WO2015193545A1

WO2015193545A1 - Techniques for exception calls from a mobile terminal

Info

Publication number: WO2015193545A1
Application number: PCT/FI2015/050429
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kim LÅNG
Original assignee: Lss-Long Special Services Ltd Oy
Priority date: 2014-06-18
Filing date: 2015-06-15
Publication date: 2015-12-23

Abstract

An enhanced keypad lock permits calls to predefined exception call destinations via the following method: 1) activating a keypad lock in at least one predetermined locking condition, 2) in response to detecting an attempt to use the mobile terminal when the keypad lock is activated (110), displaying one or more exception call elements (140) associated with a respective exception call destination, which is not an official emergency number but has been previously associated with exceptional situations in the mobile terminal's address book (240); and 3) in response to detecting activation of the at least one exception call element, retrieving at least one exception call destination from the mobile terminal's address book, and initiating a call to the retrieved exception call destination.

Description

TECHNIQUES FOR EXCEPTION CALLS FROM A MOBILE TERMINAL

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to mobile terminals, typically mobile terminals, and more particularly to techniques for making exception calls from a mo- bile terminal. In the present document, an exception call is a call from a mobile terminal, for which the owner or user of the mobile terminal has defined exceptional handling. In terms of urgency, exceptional calls lie between normal calls and emergency calls.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Many modern mobile phones or terminals are provided or can be provided with a keypad/display lock. The keypad/display lock, which is largely analogous with a blank screen saver of a computer, locks the mobile terminal's display and keypad (often a functionality of a touch-sensitive display) automatically, when the mobile terminal has been idle for a predetermined time, or manually, when a dedicated activate/deactivate button is pressed when the mobile terminal is active.

[0003] As long as the keypad/display lock is on, it can only be unlocked by entering a secret number sequence (analogous with a PIN code). Typically a predetermined number, such as three, incorrect number sequences lock the key- pad/display lock for a relatively long time or until a longer master sequence is entered. While the keypad/display lock is on, only emergency calls can be placed from the mobile terminal. A problem underlying the invention resides in the discovery of the fact that keypad/display lock, useful as it is to prevent unauthorized use of a stolen or found mobile terminal, also prevents an honest person to make legitimate calls from the mobile terminal, if its owner is unconscious or cannot be found.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to alleviate the problem identified above. Specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide methods, equipment and computer program products that provide an improved keypad lock for a mobile terminal.

[0005] As used herein, a mobile terminal refers to a mobile phone or data terminal. In the following description, "owner" refers to the legitimate user of the mobile terminal, regardless of whether the legitimate user actually owns the mobile terminal. An "accidental user" refers to a person who attempts to use the mobile terminal in a manner that is potentially helpful to the owner or their related persons in cases where the owner is unable to open the keypad lock. For instance, the owner may be unconscious or incapacitated, and the accidental user may try to place a call to an "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) number. Note that while conventional keypad locks permit calls to official emergency numbers, they prevent calls to ICE numbers defined by the owner. In another illustrative example, an accidental user finds a mobile terminal when its owner cannot be found or identified, and tries to inform the owner about the found mobile terminal.

[0006] An aspect of the present invention is a method, which comprises performing the following acts on a user interface of a mobile terminal, wherein the user interface comprises at least one display and at least one keypad:

activating a keypad lock in response to fulfilment of at least one predetermined locking condition, wherein the keypad lock, when activated, re- quires entry of an unlocking sequence to deactivate the keypad lock;

[0007] the method further comprising performing the following acts with the keypad lock activated:

in response to detecting an attempt to use the mobile terminal when the keypad lock is activated, displaying one or more exception call elements in the user interface, wherein at least one of the exception call elements is associated with a respective exception call destination, which is not an official emergency number but has been previously associated with exceptional situations in the mobile terminal's address book;

in response to detecting activation of the at least one exception call ele- ment, retrieving at least one exception call destination from the mobile terminal's address book, and initiating a call to the retrieved exception call destination.

[0008] Another aspect of the invention is a tangible program carrier comprising program code instructions for a mobile terminal, wherein execution of the pro- gram code instructions in the mobile terminal causes the mobile terminal to carry out the above method. Yet another aspect of the invention is a mobile terminal comprising the above-identified program code instructions.

[0009] In addition to one or more user interface elements for "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) numbers, the one or more exception call elements may comprise an element associated with a situation wherein the mobile terminal has been found by a person who attempts to contact its owner. This feature encourages an accidental user to report a found mobile terminal. This feature also encourages the owner to make a special entry for the case of a lost mobile terminal. For instance, if the mobile terminal is provided by the employer of the legitimate user and one of the ICE entries is the employer, it may be embarrassing to the legitimate user to learn that the found terminal has been reported to the employer. The legiti- mate user may avoid this situation by designating someone other than the employer as the destination for reporting a found terminal.

[0010] According to an optional feature of the present disclosure, the method further comprises ensuring that the subscriber address of the mobile terminal is indicated to the at least one exception call destination when the keypad lock is activated. This feature is beneficial when an accidental user makes an exception call. The accidental may not know the identity of the legitimate user because the legitimate user is probably incapacitated or not to be found when the accidental user needs to place an exception call with the keypad lock activated. Because the accidental user making the call cannot identify the legitimate user, it is beneficial if the called party can identify the legitimate user, by virtue of the calling line indication (CLI) feature.

[0011] According to another optional feature, the method further comprises hiding the exception call destinations when the keypad lock is activated. Hiding the exception call destinations from the accidental user provides several benefits. For instance, the legitimate user might hesitate entering their spouse or partner if the legitimate user and partner are of the same sex. Hiding the partner's identity makes it easier for the legitimate user to enter the partner as an exception call destination.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] In the following section, specific embodiments of the invention will be described in greater detail in connection with illustrative but non-restrictive examples. A reference is made to the following drawings:

Figures 1A and IB illustrate an embodiment of the present invention in connection with a mobile terminal with an activated keypad lock; and

Figure 2 shows a schematic block diagram of a mobile terminal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Figures 1A and IB illustrate an embodiment of the present invention in connection with a mobile terminal MT with an activated keypad lock. Depending on the hardware implementation of the mobile terminal, terms "key" and "key- pad" may refer to dedicated keys and keypads or to predefined areas of a touch- sensitive display, to which respective symbol entries have been assigned.

[0014] For the purposes of the present disclosure, two very important elements of the mobile terminal's user interface are its display 100 and keypad 120. Typi- cally the keypad 120 is overlaid on a touch-sensitive display 100, but the present disclosure is equally applicable to mobile terminals having a dedicated keypad. Referring first to Figure 1A, lock symbol 110 indicates that the keypad is locked. Reference number 122 denotes a portion of the keypad 120, which can be used to open or deactivate a locked keypad. This set of keys comprises the number keys '0' - '9' and a "forward" or "ok" key 124. As is well known, the keypad lock can be opened by typing a predefined number sequence on the number keys and confirming it with the "forward" or "ok" key 124. The locked keypad also comprises a key 130 for making emergency calls to official network-dependent emergency numbers in cases where the owner or accidental user cannot open the keypad lock.

[0015] In addition to the above-described conventional user elements for a locked keypad, the present disclosure provides one or more dedicated keys 140 for making exception calls. In the presently described embodiment, the key 140 for making exception calls may show a graphic legend commonly associated with danger or exception, the legend "ICE", which is an acronym for "In Case of Emergency", or both.

[0016] It should be noted that despite superficial similarities between emergency calls and exception calls, there are a number of differences between these two types of calls. The ability to make emergency calls to official emergency numbers, such as 911 in North America and 112 in most of Europe, is fundamental functionality of any mobile phone or terminal. Such functionality is inherent in the operating system of the mobile phone, which does not even require a subscription or SIM card to make emergency calls. The number to be dialed, such as 911 or 112, depends on the network and defined by established standards.

[0017] In contrast, while many mobile phones provide one or more dedicated ICE entries in their address books for the benefit of the legitimate user, the ICE entries are unavailable for an accidental user if the keypad lock is on.

[0018] Figure 1A shows a relatively simple implementation, wherein the user interface comprises a single element (key) 140 for making exception calls. Even in the case of a single exception call key 140, the software for handling exception calls in the mobile terminal MT may repeatedly initiate calls to multiple or all exception destinations in the mobile terminal's address book, until one of the excep- tion destinations answers the call. For instance, the software for handling exception calls may retrieve the exception destinations from the mobile terminal's address book sequentially, in the order they are listed in the address book, such as "ICE 1" through "ICE n", wherein n is the number of ICE entries. Alternatively, the software for handling exception calls may retrieve history data from the mobile terminal's call log and rank the exception destinations by their frequency in the log. This means that the most frequently used number in the log, which is also a number of an exception call destination, will be the first destination, and so on.

[0019] Figure IB shows an optional second user interface screen, which in some implementations is entered if the exception call key 140 is pressed in the first user interface screen shown in Figure 1A. The second user interface screen displays multiple exception call keys, denoted herein by reference numbers 142 and 150. Reference number 142 denotes a set of multiple ICE entries, while reference number 150 denotes a dedicated key for reporting a found mobile phone. For the benefit of an accidental user, the second user interface screen may show an optional text 160, which explains that ICE means "In Case of Emergency" and ILMP can be used to report a found mobile phone. The number of exception call entries is preferably not less than 2 and not more than 10.

[0020] A feature worth noting in Figures 1A and IB is that when the keypad lock is on, the exception call keys do not reveal the actual destinations entered in the mobile terminal's address book. This features encourages the owner of the mobile terminal to make entries for the exception call destinations in the address book, because an accidental user cannot see the identities of the persons associated with the exception call destinations.

[0021] As regards entry and management of the exception call destinations, a detailed description is superfluous because this is normal address book management of a modern mobile terminal. In cases wherein the present disclosure is applied to a mobile terminal whose address book does not identify any exception call destinations, the software that manages the keypad lock and initiates calls to exception call destinations can also manage the exception call destinations, in a manner which is analogous with normal address book management.

[0022] Figure 2 shows a schematic block diagram of a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal MT comprises a processing system 202 with at least one central processing unit. The mobile terminal further comprises a memory system 250, which typically comprises a combination of fast volatile memory and slower nonvolatile memory, as is well known to those skilled in the art. In addition, the mobile terminal MT comprises or utilizes a user interface 210, which comprises an input circuitry 212 and an output circuitry 214. The input circuitry 212 comprises the mobile terminal's microphone and user-input devices, such as a keypad and/or touch screen. The output circuitry 214 comprises the mobile terminal's display and earphone or loudspeaker. The mobile terminal MT further comprises reception/transmission circuitry 220 which comprises a transmission circuitry 222, reception circuitry 224 and antenna 226. A subscriber identity module, SIM, 230 is used by an authentication function to authenticate the mobile terminal's user and to identify the user's subscription to the access network AN. It is through the access network that the mobile terminal makes and receives calls to/from other mobile terminals, one of which is denoted by reference sign MT'.

[0023] A typical modern mobile terminal also comprises WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) circuitry 234 whose normal mode of usage is acting as a WLAN client to a WLAN access point AP, which connects to the data network DN via a router RT.

[0024] The functionality described in the present disclosure may be implemented as part of the mobile terminal's operating system or built-in telephony application. In cases where the mobile terminal does not natively support the functionality described herein, the functionality may be added to the mobile terminal via an installable application or program module.

[0025] In order to support installable program modules, the mobile terminal's memory 250 typically comprises routines for downloading installable program modules and for storing the installable program modules as apps (applications) 260 in the memory 250 for execution by the central processing unit CP. Figure 2 shows an arrangement in which the mobile terminal is configured to download installable program modules from an app store AS via a data network DN, an access network AN, the antenna 226 and reception circuitry 224. Instead of downloading software from the app store over the access network, or in addition to it, other arrangements are equally possible, such as downloading the installable program modules via the data network DN to a separate data terminal (not shown), from which the installable program modules are transferred to the mobile terminal via the WLAN circuitry 234 or via some other short-range connection, such as Bluetooth or Universal Serial Bus (USB, not shown separately). The access network AN is typically a broadband-capable mobile communication network, while the data network DN is typically the internet or some closed subnet- work implementing internet protocol (IP), commonly called intranets or extra- nets. At this level of generalization, all previously-discussed elements of Figure 2 can be conventional as used in the relevant art. One or more external hosts are accessible via the access network AN and data network DN.

[0026] For the purposes of the present disclosure, an important element is the mobile terminal's address book, denoted by reference number 240, and particu- larly its exception call destination entries.

[0027] Those skilled in the art will realize that the inventive principle may be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

performing the following acts on a mobile terminal (MT) having a user interface, wherein the user interface comprises at least one display (100) and at least one keypad (120):

activating a keypad lock in response to fulfilment of at least one predetermined locking condition, wherein the keypad lock, when activated, requires entry of an unlocking sequence to deactivate the keypad lock;

the method further comprising performing the following acts with the keypad lock activated:

in response to detecting an attempt to use the mobile terminal when the keypad lock is activated (110), displaying one or more exception call elements (140, 142, 150) in the user interface, wherein at least one of the exception call elements is associated with a respective exception call destina- tion, which is not an official emergency number but has been previously associated with exceptional situations in the mobile terminal's address book (240);

in response to detecting activation of the at least one exception call element, retrieving at least one exception call destination from the mobile terminal's address book (240), and initiating a call to the retrieved exception call destination.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more exception call elements comprise an exception call element associated with a situation wherein the mobile terminal has been found by a person who attempts to contact its owner.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising ensuring that the subscriber address of the mobile terminal is indicated to the at least one exception call destination when the keypad lock is activated.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising hiding the exception call destinations when the keypad lock is activated.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the number of exception call elements in the user interface is not less than two and not more than 10.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising repeatedly checking if at least one exception call destination has been entered in the mobile terminal's address book (240), and if none has been entered, providing one or more prompts in the user interface, the one or more prompts indicat- ing that no exception call destinations have been entered in the mobile terminal's address book,

7. A mobile terminal (MT), comprising:

a user interface having at least one display (100) and at least one keypad (120);

- a memory system (250) for storing program code instructions and data; a processing system (202) comprising at least one processing unit, wherein the processing system is configured to execute at least some of the program code instructions and to process the data stored in the memory system;

wherein:

the memory system (250) comprises software code instructions whose execution on the processing system (202) causes the mobile terminal to perform the acts of:

in response to detecting an attempt to use the mobile terminal when the keypad lock is activated (110), displaying one or more ex- ception call elements (140, 142, 150) in the user interface, wherein at least one of the exception call elements is associated with a respective exception call destination, which is not an official emergency number but has been previously associated with exceptional situations in the mobile terminal's address book (240); and

- in response to detecting activation of the at least one exception call element, retrieving at least one exception call destination from the mobile terminal's address book (240), and initiating a call to the retrieved exception call destination.

8. A tangible program carrier comprising program code instructions for a mo- bile terminal (MT), the mobile terminal comprising a processing system (202) configured to execute at least some of the program code instructions, wherein execution of the software code instructions on the processing system (202) causes the mobile terminal to perform the acts of:

in response to detecting an attempt to use the mobile terminal when the keypad lock is activated (110), displaying one or more exception call elements (140, 142, 150) in the user interface, wherein at least one of the exception call elements is associated with a respective exception call destination, which is not an official emergency number but has been previously associated with exceptional situations in the mobile terminal's address book (240); and in response to detecting activation of the at least one exception call element, retrieving at least one exception call destination from the mobile terminal's address book (240), and initiating a call to the retrieved exception call destination.