Pre-recorded voice responses for portable telecommunication devices

• US 7,991,391 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2008
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Online LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Online LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Selby, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Danh C
• Application Number:
  US12/104,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20090264107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/414.1, 455/550.1, 704/231
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/642 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/10 with dictation recording and playback systems

Abstract

A portable communication device may be used so that, in place of speaking into the portable communication device during a telephone call, users may initiate playback of pre-recorded messages to the party with whom the user is communicating. In one implementation, a device may receive, during a telephone call between a first party and a second party, a command from the first party to transmit a pre-recorded message to the second party. The pre-recorded message may be an audible message that was pre-recorded by the first party. The device may transmit the pre-recorded message to the second party in response to the command.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

switching a portable communication device into a pre-recorded message mode, where the portable communication device, while in the pre-recorded message mode

receives selections by a user of a pre-recorded message that is to be transmitted to a called party during a telephone conversation,

transmits the pre-recorded message to the called party; and

switching the portable communication device into a normal mode in which the user speaks into the portable communication device to communicate with the called party.

2. The method of claim 1, where the portable communication device is switched to the pre-recorded message mode and the normal mode during the telephone conversation with the called party.

3. The method of claim 1, where, when in the pre-recorded message mode, a microphone of the portable communication device is disabled.

4. The method of claim 1, where the selections by the user of the pre-recorded message is performed via one or more pre-defined keypad buttons.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, while in the pre-recorded message mode, a menu configured to present and allow selection of a pre-recorded message.

6. The method of claim 1, where the pre-recorded messages are messages that were previously recorded by the user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

placing, in response to a command from the user while in the pre-recorded message mode, the called party into a voice mail system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a command to place the portable communication device in a mode in which numbers entered via a keypad of the portable communication device are audibly conveyed to the called party.

9. A device comprising:

means for switching a portable communication device into a pre-recorded message mode, where the portable communication device, while in the pre-recorded message mode

receives selections, from a user, of a pre-recorded message that is to be transmitted to a called party during a telephone conversation,

transmits the pre-recorded message to the called party; and

means for switching the portable communication device into a normal mode in which the user speaks into the portable communication device to communicate with the called party.

10. The device of claim 9, where, when in the pre-recorded message mode, a microphone of the portable communication device is disabled.

11. The device of claim 9, further comprising:

means to place, in response to a command from the user while in the pre-recorded message mode, the called party into a voice mail system.

12. The device of claim 9, further comprising:

means to receive a command to place the portable communication device in a mode in which numbers entered via a keypad of the portable communication device are audibly conveyed to the called party.