Text alternative to established voice call session

• US 9,648,469 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2014
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• 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:
  US14/571,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20150105112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 455517, 455466, 455413, 4554141, 4554144, 455415, 455416, 455417, 455 59, 4554121, 4554122
• 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 request for a voice call session with a recipient device;

receiving an indication of a capability of the recipient device to receive a text message if the voice call session is not established;

determining, by the initiating device and before the voice call session is established with the recipient device, a text message to be sent to the recipient device if the voice call session is not established; and

sending, responsive to the indication and after determining that the voice call session is not established, the text message to the recipient device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises:

causing display, by the initiating device, of a text message prompt, wherein the causing the display is responsive to the receiving the indication.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the voice call session is established with the recipient device, wherein the determining whether the voice call session is established comprises determining that a period of time has elapsed since the sending the request for the voice call session.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving, by the initiating device and from the recipient device, a communication of the period of time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the text message is based on a user input that is received via a text messaging application.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the receiving the indication, determining, by the initiating device, that the recipient device is capable of receiving, as an alternative to a voice message, the text message if the voice call session is not established.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the text message comprises:

generating a user interface associated with modifying the text message, and wherein the sending the text message comprises sending, via the user interface, the text message if the voice call session is not established.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving user input associated with modifying the text message via a text messaging application, prior to sending the text message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the text message comprises prompting selection, via a text messaging application, of at least one predefined text message as the text message.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by the initiating device, a user interface; and

prompting, via the user interface, for the text message to be sent as an alternative to leaving a voice message.

11. A method comprising:

determining, by a computing device, a text message;

sending, by the computing device, a request to establish a voice call session with a recipient device;

receiving, by the computing device, an indication of a capability of the recipient device to receive a text message if the voice call session is not established;

determining, after the receiving the indication, that the voice call session has not been established; and

responsive to the determining that the voice call session has not been established, sending the text message to the recipient device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining that the voice call session has not been established comprises determining that a period of time has elapsed since sending the request to establish the voice call session.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining the text message comprises:

prompting, via a text input application, selection of at least one predefined text message as the text message.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

generating, by the computing device, a user interface; and

prompting, via the user interface, for the text message to be sent as an alternative to leaving a voice message.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, by a recipient device from a computing device, a request to initiate a voice call session;

sending, by the recipient device to the computing device and while the request to initiate the voice call session is pending, an indication of a capability of the recipient device to receive a text message intended for the recipient device if the voice call session is not established; and

after sending the indication and while the request to initiate the voice call session is pending, receiving, by the recipient device and from the computing device, the text message.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, while the request to initiate the voice call session is pending, a second indication indicating that the computing device will send the text message; and

responsive to the second indication, declining to initiate the voice call session.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising sending, the computing device, a second indication instructing the computing device to send the text message responsive to a period of time elapsing.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the indication comprises a second text message that is selected from one or more predetermined text messages via a text messaging application.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

generating, by the recipient device, a user interface; and

prompting, via the user interface, for a selection associated with the sending the indication indicating the capability of the recipient device to receive the text message as an alternative to a voice message.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the indication indicates a preference to receive the text message as an alternative to a voice message if the voice call session is not established and while the request to initiate the voice call session is pending.