User-programmed automated communications

• US 20090170492A1
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Michael M.
• Application Number:
  US12/005,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20090170492A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• 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 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A communications device may be programmed to initiate a communications operation when a particular condition is met. The user may set any suitable condition, including for example a date and time, location, event, received or sent communications operation, or any other suitable criteria. The user may select any suitable contact method for the communications operation, including for example telephone, voicemail, email, text message, chatting, fax, or any other suitable method.

Claims

1. A method for scheduling a communications operation to be performed by a communications device, the method comprising:

receiving a condition for performing the scheduled communications operation;

determining whether the condition is satisfied; and

performing the scheduled communications operation in response to determining that the received condition is satisfied.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a contact with whom to perform the communications operation.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a type of communications operation to perform.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the communications operation is at least one of telephone, email, voicemail, text message, chat, and fax.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition is at least one of a date, a time, an event, a location, a received communications operation, the absence of an expected communications operation, and a sent communications operation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the scheduled communications operation is not performed immediately in response to receiving the condition.

7. A system for performing a scheduled communications operation, the system comprising:

a first communications device for initiating a scheduled communications operation; and

a second communications device for receiving the scheduled communications operation;

wherein the first communications device initiates the scheduled communications operation in response to determining that a condition associated with the scheduled communications operation is satisfied.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first communications device receives the condition, contact information for the second communications device, and a contact method for performing the scheduled communications operation.

9. A communications device for scheduling a communications operation, the communications device comprising control circuitry and communications circuitry, the control circuitry operative to:

receive a user selection of a condition;

receive a user selection of a contact;

receive a user selection of a contact method; and

schedule a communications operation with the received contact using the received contact method, wherein the control circuitry is operative to direct the communications circuitry to perform the scheduled communications operation in response to determining that the received condition is satisfied.

10. The communications device of claim 9, wherein the condition is at least one of a date, a time, an event, a location, a received communications operation, the absence of an expected communications operation, and a sent communications operation.

11. The communications device of claim 9, wherein the contact method is at least one of telephone, email, voicemail, text message, chat, and fax.

12. The communications device of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

receive a user selection of a delay; and

wait for the delay to lapse after determining that the received condition is satisfied before directing the communications circuitry to perform the scheduled communications operation.

13. The communications device of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is operative to:

receive an expiration condition; and

cancel the scheduled communications operation if the expiration condition is satisfied before the received condition for performing the scheduled communications operation.

14. The communications device of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is operative to display a listing of scheduled communications operations to the user.

15. The communications device of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is operative to save the settings for scheduled communications operations in memory.

16. A communications device for performing a scheduled communications operation, the communications device comprising control circuitry, memory and communications circuitry, the control circuitry operative to:

identify at least one scheduled communications operation stored in memory;

identify a condition associated with each of the identified at least one scheduled communications operations;

determine that one of the identified conditions is satisfied; and

in response to determining that one of the identified conditions is satisfied, direct the communications circuitry to perform the scheduled communications operation associated with the identified condition that is satisfied.

17. The communications device of claim 16, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to indicate in memory that the performed scheduled communications operation is performed.

18. The communications device of claim 16, wherein the control circuitry is operative to:

determine whether two of the at least one scheduled communications operations conflict; and

resolve the conflict by determining which of the two communications operations has a higher priority.

19. The communications device of claim 16, wherein the condition is at least one of a date, a time, an event, a location, a received communications operation, the absence of an expected communications operation, and a sent communications operation.

20. The communications device of claim 16, wherein the communications operation is at least one of telephone, email, voicemail, text message, chat, and fax.

21. The communications device of claim 16, wherein the control circuitry is operative to:

determine whether the user of the communications device is available to participate in the scheduled communications operation; and

in response to determining that the user of the communications device is not available, direct the communications circuitry to transmit a generic message.

22. A method for performing a scheduled communications operation using a communications device, comprising:

identifying scheduled communications operations;

identifying conditions associated with the identified scheduled communications operations;

determining whether at least one of the identified conditions is satisfied; and

in response to determining that at least one of the identified conditions is satisfied, performing the scheduled communications operation associated with the satisfied identified condition.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein performing the scheduled communications operation further comprises alerting a user that the scheduled communications operation is being performed.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein performing the scheduled communications operation further comprises:

determining whether the user is available to participate in the scheduled communications operation; and

in response to determining that the user is not available to participate in the scheduled communications operation, transmitting a default message.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising receiving a user selection of the default message.