USER INTERFACE METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING VOICE CALL REQUESTS FROM A MOBILE STATION BASED ON COMMUNICATION CONDITIONS

• US 20080132209A1
• Filed: 12/05/2006
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Willey, William Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,647,042 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/412.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2749 Automatic dialling or redialling systems, e.g. on off-hook or redial on busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72516 with means for out-of-range alerting

Abstract

User interface methods and apparatus for processing voice call requests based on communication conditions of a mobile communication device are disclosed. The mobile communication device includes one or more processors, a wireless transceiver coupled to the one or more processors, and a user interface which includes a visual display. A voice call request for a voice call is received through the user interface. If the voice call request is received during an out-of-coverage condition of the mobile communication device, the processor causes a call denial indication to be displayed in the visual display, which indicates that the voice call request could not be completed. The processor also causes a call reminder setup prompt to be displayed, which may be accepted or declined through the user interface. If an acceptance of the call reminder setup prompt is received, the processor causes a call reminder prompt for reattempting the voice call request to be displayed when an in-coverage condition of the mobile communication device is subsequently identified. The call reminder prompt, which may be accepted or declined through the user interface, reveals various call information regarding the previous voice call request such as the telephone number, name, and time of the previous request. If the call reminder prompt is accepted, the processor causes a voice call associated with the voice call request to be initiated. Additional call reminder techniques are disclosed to provide an even more flexible and easy-to-use interface.

Claims

1. A method of processing voice call requests at a mobile communication device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a voice call request through a user interface of the mobile communication device;

in response to receiving the voice call request when an out-of-coverage condition between the mobile communication device and a wireless communication network is identified by the mobile communication device;

causing a call denial indication to be produced at the user interface which indicates that the voice call request could not be completed;

in response to identifying an in-coverage condition between the mobile communication device and a wireless communication network after receiving the voice call request during the out-of-coverage condition;

causing a call reminder prompt for reattempting the voice call request to be produced at the user interface; and

causing a voice call for the voice call request to be initiated in response to receiving an acceptance to the call reminder prompt through the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving the voice call request when the out-of-coverage condition between the mobile communication device and the wireless communication network is identified by the mobile communication device;

causing a call reminder setup prompt for the voice call request to be produced at the user interface; and

activating a call reminder feature for the voice call request in response to receiving an acceptance of the call reminder setup prompt through the user interface.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving the voice call request when the out-of-coverage condition between the mobile communication device and the wireless communication network is identified by the mobile communication device;

causing a call reminder setup prompt for the voice call request to be produced at the user interface;

activating a call reminder feature for the voice call request in response to receiving an acceptance of the call reminder setup prompt through the user interface; and

refraining from activating the call reminder feature for the voice call request in response to receiving a denial of the call reminder setup prompt for the voice call request.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to identifying the in-coverage condition between the mobile communication device and the wireless communication network after receiving the voice call request during the out-of-coverage condition;

refraining from causing a voice call for the voice call request to be initiated in response to receiving a denial of the call reminder prompt.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the acceptance to the call reminder prompt comprises detecting a visual object or switch of the user interface corresponding to the call reminder prompt, and the act of causing the voice call for the voice call request to be initiated is performed in response to detecting the visual object or switch without further user intervention.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of causing the call reminder prompt to be produced comprises causing the call reminder prompt to be visually displayed with at least one of a telephone number of the voice call request, a name associated with a telephone number of the voice call request and a time when the voice call request was received at the mobile communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the out-of-coverage condition is identified;

delaying for a time period;

performing a scanning operation while delaying for the time period; and

after delaying for the time period;

causing the call denial indication to be produced at the user interface.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving the voice call request when the out-of-coverage condition between the mobile communication device and the wireless communication network is identified by the mobile communication device;

determining an initial timer value that is inversely proportional to a time period over which the out-of-coverage condition existed between the mobile communication device and the wireless communication network prior to receiving the voice call request;

initializing a time period to the initial time value and delaying for the time period;

performing a scanning operation while delaying for the time period; and

causing the call denial indication to be produced at the user interface after delaying for the time period.

9. A mobile communication device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a wireless transceiver coupled to the one or more processors;

a user interface which includes a visual display and a plurality of keys;

the one or more processors being operative to;

receive a voice call request through the user interface;

in response to receiving the voice call request when an out-of-coverage condition between the mobile communication device and a wireless communication network is identified;

cause a call denial indication to be produced at the user interface which indicates that the voice call request could not be completed;

in response to identifying an in-coverage condition between the mobile communication device and a wireless communication network after receiving the voice call request during the out-of-coverage condition;

cause a call reminder prompt for reattempting the voice call request to be produced at the user interface; and

cause a voice call for the voice call request to be initiated in response to receiving an acceptance to the call reminder prompt through the user interface.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

in response to receiving the voice call request, when the out-of-coverage condition between the mobile communication device and the wireless communication network is identified by the mobile communication device;

cause a call reminder setup prompt for the voice call request to be produced at the user interface; and

activate a call reminder feature for the voice call request in response to receiving an acceptance of the call reminder setup prompt through the user interface.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the act of producing the call denial indication at the user interface comprises the further act of causing the call denial indication to be visually displayed in the display, and wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

in response to receiving the voice call request when the out-of-coverage condition between the mobile communication device and the wireless communication network is identified by the mobile communication device;

cause a call reminder setup prompt for the voice call request to be visually displayed in the display;

activate a call reminder feature for the voice call request in response to receiving an acceptance of the call reminder setup prompt through the user interface; and

refrain from activating the call reminder feature for the voice call request in response to receiving a denial of the call reminder setup prompt for the voice call request.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

in response to identifying the in-coverage condition between the mobile communication device and the wireless communication network after receiving the voice call request during the out-of-coverage condition;

refrain from causing a voice call for the voice call request to be initiated in response to receiving a denial of the call reminder prompt.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

receive the acceptance to the call reminder prompt by detecting a visual object or switch of the user interface corresponding to the call reminder prompt; and

cause the voice call for the voice call request to be initiated in response to detecting the visual object or switch without further user intervention.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the one or more

cause the call reminder prompt to be produced by causing the call reminder prompt to be visually displayed with at least one of:

a telephone number of the voice call request, a name associated with a telephone number of the voice call request, and a time when the voice call request was received at the mobile communication device.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

when the out-of-coverage condition is identified;

delay for a time period;

perform a scanning operation while delaying for the time period; and

after delaying for the time period;

cause the call denial indication to be produced at the user interface.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to, in response to receiving the voice call request when the out-of-coverage condition between the mobile communication device and the wireless communication network is identified by the mobile communication device;

determine an initial timer value that is inversely proportional to a time period over which the out-of-coverage condition existed between the mobile communication device and the wireless communication network;

prior to receiving the voice call request;

initializing a time period to the initial time value and delaying for the time period;

performing a scanning operation while delaying for the time period; and

causing the call denial indication to be produced at the user interface after delaying for the time period.

17. A communication system, comprising:

a wireless communication network;

a mobile communication device operative in the wireless communication network;

the mobile communication device including;

one or more processors;

a wireless transceiver coupled to the one or more processors;

a user interface which includes a visual display;

the one or more processors being operative to;

receive a voice call request through the user interface;

in response to receiving the voice call request when an out-of-coverage condition between the mobile communication device and the wireless communication network is identified;

cause a call denial indication to be produced at the user interface which indicates that the voice call request could not be completed;

in response to identifying an in-coverage condition between the mobile communication device and the wireless communication network;

causing a call reminder prompt for reattempting the voice call request to be produced at the user interface; and

causing a voice call for the voice call request to be initiated in response to receiving an acceptance to the call reminder prompt through the user interface.

18. The communication system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors of the mobile communication device are further operative to:

in response to receiving the voice call request when the out-of-coverage condition between the mobile communication device and the wireless communication network is identified by the mobile communication device;

cause a call reminder setup prompt for the voice call request to be produced at the user interface; and

activate a call reminder feature for the voice call request in response to receiving an acceptance of the call reminder setup prompt through the user interface.

19. The communication system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors of the mobile communication device are further operative to:

in response to receiving the voice call request when the out-of-coverage condition between the mobile communication device and the wireless communication network is identified by the mobile communication device;

cause a call reminder setup prompt for the voice call request to be produced at the user interface;

activate a call reminder feature for the voice call request in response to receiving an acceptance of the call reminder setup prompt through the user interface; and

refrain from activating the call reminder feature for the voice call request in response to receiving a denial of the call reminder setup prompt for the voice call request.

20. The communication system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors of the mobile communication device are further operative to:

in response to identifying the in-coverage condition between the mobile communication device and the wireless communication network after receiving the voice call request during the out-of-coverage condition;

refrain from causing a voice call for the voice call request to be initiated in response to receiving a denial of the call reminder prompt.

21. The communication system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors of the mobile communication device are further operative to:

receive the acceptance to the call reminder prompt by detecting a visual object or switch of the user interface corresponding to the call reminder prompt; and

cause the voice call for the voice call request to be initiated in response to detecting the visual object or switch without further user intervention.

22. The communication system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors of the mobile communication device are operative to:

cause the call reminder prompt to be produced by causing the call reminder prompt to be visually displayed in the display with at least one of;

a telephone number of the voice call request, a name associated with a telephone number of the voice call request, and a time when the voice call request was received at the mobile communication device.

23. The communication system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors of the mobile communication device are further operative to:

when the out-of-coverage condition is identified;

delay for a time period; and

after delaying for the time period;

cause the call denial indication to be produced at the user interface.

24. The communication system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors of the mobile communication device are further operative to, in response to receiving the voice call request when an out-of-coverage condition between the mobile communication device and a wireless communication network is identified by the mobile communication device;

determining an initial timer value that is inversely proportional to a time period over which the out-of-coverage condition existed between the mobile communication device and the wireless communication network prior to receiving the voice call request;

initializing a time period to the initial time value and delaying for the time period;

performing a scanning operation while delaying for the time period; and

causing the call denial indication to be produced at the user interface after delaying for the time period.