Devices, systems and methods for mobile custom response

• US 9,185,212 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2008
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ku, Bernard, Soo, Armstrong
• Primary Examiner(s): DEANE JR, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US12/333,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20100150332A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,525 Days
• Field of Search: 379/207.02, 379/201.01, 4554121-4122, 455/415, 455/458, 455/426.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8221 Message based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53391 dependent on calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Devices, systems and methods are disclosed for selecting and sending one of a plurality of responses to a call on a communications device. A user may select a default response or a custom response. When the user receives a call to a communications device, a set of responses is displayed on the communications device to facilitate selection by the user. A response includes a message and a call processing command. A message is in the form of an audio clip, text message, webpage, picture, video, etc. A call processing command, such as “accept call”; “reject call with voicemail”; “reject call without voicemail”; “place caller on hold”; “forward call to 555-555-5555”; “I will call you back”; etc. is performed along with the message. This plurality of responses can be organized by the user in groups associated with classes of callers, such as friends, family, co-workers, etc. In this manner, the responses available to the user when a call is received changes depending on the caller.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a response server, a selected response from a mobile switching center, the selected response originating from a first mobile phone, wherein the first mobile phone is associated with a callee and the first mobile phone is operating on a mobile service network operating in accordance with a communications standard that supports simultaneous voice and data communications, wherein the selected response is selected by the callee from a plurality of responses displayed on the first mobile phone while a call is pending acceptance by the callee, and wherein each of the plurality of responses is associated, in a response database in communication with the response server, with a custom message created by the callee and a call processing instruction identified by the callee;

in response to receiving the selected response, retrieving, by the response server, from the response database, a selected custom message associated with the selected response and a selected call processing instruction associated with the selected response; and

routing, by the response server, the selected call processing instruction and the selected custom message to the mobile switching center for delivery to a second mobile phone associated with a caller.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the response server, a confirmation that the selected custom message is received at the second mobile phone before routing the selected call processing instruction to the mobile switching center.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning the selected response to a group of responses associated with a class of callers.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of responses displayed on the first mobile phone is based on the caller.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising charging a fee for the selected response.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a mobile phone associated with a callee, cause the mobile phone to perform operations comprising:

receiving a call via a mobile service network operating in accordance with a communications standard that supports simultaneous voice and data communications;

presenting, on a display, a plurality of responses while the call is pending acceptance, wherein each of the plurality of responses is associated, in a response database, with a custom message created by the callee and a call processing instruction identified by the callee;

receiving a selection of a particular response from the plurality of responses presented on the display, wherein the particular response is associated with a particular custom message and a particular call processing instruction; and

transmitting the particular response to a mobile switching center that provides the particular response to a response server that retrieves, from the response database, the particular custom message and the particular call processing instruction and provides the particular custom message and the particular call processing instruction to the mobile switching center to be delivered to a further mobile phone associated with a caller.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, further comprising assigning the particular response to a group of responses associated with a class of callers.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the class of callers comprises at least one of a friends class, a family class, or a co-workers class.

9. A mobile phone, comprising:

a display;

a processor; and

a memory comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the mobile phone to perform operations comprising;

receiving a call via a mobile service network operating in accordance with a communications standard that supports simultaneous voice and data communications;

presenting, on the display, a plurality of responses while the call is pending acceptance, wherein each of the plurality of responses is associated, in a response database, with a custom message created by a callee and a call processing instruction identified by the callee;

receiving a selection of a particular response from the plurality of responses presented on the display, wherein the particular response is associated with a particular custom message and a particular call processing instruction; and

transmitting the particular response to a mobile switching center that provides the particular response to a response server that retrieves, from the response database, the particular custom message and the particular call processing instruction and provides the particular custom message and the particular call processing instruction to the mobile switching center to be delivered to a further mobile phone associated with a caller.

10. The mobile phone in claim 9, wherein the plurality of responses are created at an input of the communications device.

11. The mobile phone of claim 9, wherein the particular response is assigned to a group of responses associated with a class of callers.

12. The mobile phone of claim 11, wherein the display of the communications device shows the group of responses based on the caller.

13. A response server, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the response server to perform operations comprising;

receiving a selected response from a mobile switching center, the selected response originating from a first mobile phone, wherein the first mobile phone is associated with a callee and the first mobile phone is operating on a mobile service network operating in accordance with a communications standard that supports simultaneous voice and data communications, wherein the selected response is selected by the callee from a plurality of responses displayed on the first mobile phone while a call is pending acceptance by the callee, and wherein each of the plurality of responses is associated, in a response database in communication with the response server, with a custom message created by the callee and a call processing instruction identified by the callee;

in response to receiving the selected response, retrieving, from the response database, a selected custom message associated with the selected response and a selected call processing instruction associated with the selected response; and

routing the selected call processing instruction and the selected custom message to the mobile switching center for delivery to a second mobile phone associated with a caller.

14. The response server of claim 13, wherein the selected response is assigned to a group of responses associated with a class of callers.

15. The response server of claim 14, wherein the class of callers includes at least one of a friends class, a family class, or a co-workers class.

16. The response server of claim 14, wherein the plurality of responses displayed on the first mobile phone is based on the caller.

17. The response server of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a confirmation that the selected custom message is received at the second mobile phone before routing the selecting call processing instruction to the mobile switching center.