Communication device and method for determining a busy status thereof in a dispatch system
First Claim
1. A method for a first communication device to inform a second communication device of an operational status of the first communication device, the method comprising the steps of:
- entering a busy operational mode, the busy operational mode being an operational mode in which the first communication device is not involved in a voice communication, but is nevertheless unavailable to participate in a voice communication;
while in the busy operational mode, receiving a first voice communication from the second communication device;
while in the busy operational mode and subsequent to the step of receiving the first voice communication, determining whether the second communication device is data capable; and
when the second communication device is data capable, automatically transmitting, responsive to the first voice communication, a data message to the second communication device, the data message indicating that the first communication device is in the busy operational mode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communication device (e.g., 103) includes a user interface (209), a receiver (203), a controller (205), and a transmitter (201). A user of the communication device uses the user interface to place the communication device in a busy operational mode in which the communication device is not involved in a voice communication, but is nevertheless unavailable to participate in a voice communication. While in the busy mode, the communication device receives a voice communication from a calling device (e.g., 104) and automatically responds with a data message indicating that the communication device is in the busy mode, thereby informing a user of the calling device of the busy status of the called device without disrupting the user of the called device.
78 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for a first communication device to inform a second communication device of an operational status of the first communication device, the method comprising the steps of:
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entering a busy operational mode, the busy operational mode being an operational mode in which the first communication device is not involved in a voice communication, but is nevertheless unavailable to participate in a voice communication;
while in the busy operational mode, receiving a first voice communication from the second communication device;
while in the busy operational mode and subsequent to the step of receiving the first voice communication, determining whether the second communication device is data capable; and
when the second communication device is data capable, automatically transmitting, responsive to the first voice communication, a data message to the second communication device, the data message indicating that the first communication device is in the busy operational mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
when the second communication device is not data capable, automatically forwarding the first voice communication to a voice mail server for the first communication device.
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8. A method for an infrastructure of a communication system to inform a first communication device of an operational status of a second communication device, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a first voice communication from the first communication device;
transmitting the first voice communication to the second communication device;
receiving, responsive to transmission of the first voice communication, a data message from the second communication device, the data message indicating that the second communication device is in a busy operational mode, the busy operational mode being an operational mode in which the second communication device is not involved in a voice communication, but is nevertheless unavailable to participate in the first voice communication;
transmitting an acknowledgment of receipt of the data message to the second communication device; and
transmitting the data message to the first communication device. - View Dependent Claims (9)
determining, by the short message service processor, a short text message based on the data message; and
transmitting the short text message to the first communication device.
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10. A two-way communication device having a plurality of operational modes, the two-way communication device comprising:
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a user interface that allows a user of the two-way communication device to place the two-way communication device in a busy operational mode, the busy operational mode being an operational mode in which the two-way communication device is not involved in a voice communication, but is nevertheless unavailable to participate in a voice communication;
a receiver that receives a first voice communication from a calling communication device while the two-way communication device is in the busy operational mode;
a controller, coupled to the user interface and the receiver, that detects that the two-way communication device is in the busy operational mode, that determines, while the two-way communication device is in the busy operational mode, whether the calling communication device is data capable, and, when the calling communication device is data capable, generates a data message indicating that the two-way communication device is in the busy operational mode; and
a transmitter, coupled to the controller, that transmits the data message to the calling communication device, while the two-way communication device is in the busy operational mode. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification