Conversation recording with real-time notification for users of communication terminals

• US 9,344,560 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2015
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hursey, John T., Evora, Robert Z.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Joseph T
• Application Number:
  US14/927,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20160050313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 200 Days
• 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 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A recording device provides conversation recording with real-time notification between users of communication terminals engaged in a conversation. The recording device provides a recording start notification to a second communication terminal in response to receiving an initiate recording request from a first communication terminal, and initiates recording of the conversation. The recording device terminates recording of the conversation in response to receiving a terminate recording request from the first communication terminal, provides a recording stop notification to the second communication terminal, and saves the recorded conversation to a file in a file storage medium. The recording start and recording stop notifications can be either audible or electronic notifications. The first communication terminal may be muted prior to providing a notification, and un-muted subsequent to the notification. The recording device may obtain permission from the second communication terminal to record the conversation.

Claims

1. A first communication terminal comprising:

a recording device; and

a computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause the recording device to perform operations comprising

receiving an initiate recording request to initiate a recording of a conversation between a first user of the first communication terminal and a second user of a second communication terminal,

providing, to the second communication terminal in response to receiving the initiate recording request, a first recording start notification indicating, to the second communication terminal, that the recording has been initiated, the first recording start notification comprising first timing information associated with initiation of the recording,

providing, to the second communication terminal, a second recording start notification comprising an audible message indicating, to the second communication terminal, that the recording has been initiated,

before providing the second recording start notification to the second communication terminal, muting a microphone of the first communication terminal to eliminate, for the second user of the second communication terminal, interference received from the microphone of the first communication terminal,

after providing the second recording start notification to the second communication terminal, unmuting the microphone of the first communication terminal to allow the conversation to resume,

recording the conversation,

in response to receiving a terminate recording request,

terminating recording of the conversation,

muting the microphone of the first communication terminal, and

providing a recording stop notification to the second communication terminal, and

after providing the recording stop notification to the second communication terminal, unmuting the microphone of the first communication terminal.

2. The first communication terminal of claim 1, further comprising a touchpad comprising a key, wherein the initiate recording request is received, by the recording device, via selection of the key of the touchpad.

3. The first communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the first recording start notification further comprises an identifier of the first communication terminal.

4. The first communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise providing, to the second communication terminal, a permission request prompting the second user of the second communication terminal to authorize the recording of the conversation.

5. The first communication terminal of claim 4, wherein the permission request is an electronic message.

6. The first communication terminal of claim 4, wherein the operations further comprise receiving, in response to the permission request, a permission acknowledgement from the second communication terminal, the permission acknowledgement authorizing the recording of the conversation.

7. The first communication terminal of claim 6, wherein the permission acknowledgement from the second communication terminal comprises one of an electronic message or an audible response.

8. The first communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise sending, to the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal, a call leg restriction command for preventing the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal from establishing other call legs while the conversation is recorded.

9. The first communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise saving the recording of the conversation to a file.

10. The first communication terminal of claim 9, wherein the file contains a first identifier of the first communication terminal, a second identifier of the second communication terminal, a duration of the recording of the conversation, and the recording of the conversation.

11. The first communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the recording stop notification comprises second timing information associated with terminating recording of the conversation.

12. A method comprising:

receiving, at a recording device of a first communication terminal, an initiate recording request to initiate a recording of a conversation between a first user of the first communication terminal and a second user of a second communication terminal;

providing, by the recording device to the second communication terminal in response to receiving the initiate recording request, a first recording start notification indicating, to the second communication terminal, that the recording has been initiated, the first recording start notification comprising first timing information associated with initiation of the recording;

providing, to the second communication terminal, a second recording start notification comprising an audible message indicating, to the second communication terminal, that the recording has been initiated;

before providing the second recording start notification to the second communication terminal, muting a microphone of the first communication terminal to eliminate, for the second user of the second communication terminal, interference received from the microphone of the first communication terminal;

after providing the second recording start notification to the second communication terminal, unmuting the microphone of the first communication terminal to allow the conversation to resume;

recording, by the recording device, the conversation;

in response to receiving a terminate recording request,

terminating recording of the conversation,

muting the microphone of the first communication terminal, and

providing a recording stop notification to the second communication terminal, and

after providing the recording stop notification to the second communication terminal, unmuting the microphone of the first communication terminal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first recording start notification further comprises an identifier of the first communication terminal.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising sending, to the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal, a call leg restriction command for preventing the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal from establishing other call legs while the conversation is recorded.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing, to the second communication terminal, a permission request prompting the second user of the second communication terminal to authorize the recording of the conversation.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving, in response to the permission request, a permission acknowledgement from the second communication terminal, the permission acknowledgement authorizing the recording of the conversation.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the permission acknowledgement from the second communication terminal comprises one of an electronic message or an audible response.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the recording stop notification comprises second timing information associated with terminating recording of the conversation.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising saving the recording of the conversation to a file.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the file contains a first identifier of the first communication terminal, a second identifier of the second communication terminal, a duration of the recording of the conversation, and the recording of the conversation.