Call queue in a wireless device

• US 7,873,391 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2008
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stine, Ted, Speeney, Joseph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHARMA, SUJATHA R
• Application Number:
  US12/120,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20080214181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/564
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2746 Sorting, e.g. according to history or frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2749 Automatic dialling or redialling systems, e.g. on off-hook or redial on busy

Abstract

A wireless phone includes a memory, a processor, and a call queue function, the call queue function to enable the configuration and storage in the memory of a call queue, the call queue comprising an ordered list of entries to dial, wherein the processor and the memory cooperate to enable the call queue function.

Claims

1. A method of placing a plurality of outgoing calls for use with a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of telephone numbers in an outgoing call queue in a predetermined order, each of the plurality of telephone numbers being associated with a telephone device of a different dial-able party;

receiving a request to initiate dialing a first telephone number of the plurality of telephone numbers stored in the outgoing call queue according to the predetermined order;

dialing the first telephone number to initiate a first call with a first telephone device of a first party; and

after completion of the first call, dialing a second telephone number of the plurality of telephone numbers stored in the outgoing call queue according to the predetermined order to initiate a second call with a second telephone device of a second party different from the first party.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the outgoing call queue is stored in a registry of a wireless network comprising the wireless communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is coupled to a wireless network comprising a registry, the registry comprises a plurality of outgoing call queues, and the method further comprises:

receiving an identification associated with one of the plurality of outgoing call queues; and

after receiving the request to initiate dialing, using the received identification to locate the one of the plurality of outgoing call queues associated with the identification.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the wireless network comprises a home location registry that comprises the registry, the identification is provided to the home location registry, and the home location registry uses the identification to locate the outgoing call queue in the plurality of outgoing call queues of the registry.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is coupled to a wireless network comprising a mobile switching center coupled to a home location registry,

the home location registry comprises a registry comprising a plurality of outgoing call queues each associated with an identification of a wireless communication device,

the request is received by the mobile switching center, and the method further comprises:

at the mobile switching center, receiving an identification associated with the wireless communication device;

communicating the request and the identification associated with the wireless communication device from the mobile switching center to the home location registry;

at the home location registry, using the identification to locate the outgoing call queue in the plurality of outgoing call queues of the registry;

at the home location registry, communicating the first telephone number to the mobile switching center, the mobile switching center dialing the first telephone number to initiate the first call with the first party.

6. The method of claim 1 for use with a wireless network comprising the wireless communication device, a registry, and a server coupled to both the registry and the wireless communication device, wherein the outgoing call queue is stored in the registry of the wireless network, the method further comprising:

using the wireless communication device to communicate queue information to the server;

at the server, forwarding the queue information to the registry;

at the registry, configuring the outgoing call queue according to the queue information.

7. The method of claim 1 for use with a wireless network comprising the wireless communication device, a registry, a client computing device different from the wireless communication device, and a server coupled to the registry, the client computing device, and the wireless communication device, wherein the outgoing call queue is stored in the registry, the method further comprising:

using the client computing device to communicate queue information to the server;

at the server, forwarding the queue information to the registry;

at the registry, configuring the outgoing call queue according to the queue information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the queue information comprises a new telephone number for the outgoing call queue and an indication of a location of the new telephone number within the predetermined order, and

storing the plurality of telephone numbers in the outgoing call queue in the predetermined order comprises at the registry, adding the new telephone number to the outgoing call queue in the indicated location within the predetermined order.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the registry of a wireless network comprises a plurality of outgoing call queues each associated with an identification of a wireless communication device, the queue information comprises an identification associated with the wireless communication device, and the method further comprises:

at the registry, using the identification to locate the outgoing call queue of the plurality of outgoing call queues.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second telephone number is dialed automatically after completion of the first call.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein after completion of the first call and before the second telephone number is dialed, the method further comprises:

receiving a request to initiate dialing the second telephone number.

12. A system comprising a mobile switching center coupled between a wireless communication device and a registry,

the wireless communication device comprising an identifier, the wireless communication device being operable to transmit a queue dial request and the identifier to the registry;

the registry comprising a plurality of outgoing call queues and a queue management function, each of the plurality of outgoing call queues being associated with an identifier of a wireless communication device, each of the plurality of outgoing call queues further comprising an ordered list of telephone numbers, the registry being operable to receive the queue dial request and the identifier transmitted by the wireless communication device and locate the outgoing call queue of the plurality of outgoing call queues associated with the identifier, the queue management function being operable to select a next telephone number from the ordered list of telephone numbers of the outgoing call queue associated with the identifier of the wireless communication device and to transmit the next telephone number to the mobile switching center; and

the mobile switching center being operable to dial the next telephone number.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the wireless communication device comprises a plurality of buttons, the wireless communication device being configured to transmit the queue dial request to the registry in response to actuation of a single button of the plurality of buttons.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to transmit the queue dial request to the registry in response to a queue dial command spoken to the wireless communication device.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the queue management function is further configured to remove the next telephone number from the ordered list of telephone numbers of the outgoing call queue associated with the identifier of the wireless communication device.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a server configured to receive queue information comprising the identifier of the wireless communication device from a client computing device other than the wireless communication device, the server being further configured to provide the queue information to the registry, in response to receiving the queue information, the registry being configured to locate the outgoing call queue associated with the identifier of the wireless communication device and update the located outgoing call queue using the queue information.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the queue information comprises:

one or more telephone numbers for addition to the outgoing call queue associated with the identifier of the wireless communication device, updating the located outgoing call queue using the queue information comprising adding the one or more telephone numbers to the located outgoing call queue.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the queue information comprises:

a dial order for the ordered list of telephone numbers of the outgoing call queue associated with the identifier of the wireless communication device, updating the located outgoing call queue using the queue information comprising ordering the ordered list of telephone numbers in accordance with the dial order.

19. A method of placing a plurality of outgoing calls for use with a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of telephone numbers in an outgoing call queue in a predetermined order;

receiving a request to initiate dialing the plurality of telephone numbers stored in the outgoing call queue according to the predetermined order; and

until all of the plurality of telephone numbers stored in the outgoing call queue have been dialed in accordance with the predetermined order,

dialing a next telephone number of the plurality of telephone numbers stored in the outgoing call queue according to the predetermined order to initiate a call, and

after completion of the call, removing the next telephone number from the plurality of telephone numbers stored in the outgoing call queue.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein, each of the plurality of telephone numbers is associated with a telephone device a different dial-able party.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

before all of the plurality of telephone numbers stored in the outgoing call queue have been dialed in accordance with the predetermined order, adding a new telephone number to the plurality of telephone numbers in the outgoing call queue.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

before all of the plurality of telephone numbers stored in the outgoing call queue have been dialed in accordance with the predetermined order, modifying the predetermined order of the plurality of telephone numbers in the outgoing call queue.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

before all of the plurality of telephone numbers stored in the outgoing call queue have been dialed in accordance with the predetermined order, modifying the plurality of telephone numbers in the outgoing call queue.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the wireless communication device is coupled to a wireless network comprising a registry, the registry comprises a plurality of outgoing call queues, and the method further comprises:

receiving an identification associated with one of the plurality of outgoing call queues; and

after receiving the request to initiate dialing, using the received identification to locate the one of the plurality of outgoing call queues associated with the identification.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the wireless communication device is coupled to a wireless network comprising a mobile switching center coupled to a home location registry,

the home location registry comprises a registry comprising a plurality of outgoing call queues each associated with an identification of a wireless communication device,

the request is received by the mobile switching center, and the method further comprises:

at the mobile switching center, receiving an identification associated with the wireless communication device;

communicating the request and the identification associated with the wireless communication device from the mobile switching center to the home location registry;

at the home location registry, using the identification to locate the outgoing call queue in the plurality of outgoing call queues of the registry;

at the home location registry, communicating the next telephone number to the mobile switching center, the mobile switching center dialing the next telephone number to initiate the call.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the outgoing call queue is stored in a registry of a wireless network comprising the wireless communication device,

a server is coupled to the registry;

a client computing device different from the wireless communication device is coupled to the server, and

the method further comprises;

using the client computing device to communicate queue information to the server;

at the server, forwarding the queue information to the registry;

at the registry, configuring the outgoing call queue according to the queue information.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the queue information comprises a new telephone number for the outgoing call queue and an indication of a location of the new telephone number within the predetermined order, and

storing the plurality of telephone numbers in the outgoing call queue in the predetermined order comprises at the registry, adding the new telephone number to the outgoing call queue in the indicated location within the predetermined order.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the registry of a wireless network comprises a plurality of outgoing call queues each associated with an identification of a wireless communication device, the queue information comprises an identification associated with the wireless communication device, and the method further comprises:

at the registry, using the identification to locate the outgoing call queue of the plurality of outgoing call queues.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein after completion of the call, the method further comprises:

receiving another request to initiate dialing.

30. A memory having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of placing a plurality of outgoing calls for use with a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of telephone numbers in an outgoing call queue in a predetermined order;

receiving a request to initiate dialing the plurality of telephone numbers stored in the outgoing call queue according to the predetermined order; and

until all of the plurality of telephone numbers stored in the outgoing call queue have been dialed in accordance with the predetermined order,

dialing a next telephone number of the plurality of telephone numbers stored in the outgoing call queue according to the predetermined order to initiate a call, and

after completion of the call, removing the next telephone number from the plurality of telephone numbers stored in the outgoing call queue.

31. A home location registry coupled to a mobile switching center of a wireless communication network, the home location registry comprising:

a user registry having a plurality of user records and a plurality of call queues, each user record being associated with an identification associated with a unique user, each call queue being associated with an identification associated with a unique user and comprising an ordered list of telephone numbers;

the home location registry being configured to receive a queue dial request and an identification from a wireless communication device, and in response thereto, use the received identification to locate a user record and a call queue in the user registry associated with the received identification,

the home location registry being further configured to provide a telephone number from the ordered list of telephone numbers to the mobile switching center for dialing thereby to initiate a call over the wireless communication network between the wireless communication device and a party associated with the provided telephone number.

32. The home location registry of claim 31, wherein the home location registry is coupled to the mobile switching center of the wireless communication network by a visitor location registry, the home location registry being further configured to provide the telephone number from the ordered list of telephone numbers to the visitor location registry for forwarding thereby to the mobile switching center.

33. The home location registry of claim 31, wherein the home location registry is configured to receive queue information and an identification from the wireless communication device and use the queue information to configure the call queue in the user registry associated with the received identification.

34. The home location registry of claim 33, wherein the queue information comprises one or more new telephone numbers for the call queue and an indication of where in the ordered list of telephone numbers the one or more new telephone numbers should be located.

35. The home location registry of claim 33, wherein the queue information comprises a new dialing order for the ordered list of telephone numbers.

36. The home location registry of claim 31, wherein the home location registry is configured to receive queue information and an identification from a client device other than the wireless communication device coupled to the home location registry, the home location registry being configured to use the queue information to configure the call queue in the user registry associated with the received identification.

37. A wireless telephone comprising:

a memory;

a processor;

a call queue function configured to enable the configuration of an outgoing call queue comprising an ordered list of telephone numbers, each telephone number of the ordered list being associated with a different party; and

a queue dial function which, when operated, dials a first telephone number in the ordered list of telephone numbers of the outgoing call queue to initiate a call to a first party, and after completion of the call, dials a next telephone number in the ordered list of telephone numbers of the outgoing call queue to initiate a new call to a second party, the second party being different from the first party, the processor and the memory cooperating to enable the call queue function.

38. A wireless telephone comprising:

an address book comprising a user-specified ordering collection of names in an unordered arrangement, each name being associated with a telephone number of a dial-able party;

an outgoing call queue comprising a user-specified ordered list of entries in an order different from the unordered arrangement of the address book, each entry being associated with a telephone number of a dial-able party;

a call queue function configured to enable the user-specified ordering of the outgoing call queue by the user; and

a queue dial function configured to dial the telephone numbers associated with the ordered list of entries in accordance with the order of the entries in the ordered list of entries.

39. The wireless telephone of claim 38, wherein at least a portion of the entries of the ordered list of entries comprises a name of the collection of names in the address book, and

the telephone number of the dial-able party associated with each entry in the ordered list of entries comprises the telephone number of the dial-able party associated with the name in the collection of names in the address book.

40. The wireless telephone of claim 38, wherein the queue dial function is further configured to remove each of the entries from the ordered list of entries after dialing the telephone number associated with the entry.

41. The wireless telephone of claim 38, wherein the queue dial function is further configured to dial a first entry of the ordered list of entries in response to receiving user input instructing the queue dial function to dial the first entry in the ordered list of entries.

42. The wireless telephone of claim 41, wherein the queue dial function is further configured to dial a next sequential entry of the ordered list of entries in response to receiving user input instructing the queue dial function to dial the next entry in the ordered list of entries.