Initiating a wireless communication session from contact information on a computer

• US 7,747,265 B1
• Filed: 01/07/2008
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith Micro Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Core Mobility (Smith Micro Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ruf, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar; Kamran
• Application Number:
  US11/970,467
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 455415-416, 455/428, 455/422.1, 455/426.1, 4554141-4143, 455/445, 455/517, 455418-420, 370259-269, 370/352, 709206-207, 709/203, 709/227, 37920101-2051, 379/158, 379/93.21, 348/14.1, 348/14.3, 348 1408- 1409, 348/211.12, 348/211.2, 715/751, 715/753, 715/756
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/652 Call initiation triggered by text message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast

Abstract

A communication session between a wireless communication device and one or more recipient communication devices is initiated in response to user input received at a separate computing device. The intended parties of the call are identified at the computing device in response to the user input. Once the intended parties have been identified, the calling instructions are generated and transmitted to the wireless communication device or a server, which cause a call to be initiated between a wireless communication device and one or more recipient communication devices. This allows a caller to utilize the functionality and resources available on a computer to initiate a call, while enabling the caller to utilize the functionality and resources available on the caller'"'"'s wireless communication device to engage in and complete the call, without requiring the caller to communicate through the telephony applications of a computer.

Claims

1. In a computing device that has access to contact information identifying recipient communication devices, a method for initiating a call between a wireless communication device and one or more of the recipient communication devices, the method comprising:

displaying the contact information at the computing device;

receiving user input, at the computing device, that identifies the contact information of the one or more recipient communication devices to be connected in the call with the wireless communication device;

in response to the user input, generating calling instructions that are used to initiate the call between the wireless communication device that is separate from the computing device and the one or more recipient communication devices; and

transmitting the calling instructions to the wireless communication device, wherein the calling instructions cause the wireless communication device to call the one or more recipient communication devices upon receiving the calling instructions.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is a first mobile telephone;

wherein the one or more recipient communication devices include a second mobile telephone having a telephone number; and

wherein the calling instructions cause the first mobile telephone to automatically call the telephone number of the second mobile telephone in response to receiving the calling instructions.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is a first mobile telephone;

wherein the one or more recipient communication devices include a landline telephone having a telephone number; and

wherein the calling instructions cause the first mobile telephone to automatically call the telephone number of the landline telephone in response to receiving the calling instructions.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is a first mobile telephone;

wherein the one or more recipient communication devices include a second telephone having a telephone number; and

wherein the calling instructions cause the first mobile telephone to automatically call the telephone number of the second telephone in response to receiving the calling instructions.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user input identifies both the wireless communication device and the one or more recipient communication devices.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the calling instructions, which cause the wireless communication device to call the one or more recipient communication devices upon receiving the calling instructions, are transmitted in an SMS message or a SIP message.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the call comprises a push-to-talk communication;

and wherein the calling instructions cause the wireless communication device to initiate the push-to-talk communication with the one or more recipient communication devices upon receiving the calling instructions.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user input includes a dragging and dropping of an object that defines contact information on a graphical user interface of the computing device.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user input includes a selection from a list displayed on a graphical user interface of the computing device.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user input includes a selection from a contacts list available to the computing device.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the contact information is contained in a contacts list stored in the computing device or in a free form in a document stored in the computing device.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user input includes selecting contact information in a web page or clicking a hyperlink in a web page.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the contact information includes at least one telephone number.

14. In a computing device that has access to contact information identifying recipient communication devices, a computer-readable storage device for implementing a method for initiating a call between a wireless communication device and one or more recipient communication devices, the computer-readable storage device having stored thereon:

computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the computing device to implement the method, including;

displaying the contact information at the computing device;

receiving user input, at the computing device, that identifies the contact information of one or more recipient communication devices to be connected in the call with the wireless communication device;

in response to the user input, generating calling instructions that are used to initiate the call between the wireless communication device that is separate from the computing device and the one or more recipient communication devices; and

transmitting the calling instructions to a server;

wherein the server transmits the calling instructions to the wireless communication device, such that the wireless communication device calls the one or more recipient communication devices upon receiving the calling instructions.

15. A computer-readable storage device as recited in claim 14, wherein the wireless communication device is a first mobile telephone;

wherein the one or more recipient communication devices include a second mobile telephone having a telephone number; and

wherein the calling instructions cause the first mobile telephone to automatically call the telephone number of the second mobile telephone in response to receiving the calling instructions.

16. A computer-readable storage device as recited in claim 14, wherein the user input specifies a type of the call.

17. A computer-readable storage device as recited in claim 14, wherein the wireless communication device is a first mobile telephone;

wherein the one or more recipient communication devices include a landline telephone having a telephone number; and

wherein the calling instructions cause the first mobile telephone to automatically call the telephone number of the landline telephone in response to receiving the calling instructions.

18. A computer-readable storage device as recited in claim 14, wherein the wireless communication device is a first mobile telephone;

wherein the one or more recipient communication devices include a second telephone having a telephone number; and

wherein the calling instructions cause the first mobile telephone to automatically call the telephone number of the second telephone in response to receiving the calling instructions.

19. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the server, before transmitting the calling instructions to the wireless communication device, verifies that the computing device is authorized to generate the calling instructions for the wireless communication device.

20. In a computing device that has access to contact information identifying recipient communication devices, a method for initiating a call between a wireless communication device and one or more of the recipient communication devices, the method comprising:

receiving user input, at the computing device, that identifies contact information of the one or more recipient communication devices that are to be connected in the call with the wireless communication device;

generating calling instructions to be used to initiate the call between the one or more recipient communication devices and the wireless communication device; and

providing the calling instructions from the computing device, through a call initiation server, to the wireless communication device, wherein the wireless communication device calls the one or more recipient communication devices using the calling instructions;

wherein the wireless communication device calls the one or more recipient communication devices upon receiving the calling instructions;

wherein the calling instructions cause the wireless communication device to call the one or more recipient communication devices automatically.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the computing device receives user input that identifies the wireless communication device;

and wherein the calling instructions, which cause the wireless communication device to call the one or more recipient communication devices automatically, are transmitted using an SMS message or a SIP message.

22. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the wireless communication device is a first mobile telephone;

wherein the one or more recipient communication devices include a second mobile telephone having a telephone number; and

wherein the calling instructions cause the first mobile telephone to automatically call the telephone number of the second mobile telephone in response to receiving the calling instructions.

23. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the wireless communication device is a first mobile telephone;

wherein the one or more recipient communication devices include a landline telephone having a telephone number; and

wherein the calling instructions cause the first mobile telephone to automatically call the telephone number of the landline telephone in response to receiving the calling instructions.

24. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the wireless communication device is a first mobile telephone;

wherein the one or more recipient communication devices include a second telephone having a telephone number; and

wherein the calling instructions cause the first mobile telephone to automatically call the telephone number of the second telephone in response to receiving the calling instructions.

25. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the call initiation server, before transmitting the calling instructions to the wireless communication device, verifies that the computing device is authorized to generate the calling instructions for the wireless communication device.

26. In a server that communicates with a computing device and with a wireless communication device, a method for initiating a call between the wireless communication device and one or more recipient communication devices, the method comprising:

receiving, at the server, calling instructions from the computing device corresponding to the call that is to be initiated between the wireless communication device that is separate from the computing device and the one or more recipient communication devices, wherein the calling instructions have been generated at the computing device in response to user input at the computing device; and

the server, upon receiving the calling instructions, initiating the call between the wireless communication device and the one or more recipient communication devices using the calling instructions to connect the wireless communication device and the one or more recipient communication devices in the call;

wherein the server causes the call to be initiated by a first SMS message sent to the wireless communication device and a second SMS message sent to each of the one or more recipient communication devices, the first and second SMS messages containing calling instructions that cause the wireless communications device and the one or more recipient communication devices to call a conference server that joins the wireless communications device and the one or more recipient communication devices in a conference call.

27. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein initiating the call comprises the server transmitting the calling instructions to the wireless communication device, which uses the calling instructions to call the one or more recipient communication devices.

28. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein the server is remotely located from the wireless communication device and the computing device.

29. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein the user input identifies the wireless communication device and the one or more recipient communication devices.

30. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein the server, before initiating the call, verifies that the computing device is authorized to generate the calling instructions for the wireless communication device.

31. In a server that communicates with a computing device and with a wireless communication device, a method for initiating a call between the wireless communication device and one or more recipient communication devices, the method comprising:

receiving, at the server, calling instructions from the computing device corresponding to the call that is to be initiated between the wireless communication device that is separate from the computing device and the one or more recipient communication devices, wherein the calling instructions have been generated at the computing device in response to user input at the computing device; and

the server, upon receiving the calling instructions, initiating the call between the wireless communication device and the one or more recipient communication devices using the calling instructions to connect the wireless communication device and the one or more recipient communication devices in the call;

wherein initiating the call comprises the server transmitting the calling instructions to the wireless communication device, which uses the calling instructions to call the one or more recipient communication devices; and

wherein transmitting the calling instructions includes communicating with another server that generates the first and second SMS messages containing the calling instructions and that are sent by the other server to the wireless communication device.

32. A method as recited in claim 31, wherein the server, before initiating the call, verifies that the computing device is authorized to generate the calling instructions for the wireless communication device.

33. In a wireless communication device that operates in a wireless communication network, a method for participating in a call with one or more recipient communication devices, the method comprising:

receiving calling instructions corresponding to the call that is to be initiated between the wireless communication device and the one or more recipient communication devices, the calling instructions having been generated at the computing device in response to user input at the computing device; and

the wireless communication device, upon receiving the calling instructions, initiating the call between the wireless communication device and the one or more recipient communication devices using the calling instructions;

wherein initiating the call comprises directly calling the one or more recipient communication devices upon receiving the calling instructions.

34. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein the wireless communication device is a first mobile telephone;

wherein the one or more recipient communication devices include a second mobile telephone having a telephone number; and

wherein the first mobile telephone automatically calls the telephone number of the second mobile telephone in response to receiving the calling instructions.

35. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein the wireless communication device is a first mobile telephone;

wherein the one or more recipient communication devices include a landline telephone having a telephone number; and

wherein the first mobile telephone automatically calls the telephone number of the landline telephone in response to receiving the calling instructions.

36. A method as recited in claim 33, wherein the wireless communication device is a first mobile telephone;

wherein the one or more recipient communication devices include a second telephone having a telephone number; and

wherein the first mobile telephone automatically calls the telephone number of the second telephone in response to receiving the calling instructions.