fourth generation (4G) wireless. Other types of data and voice networks, both separate and integrated, may also be utilized with device  10 . 
         [0023]    When any required network registration or activation procedures have been completed, wireless communications device  10  may send and receive communication signals over communication network  56 . Signals received from communication network  56  by antenna  48  are routed to receiver  44 , which provides for signal amplification, frequency down conversion, filtering, channel selection, etc., and may also provide analog-to-digital conversion. Analog-to-digital conversion of the received signal allows DSP  52  to perform more complex communication functions, such as demodulation and decoding. In a similar manner, signals to be transmitted to network  56  are processed (e.g. modulated and encoded) by DSP  52  and are then provided to transmitter  46  for digital-to-analog conversion, frequency up conversion, filtering, amplification and transmission to communication network  56  via antenna  50 . 
         [0024]    In a data communication mode, a received signal, such as a text message or web page download, is processed by communication subsystem  26  and is input to microprocessor  12 . The received signal is then further processed by microprocessor  12  for an output to display  30  or alternatively to some other auxiliary I/O devices  18 . A device user may also compose data items, such as email messages, using one of the input devices  14 , such as a soft or hard keyboard and/or some other auxiliary I/O device  18 . The composed data items may then be transmitted over communication network  56  via communication subsystem  26 . 
         [0025]    In a voice communication mode, overall operation of the device is substantially similar to the data communication mode, except that received signals are output to speaker  22  and signals for transmission are generated by microphone  24 . Alternative voice or audio I/O subsystems, such as a voice message recording subsystem, may also be implemented on device  10 . In addition, display  30  may be utilized in voice communication mode, for example, to display the identity of a calling party, the duration of a voice call or other voice call related information. 
         [0026]    Short-range communications subsystem  28  enables communication between device  10  and other proximate systems or devices, which need not necessarily be similar devices. For example, short-range communications subsystem  28  may include an infrared device and associated circuits and components or a Bluetooth communication module to provide for communication with similarly-enabled systems and devices. 
         [0027]    Referring next to  FIGS. 2A-2C , therein are depicted schematic diagrams of an exemplary touch screen display of a wireless communications device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure that is generally designated  100 . In the illustrated embodiment, display  100  is displaying a Notifications screen  102 . The Notifications screen  102  allows the user to change the notification mode of device  10  between an audible notification mode and a silent notification mode. As discussed above, wireless communications devices  10  are generally capable of engaging in a variety of communications such as incoming and outgoing telephone calls, incoming and outgoing text messages, incoming and outgoing SMS messages, incoming and outgoing MMS messages, incoming and outgoing e-mails, WAP sessions and the like. When one of these communications is received by device  10 , processor  12  process information associated with the communication such as the sender of the communication and the type of communication being sent. In addition, processor  12  causes speaker  22  to emit audible notifications responsive to incoming communication, when device  10  is in the audible notification mode. However, as discussed above, there are times when the user of device  10  would prefer not to be interrupted by the constant ringing, beeping and chirping of device  10 , for example, at night when such interruptions can be disruptive to healthy sleep patterns. 
         [0028]    To alleviate these interruptions, the user of device  10  can operate notification mode hard switch  16  discussed above from the audible position to the silent position through physical interaction with hard switch  16 . Alternatively, the user of device  10  can operate a soft switch  104  located within Silent control pane  106  from the off position, depicted in  FIG. 2A , to the on position through touch screen interaction. In certain embodiments, once soft switch  104  is operated from the off position to the on position, processor  12  prevents speaker  22  from emitting audible notifications responsive to incoming communications unless, as discussed below, the incoming communication is from a user contact having a profile with the silent mode disabled. Alternatively, as depicted in  FIG. 2B , when soft switch  104  is operated from the off position to the on position, a Schedule control pane  108  is instantiated. The user of device  10  may then operate soft switch  110 , through touch screen interaction, from the off position to the on position, which instantiates a time range control pane  112 , as best seen in  FIG. 2C . The user is then able to set, for example, a daily start time and a daily stop time for device  10  to automatically enter and exit silent notification mode. Regardless of whether device  10  enters silent notification mode responsive to operation of Notification switch  16 , responsive to operation of soft switch  104  or responsive to a timer set in association with time range control pane  112 , once in silent notification mode, processor  12  prevents speaker  22  from emitting audible notifications responsive to incoming communications unless, as discussed below, the incoming communication is from a user contact having a profile with the silent mode disabled. 
         [0029]    As discussed above, there are communications from certain people that the user of wireless communications device  10  may not want to miss even at night, for example, phone calls from a family member or emails from one&#39;s boss. For these instances, the wireless communications device of the present disclosure allows the user to select certain contacts from the contacts database and, if desired, certain types of communications from the selected contacts that will trigger audible notification even if device  10  is in silent notification mode. This selective disabling of the silent notification mode of device  10  is achieved on a contact by contact basis by making changes to the silent notification mode setting in individual user contact profiles. 
         [0030]    Referring next to  FIGS. 3A-3C , therein are depicted schematic diagrams of an exemplary touch screen display of a wireless communications device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure that is generally designated  100 . In the illustrated embodiment, display  100  is displaying Contacts screen  120 . Contacts screen  120  allows the user to change the silent notification mode setting of a particular contact between a silent mode enabled setting and a silent mode disenabled setting that becomes part of the profile of that contact. As discussed above, each profile may include information such as first name, last name, company name, department, address, city, state, country, zip code, email address and multiple telephone numbers such as home, work, mobile and facsimile, which the user may edit in the associated control pane. For simplicity, the illustrated example only depicts the Name control pane  122 . In addition, the illustrated example depicts the Disable Silent control pane  124  that includes soft switch  126 . The user of device  10  may then operate soft switch  126 , through touch screen interaction, from the off position to the on position. In certain embodiments, once soft switch  126  is operated from the off position to the on position, processor  12  will cause speaker  22  to emit an audible notification responsive to an incoming communication from that user contact, even when device  10  is in the silent notification mode. 
         [0031]    Alternatively, as depicted in  FIG. 3B , when soft switch  126  is operated from the off position to the on position, a message type control pane  128  is instantiated. In the illustrated embodiment, message type control pane  128  include a phone control pane having a soft switch  130 , an SMS control pane having a soft switch  132 , an MMS control pane having soft switch  134  and an email control pane having soft switch  136 . The user of device  10  may now operate any one or more of soft switches  130 ,  132 ,  134 ,  136  as desired such as operating soft switch  130  and soft switch  132 , through touch screen interaction, from the off position to the on position, as best seen in  FIG. 3C . Now, if the user of device  10  receives a phone call or an SMS message from the user contact associated with the illustrated embodiment when device  10  is in silent notification mode, processor  12  will cause speaker  22  to emit an audible notification responsive to that incoming communication. On the other hand, if the user of device  10  receives an MMS message or an email message from the user contact associated with the illustrated embodiment when device  10  is in silent notification mode, processor  12  will prevent speaker  22  from emitting an audible notification responsive to that incoming communication. 
         [0032]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a flow diagram illustrating a method of operating a wireless communications device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure is presented. In block  200 , the method involves receiving an incoming communication at device  10 . In decision  202 , it is determined whether device  10  is in silent notification mode. If device  10  is not in silent notification mode, the process progresses to block  204  and speaker  22  of device  10  emits an audible notification of the incoming communication. If device  10  is in silent notification mode, the process progresses to decision  206 , in which it is determined whether the incoming communication is from a user contact in contact database  42 . If the incoming communication is not from a user contact in contact database  42 , the process progresses to block  208  and speaker  22  of device  10  does not emit an audible notification of the incoming communication. If the incoming communication is from a user contact in contact database  42 , the process progresses to decision  210 , in which it is determined whether the profile of the user contact of the incoming communication has disabled silent mode for all communications from that user contact. If silent mode has been disabled for all communications from that user contact, the process progresses to block  204  and speaker  22  of device  10  emits an audible notification of the incoming communication. If silent mode has not been disabled for all communications from that user contact, the process progresses to decision  212 , in which it is determined whether the profile of the user contact of the incoming communication has disabled silent mode for the type of communication that has been received. If silent mode has been disabled for the type of communication received, the process progresses to block  204  and speaker  22  of device  10  emits an audible notification of the incoming communication. If silent mode has not been disabled for the type of communication received, the process progresses to block  208  and speaker  22  of device  10  does not emit an audible notification of the incoming communication. 
         [0033]    While this disclosure has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiments as well as other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description. It is, therefore, intended that the appended claims encompass any such modifications or embodiments.