Abstract:
A method for automatically switching a profile of a mobile phone includes measuring a current environmental noise value of ambient noise surrounding the mobile phone. The current environmental noise value is then compared to a predetermined noise value, and a noise difference is calculated. Next, the profile of the mobile phone is switched based on the value of the noise difference.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to mobile phone profiles, and more specifically, to a method for automatically switching a profile of a mobile phone based on a current ambient noise value and a current antenna signal strength value. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     With the increased pace of modern life, the ability to communicate anywhere and anytime is important to many people. One result is the increasing use of mobile phones. Although it is convenient for users to receive phone calls wherever they may be, there are also times when a user may not wish to be disturbed by an incoming call or message. 
     Most current mobile phones offer several different profiles that can be used to change several mobile phone settings at once. For instance, suppose that a mobile phone offers a Meeting profile and an Outdoor profile. As the names suggest, the Meeting profile is intended for times in which the user of the mobile phone is in a meeting, and the Outdoor profile is intended for times when the user is outside. Various audio and visual indicators can be adjusted after switching from one profile to another. For instance, in the Meeting profile, the vibrate function may be turned on and the ringer may be turned off so as to not disturb other people attending the meeting. Likewise, in the Outdoor profile, the ringer is turned on, and the volume may be increased so that the user of the mobile phone will hear an incoming phone call while outdoors. Typically, each of these profiles is customizable, so that the user can specify exactly which mobile phone functions are affected when switching profiles. 
     In order to switch from one profile to another, the user of the mobile phone typically has to press keys on a keypad of the mobile phone in order to manually switch the profile. Unfortunately, the user may forget to switch the profile at the end of an activity. For example, suppose the user of the mobile phone has just finished a meeting and is now going outdoors. Being preoccupied with the topics just discussed at the meeting, the user may forget to switch the profile of the mobile phone from the Meeting profile to the Outdoor profile. Depending on the settings associated with each profile, failure to properly switch the profile of the mobile phone could lead to phone calls being missed accidentally. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     It is therefore a primary objective of the claimed invention to provide a method for automatically switching a profile of a mobile phone in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. 
     According to the claimed invention, a method for automatically switching a profile of a mobile phone is disclosed. The method includes measuring a current environmental noise value of ambient noise surrounding the mobile phone, comparing the current environmental noise value to a predetermined noise value and calculating a noise difference, and switching the profile of the mobile phone based on the value of the noise difference. 
     It is an advantage of the claimed invention that the mobile phone can automatically switch the profile based on the current ambient noise value so as to simplify the use of the mobile phone. With the use of the automatic profile switching function, the mobile phone user does not have to worry about manually switching the profile when starting a new activity, and does not have to remember to switch it back at the end of the activity. 
     These and other objectives of the claimed invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of a mobile phone according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating automatically switching the profile of the mobile phone according to the present invention method. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  is a diagram of a mobile phone  10  according to the present invention. The mobile phone  10  contains a display  12 , on which a profile selection menu is shown. The profile selection menu allows a user of the mobile phone  10  to choose a profile or to customize profile settings. As an example, six choices are shown in the profile selection menu: Auto profile, Normal profile, Outdoor Profile, Meeting profile, Silent profile, and Settings. The Normal, Outdoor, Meeting, and Silent profiles are four different profiles that can be uniquely customized by the mobile phone  10  user. Choosing the Settings option takes the user into another menu, which allows the user to customize each of the four different profiles. Finally, the Auto profile function is also shown, and can be activated or deactivated (the checkmark in  FIG. 1  represents that the Auto profile function is currently activated) by the user. 
     The automatic profile switching function is the subject of the present invention, and will now be described in greater detail. The present invention collects two kinds of data when the mobile phone  10  is in idle mode, meaning the phone is turned on, but is not currently being used by the user. An antenna  14  of the mobile phone  10  is used to measure a current antenna signal strength value from radio signals received by the mobile phone  10 . Depending on the magnitude of the current antenna signal strength value, the mobile phone  10  will then determine if the user of the mobile phone  10  is located indoors or outdoors. Additionally, a microphone  16  of the mobile phone  10  is used to measure a current environmental noise value of ambient noise surrounding the mobile phone  10 . 
     The present invention method of automatically switching the profile of the mobile phone  10  involves comparing the current antenna signal strength value to a reference antenna signal strength value and comparing the current environmental noise value to a reference noise value. Based on these two comparisons, the mobile phone  10  then automatically switches to the profile which is most appropriate. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating automatically switching the profile of the mobile phone  10  according to the present invention method. Steps contained in the flowchart will be explained below. 
     Step  100 : Start in idle mode; 
     Step  102 : Determine if the user has activated the automatic profile switching function; if so, go to step  104 ; if not, go to step  130 ; 
     Step  104 : Start a timer to begin counting for a time period N. At the same time, measure the current antenna signal strength value (A) and the current environmental noise value (E). The timer is used for indicating that the current antenna signal strength value and the current environmental noise value should be measured periodically, after every time period N; 
     Step  106 : Determine if the current antenna signal strength value (A) is greater than the reference antenna signal strength value (a) and if the current environmental noise value (E) is less than the reference noise value (e); if so, go to step  108 ; if not, go to step  110 ; 
     Step  108 : Automatically switch the profile of the mobile phone  10  to the Normal profile; go to step  126 ; 
     Step  110 : Determine if the current antenna signal strength value (A) is greater than the reference antenna signal strength value (a) and if the current environmental noise value (E) is greater than the reference noise value (e); if so, go to step  112 ; if not, go to step  114 ; 
     Step  112 : Automatically switch the profile of the mobile phone  10  to the Outdoor profile; go to step  126 ; 
     Step  114 : Determine if the current antenna signal strength value (A) is less than the reference antenna signal strength value (a) and if the current environmental noise value (E) is greater than the reference noise value (e); if so, go to step  116 ; if not, go to step  118 ; 
     Step  116 : Automatically switch the profile of the mobile phone  10  to the Meeting profile; go to step  126 ; 
     Step  118 : Determine if the current antenna signal strength value (A) is less than the reference antenna signal strength value (a) and if the current environmental noise value (E) is less than the reference noise value (e); if so, go to step  120 ; if not, go to step  122 ; 
     Step  120 : Automatically switch the profile of the mobile phone  10  to the Silent profile; go to step  126 ; 
     Step  122 : The current antenna signal strength value (A) is equal to the reference antenna signal strength value (a) or the current environmental noise value (E) is equal to the reference noise value (e); go to step  124 ; 
     Step  124 : Automatically switch the profile of the mobile phone  10  to a profile that was previously selected by the user of the mobile phone  10 ; go to step  126 ; 
     Step  126 : The new profile settings of the mobile phone  10  are activated; 
     Step  128 : Determine if the timer has finished counting for the time period N; if so, go back to step  104 ; if not, go back to step  126 ; 
     Step  130 : Since the automatic profile switching function was not activated by the user of the mobile phone  10 , use the profile that was previously selected by the user of the mobile phone  10 ; and 
     Step  132 : End. 
     In summary, the present invention method measures the current antenna signal strength value and the current environmental noise value when the mobile phone  10  is in idle mode to automatically switch the profile of the mobile phone  10 . Based on these two measurements, the mobile phone  10  will determine the most likely type of environment that the user of the mobile phone  10  is located in, and will automatically switch the profile accordingly. Since the user talking on the phone would greatly affect the current environmental noise value, the automatic profile switching will only take place when the mobile phone  10  is in idle mode. In addition, the mobile phone  10  will use the timer to measure the current antenna signal strength value and the current environmental noise value after every time period N so as to periodically monitor any changes in the environment of the mobile phone  10 . 
     Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.