System and method for performing an action on a phone in response to a user initiating an outbound call to one or more select phone numbers

• US 8,363,807 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Baciu, Assaf, Bhojwani, Sandeep M., Billa, Jayadev, Berner, Carl Mikael, Stone, Kevin M., Winarsky, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoque, Nafiz E
• Application Number:
  US11/904,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20090046843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,951 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.02, 379/201.04, 379/201.05, 379/218.01, 379/211.01, 379/213.01, 455/414.1, 455/417, 455/419, 455/425
• US Class Current: 379/201.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/56 Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

The present invention provides a system, method and software application for associating one or more phone numbers with an action on a phone and performing an action on the phone in response to the user initiating a call to one of such phone numbers. Certain phone numbers are associated with an action. The user'"'"'s phone, or a server with which the user'"'"'s phone communicates, maintains a table of the phone numbers associated with an action, and each phone number in the table is related to an action. Software on the user'"'"'s phone listens for call initiated by a user. When the user initiates a call, software on the phone “intercepts” the call, and the phone (or a server with which the phone communicates) determines whether the call is to a phone number that is in the table. If the phone number is in the table, then it is associated with an action, and the user'"'"'s phone performs that action at a time specified by instructions for such action. The action may be performed before, during, or after the call depending on the instructions associated with the call. Whether a call is placed to the original phone number ultimately depends on the action and the user'"'"'s response to the action.

Claims

1. A method for performing an action on a phone in response to a user initiating a voice call, the method comprising:

associating each of one or more phone numbers with an action that is to be performed by the phone;

maintaining on the user'"'"'s phone a table of the phone numbers associated with an action, wherein the table relates each phone number in the table to an action, wherein at least one phone number in the table is a phone number for a business, and wherein at least one action associated with the phone number for the business in the table is to provide the user with the option to download a software application associated with the business onto the phone, wherein the option is provided after continuing the call to the associated phone number and disconnecting the call from the associated phone number;

listening for calls initiated by a user on the phone;

in response to the user initiating a call, determining whether a phone number associated with the call is in the table, wherein such determination is made prior to placing the call; and

in response to the phone number being in the table, performing an action related to such phone number in the table.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one phone number in the table is a phone number for customer care for a business, and an action associated with such phone number is to display on the phone a list of customer care options to the user prior to placing a call to the phone number.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the list of customer care options includes at least one automated, self-service option.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a self-service option includes an automated bill pay option.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein a self-service option includes viewing a web page for customer care for the business.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the list of customer care options includes both an option to place a call to the phone number dialed by the user and at least one self-service option that is in lieu of placing a call to the phone number dialed by the user.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the list of customer care options is personalized for the user of the phone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein an action associated with such phone number is to display a logo associated with such business while placing the call to such phone number.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein an action associated with such phone number is to display information associated with such business while placing a call to such phone number.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein an action associated with a phone number in the table is to display an advertisement.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein an action associated with a phone number is to provide the user with additional routing options.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the action may be performed prior to placing the call, during the call, or after the call, depending on instructions associated with such action.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the action may be performed in lieu of placing the call, depending on the action and the user'"'"'s response to the action.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein, for an action associated with a phone number, the table specifies a network address at which further instructions for the action can be obtained by the phone.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein, for an action associated with a phone number, the table specifies a location in a local cache on the phone where further instructions for the action can be obtained by the phone.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein a remote server updates the table by downloading updates to the phone.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the phone periodically polls a remote server for updates to the table, and if the remote server has updates, the remote server downloads the updates to the phone.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of phone numbers in the table can be associated with the same action.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein each phone number in the table can be associated with a different action.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein a phone number in the table can be associated with a plurality of actions.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein, when a user initiates a call to a phone number associated with a plurality of actions, the action performed in response to the user initiating such call is based on information about the user.

22. A method for performing an action on a phone in response to a user initiating a voice call, the method comprising:

associating on the user'"'"'s phone each of one or more phone numbers with an action, wherein at least one phone number is a phone number for a business and wherein at least one action associated with the phone number for the business is to provide the user with the option to download a software application associated with the business onto the phone, wherein the option is provided after continuing the call to the associated phone number and disconnecting the call from the associated phone number;

listening for phone numbers dialed by a user on the phone;

in response to the user initiating a call to a phone number, determining whether the phone number is one of the phone numbers associated with an action, wherein such determination is made prior to placing the call; and

in response to the phone number being one of the phone numbers associated with an action, performing an action related to such phone number.

23. A non-transitory processor-readable medium having processor-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

associating each of one or more phone numbers with an action that is to be performed by a phone;

maintaining on the user'"'"'s phone a table of the phone numbers associated with an action, wherein the table relates each phone number in the table to an action, wherein at least one phone number in the table is a phone number for a business, and wherein at least one action associated with the phone number for the business in the table is to provide the user with the option to download a software application associated with the business onto the phone, wherein the option is provided after continuing the call to the associated phone number and disconnecting the call from the associated phone number;

listening for voice calls initiated by a user on the phone;

in response to the user initiating a call, determining whether a phone number associated with the call is in the table, wherein such determination is made prior to placing the call; and

in response to the phone number being in the table, performing an action related to such phone number in the table.