Method and device for enabling message responses to incoming phone calls

• US 8,737,578 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2012
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Champlin, David, Prasad, Srikiran, Chen, Lang, Ranga, Rajan, Haitani, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US13/607,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20120329494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/352, 379/72, 379/88.14, 379/88.17, 379/88.28, 379/142.01, 379/201.01, 379/60, 379/88.01, 379/127.01, 379/142.07, 379/221.05, 379/265.11, 455/410, 455/422.1, 455/435.1, 455/466, 455/557, 455/567, 704/270.1, 600/509, 709/219
• US Class Current: 379/88.17
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/651 Text message transmission triggered by call automatic reactions in messaging within packet-switching networks H04L51/02

Abstract

A computing device is configured to receive an incoming communication from another computing device. The incoming communication may be for purpose of initiating a voice-exchange session. In response to receiving the incoming call, the computing device may identify or determine a message identifier of the other computing device. The message identifier is determined based at least in part on data provided with the incoming communication. The computing device may programmatically address a message to the other computing device using the message identifier determined from the incoming communication.

Claims

1. A method for operating a first computing device, the method being performed by one or more processors and comprising:

receiving an incoming call to initiate a voice-exchange session from a second computing device;

providing a notification of the incoming call on a display of the first computing device, the notification including (i) an identifier associated with the second computing device, and (ii) a first feature that is selectable to answer the incoming call and a second feature that is selectable to send a message response without answering the incoming call;

receiving a user input to select the second feature to send a message to the second computing device; and

in response to receiving the user input, enabling the user to select a pre-formulated message content for the message or compose a message content for the message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the message to the second computing device, the message including the pre-formulated message content or the composed message content.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the message to the second computing device includes using a phone number of the second computing device as an address for the message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is a Short Message Service (SMS) text message.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to receiving the incoming call, determining a message identifier associated with the second computing device using data provided with the incoming call.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier associated with the second computing device includes a name associated with the second computing device or a phone number associated with the second computing device.

7. A mobile computing device comprising:

a transceiver to transmit and receive communications over a cellular network;

a display;

an input mechanism;

one or more processors coupled to the transceiver and the display, the one or more processors to;

receive an incoming call to initiate a voice-exchange session from another computing device;

provide a notification of the incoming call on the display, the notification including (i) an identifier associated with the other computing device, and (ii) a first feature that is selectable to answer the incoming call and a second feature that is selectable to send a message response without answering the incoming call;

receiving a user input to select the second feature, via the input mechanism, to send a message to the other computing device; and

in response to receiving the user input, enabling the user to select a pre-formulated message content for the message or compose a message content for the message.

8. The mobile computing device of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors further transmit the message to the other computing device using the cellular network, the message including the pre-formulated message content or the composed message content.

9. The mobile computing device of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors transmit the message to the second computing device by using a phone number of the other computing device as an address for the message.

10. The mobile computing device of claim 7, wherein the message is a Short Message Service (SMS) text message.

11. The mobile computing device of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors further, in response to receiving the incoming call, determine a message identifier associated with the other computing device using data provided with the incoming call.

12. The mobile computing device of claim 7, wherein the identifier associated with the other computing device includes a name associated with the other computing device or a phone number associated with the other computing device.

13. The mobile computing device of claim 7, wherein the display is a touch-sensitive display, and the input mechanism is at least a part of the touch-sensitive display.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors of a first computing device to perform steps comprising:

receiving an incoming call to initiate a voice-exchange session from a second computing device;

providing a notification of the incoming call on a touch-sensitive display of the first computing device, the notification including (i) an identifier associated with the second computing device, and (ii) a first feature that is selectable to answer the incoming call and a second feature that is selectable to send a message response without answering the incoming call;

receiving a user input to select the second feature, via the touch-sensitive display, to send a message to the second computing device; and

in response to receiving the user input, enabling the user to select a pre-formulated message content for the message or compose a message content for the message.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to transmit the message to the second computing device using a phone number of the second computing device as an address for the message, the message including the pre-formulated message content or the composed message content.