Apparatus and Methods for Protection From Unintentional Phone-Dialing

• US 20100255820A1
• Filed: 04/02/2009
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John Maly & Associates, Inc.
• Original Assignee: John Maly & Associates, Inc.
• Inventors: Maly, Lisa F., Maly, John W.
• Application Number:
  US12/416,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20100255820A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27467 Methods of retrieving data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

The inventive concepts presented in this application address the problem of inadvertently dialing telephone numbers that are stored in the memory of a telephonic device, resulting in undesired calls. The database in a user'"'"'s telephonic device incorporates means for flagging selected contacts for one or more calling-confirmation steps to prompt the user to ensure that an outgoing call is desired and/or appropriate. The proposed solutions encompass communication devices that use buttons, switches, dials, wheels, joysticks, track sticks, trackballs, keypads, keyboards, touchpads, touch screens, voice-recognition commands, biometric-authentication devices, other input technology, or any combination thereof. The proposed solutions also encompass wired and wireless communication device accessories.

Claims

1. A method for preventing an unintentional outgoing communications call initiated from a communication device, said method comprising the steps of:

by said device, receiving a request from a user to initiate said call to a contact;

by said device, determining whether calling confirmation is required for said contact;

if calling confirmation is required for said contact, by said device, presenting a request to said user for entry of a confirmation input into said device, and requiring said confirmation input from said user to be received by said device before allowing said call.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said request for confirmation input further comprises displaying a request for a confirmation input on a display device of said communication device.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said request for confirmation input further comprises an audio alert.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein if said calling confirmation is required for the contact, said communication device disables a speed-dialing feature associated with said contact.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said calling confirmation is automatically required for the contact when speech-recognition dialing is being used.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said calling confirmation is automatically required for said contact when said user is connected to said communication device by way of a separate wireless-input device.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said calling confirmation is automatically required for said contact during certain times of the day.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing said user to simultaneously enable and disable calling confirmation for a plurality of contacts.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing said user to designate one or more contacts as belonging to a category, and wherein said calling confirmation may be simultaneously enabled or disabled for said one or more contacts belonging to said category.

10. A system for detecting and preventing an inadvertent outgoing communications call initiated from a communication device;

said communication device comprising an onboard controller circuit, memory for storing contact information, including contact names and telephone numbers, a display device, and a user-input device;

the system comprising;

at least one database stored in said memory containing at least one contact record, said contact record having at least one associated confirmation-indicator to indicate whether a given contact record should be subject to one or more calling-confirmation steps before allowing an outgoing call to the associated contact; and

programming instructions stored on a computer-readable medium to be executed by said controller circuit such that when a user attempts to initiate a call to a stored contact telephone number, and such that if said stored contact telephone number has an associated confirmation indicator, then a confirmation-prompting message is presented to said user,

wherein said user is required to enter an affirmative indication to enable said attempted outgoing call to be actually dialed.

11. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein said confirmation-prompting message is presented to said user using said display device.

12. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein said confirmation-prompting message is presented to said user by way of an audio alert.

13. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein said user-input device comprises one or more controls selected from the group consisting of buttons, switches, dials, wheels, joysticks, track sticks, trackballs, keypads, touchpads, touch screens, voice-activated systems, and biometric authentication devices.

14. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein said user-input device is a touch screen, and wherein said entered affirmative indication comprises said manipulation of a graphical control on said touch screen.

15. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein said user-input device employs speech-recognition, and wherein said entered affirmative indication comprises said user providing at least one voice command.

16. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein said one or more calling-confirmation steps for contact records with an associated confirmation indicator is automatically enabled when speech-recognition dialing is being used.

17. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein said user can customize at least one contact record by configuring said at least one associated confirmation indicator associated with said at least one contact record.

18. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein said at least one associated confirmation indicator for said at least one contact record comprises a flag that indicates to said programming instructions whether a given contact record should be subject to one or more calling-confirmation steps before allowing an outgoing call to the associated contact to be dialed to initiate a call attempt.

19. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein said at least one associated confirmation indicator for said at least one contact record comprises a confirmation database table with a subset of contact records represented in said at least one database.

20. A computer-readable medium for use with a communication device, said medium comprising at least one program for preventing an unintentional outgoing communications call initiated from a communication device, said at least one program comprising:

the capability of causing said device to be able to receive a request from a user to initiate an outgoing communications call to a contact;

the capability of determining if calling confirmation is required for said contact and if so, then

causing said device to present a request for a confirmation input to said user, and

causing said device to require said confirmation input from said user to be received by said device before allowing said call.