Cellular phone with special standby feature

• US 6,757,534 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2001
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Joseph Bach, Lanae E. Bach
• Inventors: Bach, Joseph, Bach, Lanae E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gary, Erika
• Assistant Examiner(s): Davis, Temica M.
• Application Number:
  US09/860,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20010023182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 455/417, 455/414, 455/567, 455/445, 455/413, 455/412, 455/411, 455/90.1, 455/550.1, 455/563, 455/569, 379/210, 379/214, 379/88
• US Class Current: 455/417
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/045 Call privacy arrangements, e.g. timely inhibiting the ring signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4285 Notifying, informing or entertaining a held party while on hold, e.g. Music On Hold

Abstract

A cellular phone is disclosed having a SPECIAL mode of operation. According to one embodiment, in the SPECIAL operating mode a channel of communication is automatically established upon receipt of an incoming call. Additional features enable muting of the ringing after the first ring, and sending a note to the caller that the phone in the SPECIAL mode. This allows a user in a meeting to receive a call and have time to exit the meeting to talk to the caller. According to another embodiment, is the special operating mode the phone blocks all incoming calls for a pre-programmed time period, and thereafter resumes normal operation.

Claims

1. A method for operating a cellular telephone of a user, comprising:

monitoring signals for incoming calls;

when an incoming call from a caller phone is detected, alerting the user of said incoming call;

establishing an audio channel of communication with said caller phone, thereby enabling said caller to converse with the user of said cellular phone;

sending a special signal to said caller indicating that the audio channel of communication has been established and the caller may converse with said holder; and

,

thereby enabling the user to accept a call from the caller without having to immediately talk to the caller.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said alerting comprises providing a single ring and thereafter muting further rings.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said audio signal comprises a pre-recorded message.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when an incoming call from a caller phone is detected, sending a message to said caller phone requesting an indication of the urgency of the call.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said alerting and said establishing comprises:

providing a single ring and thereafter automatically establishing said audio channel of communication.

6. A method for operating a cellular telephone user, comprising:

monitoring signals for incoming calls;

when an incoming call from a caller phone is detected, sending a signal requesting an indication of the urgency of the call;

when a specified urgency of call is received, alerting the user of said incoming call, automatically establishing an audio channel of communication with said caller phone, and sending a special signal to said caller indicating that the channel of communication has been established and the caller may converse with said holder, thereby enabling the user to accept a call from the caller without having to immediately talk to the caller.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said alerting comprises providing a single ring and thereafter muting further rings.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said audio signal comprises a pre-recorded message.

9. A method for operating a cellular telephone comprising:

providing a user with an option to block incoming calls;

when the user selects the option to block incoming calls providing the user with an option to specify a period of time to block all incoming calls;

when the user enters a specified period of time to block all incoming calls, activating a timer to monitor the specified period of time;

rejecting incoming calls during the specified period of time;

when said timer indicates that the period of time has elapsed, ceasing to reject incoming calls;

providing a user with an option to specify subscriber numbers that should not be blocked during said specified period of time;

wherein when an incoming call is detected during said specified period of time performing;

when the incoming call subscriber number does not match a specified subscriber number, rejecting the call;

when the incoming call subscriber number matches a specified subscriber number, alerting the user of said incoming call, establishing an audio channel of communication with said caller phone, and sending a special signal to said caller indicating that the channel of communication has been established and the caller may converse with said holder thereby enabling the user to accept a call from the caller without having to immediately talk to the caller.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said alerting comprises providing a single ring and thereafter muting further rings.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said audio signal comprises a pre-recorded message.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

when the incoming call subscriber number matches a specified subscriber number, sending a message to said caller phone requesting an indication of the urgency of the call.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said alerting and said establishing comprises:

providing a single ring and thereafter automatically establishing said audio channel of communication.