Mobile vibratory alert device, system, and method

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing vibration alerts to a user of a communication device uses a vibration alert application executing on the communication device that analyzes messages received by the communication device to select a corresponding vibration pattern to be used in alerting the user. An indication of the vibration pattern is transmitted to a vibration alert accessory having multiple vibration elements and that is communicatively linked with the communication device. The vibration alert accessory controls the vibration elements to perform the indicated vibration pattern.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A vibration alert accessory, comprising:
 a first vibration motor mounted on a first side of the vibration alert accessory;   a second vibration motor mounted on a second side of the vibration alert accessory;   an orientation component that indicates an orientation of the vibration alert accessory;   a communication interface;   a controller coupled to the communication interface, orientation component, and first and second vibration motors;   wherein the communication interface receives an alert message indicating a vibration pattern; and   wherein, the alert message includes an indication of an alerting location to which the user's attention is to be drawn, the vibration alert accessory indicates a direction of the alerting location from a present location by vibrating the first and second vibration motors at different magnitudes based on the orientation of the vibration alert accessory as indicated by the orientation component.   
     
     
         2 . The vibration alert accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the orientation component comprises a compass. 
     
     
         3 . The vibration alert accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the orientation component comprises a tilt sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The vibration alert accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the alert message includes a location of a danger and a present location of the vibration alert accessory. 
     
     
         5 . The vibration alert accessory of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to control vibration of the first and second vibration motors to indicate a direction of the danger from the present location of the vibration alert accessory relative to the location of the danger. 
     
     
         6 . The vibration alert accessory of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the vibration of the first and second motors as the orientation of the vibration alert accessory changes as indicated by the orientation component.