Responding to incoming calls

• US 8,942,674 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2013
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Kumar, Surender, Lukasik, Susan L.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US13/745,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20140205076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.17, 379/93.23, 379/142.01, 379/142.04, 379/142.07, 379/142.08, 379/142.12, 379/142.17, 379/207.14, 379/211.02, 379/212.01, 379/215.01, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/372, 379/373.01, 455/567, 455/569.1
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/651 Text message transmission triggered by call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0033 Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0045 where the text-based messaging service is an instant messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0048 where the text-based messaging service is a Short Message Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0054 where the data service is an electronic mail service

Abstract

A method and device for responding to an incoming call. A first device detects an incoming call from a caller. In response to detecting the incoming call, an indication of the incoming call is sent to a second device different from the first device. The indication identifies the caller. A message indicating a response to the caller is received from the second device.

Claims

1. A method operative on a portable electronic device associated with a party being called, the method comprising:

detecting an incoming voice call over a first communications channel from a caller;

in response to the detecting, sending an indication of the incoming call to a second electronic device, the indication identifying the caller and comprises addressing information for the caller, other than a telephone number of the caller, on a second communications channel, the addressing information to be used in sending a text message over the second communications channel to the caller;

receiving, from the second electronic device, the text message to send to the caller; and

sending the text message from the electronic device to the caller over the second communications channel that is independent from the first communications channel.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising preventing, based on the sending, the incoming call from going to voice mail prior to sending the text message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a portable electronic device, and wherein the second electronic device is one of a tablet computer, a personal computer, and a wired telephone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending automatically occurs when the electronic device is on a call when the incoming call is detected.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a list comprising a respective indication for each of a plurality of devices;

receiving, based on displaying the list, a selection of a selected device within the plurality of devices; and

identifying, based on the selection, the second electronic device to correspond to the selected device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication is sent on a communications channel coupling the electronic device to the second electronic device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the communications channel comprises at least one of a wired communications channel, a network communications channel, and a local wireless communications channel.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the text message further comprises:

an indication specifying that the message is to be transmitted by the electronic device;

contents of the response;

a specification of a communications network comprising the second communications channel; and

addressing information to use on the communications network to send the text message to the caller, and

wherein the sending comprises sending the text message from the electronic device to the caller over the communications network based on the addressing information within the message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the text message further comprises an identification of the second communications channel.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the response comprises one of an e-mail comprising the text message and an instant messaging message comprising the text message.

11. A method operative on a portable electronic device associated with a party being called, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of an incoming voice call from a caller, the incoming call being directed over a first communications channel to a second electronic device different from the electronic device, the indication identifying the caller and further comprises addressing information for the caller, other than a telephone number of the caller, on a second communications channel, the addressing information to be used in sending a text message over the second communications channel to the caller;

displaying a plurality of response options to send to the caller;

receiving, based on the displaying, a selection of a first response that is within the plurality of response options; and

sending to the caller, independently of the second device by the electronic device through the second communications channel that is independent of the first communications channel, the text message comprising the first response.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

sending, to the second electronic device by the electronic device, a call disposition message comprising;

contents of the first response;

a specification of a communications network comprising the second communications channel; and

addressing information used by the communications network to send a response message comprising the contents of the first response to the caller; and

sending, to the second electronic device, a command to send the first response to the caller.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying a plurality of communications networks over which to send the message;

receiving, based on the displaying the plurality of communications networks, a selection of a selected communications network as the second communications channel; and

determining, in response to receipt of the selection of the selected communications network, that the electronic device has access to the selected communications network,

wherein the sending the text message is in response to determining that the electronic device has access to the selected communications network, and

wherein the sending the call disposition message and the sending the command to send the first response to the caller is in response to determining that the electronic device does not have access to the selected communications network.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a selection of a transmitting device for the response, wherein the selection identifies one of the electronic device and the second electronic device as the transmitting device, and

wherein the sending to the caller the message is based on the selection identifying the electronic device as the transmitting device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the second electronic device comprises a portable electronic device, and wherein the electronic device is one of a tablet computer, a personal computer, and a wired telephone.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the indication is sent on a communications channel coupling the electronic device to the second electronic device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the communications channel comprises at least one of a wired communications channel, a network communications channel, and a local wireless communications channel.

18. A portable electronic device associated with a party being called, the portable electronic device comprising:

a processor configured to;

detect an incoming voice call over a first communications channel from a caller;

send, based on a detection of the incoming call, an indication of the incoming call to a second electronic device different from the electronic device, the indication identifying the caller and comprising addressing information for the caller, other than a telephone number of the caller, on a second communications channel, the addressing information to be used in sending a text message over the second communications channel to the caller;

receive, from the second electronic device, the text message to send to the caller; and

send the text message from the electronic device to the caller over the second communications channel that is independent from the first communications channel.

19. A portable electronic device associated with a party being called, the portable electronic device comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive over a first communications channel, from a second electronic device, an indication of an incoming voice call from a caller, the incoming call being directed to the second electronic device, the indication identifying the caller and further comprises addressing information for the caller, other than a telephone number of the caller, on a second communications channel, the addressing information to be used in sending a text message over the second communications channel to the caller;

display a plurality of response options to send to the caller;

receive, based on the display, a selection of a first response that is one of the plurality of response options; and

send to the caller, independently of the second device, through the second communications channel that is independent of the first communications channel, the text message comprising the first response.