Communication systems and methods

• US 8,406,801 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2010
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith Micro Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Smith Micro Software Incorporated
• Inventors: Othmer, Konstantin
• Primary Examiner(s): SING, SIMON P
• Application Number:
  US12/880,603
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 455/518, 455/426.1, 455/553.1
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form

Abstract

Systems and methods for selectively replaying voice data. Voice data received in a communication session is both buffered by the device and played by the device. When input is received from a recipient, the voice data currently being received is no longer played and buffered voice data is replayed to the recipient. While the buffered voice data is replayed, the device continues to buffer any voice data received by the device to ensure that the recipient can listen to all of the voice data in the communication session. By only storing voice data in the buffer, replaying the buffered voice data can catch the real-time voice data. At this point, the device reverts to playing voice data being received while continuing to buffer the voice data.

Claims

1. In a first mobile telephone configured to send and receive network-based instant connect calls, a method comprising:

receiving voice data of a network-based instant connect call;

playing the voice data;

identifying a missing portion of the voice data;

requesting the missing portion of the voice data;

receiving the missing portion of the voice data; and

replaying the voice data with the missing portion included.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the act of receiving voice data of a network-based instant connect call comprises receiving a plurality of packets carrying voice data.

3. The method as in claim 2, wherein the act of identifying a missing portion of the voice data comprises analyzing the plurality of received packets to identify one or more missing packets.

4. The method as in claim 3, wherein the act of receiving the missing portion of the voice data comprises receiving the one or more missing packets.

5. The method as in claim 3, wherein the act of requesting the missing portion of the voice data comprises requesting the one or more missing packets from a network server.

6. The method as in claim 3, wherein the act of requesting the missing portion of the voice data comprises requesting the one or more missing packets from a second mobile telephone that sent the voice data to the first mobile telephone.

7. The method as in claim 1, further comprising buffering the voice data.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising buffering the voice data while playing the voice data.

9. The method as in claim 8, wherein the act of replaying the voice data is not done until the missing portion of the voice data is received.

10. The method as in claim 7, wherein the act of replaying the voice data is not done until the missing portion of the voice data is received.

11. In a first mobile telephone configured to send and receive network-based instant connect calls, a method comprising:

receiving voice data of a network-based instant connect call;

buffering the received voice data;

identifying a missing portion of the voice data;

requesting the missing portion of the voice data;

receiving the missing portion of the voice data; and

in response to user input, playing the voice data with the missing portion included.

12. The method as in claim 11, wherein the act of playing the voice data is not done until the missing portion of the voice data is received.

13. The method as in claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the act of playing the voice data occurs while at least a portion of the voice data is being buffered.

14. The method as in claim 11, wherein the act of receiving voice data of a network-based instant connect call comprises receiving a plurality of packets carrying voice data.

15. The method as in claim 14, wherein the act of identifying a missing portion of the voice data comprises analyzing the plurality of received packets to identify one or more missing packets.

16. The method as in claim 15, wherein the act of receiving the missing portion of the voice data comprises receiving the one or more missing packets.

17. The method as in claim 15, wherein the act of requesting the missing portion of the voice data comprises requesting the one or more missing packets from a network server.

18. The method as in claim 15, wherein the act of requesting the missing portion of the voice data comprises requesting the one or more missing packets from a second mobile telephone that sent the voice data to the first mobile telephone.

19. A system comprising:

a first mobile telephone configured to send and receive network-based instant connect calls, the first mobile telephone configured to;

receive voice data of a network-based instant connect call;

play the voice data;

identify a missing portion of the voice data;

requesting the missing portion of the voice data;

receiving the missing portion of the voice data; and

replaying the voice data with the missing portion included.

20. The system as in claim 19, wherein the first mobile telephone is configured to receive voice data of a network-based instant connect call by receiving a plurality of packets carrying voice data.

21. The system as in claim 20, wherein the first mobile telephone is configured to identify a missing portion of the voice data by analyzing the plurality of received packets to identify one or more missing packets.

22. The system as in claim 21, wherein the first mobile telephone is configured to receive the missing portion of the voice data by receiving the one or more missing packets.

23. The system as in claim 21, wherein the first mobile telephone is configured to request the missing portion of the voice data by requesting the one or more missing packets from a network server.

24. The system as in claim 21, wherein the first mobile telephone is configured to request the missing portion of the voice data by requesting the one or more missing packets from a second mobile telephone that sent the voice data to the first mobile telephone.

25. The system as in claim 19, wherein the first mobile telephone is further configured to buffer the voice data.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the first mobile telephone is further configured to buffer the voice data while playing the voice data.

27. The system as in claim 26, wherein the first mobile telephone is configured to not play the voice data until the missing portion of the voice data is received.

28. The system as in claim 25, wherein the first mobile telephone is configured to not play the voice data until the missing portion of the voice data is received.

29. A system comprising:

a first mobile telephone configured to send and receive network-based instant connect calls, the first mobile telephone configured to;

receive voice data of a network-based instant connect call;

buffer the received voice data;

identify a missing portion of the voice data;

request the missing portion of the voice data;

receive the missing portion of the voice data; and

in response to user input, play the voice data with the missing portion included.

30. The system as in claim 29, wherein the first mobile telephone is configured to not play the voice data until the missing portion of the voice data is received.

31. The system as in claim 29, wherein the first mobile telephone is configured to play at least a portion of the voice data while at least a portion of the voice data is being buffered.

32. The system as in claim 29, wherein the first mobile telephone is configured to receive voice data of a network-based instant connect call by receiving a plurality of packets carrying voice data.

33. The system as in claim 32, wherein the first mobile telephone is configured to identify a missing portion of the voice data by analyzing the plurality of received packets to identify one or more missing packets.

34. The system as in claim 32, wherein the first mobile telephone is configured to receive the missing portion of the voice data by receiving the one or more missing packets.

35. The system as in claim 33, wherein the first mobile telephone is configured to request the missing portion of the voice data by requesting the one or more missing packets from a network server.

36. The system as in claim 33, wherein the first mobile telephone is configured to request the missing portion of the voice data by requesting the one or more missing packets from a second mobile telephone that sent the voice data to the first mobile telephone.