Patent ID: 8676275

Claim:
A method, comprising: providing, via a user interface implemented by a computer processor on a mobile communications device, a list of categories and ranges of decibel levels associated with each item in the list, the categories representing real world sources of noise; receiving, from a user of the mobile communications device, an item from the list; calculating, via the computer processor, a decibel level of ambient noise with respect to the mobile communications device; in response to receiving an incoming call from a calling device, prior to activating a ringtone on the mobile communications device, and upon determining that the decibel level exceeds a threshold value, the threshold level indicative of one of the ranges of the decibel levels in the list corresponding to the item selected by the user, determining a mode of the mobile communications device, the mode being one of two modes; if the mode is a first mode, sending an automated response to the calling device in lieu of connecting the call to the mobile communications device; and if the mode is a second mode, determining whether the incoming call is a text message or a voice call; if the incoming call is the voice call, presenting an automated voice response to the calling device; and if the incoming call is the text message, present the text message on the mobile communications device.