Integration of wireless and external computing devices

• US 20050059439A1
• Filed: 09/15/2003
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Berretta, Gregg J., Waughman, Russell J., White, Christopher A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,160,557 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/576 associated with a pictorial or graphical representation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The wireless device may include logic that enables the wireless device to interface with the external computing device, and rule logic to direct handling by the external computing device of call events of the wireless device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving information from a caller via a wireless device;

communicating the information to an external computing device;

locating contact information for the caller using at least one of a name and phone number of the caller; and

when the contact information for the caller is located, displaying the contact information for the caller on a display of the external computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the contact information for the caller is not located, creating a new contact record for the caller including at least one of the name and phone number of the caller.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

the external computing device receiving photo information for the caller from the wireless device; and

including the photo information in the new contact record for the caller.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing contact information from contact manager logic to the wireless device; and

communicating the contact information from the contact manager logic as one of an SMS, EMS, and MMS message.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

dragging the contact information from a GUI for the contact manager logic; and

dropping the contact information into a GUI for wireless device interface logic.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing contact information from contact manager logic to the wireless device; and

storing the contact information from the contact manager logic in a memory of the wireless device.

7. A method comprising:

receiving information from a caller via a wireless device;

communicating the information to an external computing device;

locating an email address for the caller using at least one of a name and phone number of the caller; and

using the email address for the caller to locate stored emails previously received from or sent to the caller.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

creating an address book entry for the caller when no email address matching the caller email address is located; and

including at least one of the caller'"'"'s name and phone number in the created address book entry.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving photo information for the caller from the wireless device; and

including the photo information in the created address book entry.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

communicating photo information for the called party from the external computing device to the wireless device;

forming one of an SMS, EMS, and MMS message including the photo information; and

communicating the one of an SMS, EMS, and MMS message including the photo information to the caller.

11. A method comprising:

receiving information from a caller via a wireless device;

communicating the information to an external computing device;

locating an email address for the caller using at least one of a name and phone number of the caller; and

creating a new email message addressed to the caller.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

including information specific to the caller in at least one of a body and attachments to the new email message.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

forming the new email message to indicate one of busy, no answer, and call rejected.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

forming from the new email and communicating to the caller one of an SMS, EMS, and MMS message.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

dragging at least one of the name and phone number of the caller from wireless device interface logic; and

dropping the at least one of the name and phone number to email logic to cause creation of the new email message.

16. A method comprising:

receiving information from a caller via a wireless device;

communicating the information to an external computing device; and

locating scheduled activities involving the caller.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

highlighting or otherwise drawing attention to the scheduled activities.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

creating a new activity record involving the caller;

including at least one of the caller'"'"'s name, phone number, and photo information in the new activity record.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

using at least one of the caller'"'"'s name and phone number to locate and email address for the caller;

creating a new email message containing information about the new activity record;

communicating the new email message to the email address for the caller.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

forming one of an SMS, EMS, and MMS message including information from the new activity record; and

communicating the one of an SMS, EMS, and MMS message to the caller via the wireless device.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

dragging at least one of the name and phone number of the caller from wireless device interface logic; and

dropping the at least one of the name and phone number to calendar logic to cause creation of the new activity record.

22. A method comprising:

detecting an incoming call from a caller to a wireless device;

providing information about the call to an external computing device; and

creating a new activity record involving the caller when at least one of the call is rejected, the called party is busy, and there is no answer to the call.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

using at least one of the caller'"'"'s name and phone number to locate and email address for the caller;

creating a new email message containing information about the new activity record;

communicating the new email message to the email address for the caller.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

forming one of an SMS, EMS, and MMS message including information from the new activity record; and

communicating the one of an SMS, EMS, and MMS message to the caller via the wireless device.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving information from the wireless device identifying a location of the caller;

locating driving directions from the location of a called party to the location of the caller; and

including the driving directions in the new email message.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving information from the wireless device identifying a location of the caller;

locating driving directions from the location of a called party to the location of the caller; and

including the one of an SMS, EMS, and MMS message to the caller via the wireless device.

27. A method comprising:

receiving information about a caller via a wireless device;

communicating the information to an external computing device;

locating a URL of a web page associated with the caller; and

displaying the web page using the external computing device.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

communicating bookmarks of browser logic of the external computing device to the wireless device.

29. A method comprising:

receiving the name of a caller via a wireless device;

communicating the name to an external computing device;

applying the name to perform an Internet search; and

displaying results of the Internet search using the external computing device.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

communicating results of the Internet search to the wireless device.

31. A wireless device comprising:

a processor;

logic that when applied to the processor enables the wireless device to interface with an external computing device; and

rule logic to direct handling by the external computing device of call events of the wireless device.

32. The wireless device of claim 31, the rule logic further comprising:

logic to direct contact manager logic of the external computing device in the handling of call events of the wireless device.

33. The wireless device of claim 31, the rule logic further comprising:

logic to direct email logic of the external computing device in the handling of call events of the wireless device.

34. The wireless device of claim 31, the rule logic further comprising:

logic to direct calendar logic of the external computing device in the handling of call events of the wireless device.

35. The wireless device of claim 31, the rule logic further comprising:

logic to direct browser logic of the external computing device in the handling of call events of the wireless device.

36. The wireless device of claim 31, the rule logic further comprising:

logic to direct instant messaging logic of the external computing device in the handling of call events of the wireless device.