REPLYING THROUGH DIFFERENT CHANNELS

• US 20080056454A1
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Lahtiranta, Atte, Karjalainen, Ilpo, Hamalainen, Jari P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,385,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/67.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/642 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/651 Text message transmission triggered by call automatic reactions in messaging within packet-switching networks H04L51/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/652 Call initiation triggered by text message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54

Abstract

An apparatus includes a display and a processor connected to the display. The processor being configured to transmit at least one reply communication in response to an incoming communication, the at least one reply communication being formatted by the processor for a communication protocol that is different from a communication protocol of the incoming communication.

Claims

13. A method comprising:

receiving an incoming communication; and

responding to the incoming communication wherein at least one reply communication is transmitted in response to the incoming communication, the at least one reply communication is formatted for a communication protocol that is different from a communication protocol of the incoming communication.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one reply communication is transmitted using a service provider that is different from a service provider of the incoming communication.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the at least one reply communication has a respective communication protocol or a respective service provider.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the reply communication is a predefined message.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein sending the at least one reply communication comprises sending the at least one reply message based on information obtained from caller identification.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising presenting to a user information pertaining to a service provider associated with the incoming communication.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein responding to the incoming communication comprises responding to the incoming communication through a soft key associated with the reply communication.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising automatically determining a service provider of the incoming communication for presentation to a user.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising automatically switching from a service provider for the incoming communication to a different service provider for transmitting the at least one reply communication.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting a follow-up reply message formatted for a different protocol than the at least one reply message.

23. A computer program product comprising:

a computer useable medium having computer readable code means embodied therein for causing a computer to transmit at least one reply communication in response to an incoming communication, the computer readable code means in the computer program product comprising;

computer readable code means for causing a computer to transmit at least one communication in reply to an incoming communication, the at least one reply communication being formatted for a communication protocol that is different from a communication protocol of the incoming communication, the at least one reply communication being transmitted using a service provider that is different from a service provider of the incoming communication.

1. An apparatus comprising:

a display; and

a processor connected to the display, the processor being configured to transmit at least one reply communication in response to an incoming communication, the at least one reply communication being formatted by the processor for a communication protocol that is different from a communication protocol of the incoming communication.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to transmit the at least one reply message when a user of the apparatus declines the incoming call.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to transmit the at least one reply message based on information obtained from caller identification.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to cause the display to present information pertaining to the service provider associated with the incoming call.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one soft key, wherein one of the at least one soft key is configured to respond to the incoming call by causing the processor to transmit the at least one reply message.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one reply message is associated with a different communication protocol or a different service provider.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one reply message is a predefined message.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, the at least one reply message is selected from a list of predefined messages.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to automatically determine the service provider of the incoming call for presentation to a user.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to automatically switch from the service provider for the incoming call to a different service provider for transmitting the at least one reply message.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a follow-up reply message formatted for a different protocol than the at least one reply message.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising computer readable code means for causing a computer to present to a user information pertaining to the service provider associated with the incoming communication.

25. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising computer readable code means for causing a computer to respond to the incoming communication in response to an activation of a soft key.

26. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein each of the at least one reply communication is associated with a different service provider or a different communication protocol.

26-1. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the at least one reply message is a predefined message.

27. A user interface comprising:

at least one display area configured to display a name of a party associated with an incoming communication, a service provider type associated with the incoming communication, and a response option to the user, the response option being configured to allow the user to respond to the incoming communication with at least one reply communication.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one reply message being transmitted using a service provider that is different from a service provider of the incoming call.

28. The user interface of claim 27, wherein the at least one reply communication is associated with a service provider type that is different form the service provider type of the incoming communication.

28-2. The user interface of claim 27 wherein the at least one display area comprises:

at least a first area configured to display the name of a party associated with an incoming communication;

at least a second area configured to display the service provider type associated with the incoming communication; and

at least a third area configured to display the response option to the user.

29. An apparatus comprising:

a means for transmitting at least one message in reply to an incoming call, the at least one reply message being formatted for a communication protocol that is different from a communication protocol of the incoming call, the at least one reply message being transmitted using a service provider that is different from a service provider of the incoming call.