Patent ID: 8451985

Claim:
A device, comprising: a tablet with a touch-sensitive display for managing a user interface, wherein a base unit is communicatively coupled to the tablet by way of a cordless phone protocol and a wireless data protocol, wherein the base unit is communicatively coupled to a plurality of handsets by way of the cordless phone protocol, wherein the base unit is communicatively coupled to a voice communication system and a data communication system, wherein the base unit provides voice and data communication services to the tablet, and voice communication services to the plurality of handsets, and wherein the tablet is adapted to: monitor a source for weather alerts; detect a weather alert; determine from the weather alert a weather alert type; retrieve a user profile; identify from the user profile and the weather alert type a group of the plurality of handsets as identified handsets to be notified of the weather alert; identify from the user profile a ringtone type for each of the identified handsets; and cause by way of the base unit each of the identified handsets to assert a ringtone according to the ringtone type identified therefor.