Group alarms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017237631-A1
Application number	US-201615042574-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 12, 2016
Priority date	Feb 12, 2016
Publication date	Aug 17, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of configuring alarm settings of a group of mobile devices is disclosed. The method may include receiving a proposed alarm from a mobile device of the group of mobile devices, the proposed alarm associated with settings, including a proposed time. The method may further include receiving votes from the group of mobile devices, each of the votes associated with an approval or a disapproval of the settings associated with the alarm. The method may further include receiving a number of approval votes associated with a threshold portion of the group of mobile devices, the approval votes indicating approval of configuring each of the mobile devices of the group of mobile devices to perform an alarm action at an alarm time associated with the proposed time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of configuring alarm settings of a group of mobile devices, the method comprising:
receiving a proposed alarm from a mobile device of the group of mobile devices, the proposed alarm associated with settings, including a proposed time; receiving votes from the group of mobile devices, each of the votes associated with an approval or a disapproval of the settings associated with the alarm; and receiving a number of approval votes associated with a threshold portion of the group of mobile devices, the approval votes indicating approval of configuring each of the mobile devices of the group of mobile devices to perform an alarm action at an alarm time associated with the proposed time.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the settings associated with the alarm further include a mobile device setting associated with the alarm action.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the mobile device setting includes an override of a setting or a disabling of an option otherwise available to a user of the mobile device.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the mobile device setting associated with the alarm action includes a silent state override configured to enable the mobile device to generate an audible alert when the mobile device has been placed in a silent state.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the silent state override enables the mobile device to selectively generate the audible alert in response to being contacted by another mobile device of the group of mobile devices.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the silent state override is configured to override the silent state of the mobile device for a period of time following the proposed time.

7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the mobile device setting associated with the alarm action includes a snooze disabler.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the alarm time is equal to the proposed time.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the settings associated with the proposed alarm include a flexibility setting associated with a range of times including the proposed time, within which a user may adjust the alarm time.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the threshold portion of the group of mobile devices is associated with a majority of the group of mobile devices.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising following performing of the alarm action, receiving a second proposed alarm associated with second settings including a second time.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting the proposed alarm to each mobile device of the group of mobile devices.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting an approval indication configured to instruct each of the mobile devices to perform an alarm action at alarm time associated with the proposed time.

14 . A method of configuring alarm settings of a mobile device of a group of mobile devices, the method comprising:
receiving a proposed alarm associated with settings, including a proposed alarm time; displaying a representation of the settings associated with the proposed alarm; receiving a vote from a user of the mobile device, the vote associated with an approval or a disapproval of the settings associated with the proposed alarm; communicating the vote, indicating approval or disapproval of the settings associated with the alarm; in response to a threshold portion of the group of mobile devices indicating approval of the proposed alarm, configuring the mobile device, based at least in part on the settings of the proposed alarm, to perform an alarm action at an alarm time associated with the proposed alarm time; and performing the alarm action at the alarm time.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein communicating the vote includes transmitting an approval or disapproval message to a server.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein communicating the vote includes transmitting an approval or disapproval message to each of the mobile devices of the group of mobile devices.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the proposed alarm is further associated with settings including a silent mode disabler such that, in response to the threshold portion of the group of mobile devices indicating approval of the proposed alarm, the mobile device is configured to override a silent mode of the mobile device and produce an audible alert.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the mobile device is configured to override the silent mode of the mobile device and produce the audible alert in response to receiving a communication from another mobile device of the group of mobile devices for a length of time following the alarm time.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the proposed alarm is further associated with settings including a snooze disabler such that, in response to the threshold portion of the group of mobile devices indicating approval of the proposed alarm, the mobile device is configured to disable an ability of a user of the mobile device to temporarily delay the alarm action.

20 . A mobile device comprising:
a display; a processor; and a non-transitory computer storage medium having computer instructions stored thereon that are executable by the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving a proposed alarm associated with settings, including a proposed alarm time;
displaying, on the display, a representation of the settings associated with the proposed alarm;
receiving a vote from a user of the mobile device, the vote associated with an approval or a disapproval of the settings associated with the proposed alarm;
communicating the vote, indicating approval or disapproval of the settings associated with the alarm;
in response to a threshold portion of the group of mobile devices indicating approval of the proposed alarm, configuring the mobile device, based at least in part on the settings of the proposed alarm, to perform an alarm action at an alarm time associated with the proposed alarm time; and
performing the alarm action the alarm time.

Assignees

• Ebay Inc

Inventors

• Das Ananya
• Ziaja Jason
• Luk Bryant Genepang
• O'Toole Christopher Diebold
• He Robert
• Tang Yu
• Brenner Jennifer T

Classifications

• H04W56/002 Primary

  Mutual synchronization · CPC title

• H04W4/06

  Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services · CPC title

• H04W8/183

  Processing at user equipment or user record carrier · CPC title

• H04L41/30 Primary

  Decision processes by autonomous network management units using voting and bidding · CPC title

• H04W8/186

  Processing of subscriber group data · CPC title