Location Based Push Presence and Profile on a Wireless Communications Device
Changes in profile and/or presence information are pushed to a mobile communications device, in dependence upon device location or other application data stored on the device, such as calendar data, in order to ensure appropriate device behaviour. In this manner, the operation of the device can be automatically controlled in social situations or locations where the operation of mobile phones or other mobile computing devices may be regarded as irritating, disruptive or damaging, such as in concerts and libraries.
1 . A method of operating a computing device comprising automatically modifying the profile and presence information of a first mobile computing device in response to receipt of a request delivered from a further device over a wireless communications medium, and wherein the transmission of the said request is dependent upon the physical location of the first device.
2 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the wireless communication medium comprises
a. a short range broadcast networking technology including but not limited to Bluetooth, infra-red and 802.11b compatible wireless networking;
b. simplex broadcast technologies including but not limited to FM radio or induction loop; or
c. wide area broadcast technologies including but not limited to cellular telephone networks.
3 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the physical location of the first mobile computing device is determined via
a. GPS;
b. Cell triangulation
c. assumed proximity to a specific network or simplex short-range broadcast point; or
d. any combination of the above
or any other positioning technology either by itself or in combination with any of the above.
4 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the transmission of the said request is made using one of a standard range of protocols including but not limited to
a. SMS;
b. WAP;
c. XMPP; or
d. SIP
or any extensions or combinations of the above.
5 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the presence information is amended as a consequence of a change in profile.
6 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the change in profile and presence information is accompanied by time and date information which is used to limit the duration of the said change in profile and presence information.
7 . A method according to claim 6 wherein the time and date information is updated during the duration of the said change in profile and presence information so as to set a revised limit to the said duration.
8 . A method according to claim 1 wherein the change in profile and presence information is cancelled when either the first mobile computing device or the further device determines that a change in the physical location of the first device no longer applies.
9 . A method according to claim 1 wherein presence information is amended implicitly as a consequence of a request to a change in profile rather than explicitly in response to a presence information change request.
10 . A method according to claim 1 wherein any change in profile or presence information is initiated by the user of the first mobile device rather than as a result of a wireless communications transmission received from a further device.
11 . A computing device arranged to operate in accordance with a method as claimed in claim 1 .
12 . An operating system for causing a computing device to operate in accordance with a method as claimed in claim 1 .