Remote control of a mobile device

• US 9,800,735 B1
• Filed: 08/19/2016
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Gren, Juuso
• Primary Examiner(s): Brandt, Christopher M
• Application Number:
  US15/242,473
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 455420
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/64 Automatic arrangements for answering calls; Automatic arrangements for recording messages for absent subscribers; Arrangements for recording conversations centralised dictation systems H04M11/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/665 by checking the validity of a code
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1016 Telecontrol
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6081 Service authorization mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

The user calls to the mobile device with a predetermined pattern. In one embodiment the predetermined pattern is coded on the duration of the unanswered calls and the duration between successive calls. The predetermined pattern may be time coded on the durations of successive calls. After detecting the predetermined pattern the mobile device answers the incoming call. The user may continue by identifying via the voice line, if that is required. The mobile device responds to commands provided via the voice line, for example by providing contact information as synthesized speech.

Claims

1. A method performed by a mobile device, said method comprising:

receiving an incoming voice call via a voice line, wherein the incoming voice call comprises a predetermined pattern;

detecting the predetermined pattern;

answering the voice call in response to detecting the predetermined pattern;

identifying a calling party via the voice line; and

receiving a command via the voice line.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined pattern comprises at least three consecutive incoming voice calls, a first incoming voice call having a first predetermined duration and a second incoming voice call having a second predetermined duration.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined pattern comprises multiple consecutive incoming voice calls, and the predetermined pattern is the duration of multiple incoming voice calls.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined pattern comprises multiple consecutive incoming voice calls, and the predetermined pattern is the duration between the multiple incoming voice calls.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein identifying the calling party via the voice line comprises detecting a DTMF code.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein identifying the calling party via the voice line comprises a detecting a predefined user voice.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the command causes the mobile device to retrieve an information from a contact book and send the information to the calling party.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the command causes the mobile device to retrieve an information from a contact book and provide text-to-speech presentation of the information via the voice line.

9. A mobile device comprising:

at least one processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed cause the device to;

receive an incoming voice call comprising a predetermined pattern via a voice line;

detect the predetermined pattern;

answer the voice call in response to detecting the predetermined pattern;

identify a calling party via the voice line; and

receive a command via the voice line.

10. A mobile device according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined pattern comprises at least three consecutive incoming voice calls, a first incoming voice call having a first predetermined duration and a second incoming voice call having a second predetermined duration.

11. A mobile device according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined pattern comprises multiple consecutive incoming voice calls, and the predetermined pattern is the duration of multiple incoming voice calls.

12. A mobile device according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined pattern comprises multiple consecutive incoming voice calls, and the predetermined pattern comprising the duration between the multiple incoming voice calls.

13. A mobile device according to claim 9, wherein identification of the calling party via the voice line comprises the mobile device detecting a DTMF code.

14. A mobile device according to claim 9, wherein identification of the calling party via the voice line comprises the mobile device detecting a predefined user voice.

15. A mobile device according to claim 9, wherein reception of the command causes the mobile device to retrieve an information from a contact book and send the information to the calling party.

16. A mobile device according to claim 9, wherein receiving the command causes the mobile device to retrieve an information from a contact book and provide text-to-speech presentation of the information via the voice line.

17. A system comprising:

a processing system configured to execute one or more instructions; and

one or more computer-readable storage media having the one or more instructions stored thereon that, responsive to execution by the processing system, cause the processing system to;

receive an incoming voice call via a voice line;

detect a predetermined pattern in multiple incoming voice calls;

answer the voice call in response to detecting the predetermined pattern;

identify a calling party via the voice line; and

receive a command via the voice line.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein the predetermined pattern comprises at least three consecutive incoming voice calls and the pattern is coded into the duration of the incoming voice calls or into the duration between the incoming voice calls, wherein the processing system causes the computing device to answer the last incoming call in response to detecting the predetermined pattern.

19. A system according to claim 17, wherein the instructions cause the processing system detects a DTMF code from the voice line to identify the calling party.

20. A system according to claim 17, wherein receiving the command causes the processing system to retrieve an information from a contact book and to send the information to the calling party.