Remote messaging for mobile communication device and accessory

• US 8,254,993 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bolton, Lawrence G., Rathi, Shailesh
• Primary Examiner(s): D Agosta, Steve
• Application Number:
  US12/479,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20100227631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/413, 455/466, 455/557, 370/310.2, 370/312, 379/67.1, 379 68- 8828
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Message notifications to an accessory from a mobile communication device are provided according to some embodiments of the invention. When a message such as a text message, email, and/or voicemail is received at a mobile communication device, the mobile communication device can notify an attached accessory that a message has been received. In response, the accessory can request the full message, media associated with the message, an attachment to the message, and/or an audio/video stream of the message for presentation to a user.

Claims

1. A method for use in an accessory, the method comprising:

registering with a mobile communication device coupled with the accessory to receive voicemail notifications;

receiving a notification from the mobile communication device indicating that the mobile communication device has received a voicemail, wherein the notification includes a listing of received voicemails, each voicemail associated with a voicemail identifier;

providing a received voicemail indication to the user indicating that a voicemail has been received;

displaying the listing of received voicemails;

receiving an indication from the user selecting one of the received voicemails to be played at the accessory;

in response to receiving the indication from the user, sending a command to the mobile communication device, the command including the voicemail identifier associated with the voicemail selected by the user and including at least one bit asserted within a bitmask to indicate a request for the voicemail to be sent to the accessory;

receiving an audio stream from the mobile communication device;

playing the audio stream through a speaker at the accessory;

receiving an indication from the user to callback a telephone number associated with one of the received voicemails; and

in response to receiving the indication from the user to callback a telephone number associated with the voicemail, sending a command to the mobile communication device to call back the telephone number associated with the voicemail.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein prior to playing the audio stream, the accessory initializes a line-out simplex mode.

3. An accessory for use with a mobile communication device, the accessory comprising:

an accessory controller;

an input/output interface coupled with the accessory controller including a control signal path configured to send a registration to the mobile communication device indicating that the accessory will receive voicemail notifications, further configured to receive a voicemail notification from the mobile communication device, wherein the voicemail notification includes a listing of voicemails and an identifier associated with each of the voicemails in the listing of voicemails, and further configured to receive audio signals from the mobile communication device; and

a user interface coupled with the accessory controller and configured to;

indicate to a user receipt of at least one voicemail at the mobile communication device in response to receiving the voicemail notification,

display the listing of voicemails,

receive an indication from the user to callback a telephone number associated with a voicemail,

in response to receiving the indication from the user to callback a telephone number associated with the voicemail, sending a command to the input/output interface to callback the telephone number associated with the voicemail,

wherein the user interface includes a speaker; and

wherein the input/output interface is configured to send a command to the mobile communication device in response to receiving an indication from the user to hear a voicemail, the command including a voicemail identifier associated with a user-selected voicemail in the listing of voicemails and a bit asserted within a bitmask, wherein the bit indicates a request for voicemail to be sent to the accessory wherein the input/output interface is configured to receive an audio stream from the mobile communication device, and the speaker is configured to play the audio stream received from the input/output interface.

4. The accessory according to claim 3 wherein the user interface is configured to receive an indication from the user to delete a voicemail, and wherein in response to receiving the indication from the user to delete a voicemail, sending a command to the mobile communication device through the input/output interface to delete the voicemail.

5. The accessory according to claim 3 wherein the accessory controller configures an audio section of the accessory to:

operate in an simplex mode at a first time; and

operate in a duplex mode at a second time.

6. A method for use in a mobile communication device having a telephone interface, the method comprising:

determining that an accessory connected to the mobile communication device supports voicemail notifications;

determining that the accessory has registered to receive voicemail notifications;

receiving one or more voicemails through the telephone interface, and storing the one or more voicemails at the mobile communication device;

in the event that the accessory is registered to receive voice mail notifications, sending a voicemail notification to the accessory indicating that the mobile communication device has received the voicemail message, wherein the voicemail notification includes a listing of received voicemails to be displayed by the accessory, wherein an identifier is associated with each voicemail in the listing of voicemails;

receiving, by the mobile communication device, a command from the accessory, wherein the command includes the identifier associated with a voicemail selected by a user to be played by the accessory and at least one bit asserted within a bitmask to indicate a request for the voicemail to be sent to the accessory; and

sending an audio stream to the accessory to be played through a speaker at the accessory;

receiving a command from the accessory to callback a telephone number associated with the voicemail, wherein the command is received in response to the accessory receiving an indication from the user to callback a telephone number associated with the voicemail.

7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising:

streaming the voicemail to the accessory through an audio output port of the mobile communication device.

8. The method according to claim 7 further comprising:

receiving a request from the accessory that includes a playback control indication; and

streaming the voicemail according to the playback control indication.