System, apparatus and method for managing incoming calls at a wireless device

• US 20040209606A1
• Filed: 04/21/2003
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Charles D. Gavrilovich, Jr., James P. Cleary, Mark M. Takahashi
• Original Assignee: Charles D. Gavrilovich, Jr., James P. Cleary, Mark M. Takahashi
• Inventors: Gavrilovich, Charles D. Jr., Takahashi, Mark M., Cleary, James P.
• Application Number:
  US10/419,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20040209606A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/415
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/64 Automatic arrangements for answering calls; Automatic arrangements for recording messages for absent subscribers; Arrangements for recording conversations centralised dictation systems H04M11/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4285 Notifying, informing or entertaining a held party while on hold, e.g. Music On Hold

Abstract

A preliminary answer message is transmitted to a calling device placing a call to a wireless device of a called party where the preliminary answer message indicates that the call has been accepted and the calling party will engage in communication after a period of time. When the calling party is alerted of the incoming call and can not currently speak, the calling party initiates the preliminary answer process through a user input on the wireless device. In response, the preliminary answer message, which may be a recorded voice message, is transmitted to the calling device and presented to the calling party.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting, to a calling device initiating a call to a wireless device of a called party, a machine-generated preliminary answer message indicating the called party will participate in the call after a period of time.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the period of time is selectable by the called party.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the preliminary answer message comprises a voice message.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the preliminary answer message comprises a recorded human voice message.

5. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the preliminary answer message comprises a synthesized voice message.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the preliminary answer message comprises an audible tone.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the preliminary answer message results in a visual indicator on the calling device.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the preliminary answer message is transmitted from the wireless device.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the preliminary answer message is retrieved from memory within the wireless device.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the preliminary answer message is transmitted in response to a user input indicating the called party is accepting the call and will engage in communication after the period of time.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the preliminary answer message is transmitted from a wireless communication system communicating with the wireless device.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the preliminary answer message is retrieved from memory within the wireless communication system.

13. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising transmitting, during the period of time, an advertisement to the calling device.

14. A method performed within a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

transmitting, to a wireless device of a called party, an indicator signal indicating a calling device is placing a call to the wireless device;

receiving, from the wireless device, a preliminary answer indicator indicating the called party will participate in the call after a period of time.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the period of time is selectable by the called party.

16. A method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting, to the calling device, a preliminary answer message indicating the called party will participate in the call after a period of time.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the preliminary answer message is a machine-generated preliminary answer message.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the preliminary answer indicator is a dual tone multi-frequency (DTFM) signal.

19. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the preliminary answer message comprises a voice message.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the preliminary answer message comprises a recorded human voice message.

21. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the preliminary answer message comprises a synthesized voice message.

22. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the preliminary answer message comprises an audible tone.

23. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the preliminary answer message results in a visual indicator at the calling device.

24. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the preliminary answer message is retrieved from memory within the wireless communication system.

25. A method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising transmitting, during the period of time, an advertisement to the calling device.

26. A method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising:

providing menu information describing a plurality of calling options to the calling device.

27. A method in accordance with claim 26, further comprising:

receiving a calling option instruction corresponding to one of the plurality of calling options.

28. A method performed in a wireless device, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming call indicator from a base station indicating a calling device is placing a call to the wireless device;

providing a call alert to alert a called party of the call;

transmitting a preliminary answer indicator to the base station indicating the called party will participate in the call after a period of time.

29. A method in accordance with claim 28, further comprising:

detecting a preliminary answer user input indicating the called party is accepting the call and will participate in the call after the period of time.

30. A method in accordance with claim 29, wherein detecting the preliminary answer user input comprises:

detecting a depression of a switch on the called wireless device.

31. A method in accordance with claim 30, wherein the detecting the depression of a switch comprises:

detecting a depression of a key on a keypad of the called wireless device.

32. A method in accordance with claim 31, wherein the preliminary answer indicator is a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal.

33. A method performed in a wireless device, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming call indicator from a base station indicating a calling device is placing a call to the wireless device of a called party;

providing a call alert to the called party;

transmitting a preliminary answer message to the base station indicating the called party will participate in the call after a period of time.

34. A method in accordance with claim 33, further comprising:

detecting a preliminary answer user input indicating the called party is accepting the call and will participate in the call after a period of time.

35. A method in accordance with claim 34, further comprising:

retrieving from memory within the wireless device the preliminary answer message.

36. A method in accordance with claim 34, wherein detecting the preliminary answer user input comprises:

detecting a depression of a switch on the called wireless device.

37. A method in accordance with claim 36, wherein the detecting the depression of a switch comprises:

detecting a depression of a key on a keypad of the called wireless device.

38. A method in accordance with claim 33, wherein the period of time is selectable by the called party.

39. A method in accordance with claim 33, wherein the preliminary answer message is a machine-generated preliminary answer message.

40. A method in accordance with claim 33, wherein the preliminary answer message comprises a voice message.

41. A method in accordance with claim 40, wherein the preliminary answer message comprises a recorded human voice message.

42. A method in accordance with claim 40, wherein the preliminary answer message comprises a synthesized voice message.

43. A method in accordance with claim 33, wherein the preliminary answer message comprises an audible tone.

44. A method in accordance with claim 33, wherein the preliminary answer message results in a visual indicator on the calling device.

45. A method in accordance with claim 33, further comprising transmitting, during the period of time, an advertisement to the calling device.

46. A method of managing an incoming call at a wireless device, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming call indicator from a base station indicating a calling device is placing a call to the wireless device;

providing a call alert to a called party of the call;

detecting a preliminary answer user input indicating the called party will participate in the call after a period of time;

retrieving from memory within the wireless device, a preliminary answer message; and

transmitting the preliminary answer message to the base station indicating the called party will participate in the call after a period of time.

47. A method in accordance with claim 46, wherein the preliminary answer message is a recorded voice message.

48. A method in accordance with claim 46, wherein the preliminary answer message is a synthesized voice preliminary answer message and the transmitting the preliminary answer message comprises synthesizing a voice message based on the preliminary answer message retrieved from memory to form the synthesized voice preliminary answer message.

49. A controller comprising circuitry for executing programmed instructions comprising:

transmitting, to a calling device used to initiate a call to a called wireless device of a caller party, a preliminary answer message indicating the called party will participate in the call after a period of time.

50. A controller in accordance with claim 49, wherein the period of time is selectable by the called party.

51. A controller in accordance with claim 49, wherein the preliminary answer message comprises a voice message.

52. A controller in accordance with claim 51, wherein the preliminary answer message comprises a recorded human voice message.

53. A controller in accordance with claim 51, wherein the preliminary answer message comprises a synthesized voice message.

54. A controller in accordance with claim 49, wherein the preliminary answer message comprises an audible tone.

55. A controller in accordance with claim 49, wherein the preliminary answer message results in a visual indicator on the calling device.

56. A controller in accordance with claim 49, wherein the preliminary answer message is transmitted from the wireless device.

57. A controller in accordance with claim 56, wherein the instructions comprise retrieving the preliminary answer message from memory within the wireless device.

58. A controller in accordance with claim 49, wherein the instructions comprise transmitting the preliminary answer message in response to a user input indicating the called party will participate in the call after the period of time.

59. A controller in accordance with claim 49, wherein the instructions comprise transmitting the preliminary answer message from a wireless communication system communicating with the called wireless device.

60. A controller in accordance with claim 59, wherein the instructions comprise retrieving the preliminary answer message from memory within the wireless communication system.

61. A controller in accordance with claim 49, wherein the instructions further comprising transmitting, during the period of time, an advertisement to the calling device.

62. A controller comprising circuitry for executing programmed instructions comprising:

receiving a preliminary answer indicator indicating a called party will participate in a call initiated through a calling device after a period of time;

retrieving from memory a preliminary answer message indicating the called party will participate in the call after the period of time;

transmitting, to the calling device, the preliminary answer message indicating the called party will participate in the call after a period of time.

63. A controller in accordance with claim 62, wherein the preliminary answer message is a recorded voice message.

64. A controller in accordance with claim 62, wherein the preliminary answer indicator is received from a user interface.

65. A controller in accordance with claim 64, wherein the period of time is received through the user interface.

66. An apparatus for managing an incoming call at a wireless device, the apparatus comprising:

a user interface for receiving a preliminary answer user input and generating a preliminary answer indicator indicating a called party will participate in the call after a period of time;

a controller for retrieving a preliminary answer message from a memory in response to the preliminary answer indicator; and

a communication interface for transmitting the preliminary answer message through a communication network to a calling device initiating the call.

67. An apparatus in accordance with claim 66, wherein the preliminary answer user input is a selection of a key and the preliminary answer indicator is a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal.

68. An apparatus in accordance with claim 66, wherein the preliminary answer message is a recorded voice message.

69. An apparatus in accordance with claim 66, further comprising the memory.

70. An apparatus in accordance with claim 66, wherein the user interface is further for receiving the period of time.

71. A wireless communication system comprising:

a base station for providing wireless communication services through a wireless link to a called wireless device and for transmitting a call indicator indicating a calling device is placing a call to the called wireless device;

a central office responsive to receiving a preliminary answer indicator from the called wireless device through the base station and for transmitting a preliminary answer message indicating a called party will participate in the call after a period of time.

72. A wireless communication system in accordance with claim 71, further comprising a memory for storing the preliminary answer message, the controller for retrieving the preliminary answer message from the memory.

73. A wireless communication system in accordance with claim 71, wherein the preliminary answer indicator is a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal initiated by a preliminary answer user input entered through a user interface of the called wireless device.

74. A wireless communication system in accordance with claim 73, wherein the user interface is further for receiving the period of time.

75. A wireless communication system in accordance with claim 71, wherein the preliminary answer message is a recorded voice message.

76. A wireless device comprising:

a communication interface for communicating through a wireless communication system with a calling device initiating a call to a called party of the wireless device;

a memory for storing a preliminary answer message indicating the called party will participate in the call after a period of time;

a controller for retrieving the preliminary answer message from memory and transmitting the preliminary answer message to the calling device through the communication interface.

77. A wireless device in accordance with claim 76, further comprising a user interface for detecting a preliminary answer user input indicating the called party will participate in the call after the period of time.

78. A communication system comprising:

a calling device;

a wireless device; and

a communication network for transmitting a call indicator to the wireless device when a call is placed from the calling device to the wireless device, the communication system configured to transmit, to the calling device, a machine-generated preliminary answer message indicating a called party will participate in the call after a period of time.