Remote messaging for mobile communication device and accessory

• US 9,161,186 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2013
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bolton, Lawrence G., Rathi, Shailesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Agosta, Steve D
• Application Number:
  US14/044,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20140031015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/457, 455/466, 455/550.1, 379/67.1, 379/68, 379/88.28, 370/310.2, 370/312
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Message notifications to an accessory from a mobile communication device are provided according to some embodiments of the invention. When a message such as a text message, email, and/or voicemail is received at a mobile communication device, the mobile communication device can notify an attached accessory that a message has been received. In response, the accessory can request the full message, media associated with the message, an attachment to the message, and/or an audio/video stream of the message for presentation to a user.

Claims

1. A method for use in an accessory, the method comprising:

receiving a notification from a mobile communication device coupled with the accessory indicating that the mobile communication device has received a set of voicemails, wherein the notification includes a listing of one or more received voicemails, wherein the accessory connects to the mobile communication device through a wireless communication channel;

providing a voicemail receipt indication to indicate receipt of voicemails at the mobile communication device in response to the receiving of the notification over the wireless communication channel;

displaying the listing of one or more received voicemails on a display device of the accessory, wherein each voicemail in the listing of received voicemails is associated with an identifier, wherein the displaying of the listing of one or more received voicemails includes displaying the identifier associated with each of the one or more received voicemails, and wherein the display device of the accessory is a touch-screen display device;

receiving an indication from a user interface to present a voicemail at the accessory, wherein the receiving of the indication to present the voicemail comprises receiving an indication specifying the voicemail in the listing of one or more received voicemails, wherein the indication specifying the voicemail in the listing of the one or more received voicemails is a touch indication received via the display device;

in response to receiving the indication from the user interface to present the voicemail, sending a first command to the mobile communication device to transmit data representing the voicemail to the accessory;

receiving the data representing the voicemail from the mobile communication device;

receiving an indication to callback a telephone number associated with the voicemail; and

in response to receiving the indication to callback, sending a second command to the mobile communication device to call back the telephone number associated with the voicemail.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering with the mobile communication device coupled with the accessory to receive voicemail notifications.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein registering with the mobile communication device includes providing identification and authentication information in accordance with a wireless communication protocol.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein registering with the mobile communication device further includes providing capability information for the accessory.

5. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor in the accessory, cause the accessory to perform the method of claim 4.

6. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor in the accessory, cause the accessory to perform the method of claim 3.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein an audible signal or a vibration is associated with receiving the notification.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the data representing the voicemail from the mobile communication device includes receiving metadata corresponding to the voicemail.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising displaying metadata corresponding to the voicemail on the display device of the accessory.

10. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor in the accessory, cause the accessory to perform the method of claim 9.

11. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor in the accessory, cause the accessory to perform the method of claim 8.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the data representing the voicemail from the mobile communication device includes receiving audio data corresponding to the voicemail.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing playback controls at the user interface of the accessory, to control playback of the audio data corresponding to the voicemail.

14. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor in the accessory, cause the accessory to perform the method of claim 12.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication that a call back associated with the voicemail was successfully connected and entering a duplex audio mode to send and receive audio for the call back responsive to receiving the indication.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication to delete the voicemail and sending a third command to the mobile communication device to remove the voicemail.

17. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor in the accessory, cause the accessory to perform the method of claim 1.

18. The method of claims 1, wherein the voicemail receipt indication notifies a user of the accessory that the mobile communication device has received the set of voicemails and wherein the voicemail receipt indication includes at least one of a visual notification, an audible notification, or a haptic notification.

19. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor in the accessory, cause the accessory to perform the method of claim 18.

20. An accessory for use with a mobile communication device, the accessory comprising:

an accessory controller, wherein the accessory controller is configured to register the accessory with the mobile communication device to receive a voicemail notification from the mobile communication device and wherein the registration of the accessory with the mobile communication device by the accessory controller includes providing identification and authentication information in accordance with a wireless communication protocol;

an input/output interface coupled with the accessory controller including a control signal path configured to receive the voicemail notification from the mobile communication device, and further configured to receive voicemail metadata from the mobile communication device, wherein the input/output interface is configured to send a first command to the mobile communication device in response to receiving an indication to present a voicemail associated with the voicemail notification at the accessory, wherein the first command causes the mobile communication device to transmit data representing the voicemail associated with the voicemail notification to the accessory, and wherein the indication to present the voicemail associated with the voicemail notification is received after the accessory is registered with the mobile communication device; and

a user interface coupled with the accessory controller and configured to;

indicate receipt of the voicemail associated with the voicemail notification at the mobile communication device in response to receiving the voicemail notification, wherein the user interface is presented on a touch-screen display device of the accessory,

receive an indication to callback a telephone number associated with the voicemail, wherein the indication specifying the telephone number associated with the voicemail is a touch indication received via the display device, and

in response to the receipt of the indication to callback the telephone number associated with the voicemail, send a second command to the input/output interface to callback the telephone number associated with the voicemail.

21. The accessory of claim 20, wherein the indication of the receipt of the voicemail at the mobile communication device notifies a user of the accessory that the mobile communication device has received the voicemail and wherein the indication of the receipt of the voicemail at the mobile communication device includes at least one of a visual notification, an audible notification, or a haptic notification.

22. The accessory according to claim 20 wherein the user interface is configured to receive an indication that specifies a voicemail to delete and, in response to receiving the indication, send a third command to the mobile communication device through the input/output interface to delete the voicemail.

23. The accessory according to claim 20 wherein the accessory receives the transmitted data representing the voicemail from the mobile communication device through the input/output interface, and wherein the data representing the voicemail includes audio data corresponding to the voicemail.

24. The accessory according to claim 23, wherein the user interface is further configured to provide playback controls to control playback of the audio data corresponding to the voicemail.