User interface for phone call routing among devices

• US 10,616,416 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2018
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Coffman, Patrick L., Rauenbuehler, Keith Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoque, Nafiz E
• Application Number:
  US16/229,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20190124203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/42 Graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/543 Call deflection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80

Abstract

A first electronic device receives a phone call that was routed to the first electronic device by a call-routing service. While receiving the call, the first electronic device receives a request to route the phone call to a second electronic device. In response to receiving the request to route the phone call to the second electronic device, in accordance with a determination that a first routing criteria have been met, the first electronic device sends a request to the call-routing service to route the phone call to the second electronic device instead of routing the phone call to the first electronic device. In accordance with a determination that a second routing criteria have been met, the first electronic device causes call data associated with the call to be routed through the first electronic device to the second electronic device.

Claims

1. A first electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

receiving, at the first electronic device, a phone call that was routed to the first electronic device by a call-routing service;

while receiving the phone call, receiving a request to route the phone call to a second electronic device; and

in response to receiving the request to route the phone call to the second electronic device;

in accordance with a determination that a first routing criteria have been met, sending a request to the call-routing service to route the phone call to the second electronic device instead of routing the phone call to the first electronic device, wherein the first routing criteria include a criterion that is met when the call-routing service has enabled a carrier routing protocol; and

in accordance with a determination that a second routing criteria have been met, causing call data associated with the phone call to be routed through the first electronic device to the second electronic device, wherein the second routing criteria include a criterion that is met when the call-routing service has not enabled the carrier routing protocol.

2. The first electronic device of claim 1, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

before receiving the request to route the phone call, opening, at the first electronic device, a connection associated with the phone call; and

in accordance with the determination that the first routing criteria have been met, closing the connection associated with the phone call.

3. The first electronic device of claim 2, wherein the connection associated with the phone call is closed in response to receiving confirmation that the second electronic device has opened a connection associated with the phone call.

4. The first electronic device of claim 2, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

in accordance with the determination that the second routing criteria have been met, maintaining, on the first electronic device, the connection associated with the phone call for a duration of the phone call.

5. The first electronic device of claim 4, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

receiving a hang-up command from the second electronic device; and

in response to receiving the hang-up command, closing the connection associated with the phone call.

6. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein causing call data associated with the phone call to be routed through the first electronic device to the second electronic device includes receiving the call data and sending different data to the second electronic device.

7. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein causing call data associated with the phone call to be routed through the first electronic device to the second electronic device includes receiving the call data and sending the call data to the second electronic device without extracting audio content from the call data.

8. The first electronic device of claim 1, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

in accordance with the determination that the second routing criteria have been met, displaying a user interface object indicating the phone call is routed through the first electronic device.

9. The first electronic device of claim 8, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

receiving input that corresponds to selection of the user interface object; and

in response to receiving the input, causing the call data to no longer be routed to the second electronic device.

10. The first electronic device of claim 8, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

in accordance with the determination that the first routing criteria have been met, displaying another user interface object indicating the phone call has been routed to the second electronic device.

11. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the request to route the phone call to the second electronic device is received from the second electronic device.

12. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the request to route the phone call to the second electronic device corresponds to user input received at the first electronic device.

13. The first electronic device of claim 1, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

in accordance with the determination that the second routing criteria have been met, causing additional data to be routed to the second electronic device.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of a first electronic device, the one or more programs including instructions for:

receiving, at the first electronic device, a phone call that was routed to the first electronic device by a call-routing service;

while receiving the phone call, receiving a request to route the phone call to a second electronic device; and

in response to receiving the request to route the phone call to the second electronic device;

in accordance with a determination that a first routing criteria have been met, sending a request to the call-routing service to route the phone call to the second electronic device instead of routing the phone call to the first electronic device, wherein the first routing criteria include a criterion that is met when the call-routing service has enabled a carrier routing protocol; and

in accordance with a determination that a second routing criteria have been met, causing call data associated with the phone call to be routed through the first electronic device to the second electronic device, wherein the second routing criteria include a criterion that is met when the call-routing service has not enabled the carrier routing protocol.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more programs further comprises instructions for:

before receiving the request to route the phone call, opening, at the first electronic device, a connection associated with the phone call; and

in accordance with the determination that the first routing criteria have been met, closing the connection associated with the phone call.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the connection associated with the phone call is closed in response to receiving confirmation that the second electronic device has opened a connection associated with the phone call.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more programs further comprises instructions for:

in accordance with the determination that the second routing criteria have been met, maintaining, on the first electronic device, the connection associated with the phone call for a duration of the phone call.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more programs further comprises instructions for:

receiving a hang-up command from the second electronic device; and

in response to receiving the hang-up command, closing the connection associated with the phone call.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein causing call data associated with the phone call to be routed through the first electronic device to the second electronic device includes receiving the call data and sending different data to the second electronic device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein causing call data associated with the phone call to be routed through the first electronic device to the second electronic device includes receiving the call data and sending the call data to the second electronic device without extracting audio content from the call data.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more programs further comprises instructions for:

in accordance with the determination that the second routing criteria have been met, displaying a user interface object indicating the phone call is routed through the first electronic device.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the one or more programs further comprises instructions for:

receiving input that corresponds to selection of the user interface object; and

in response to receiving the input, causing the call data to no longer be routed to the second electronic device.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the one or more programs further comprises instructions for:

in accordance with the determination that the first routing criteria have been met, displaying another user interface object indicating the phone call has been routed to the second electronic device.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the request to route the phone call to the second electronic device is received from the second electronic device.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the request to route the phone call to the second electronic device corresponds to user input received at the first electronic device.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more programs further comprises instructions for:

in accordance with the determination that the second routing criteria have been met, causing additional data to be routed to the second electronic device.

27. A method, comprising:

at a first electronic device;

receiving, at the first electronic device, a phone call that was routed to the first electronic device by a call-routing service;

while receiving the phone call, receiving a request to route the phone call to a second electronic device; and

in response to receiving the request to route the phone call to the second electronic device;

in accordance with a determination that a first routing criteria have been met, sending a request to the call-routing service to route the phone call to the second electronic device instead of routing the phone call to the first electronic device, wherein the first routing criteria include a criterion that is met when the call-routing service has enabled a carrier routing protocol; and

in accordance with a determination that a second routing criteria have been met, causing call data associated with the phone call to be routed through the first electronic device to the second electronic device, wherein the second routing criteria include a criterion that is met when the call-routing service has not enabled the carrier routing protocol.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

before receiving the request to route the phone call, opening, at the first electronic device, a connection associated with the phone call; and

in accordance with the determination that the first routing criteria have been met, closing the connection associated with the phone call.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the connection associated with the phone call is closed in response to receiving confirmation that the second electronic device has opened a connection associated with the phone call.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

in accordance with the determination that the second routing criteria have been met, maintaining, on the first electronic device, the connection associated with the phone call for a duration of the phone call.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving a hang-up command from the second electronic device; and

in response to receiving the hang-up command, closing the connection associated with the phone call.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein causing call data associated with the phone call to be routed through the first electronic device to the second electronic device includes receiving the call data and sending different data to the second electronic device.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein causing call data associated with the phone call to be routed through the first electronic device to the second electronic device includes receiving the call data and sending the call data to the second electronic device without extracting audio content from the call data.

34. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

in accordance with the determination that the second routing criteria have been met, displaying a user interface object indicating the phone call is routed through the first electronic device.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

receiving input that corresponds to selection of the user interface object; and

in response to receiving the input, causing the call data to no longer be routed to the second electronic device.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

in accordance with the determination that the first routing criteria have been met, displaying another user interface object indicating the phone call has been routed to the second electronic device.

37. The method of claim 27, wherein the request to route the phone call to the second electronic device is received from the second electronic device.

38. The method of claim 27, wherein the request to route the phone call to the second electronic device corresponds to user input received at the first electronic device.

39. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

in accordance with the determination that the second routing criteria have been met, causing additional data to be routed to the second electronic device.