Programmable Time-Based Ringtone Control for Mobile Stations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices generate loud ringtones at inconvenient times, disrupting users' sleep and daily routines, as existing solutions require complex network configurations or user intervention to manage ringtone settings based on time zones and schedules.
Innovation Solution
A method and system allowing users to programmatically set time-based ringtone settings on mobile stations, enabling different volume levels or tones for incoming calls and messages during specific time periods, stored within the device and applied automatically based on user-defined schedules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the mobile station generates a loud ringtone at maximum volume setting, then the ringtone is clearly audible to the user, but it causes disturbance during inconvenient times such as nighttime or early morning
Solution Approach 1:
The ringtone volume is made dynamic rather than static. The system automatically adjusts the ringtone volume based on the current time of day, applying different volume levels during different time periods (e.g., lower volume during nighttime hours, higher volume during daytime hours) without requiring user intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The volume parameter of the ringtone is changed based on time conditions. The system stores multiple volume settings and automatically selects the appropriate volume level based on the current time, thereby reducing disturbance during inconvenient times while maintaining usability during appropriate times.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the user manually changes ringtone settings frequently to avoid nighttime disturbance, then the ringtone disturbance is reduced, but the user convenience deteriorates due to constant intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The user performs a one-time preliminary configuration by defining preferred time periods (e.g., nighttime hours) and corresponding ringtone settings. The system then automatically applies these pre-configured settings during operation, eliminating the need for frequent manual adjustments and reducing user time investment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system serves itself by automatically monitoring the current time and applying the appropriate ringtone volume setting based on the pre-configured time periods. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for continuous user intervention to adjust settings during different times of day.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If call forwarding is configured to divert calls to voice mail during nighttime, then nighttime disturbance from calls is reduced, but the mobile station still generates ringtone alerts for voice mail messages
Solution Approach 1:
The time-based ringtone control mechanism is extended to work universally across different message types, including both incoming calls and voice mail messages. The system applies the same time-based logic to suppress or reduce ringtone alerts for all communication types during designated nighttime periods, providing comprehensive disturbance reduction.
Data Source
AI summary
To address a time related problem with mobile station ringtones, such as sleep disturbing ringtone generation, a mobile station may be configured to offer the user an option or feature such as might enable programming of ringtone settings as a function of one or more time periods. When the feature is selected, it allows the user to program settings configuring the device to adjust one or more controllable parameters of ringtone for incoming calls and/or incoming messages based on current time in relation to the time program settings. For example, the user might set different ringtone settings for different time slots for each day and/or different time slots on certain days of the week.