Communication device with intelligent communication management and method therefor

• US 20060148494A1
• Filed: 03/07/2006
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hymel, James A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,330,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/461
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2749 Automatic dialling or redialling systems, e.g. on off-hook or redial on busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1307 Call setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13282 Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13332 Broadband, CATV, dynamic bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/64 Distributing or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management

Abstract

A communication device (100) having intelligent communication management includes a processor (115), a memory (120), and a communications manager application (140). The communication device (100) sequentially initiates communication with a contact either automatically (e.g., based on a preset communication preference) or in response to user input using various communication means associated with the contact. The contact and the associated communication means are stored in the memory (120). When a communication connection is disconnected or not able to be established, the communications manager application (140) identifies the next communications means to which to initiate a communication with the contact.

Claims

1. A method for intelligent communication management within a communication device, the communication device being operable to store at least one contact in a memory of the communication device, the at least one contact being associated with a plurality of communication means by which to establish a communication connection with the at least one contact, the method comprising:

initiating a communication with the at least one contact using a first communication means of the plurality of communication means;

determining whether initiation of the communication using the first communication means resulted in a communication connection with the at least one contact; and

initiating the communication with the at least one contact using a second communication means of the plurality of communication means in the event that initiation of the communication using the first communication means did not result in a communication connection with the at least one contact.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the communication connection with the at least one contact was disconnected after the communication was established using the second communication means; and

initiating a second communication with the at least one contact using one of the first communication means and a third communication means of the plurality of communication means in the event that the communication connection with the at least one contact was disconnected.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether initiation of the communication using the second communication means resulted in a communication connection with the at least one contact; and

initiating the communication with the at least one contact using a third communication means of the plurality of communication means in the event that initiation of the communication using the second communication means did not result in a communication connection with the at least one contact.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing at least one communication preference for the at least one contact, the at least one communication preference identifying at least one order for using the plurality of communication means to sequentially initiate communication with the at least one contact, wherein at least the second communication means is identified by the at least one communication preference.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one communication preference comprises at least one of a fixed communication order, a pattern communication order, a time based communication order, and a calendar based communication order.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining a historical pattern for communicating with the at least one contact; and

updating the at least one communication preference for the at least one contact based on the historical pattern.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a communication preference for the at least one contact, the communication preference identifying a plurality of orders for using the plurality of communication means to sequentially initiate communication with the at least one contact, each of the plurality of orders being associated with a respective time frame;

determining a current time;

matching the current time with a time frame to produce a matched time frame; and

selecting the second communication means based on an order of the plurality of orders associated with the matched time frame.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a plurality of calendar events, each of the plurality of calendar events being associated with a respective time frame;

storing a communication preference for the at least one contact, the communication preference identifying a plurality of orders for using the plurality of communication means to sequentially initiate communication with the at least one contact, each of the plurality of orders being associated with a respective calendar event of the plurality of calendar events;

determining a current time;

matching the current time with a time frame to produce a matched time frame; and

selecting the second communication means based on an order of the plurality of orders associated with a calendar event associated with the matched time frame.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of initiating the communication with the at least one contact using the second communication means occurs automatically in the event that initiation of the communication using the first communication means did not result in a communication connection with the at least one contact.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to the step of initiating the communication with the at least one contact using the second communication means,

displaying at least the second communication means to a user of the communication device; and

receiving a selection of the second communication means from the user.

11. A method for intelligent communication management within a communication device, the communication device being operable to store at least one contact in a memory of the communication device, the at least one contact being associated with a plurality of communication means by which to establish a communication connection with the at least one contact, the method comprising:

establishing a communication connection with the at least one contact using a first communication means of the plurality of communication means;

determining whether the communication connection established using the first communication means was disconnected; and

initiating a communication with the at least one contact using a second communication means of the plurality of communication means in the event that the communication connection established using the first communication means was disconnected.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining whether initiation of the communication using the second communication means resulted in a second communication connection with the at least one contact; and

initiating the communication with the at least one contact using a third communication means of the plurality of communication means in the event that initiation of the communication using the second communication means did not result in a second communication connection with the at least one contact.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

storing at least one communication preference for the at least one contact, the at least one communication preference identifying at least one order for using the plurality of communication means to sequentially initiate communication with the at least one contact, wherein at least the second communication means is identified by the at least one communication preference.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one communication preference comprises at least one of a fixed communication order, a pattern communication order, a time based communication order, and a calendar based communication order.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining a historical pattern for communicating with the at least one contact; and

updating the at least one communication preference for the at least one contact based on the historical pattern.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

storing a communication preference for the at least one contact, the communication preference identifying a plurality of orders for using the plurality of communication means to sequentially initiate communication with the at least one contact, each of the plurality of orders being associated with a respective time frame;

determining a current time;

matching the current time with a time frame to produce a matched time frame; and

selecting the second communication means based on an order of the plurality of orders associated with the matched time frame.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of initiating a communication with the at least one contact using the second communication means occurs automatically in the event that the communication connection established using the first communication means was disconnected.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

prior to the step of initiating the communication with the at least one contact using the second communication means,

displaying at least the second communication means to a user of the communication device; and

receiving a selection of the second communication means from the user.

19. A communication device having intelligent communication management, the communication device comprising:

a memory operable to store at least one contact and an associated plurality of communication means by which to establish a communication connection with the at least one contact;

a processor operable to initiate a communication with the at least one contact using a first communication means of the plurality of communication means; and

a communications manager application coupled to the processor and the memory, wherein the communications manager application is operable to;

determine whether initiation of the communication using the first communication means resulted in a communication connection with the at least one contact; and

cause the processor to initiate the communication with the at least one contact using a second communication means of the plurality of communication means in the event that initiation of the communication using the first communication means did not result in a communication connection with the at least one contact.

20. The communication device of claim 19, wherein the memory is further operable to store at least one communication preference for the at least one contact, the at least one communication preference identifying at least one order for using the plurality of communication means to sequentially initiate communication with the at least one contact, wherein at least the second communication means is identified by the at least one communication preference.