Automated registration for mobile device reminders

• US 8,180,037 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Delker, Jason R., Everson, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad
• Assistant Examiner(s): GAY, SONIA L
• Application Number:
  US11/173,869
• Time in Patent Office: 2,511 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.09, 379/210.01, 379/102.03, 379/67.1, 379/88.13, 379/88.18, 379/201.01, 455/186.1, 455/418, 455/41, 455/414.1, 709/206, 725/58, 725/104, 725/66
• US Class Current: 379/210.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739

Abstract

A system allows automated registration for reminders to be sent to a mobile device, such as a mobile telephone. A telephone number to use to register for an automated reminder is displayed in conjunction with an advertisement for an upcoming event. A user who views the advertisement and wishes to be reminded of the program may dial the number to register for a reminder. The telephone call is received by a reminder system, which identifies the caller and determines the relevant event. The system schedules a reminder corresponding to the event, and it sends the reminder to the caller at the scheduled time. The reminder may be sent to the caller'"'"'s SMS address.

Claims

1. A reminder method, comprising:

receiving a telephone call from a caller;

identifying the caller;

identifying a selected broadcast event based at least in part on the telephone number at which the telephone call was received;

determining that the caller has permission to receive a reminder of the selected broadcast event;

determining whether the selected broadcast event can be activated, wherein activating the selected broadcast event comprises recording the selected broadcast event;

in response to a determination that the selected broadcast event can be activated, prompting the caller for approval to activate the selected broadcast event;

scheduling the reminder of the selected event to be sent to the caller at a reminder time, wherein the reminder time is based at least in part on a time at which the selected event is scheduled to be broadcast in the caller'"'"'s time zone; and

sending the reminder to the caller at the reminder time and recording the selected broadcast event.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an advertisement for an event; and

displaying, together with the advertisement, a telephone number associated with the event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification of the selected event is based at least in part on the time at which the telephone call was received.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification of the caller is based at least in part on the telephone number from which the telephone call was received.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a messaging address of the caller, wherein the reminder is sent to the caller at the messaging address.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the messaging address is an SMS address.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising prompting the caller to select the reminder time.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising prompting the caller to select how far in advance of the selected broadcast event the reminder time should be.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps are performed as a network-based service.

7. A reminder method, comprising:

displaying an advertisement for a future broadcast event;

displaying, together with the advertisement, a reminder telephone number associated with the event;

receiving a telephone call from a caller at the reminder telephone number;

identifying the event at least in part from the time at which the telephone call is received;

determining that the caller has permission to receive a reminder of the event;

determining whether the event can be activated, wherein activating the event comprises recording the event;

in response to a determination that the event can be activated, prompting the caller for approval to activate the event; and

sending the reminder of the event to the caller at a reminder time based at least in part on a time at which the selected event is scheduled to be broadcast in the caller'"'"'s time zone, and recording the selected broadcast event.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising identifying the caller based at least in part on the telephone number from which the call was received.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining a messaging address of the caller, wherein the reminder is sent to the caller at the messaging address.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the messaging address is an SMS address.

16. The method of claim 7, further comprising prompting the caller to select the reminder time.

18. The method of claim 7, wherein the steps are performed as a network-based service.

11. A reminder method, comprising:

receiving a telephone call from a caller;

identifying the caller;

identifying a broadcast event;

determining whether a caller has permission to receive a reminder for the broadcast event;

determining whether the broadcast event can be activated, wherein activating the broadcast event comprises recording the broadcast event; and

in response to a determination that the selected event can be activated, prompting the caller for approval to activate the broadcast event; and

sending the reminder to the caller at the reminder time and recording the selected broadcast event.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising prompting the caller to agree to receive the reminder for the broadcast event.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising prompting the caller to select a reminder time.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the steps are performed as a network-based service.