Text alternative to established voice call session

• US 8,942,741 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Gilson, Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, CONGVAN
• Application Number:
  US13/614,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20130012246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 455/517, 455/466, 455/412.2, 455/413, 455/414.1, 455/414.4, 455/415, 455/416, 455/417, 455/59, 455/412.1
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/651 Text message transmission triggered by call automatic reactions in messaging within packet-switching networks H04L51/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Methods and systems are described wherein an initiating device sends a communication requesting a voice call session with a recipient device. In response, the initiating device receives a communication indicating that the initiating device can provide a text message instead of establishing the voice call session. In some cases, the communication may refuse the request voice call session, while in other cases the communication may simply indicate that the recipient device supports text messaging as an alternative to voice mail. As a result of the received communication, the initiating device outputs a text input prompt. After receiving text input in response to the prompt, the initiating device sends a text message containing the received text input.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending, by an initiating device, a first communication requesting a voice call session with a recipient device;

receiving, by the initiating device, a second communication responsive to the first communication, the second communication comprising an indication of a refusal of the voice call session and a request that the initiating device provide a text message instead of the requested voice call session;

sending, by the initiating device, an acknowledgment communication responsive to the second communication, the acknowledgement communication comprising an indication that the initiating device will send a text message in response to the second communication;

generating, by the initiating device, a text message, based on input by an initiating user, responsive to the second communication; and

sending, by the initiating device and subsequent to sending the acknowledgment communication, the text message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically populating the text message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communication comprises a second text message received from the recipient device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communication comprises a voice message or a graphic.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the text message comprises starting a text messaging application at the initiating device, in response to receiving the second communication.

6. A communication device, comprising:

at least one memory and at least one processor configured to cause the communication device to;

send a first communication requesting a voice call session with a recipient device;

receive a second communication comprising an indication of a refusal of the voice call session and a request to provide a text message;

send an acknowledgment communication responsive to the second communication, the acknowledgement communication comprising an indication that the communication device will send a text message in response to the second communication;

generate a text message, based on input by an initiating user, responsive to the second communication; and

send the text message subsequent to sending the acknowledgment communication.

7. The communication device of claim 6, wherein the communication device is part of a system that comprises the recipient device, the recipient device comprising at least one memory and at least one processor configured to cause the recipient device to:

receive an indication of the first communication requesting the voice call session;

send the second communication comprising the indication of the refusal of the voice call session and the request to provide a text message;

receive a communication corresponding to the acknowledgment communication, the acknowledgment communication comprising the indication that the communication device will send a text message;

determine that the text message has been received within a predetermined time period; and

responsive to the determination, omit, from a listing of missed calls, data corresponding to the request for the voice call session.

8. The communication device of claim 6, wherein the communication device is part of a system that comprises a network element, wherein the network element is different from the recipient device, the network element comprising at least one memory and at least one processor configured to:

receive an indication of the first communication requesting the voice call session;

send the second communication comprising the indication of the refusal of the voice call session and the request to provide a text message;

receive the acknowledgment communication comprising the indication that the communication device will send a text message;

determine that the text message has been received within a predetermined time period; and

responsive to the determination, omit, from a listing of missed calls, data corresponding to the request for the voice call session.

9. The communication device of claim 6, wherein the at least one memory and at least one processor are further configured to cause the communication device to generate the text message by starting a text messaging application at the communication device, in response to receiving the second communication.

10. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first device and from a second device, a request for a voice call session;

sending, by the first device and to the second device, an indication of a refusal of the request and an indication of a request that a text message be sent by the second device;

after sending the indication of the refusal and the indication of the request that a text message be sent by the second device, receiving a communication comprising an indication that the second device will send a text message;

receiving, by the first device and from the second device, a text message based at least in part on input by a user;

after receiving the text message, determining, by the first device, that the text message was received within a predetermined time period; and

responsive to the determination, omitting from a listing of missed calls, data corresponding to the request for the voice call session.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving the request for the voice call session, sending the refusal of the request, and receiving the text message are performed by a network element different from a recipient device or the initiating device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein sending the indication of the refusal of the request and the indication of the request that the text message be sent by the second device comprises:

indicating, via a user interface, the received request for the voice call session; and

receiving input via the user interface corresponding to the request that the second device send a text message,

wherein sending the indication of the refusal of the request for the voice call session and the indication of the request that a text message be sent by the second device, is responsive to the input received via the user interface.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein sending the indication of the refusal of the request and the indication of the request that a text message be sent by the second device comprises:

receiving user input indicating processing preferences for incoming voice call session requests, the user input corresponding to the request that the second device send the a message, wherein the user input is received before the request for the voice call session from the second device; and

responsive to receiving the request for the voice call session, retrieving the processing preferences for incoming voice call session requests,

wherein sending the indication of the refusal of the request for the voice call session and the indication of the request that a text message be sent by the second device, is based on the retrieved processing preferences.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, by a network element and from a computing device, a request for initiating a voice call session with a recipient device;

sending, by the network element and to the computing device, an indication of a refusal of the request and an indication of a request that a text message be sent by the computing device to the recipient device;

after sending the indication of the refusal and the indication of the request that a text message be sent by the computing device, receiving, at the network element and from the computing device, a communication comprising an indication that the computing device will send a text message to the recipient device;

receiving, by the network element and from the computing device, a text message based at least in part on input by a user;

after receiving the text message, determining, by the network element, that the text message was received within a predetermined time period; and

responsive to the determination, omitting from a listing of missed calls, data corresponding to the request for the voice call session with the recipient device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein sending the indication of the refusal of the request and the indication of the request that the text message be sent by the computing device comprises:

transmitting, by the network element and to the recipient device, data indicating the received request for the voice call session; and

receiving, by the network element and from the recipient device, input corresponding to the request that the computing device send a text message,

wherein sending the indication of the refusal of the request for the voice call session and the indication of the request that a text message be sent by the computing device, is responsive to the input received from the recipient device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein sending the indication of the refusal of the request and the indication of the request that a text message be sent by the computing device comprises:

receiving, by the network element and from the recipient device, user input indicating processing preferences for incoming voice call session requests, the user input corresponding to the request that the computing device send the a message, wherein the user input is received before the request for the voice call session from the computing device; and

responsive to receiving the request for the voice call session, retrieving, by the network element, the processing preferences for incoming voice call session requests,

wherein sending the indication of the refusal of the request for the voice call session and the indication of the request that a text message be sent by the computing device, is based on the retrieved processing preferences.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the refusal of the request sent to the computing device comprises a voice message or a graphic.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the refusal of the request sent to the computing device comprises a text message.