USER-INITIATED RETURN COMMUNICATION

• US 20100246785A1
• Filed: 03/24/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Malekzadeh, Feridoon, Holt, Adam, Wang, Winston
• Granted Patent: US 8,311,203 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.230
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72484 wherein functions are triggered by incoming communication events
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/432 Arrangements for calling a subscriber at a specific time, e.g. morning call service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy

Abstract

Techniques to defer an incoming communication and then schedule a follow up communication are disclosed. A communication recipient can defer an incoming communication and schedule a return communication time. The return communication may be manually deferred by a user and/or automatically deferred based at least in part on availability of a user on an appointment calendar.

Claims

1. A method of handling an incoming communication to a telecommunication device, the method comprising:

receiving the incoming communication on the telecommunication device at an incoming communication time;

alerting a user of the telecommunication device to the incoming communication;

receiving an instruction from the user of the telecommunication device to defer the incoming communication; and

prompting the user of the telecommunication device to return the incoming communication at a return communication time that is later than the incoming communication time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the prompting comprises repeatedly prompting the user of the telecommunication device at successive return communication times.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting the user of the telecommunication device to specify the return communication time.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting the user of the telecommunications device to specify a time interval; and

establishing the return communication time based on the specified time interval.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating a return communication at the return communication time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating a notification on the telecommunication device to initiate a return communication at the return communication time.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically initiating a return communication at the return communication time; and

notifying the user of the telecommunication device that the return communication has been initiated.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a defer message to an originating device from which the incoming communication was placed.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the defer message is a textual message.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the defer message is a voice message pre-recorded by the user of the telecommunication device.

11. The method of claim 8, the method further comprising formatting the defer message depending on capabilities of the originating device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing a record of the deferred incoming communication to be stored in a return communication list accessible by the telecommunications device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the return communication list comprises a list of incoming communications for which an instruction has been received to defer the incoming communication and for which a return communication has not yet been initiated.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the return communication list is stored at least one of locally in memory of the telecommunications device or remotely in memory of a network server.

15. A system comprising:

a telecommunications device having a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores instructions that are executable by the processor to perform acts comprising;

receiving an incoming communication from an originating device at an incoming communication time; and

prompting a user of the telecommunications device whether to defer the incoming communication;

reminder logic responsive to deferring the incoming communication to prompt the user of the telecommunication device to return the incoming communication at a return communication time that is later than the incoming communication time.

16. The system of claim 15, the reminder logic being further responsive to deferring the incoming communication to repeatedly prompt the user of the telecommunication device at successive return communication times.

17. The system of claim 15, the acts further comprising requesting the user of the telecommunication device to specify the return communication time.

18. The system of claim 15, the acts further comprising activating a notification on the telecommunication device to initiate a return communication at the return communication time.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the reminder logic is integrated with the telecommunications device.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising a return communication list stored in the memory, the return communication list comprising a list of incoming communications for which an instruction has been received to defer the incoming communication and for which a return communication has not yet been initiated.

21. One or more computer-readable storage media comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a first telecommunications device, cause the first telecommunications device to perform acts comprising:

receiving a request for synchronous communication from a second telecommunications device;

receiving an indication from a user of the first telecommunication device to defer the requested synchronous communication; and

in response to receiving the indication to defer the requested synchronous communication, scheduling a return communication time at which to initiate a return synchronous communication with the second telecommunications device.

22. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 21, the acts further comprising activating a notification on the telecommunications device at the return communication time.

23. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 21, wherein the scheduling comprises creating an appointment on a user appointment calendar.

24. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 21, the acts further comprising, in response to receiving the indication to defer the requested synchronous communication, sending a defer message to the requesting telecommunications device.

25. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 24, wherein the defer message is a text message.

26. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 24, wherein the defer message is a voice message.

27. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 24, the acts further comprising formatting the defer message depending on capabilities of the second telecommunications device.

28. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 21, the acts further comprising causing a record of the deferred incoming communication to be stored in a return communication list accessible by the telecommunications device, the return communication list comprising a list of incoming communications for which an instruction has been received to defer the incoming communication and for which a return communication has not yet been initiated.

29. One or more computer-readable storage media comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform acts comprising:

sending to a first telecommunications device a request to open a synchronous communication with a second telecommunications device;

receiving a deferral of the request from the first telecommunications device;

in response to the deferral, scheduling a return communication time at which to initiate a return synchronous communication between the first and second telecommunications devices; and

initiating the return synchronous communication at the scheduled return communication time.

30. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 29, wherein initiating the return synchronous communication comprises sending a reminder message to at least one of the first and second telecommunications device at the return communication time.

31. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 29, wherein initiating the return synchronous communication comprises sending a textual message to at least one of the first and second telecommunications devices at the return communication time.

32. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 29, wherein initiating the return synchronous communication comprises repeatedly sending a reminder message to at least one of the first and second telecommunications devices at the return communication time.

33. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 29, the acts further comprising causing a record of the deferral to be stored in a return communication list at the computing device.

34. One or more computer-readable storage media comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to present a user interface comprising:

an initiation control that is displayed in response to a request for a synchronous communication, the initiation control being responsive to defer the synchronous communication; and

a defer time control that accepts user input to select a defer time at which to schedule a return synchronous communication.

35. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 34, the initiation control being further configured to send a communication deferral message to an originating device that sent the request for the synchronous communication, the user interface further comprising a message configuration control that accepts user input to configure the deferral message.

36. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 35, wherein the message configuration control comprises a message selection control that accepts user input to select a text notification to be included in the denial message.