Method and Apparatus for Dynamic Voice Response Messages

• US 20100100387A1
• Filed: 12/28/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Patschke, David Jonathan, Kuiken, David Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,626,127 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/642 storing speech in digital form
• 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 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

A computing device implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product to generate dynamic voice response messages in a mobile computing device. In response to receiving an incoming call from a caller, the process displays a list of response messages in a set of response messages. In response to receiving a selection of a response message from the list of response messages, the process sends the selected response message to the caller.

Claims

1. A computing device implemented method for generating dynamic voice response messages in a mobile computing device, the computer implemented method comprising:

responsive to receiving an incoming phone call from a caller, selecting a set of response messages for display from a plurality of response messages;

displaying a list of response messages in the set of response messages; and

responsive to receiving a selection of a response message from the list of response messages, sending the selected response message to the caller.

2. The computing device method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a category of callers associated with the caller based on the identity of the caller; and

selecting the set of response messages for display from a plurality of response messages based on the identified category of callers.

3. The computing device method of claim 2 further comprising:

sending a default response message response to a caller, responsive to failure to determine a category of callers.

4. The computing device method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an activity selection; and

selecting the set of response messages based on the activity selection.

5. The computing device method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a selection of a return call time, wherein the return call time indicates a time when a user will return calls.

6. The computing device method of claim 5 wherein each response in the set of response messages includes a time duration until the user will return a call.

7. The computing device method of claim 6 further comprising:

identifying a response message in the set of response messages that includes a time duration corresponding to an estimated time difference between a time the call is received and the return call time; and

sending the identified response message to the caller.

8. The computing device method of claim 1 wherein each response message in the set of response messages is presented to the user in a menu.

9. The computing device method of claim 1 further comprising:

adding a new response message; and

linking the new response message to a set of response messages associated with a category of callers.

10. The computing device method of claim 1 further comprising:

executing the computer usable program product to receive a selection of a return call time, wherein the return call time indicates a time when a user will return calls, wherein each response in the set of response messages includes a time duration until the user will return a call;

identify a response message in the set of response messages that includes a time duration corresponding to an estimated time difference between a time the call is received and the return call time; and

send the identified response message to the caller.

11. The computing device method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to not receiving a selection of a response message from the list of response messages within a specified period of time, sending a default response message.

12. The computing device method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to receiving an indicator indicating that a user affirmatively declines to send a customized response message, sending a default message.

13. A computer program product for generating dynamic voice response messages in a mobile computing device, the computer program product comprising:

a memory element having computer executable program code stored thereon, the computer executable program code comprising;

computer executable program code for selecting a set of response messages for display from a plurality of response messages in response to receiving an incoming phone call from a caller

computer executable program code for displaying a list of response messages in the set of response messages; and

computer executable program code for sending a selected response message to the caller, in response to receiving a selection of a response message from the list of response messages.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

computer executable program code for identifying a category of callers associated with the caller based on the caller identity; and

computer executable program code for selecting the set of response messages from a plurality of response messages based on the category for the caller.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising:

computer executable program code for sending a default response message response to a caller, responsive to failure to determine a category of callers.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

computer executable program code for receiving an activity selection; and

computer executable program code for selecting the set of response messages for display based on the activity selection.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

computer executable program code for receiving a selection of a return call time, wherein the return call time indicates a time when a user will return calls.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein each response in the set of response messages includes a time duration until the user will return a call.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 further comprising:

computer executable program code for identifying a response message in the set of response messages that includes a time duration corresponding to an estimated time difference between a time the call is received and the return call time; and

computer executable program code for sending the identified response message to the caller.

20. An apparatus for generating dynamic voice response messages in a mobile computing device, the apparatus comprising:

a bus;

a storage device connected to the bus, wherein the storage device contains computer executable program code;

a processor unit, wherein the processor unit executes the computer executable program code to select a set of response messages for display from a plurality of response messages, in response to receiving an incoming phone call from a caller;

display a list of response messages in the set of response messages and send a selected response message to the caller, in response to receiving a selection of a response message from the list of response messages.