Automatically initiating and answering communications

• US 7,715,881 B1
• Filed: 12/28/2005
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Daigle, Brian, Liu, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Lana N
• Application Number:
  US11/275,365
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• Field of Search: 455/564, 455/565, 455/418, 455/79, 4555751-5759, 455/567
• US Class Current: 455/564
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2749 Automatic dialling or redialling systems, e.g. on off-hook or redial on busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72472 wherein the items are sorted according to specific criteria, e.g. frequency of use

Abstract

Automatically initiating and answering communications are described herein. A communications device may be configured to automatically initiate outgoing communications to a default destination or to perform some action automatically upon receiving an incoming communication. Entries in a data structure accessible by the communications device can specify different delay periods applicable to each entry, such that communications to or from these entries are handled according to these delay periods. Outgoing communications can be initiated automatically to one of the entries, triggered in response to a user action. The user can override the outgoing communication by acting affirmatively within the delay period specified for the entry to which the communication is being initiated. The communications device can also be configured to automatically answer incoming communications in a variety of ways. The user can act affirmatively within an applicable delay period to override a default answering mode for incoming communications.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

enabling a communication device to automatically initiate a communication to a default destination in response to a user action relative to the communication device; and

enabling a determination of the default destination for the automatically-initiated communication, wherein the default destination is configured to change based on a schedule;

wherein the determination of the default destination comprises analyzing;

a destination from which most calls arrive at the communication device;

a destination from which the last incoming call arrived;

a destination to which the communication device called most recently;

a first entry in an address book; and

a destination of a last non-completed communication; and

wherein the schedule changes the default destination based on a day of the week.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling a communication device to automatically initiate a communication includes enabling the user to selectively enable or disable an automatic communication mode of the communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling a communication device to automatically initiate a communication includes enabling the user to activate a flip-to-communicate mode or a slide-to communication mode of the communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling a communication device to automatically initiate a communication includes enabling the communication device to automatically initiate a push-to-talk communication to a destination.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling a determination of the default destination includes enabling the user to specify an algorithm for determining the default destination to which the automatically-initiated communication is to be directed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling a determination of the default destination includes automatically specifying the default destination to which the automatically-initiated communication is to be directed by analyzing:

a destination to which the communication device calls most.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein automatically specifying a default destination includes automatically determining the default destination based at least in part on call history associated with the device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the schedule changes the default destination based on:

a particular time of the day; and

wherein the default destination automatically changes.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the user to specify a delay value applicable to the automatic initiation of the communication;

wherein the user specifies a duration for the delay value.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the user to respectively associate delay parameters with entries in an address book associated with the device.