HANDLING OF INCOMING CALLS

• US 20080152111A1
• Filed: 12/26/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mock, Von A., Schultz, Charles P.
• Application Number:
  US11/616,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20080152111A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/142.17
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42051 where the notification is included in the ringing tone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42187 Lines and connections with preferential service
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53383 Message registering commands or announcements; Greetings

Abstract

A method (300) that can include receiving a call identifier (130) for an incoming call and associating the incoming call with at least one category (140, 145, 150) selected from a group consisting of at least three categories. An indicator (160) that correlates to the category with which the incoming call is associated can be presented to a user (120). Presenting the indicator can include presenting a particular color to the user and/or presenting a vibration, sound or image to the user. The method further can include automatically responding to the incoming call with a particular greeting only if the call identifier is blank or indicates an unknown caller (125). In another arrangement, the method can include automatically responding to the incoming call with a particular greeting only if the caller is unknown and the call identifier indicates that the caller is a particular gender or is exhibiting a particular emotion.

Claims

1. A method for processing an incoming call, comprising:

receiving a call identifier for the incoming call;

associating the incoming call with at least one category selected from a group consisting of at least three categories; and

presenting to a user a non-textual indicator that correlates to the category with which the incoming call is associated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the incoming call with the category comprises selecting the category based, at least in part, on a social status of the caller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving the call identifier comprises receiving an age of a caller; and

associating the incoming call with the category comprises selecting the category based, at least in part, on the age of the caller.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein associating the incoming call with the category further comprises selecting the category based, at least in part, on the age of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically responding to the incoming call with a particular greeting only if the call identifier is blank or indicates an unknown, unidentified or undesirable caller.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically responding to the incoming call with a particular greeting only if the caller is unknown and the call identifier indicates that the caller is a particular gender or is exhibiting a particular emotion.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the non-textual indicator comprises presenting a particular color to the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the non-textual indicator comprises presenting a vibration, graphic, odor, sound or image to the user.

9. A method for processing an incoming call, comprising:

receiving a call identifier for the incoming call; and

automatically responding to the incoming call with a masculine greeting only if the call identifier is blank or indicates a caller is unknown, unidentified or undesirable.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein automatically responding to the incoming call with a masculine response comprises responding to the incoming call with a greeting in a masculine voice.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein automatically responding to the incoming call with a masculine response comprises responding to the incoming call with a masculine image.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein automatically responding to the incoming call with a masculine response comprises responding to the incoming call with a voice that approximately matches the caller'"'"'s age.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein automatically responding to the incoming call with a masculine response comprises responding to the incoming call with an image that approximately matches the caller'"'"'s age.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising automatically responding to the incoming call with a second greeting presented with a user'"'"'s voice or image only if the call identifier indicates that the caller is known.

15. A communication device, comprising:

a communications adapter that receives a call identifier for an incoming call;

a controller that associates the incoming call with at least one category selected from a group consisting of at least three categories; and

a user interface that presents to a user a non-textual indicator that correlates to the category with which the incoming call is associated.

16. The communication device of 15, wherein the controller selects the category based, at least in part, on a social status of the caller.

17. The communication device of 15, wherein:

the call indicator comprises an age of a caller; and

the controller selects the category based, at least in part, on the age of the caller.

18. The communication device of 15, wherein the controller responds to the incoming call with a particular greeting only if the call identifier is blank or indicates an unknown, unidentified or undesirable caller.

19. The communication device of 15, wherein the controller responds to the incoming call with a particular greeting only if the caller is unknown and the call identifier indicates that the caller is a particular gender or is exhibiting a particular emotion.

20. The communication device of 15, wherein the user interface presents the non-textual indicator to the user as a particular color or as a vibration, graphic, odor, sound or image.