Mobile Phone Locator Bypassing Silent Mode via Alert Parser
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for locating misplaced mobile phones, such as paging or calling, are ineffective when the phone is set to silent, vibrate, or low volume modes, and do not account for the lack of personal base station paging capability in cell phones.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that sends an alert request message via SMS, MMS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or WAP to a mobile phone, which generates an audible alert, displays a contact message, and optionally plays audio/video, ensuring the phone can be located regardless of its settings, using a receiver, message parser, and speaker to identify and respond to the alert request.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the phone is set to silent or vibrate mode, then the phone's operational flexibility and user convenience are improved, but the ability to locate the phone through audible ringing is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by sending an alert request message to the phone before the user needs to locate it. The phone is pre-programmed to generate a specific audible alert when receiving this message, regardless of its current ring mode setting. This ensures the alert is generated in advance and executed reliably when the locate command is received.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism - a specialized alert generation system that acts as a mediator between the locate command and the phone's audio output. This intermediary bypasses the normal ring mode control mechanisms and directly triggers the audible alert through the speaker, ensuring it sounds regardless of whether the phone is set to silent, vibrate, or audible ring mode.
2Ease of operation
If conventional paging methods are used, then the locating process is simple, but the method fails for cell phones without personal base station capability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary - a messaging system (SMS/MMS) - to bridge the gap between the locator and the mobile phone. Instead of requiring direct base station paging capability, the system sends an alert request message through the mobile network's messaging infrastructure, which then triggers the audible alert on the phone. This intermediary approach eliminates the need for personal base station capability while maintaining locating effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical/base station-based paging system with a software-based messaging system. Instead of using the cellular network's voice paging infrastructure, the system uses SMS/MMS messaging protocols to deliver the alert request, substituting a more versatile software-based communication mechanism for the hardware-dependent base station paging.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the phone rings at very low volume, then the phone's discretion and adaptability are improved, but the ability to hear the ring for location purposes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary alert generation mechanism that operates independently of the phone's normal volume control settings. When the alert request message is received, this intermediary system directly controls the speaker to generate an audible alert at sufficient volume, bypassing the restrictions imposed by silent, vibrate, or low-volume mode settings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the alert's audio parameters (volume, frequency, duration) based on the received message. The system changes the volume parameter from the phone's normal low-volume or silent state to a higher audible level specifically for the alert function, ensuring it can be heard regardless of the phone's default volume settings.
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile phone, including a protocol sniffer for capturing a beacon from a wireless access point, a beacon parser, coupled with the protocol sniffer, for identifying an alert request within the captured beacon, and at least one speaker, coupled with the beacon parser, for sounding an audible alert in response to the beacon parser identifying the alert request.