In-call, audible call waiting

• US 8,620,282 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2011
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Kassiedass, Sanathan
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, JUSTIN YE
• Application Number:
  US13/035,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20110263235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 455/415, 455/414.1, 379/142.08, 379/93.35, 379/215.01
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/578 associated with a synthesized vocal announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72513 On hold, intercom or transfer communication modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00

Abstract

A handsfree device is disclosed that offers additional wireless telephone services to the user of a wireless device in a minimally distracting manner. A call-waiting notification of a second call is presented acoustically via the handsfree device to a user. A responsive action by the user to request caller-ID information yields an audible presentation of caller-ID information related to the second call. The user may then elect to answer the second call.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a stored set of instructions that when executed by a processor cause a handsfree device communicating with a wireless device connected to a network providing a call-waiting feature and caller-ID information to:

receive caller-ID information from the wireless device for a second call while a first call is in progress;

deliver an alert to a user of the wireless device indicating the second call;

convert the caller-ID information to a speech signal, in response to a user input via a user interface;

decouple a speaker and a microphone from a transceiver of the handsfree device; and

couple the speaker to the processor to deliver the speech signal;

accept a first activation of a user-activated input prior to the first call;

convert a predetermined response to a predetermined speech signal for delivery to the speaker in response to the first activation;

accept the first call; and

accept a second activation of the user-activated input after the alert wherein

the speech signal is delivered to the speaker in response to the second activation of the user-activated input, thereby delivering the caller identity signal instead of the predetermined speech signal for the second call.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the instructions of the non-transitory computer readable medium are further to:

couple the microphone to the processor to accept a user spoken response to the speech signal;

determine a match of the user spoken response to a stored command; and

inform the wireless device of the match.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein delivery of the alert to the user further comprises delivery of an acoustic tone via the speaker.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the predetermined speech signal is “

say a command”

.

5. A method for providing communications between a handsfree device and a user wireless device engaged in communications with a network providing a call-waiting feature and caller-ID information, comprising:

presenting acoustically a call-waiting notification of a second call to a user when the wireless device is engaged in a first call;

receiving a response to the call-waiting notification from the user;

presenting caller-ID information related to the second call acoustically to the user in response to receiving the call-waiting notification response;

receiving a first manual input on a first button of the handsfree device prior to engaging in the first call; and

presenting a predetermined response acoustically to the user in response to the receiving of the first manual input, wherein

the response to the call-waiting notification is received in response to a second manual input on the first button, and whereby

the caller-ID information is presented instead of the predetermined response in response to activating the first button, thereby reducing driver distraction when the user of the handsfree device is operating a vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising accepting an audible command from the user to answer the second call subsequent to the presentation of caller-ID information.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein accepting an audible command further comprises determining a match of the audible command with a command in a stored vocabulary.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein accepting an audible command answers the second call and places the first call on hold.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising providing electromagnetic communications complying with a Bluetooth protocol between the handsfree device and the user wireless device.

10. An apparatus for enabling handsfree communications via a wireless device engaged in communication with a network providing a call-waiting feature and caller identity information, comprising:

a transceiver;

a user-activated input device that accepts a user command;

a speaker switchably coupled to the transceiver, that converts signals received by the transceiver into audible signals;

a microphone, switchably coupled to the transceiver, that converts acoustic signals into electrical signals to be transmitted by the transceiver; and

a processor and associated memory, configured to;

receive caller identity information from the wireless device for a second call while a first call is in progress;

deliver an alert to the speaker indicating the second call;

convert the caller identity information to a speech signal in response to user input via the user interface;

decouple the speaker and the microphone from the transceiver;

couple the speaker to the processor to deliver the speech signal;

accept a first activation of the user-activated input device prior to the first call;

convert a predetermined response to a predetermined speech signal for delivery on the first acoustic transducer in response to the first activation;

deliver the alert to the speaker signifying the second call during the first call; and

accept a second activation of the user-activated input device after the alert, wherein

the speech signal is coupled to the speaker in response to the second activation of the user-activated input, thereby providing the caller identity signal instead of the predetermined response in response to the second call.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the processor and associated memory is further configured to:

couple the microphone to the processor to accept a user spoken response to the speech signal;

determine a match of the user spoken response to a stored command; and

inform the wireless device of the match.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the alert is an acoustic tone delivered via the speaker.

13. A method for providing communications between a handsfree device, including a transceiver, a user-activated input device, a speaker and a microphone switchably coupled to the transceiver, and a processor and associated memory, and a wireless device engaged in communications with a network providing a call-waiting feature and caller identity information, said method comprising:

accepting from the wireless device an indication of a second call made by a caller and directed to the wireless device while the wireless device is engaged in a first call;

receiving an indication of an identity of the caller from the wireless device;

delivering an alert to a user of the wireless device signifying the indication of the second call;

accepting an activation of the user-activated input device by the user;

converting to a speech signal, in response to the activation of the user-activated input device, the indication of the caller identity;

decoupling the speaker and the microphone from the transceiver, in response to the activation of the user-activated input device;

coupling, in response to the activation of the user-activated input device, the speaker to the transceiver to deliver the speech signal;

accepting a first activation of the user-activated input device prior to the first call;

converting a predetermined response to a predetermined speech signal for presentation on the speaker in response to the first activation; and

accepting a second activation of the user-activated input device after the alert, whereby

the speech signal provides a caller identity signal instead of the predetermined response in response the second call.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the accepting an activation of the user-activated input device further comprises accepting activation of a switch.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

switchably coupling the microphone to the processor to accept a user spoken response to the speech signal;

determining a match of the user spoken response to a stored command; and

informing the wireless device of the match.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein delivering the alert to the user further comprises delivering an acoustic tone via the speaker.