Dialing assistant that includes an interface with a geographic display

• US 20070281668A1
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fleming, Lynda J.
• Application Number:
  US11/443,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20070281668A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27485 Appending a prefix to or inserting a pause into a dialling sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

Apparatus for assisting a caller with the placement of a call from a telephone device to a called party in a foreign country. The apparatus being operable to display a geographic map; prompt the caller to select the foreign country from the geographic map; generate, responsive to selection of the foreign country by the caller, a digit string that includes a first access code, if any, for routing the call off of a private network. The digit string also including a second access code to route the call off of a national network associated with the location of the telephone device, and a country code of the foreign country. The caller is prompted to enter a local number of the called party. Digits of the local number are then appended to the digit string. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Claims

1. Apparatus for assisting a caller with the placement of a call from a mobile telephone device to a called party in a foreign country comprising:

means for determining a geographic position of the mobile telephone device;

means, responsive to target network selection input of the caller, for automatically populating a dialing buffer with a first access code, if any, for routing the call off of a private network, a second access code to route the call off of a national network associated with the geographic position of the mobile telephone device, and the country code of the foreign country, the means for populating the dialing buffer further for prompting the caller to enter a final part of a telephone number of the called party.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

means for storing the first access code, the second access code, and a plurality of third access codes that includes the country code of the foreign country.

3. Apparatus for assisting a caller with the placement of a call from a telephone device to a called party in a foreign country, the telephone device being associated with a private network that is connected to a national network, comprising:

a user interface that provides the caller with the ability to select the foreign country of the called party; and

means, responsive to the selection of the caller, for automatically populating a dialing buffer with a first access code, if any, for routing the call off of a private network, a second access code to route the call off of a national network associated with the geographic position of the mobile telephone device, and the country code of the foreign country.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the means is further for prompting the caller to enter a National Significant Number (NSN) of a telephone number of the called party.

5. Logic for assisting a caller with the placement of a call from a telephone device to a called party in a foreign country, the logic being encoded in one or more media for execution and when executed operable to:

display a geographic map;

prompt the caller to select the foreign country from the geographic map;

generate, responsive to selection of the foreign country by the caller, a digit string that includes a first access code, if any, for routing the call off of a private network, a second access code to route the call off of a national network associated with the location of the telephone device, and a country code of the foreign country; and

prompt the caller to enter a local number of the called party, upon entry, digits of the local number being appended to the digit string.

6. The logic of claim 5, further operable to place the call using the digit string responsive to a command of the caller after the caller has entered the local number.

7. The logic of claim 5, wherein the digit string is stored in a buffer of the telephone device.

8. The logic of claim 5, wherein the telephone device includes a memory to store the first access code, a plurality of national network access codes that includes the second access code, and a plurality of country codes that includes the country code of the foreign country.

9. The logic of claim 5, wherein the selection of the foreign country is made via a touch screen input of the caller.

10. The logic of claim 5, wherein the local number comprises a National Significant Number (NSN).

11. The logic of claim 5, further operable to:

display a world map; and

prompt the caller to select a continent or region from the world map, wherein the geographic map displayed corresponds to the continent or region selected by the caller from the world map.

12. A processor-implemented method of assisting a caller with the placement of an international call from a telephone device to a called party in a foreign country, comprising:

displaying a world map to the caller;

prompting the caller to select a continent or region from the world map;

displaying a continent/regional map, the continent/regional map corresponding to the continent or region selected by the caller from the world map;

prompting the caller to select the foreign country from the continent/regional map;

generating, responsive to the foreign country selected by the caller, a digit string that includes a first access code, if any, for routing the call off of a private network, a second access code to route the call off of a national network associated with a current location of the telephone device, and a country code of the foreign country; and

prompting the caller to enter a local number of the called party, upon entry, digits of the local number being appended to the digit string.

13. The processor-implemented method of claim 12 further comprising:

placing the call using the digit string responsive to a command of the caller.

14. The processor-implemented method of claim 12 further comprising:

storing the digit string in a buffer.

15. The processor-implemented method of claim 12 further comprising:

accessing a memory that stores the first access code, a plurality of national network access codes that includes the second access code, and a plurality of country codes that includes the country code of the foreign country.

16. A processor-implemented method of assisting a caller with the placement of an international call from a telephone device to a called party in a foreign country, comprising:

prompting the caller to select the foreign country via a user interface;

generating, responsive to the foreign country selected by the caller, a digit string that includes a first access code, if any, for routing the call off of a private network, a second access code to route the call off of a national network associated with a current location of the telephone device, and a country code of the foreign country; and

prompting the caller to enter a local number of the called party via the user interface;

appending digits of the local number to the digit string.

17. The processor-implemented method of claim 16 wherein the user interface comprises a graphical user interface (GUI).

18. The processor-implemented method of claim 16 wherein the user interface comprises a telephony user interface (TUI).

19. The processor-implemented method of claim 16 wherein prompting the caller to select the foreign country comprises:

displaying a world map to the caller;

prompting the caller to select a continent, region, or the foreign country from the world map.

20. The processor-implemented method of claim 19 further comprising:

displaying a continent/regional map responsive to a continent or regional selection by the caller, the continent/regional map including the foreign country;

prompting the caller to select the foreign country from the continent/regional map.

21. The processor-implemented method of claim 16 further comprising:

placing the call using the digit string responsive to a command of the caller, the digit string including the digits of the local number.

22. The processor-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the local number comprises a National Significant Number (NSN).