System and method for pre-call messaging for a wireless device

• US 9,094,510 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2013
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rondeau, David E., Emerson, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mohammed, Assad
• Application Number:
  US13/941,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20130295885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 379 68- 8828, 37920101-21801
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2472 with programmable function keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/578 associated with a synthesized vocal announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/82 Line monitoring circuits for call progress or status discrimination for detecting caller identity H04M1/573
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53391 dependent on calling party

Abstract

A system and method for playing pre-call messages. User input is received to record a pre-call message for one or more intended recipients in anticipation of an incoming call from the one or more intended recipient. The pre-call message is associated with an identifier of the one or more intended recipients. The pre-call message is played to the one or more intended recipients during the ring back period in response to determining the incoming call is from the one or more intended recipients using the identifier. The pre-call message is deleted in response to determining the one or more intended recipients have received the entire pre-call message.

Claims

1. A method for playing pre-call messages, comprising:

receiving user input to record a pre-call message for one or more intended recipients utilizing a wireless device in anticipation of an incoming call from the one or more intended recipients;

associating the pre-call message with an identifier of the one or more intended recipients;

receiving user input identifying at least one user status during which user status a pre-call message will be played;

receiving an incoming call from at least one of the one or more intended recipients;

determining a status of the user;

playing the pre-call message to the one or more intended recipients during the ring back period of the wireless device in response to determining the incoming call is from the one or more intended recipients using the identifier and further in response to the determined status of the user; and

automatically deleting the pre-call message in response to determining the one or more intended recipients have received the entire pre-call message.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a voicemail system of the wireless device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving step comprises:

prompting a user to being recording the message in response to the user selecting to record the pre-call message.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identifier is any of a phone number, nickname, caller identification, or an IP address.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing the one or more intended recipients in a database.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the incoming call of the identifier against the recipient list to determine whether to play the pre-call message to the one or more intended recipients.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

allowing the one or more intended recipients to select to replay or save the pre-call message.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

deleting the pre-call message without playing the message to the one or more intended recipients in response to receiving a user selection to delete the pre-call message.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the playing further comprising:

preventing the wireless device from ringing to prevent a call recipient from being disturbed in response to receiving the user input to record the pre-call message.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the one or more intended recipients has received the pre-call message; and

deleting the pre-call message in response to determining the one or more intended recipients have received the pre-call message.

11. A voicemail system of a wireless device, comprising:

a function trigger configured to enable a pre-call message feature; and

pre-call message logic configured implement the pre-call message feature, wherein the pre-call message logic receives user input to record a pre-call message for one or more intended recipients, associates the pre-call message with an identifier of the one or more intended recipients, receives user input identifying at least one user status during which user status a pre-call message will be played, receives an incoming call from at least one of the one or more intended recipients and determines a status of the user;

plays the pre-call message to the one or more intended recipients during the ring back period for the wireless device in response to determining an incoming call is from the one or more intended recipients using the identifier, and further in response to the determined status of the user and automatically deletes the pre-call message from the voicemail system in response to determining that all of the one or more intended recipients have received the entire pre-call message.

12. The voicemail system of claim 11, wherein the one or more intended recipients do not need to be a customer of the pre-call message feature to receive the pre-call message.

13. The voicemail system of claim 11, further comprising:

a memory for storing the pre-call message to be played to the one or more intended recipients.

14. The voicemail system of claim 11, further comprising:

a database associated each of a plurality of pre-call messages with identifiers associated with each of the one or more recipients.

15. The voicemail system of claim 11, wherein the pre-call message is played to the one or more intended recipients in response to the pre-call message logic determining that the identifier of the incoming call is associated with the one or more intended recipients.

16. A wireless device enabling pre-call messaging, comprising:

a processor for executing a set of instructions; and

a memory configured to store the set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions are executed to;

receive user input to record a pre-call message for one or more intended recipients, associate the pre-call message with an identifier of the one or more intended recipients, receive user input identifying at least one user status during which user status a pre-call message will be played, receive an incoming call from at least one of the one or more intended recipients and determining a status of the user; and

play the pre-call message to the one or more intended recipients during the ring back period in response to determining an incoming call is from the one or more intended recipients using the identifier and further in response to the determined status of the user and automatically delete the pre-call message from the wireless device in response to determining that all of the one or more intended recipients have received the entire pre-call.

17. The wireless device of claim 16, wherein the identifier is any of a phone number, nickname, caller identification, or an IP address.

18. The wireless device of claim 16, wherein the set of instructions are further executed to:

allow the one or more intended recipients to replay or save the pre-call message.