Method for modifying notifications in an electronic device
View Patent ↗An embodiment relates to a novel apparatus and method for changing modes of notification in an electronic device. An electronic device includes a calendar application and a variety of other applications such as the message reader application or the daily alarm application. The device is configured to use the calendar application to track whether and how the user is notified of the receipt of an electronic message. In one embodiment, the user specifically associates a profile behavior to the calendar entry when the calendar entry is first created.
1. An electronic device comprising:
an input device;
an output device;
a memory storing a plurality of applications including a calendar application having a plurality of calendar appointments, and a profile settings application having a plurality of profiles, each profile defining a notification behaviour having an identical set of parameters for each of the plurality of applications;
a processor, interconnected with the input device, the output device and the memory, and configured to execute the profile settings application to receive input for setting each of the notification behaviours for each of the profiles;
the processor further configured to receive, independently from the calendar appointments, a string of text and a corresponding identifier of a first one of the profiles, and to store the string of text and the identifier in the memory in a profile string matcher executable by the processor;
the processor further configured, by executing the profile string matcher, to determine whether one of a plurality of portions of a description of a first one of the calendar appointments contains the string of text; and when one of the portions does contain the string of text, to select the identifier stored in the profile string matcher to associate the first profile with the first calendar appointment; and
the processor further configured to generate a notification signal via the output device in response to an event generated by one of the applications during the first calendar appointment, the notification signal based on the notification behaviours of the first profile.
2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the notification signal includes at least one of audible, mechanical and visual signals.
3. The electronic device of claim 2 wherein the output device includes a speaker, a light indicator and a vibrational output device.
4. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the event is a receipt of an electronic message.
5. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the event is an alarm.
6. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of applications includes a telephone application, and wherein the event is a receipt of a telephone call.
7. A method in an electronic device having an input device, an output device, a memory and a processor, comprising:
storing in the memory a plurality of applications including a calendar application having a plurality of calendar appointments, and a profile settings application having a plurality of profiles, each profile defining a notification behaviour having an identical set of parameters for each of the plurality of applications;
executing the profile settings application by the processor to receive input for setting each of the notification behaviours for each of the profiles;
receiving, independently from the calendar appointments, a string of text and a corresponding identifier of a first one of the profiles, and storing the string of text and the identifier in the memory in a profile string matcher executable by the processor;
executing the profile string matcher to determine whether one of a plurality of portions of a description of a first one of the calendar appointments contains the string of text; and when one of the portions does contain the string of text, selecting the identifier stored in the profile string matcher to associate the first profile with the first calendar appointment; and
generating a notification signal via the output device in response to an event generated by one of the applications during the first calendar appointment, the notification signal based on the notification behaviours of the first profile.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the notification signal includes at least one of audible, mechanical and visual signals.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the output device includes a speaker, a light indicator and a vibrational output device.
10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising: receiving an electronic message and in response, generating the event.
11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising: generating the event in response to an alarm.
12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising: receiving a telephone call and in response, generating the event.
13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions executable by a processor of an electronic device having an input device, an output device and a memory interconnected with the processor, the instructions for implementing a method, comprising:
storing in the memory a plurality of applications including a calendar application having a plurality of calendar appointments, and a profile settings application having a plurality of profiles, each profile defining a notification behaviour having an identical set of parameters for each of the plurality of applications;
executing the profile settings application by the processor to receive input for setting each of the notification behaviours for each of the profiles;
receiving, independently from the calendar appointments, a string of text and a corresponding identifier of a first one of the profiles, and storing the string of text and the identifier in the memory in a profile string matcher executable by the processor;
executing the profile string matcher to determine whether one of a plurality of portions of a description of a first one of the calendar appointments contains the string of text; and when one of the portions does contain the string of text, selecting the identifier stored in the profile string matcher to associate the first profile with the first calendar appointment; and
generating a notification signal via the output device in response to an event generated by one of the applications during the first calendar appointments the notification signal based on the notification behaviours of the first profile.
14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the notification signal includes at least one of audible, mechanical and visual signals.
15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the output device includes a speaker, a light indicator and a vibrational output device.
16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , the method further comprising: receiving an electronic message and in response, generating the event.
17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , the method further comprising: generating the event in response to an alarm.
18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , the method further comprising: receiving a telephone call and in response, generating the event.