System and method for performing an action on a phone in response to a user initiating an outbound call to one or more select phone numbers
First Claim
1. A method for performing an action on a phone in response to a user initiating a call, the method comprising:
- associating each of one or more phone numbers with an action that is to be performed by the phone;
maintaining a table of the phone numbers associated with an action, where the table relates each phone number in the table to an action;
listening for calls initiated by a user on the phone;
in response to the user initiating a call, determining whether a phone number associated with the call is in the table, where such determination is made prior to placing the call; and
in response to the phone number being in the table, performing an action related to such phone number in the table, where such action is performed on the phone at a time specified by instructions for such action.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a system, method and software application for associating one or more phone numbers with an action on a phone and performing an action on the phone in response to the user initiating a call to one of such phone numbers. Certain phone numbers are associated with an action. The user'"'"'s phone, or a server with which the user'"'"'s phone communicates, maintains a table of the phone numbers associated with an action, and each phone number in the table is related to an action. Software on the user'"'"'s phone listens for call initiated by a user. When the user initiates a call, software on the phone “intercepts” the call, and the phone (or a server with which the phone communicates) determines whether the call is to a phone number that is in the table. If the phone number is in the table, then it is associated with an action, and the user'"'"'s phone performs that action at a time specified by instructions for such action. The action may be performed before, during, or after the call depending on the instructions associated with the call. Whether a call is placed to the original phone number ultimately depends on the action and the user'"'"'s response to the action.
42 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for performing an action on a phone in response to a user initiating a call, the method comprising:
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associating each of one or more phone numbers with an action that is to be performed by the phone; maintaining a table of the phone numbers associated with an action, where the table relates each phone number in the table to an action; listening for calls initiated by a user on the phone; in response to the user initiating a call, determining whether a phone number associated with the call is in the table, where such determination is made prior to placing the call; and in response to the phone number being in the table, performing an action related to such phone number in the table, where such action is performed on the phone at a time specified by instructions for such action. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for performing an action on a phone in response to a user initiating a call, the method comprising:
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associating each of one or more phone numbers with an action; listening for phone numbers dialed by a user on the phone; in response to the user initiating a call to a phone number, determining whether the phone number is one of the phone numbers associated with an action, where such determination is made prior to placing the call; and in response to the phone number being one of the phone numbers associated with an action, performing an action related to such phone number, where such action is performed on the phone at a time specified by instructions associated with such action.
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25. A processor-readable medium having processor-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:
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associating each of one or more phone numbers with an action that is to be performed by a phone; maintaining a table of the phone numbers associated with an action, where the table relates each phone number in the table to an action; listening for calls initiated by a user on the phone; in response to the user initiating a call, determining whether a phone number associated with the call is in the table, where such determination is made prior to placing the call; and in response to the phone number being in the table, performing an action related to such phone number in the table, where such action is performed on the phone at a time specified by instructions for such action.
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Specification