Multi-mode communication apparatus and interface for contacting a user

• US 7,844,906 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2006
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Berger, Kelly D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitaro; Ryan F
• Application Number:
  US11/504,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20090144634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,569 Days
• Field of Search: 715/797
• US Class Current: 715/747
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0225 Rotatable telephones, i.e. the body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72472 wherein the items are sorted according to specific criteria, e.g. frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/652 Call initiation triggered by text message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs logging of telephone numbers H04M1/56, H04M1/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier

Abstract

A method implemented on a data processing device is described comprising: receiving an incoming electronic message having an identifiable sender address; querying data storage to determine if the sender address is a known sender address; if the sender address is a known sender address, then automatically retrieving alternate contact information associated with the sender address; and automatically generating an interface containing the alternate contact information, the interface accessible by the user of the data processing device.

Claims

1. A method implemented on a data processing device comprising:

initiating a first presence profile based on a preferred communication mode, the first presence profile including a first list of communication channels made available for use by multiple devices;

automatically switching to a second presence profile in response to a defined triggering event, the second presence profile including a second list of communication channels made available for use by the multiple devices, the first list and the second list of communication channels configured to be displayable on the multiple devices, wherein the displayable first list of communication channels is different for at least two of the multiple devices, wherein the displayable second list of communication channels is different for at least two of the multiple devices, and wherein the second list of communication channels made available for use by the multiple devices does not include a telephone communication channel; and

automatically transmitting the second list of communication channels to the multiple devices to update the multiple devices with the second presence profile in response to the defined triggering event, wherein a received communication that is received at one of the multiple devices using the telephone communication channel is automatically routed to a voicemail channel and a missed call dialog is displayed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the defined triggering event is the data processing device entering a proximity of a location associated with the second presence profile.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the defined triggering event is a specific time of day.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the defined triggering event is a stored calendar event.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the defined triggering event is a specific time on a specific day of a week.

6. A data processing device comprising:

a processor; and

one or more computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, initiate the data processing device to;

initiate a first presence profile based on a preferred communication mode, the first presence profile including a first list of communication channels made available for use by multiple devices;

automatically switch to a second presence profile in response to a defined triggering event, the second presence profile including a second list of communication channels made available for use by the multiple devices, the first list and the second list of communication channels configured to be displayable on the multiple devices, wherein the displayable first list of communication channels is different for at least two of the multiple devices, wherein the displayable second list of communication channels is different for at least two of the multiple devices, and wherein the second list of communication channels made available for use by the multiple devices does not include a telephone communication channel; and

automatically transmit the second list of communication channels to the multiple devices to update the multiple devices with the second presence profile in response to the defined triggering event, wherein a received communication that is received at one of the multiple devices using the telephone communication channel is automatically routed to a voicemail channel and a missed call dialog is displayed.

7. The data processing device of claim 6, wherein the defined triggering event is the data processing device entering a proximity of a location associated with the second presence profile.

8. The data processing device of claim 6, wherein the defined triggering event is a specific time of day.

9. The data processing device of claim 6, wherein the defined triggering event is a stored calendar event.

10. The data processing device of claim 6, wherein the defined triggering event is a specific time on a specific day of a week.

11. One or more computer-readable storage media having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, initiate a data processing device to:

initiate a first presence profile based on a preferred communication mode, the first presence profile including a first list of communication channels made available for use by multiple devices;

automatically switch to a second presence profile in response to a defined triggering event, the second presence profile including a second list of communication channels made available for use by the multiple devices, the first list and the second list of communication channels configured to be displayable on the one or more devices, wherein the displayable first list of communication channels is different for at least two of the multiple devices, wherein the displayable second list of communication channels is different for at least two of the multiple devices, and wherein the second list of communication channels made available for use by the multiple devices does not include a telephone communication channel; and

automatically transmit the second list of communication channels to the multiple devices to update the multiple devices with the second presence profile in response to the defined triggering event, wherein a received communication that is received at one of the multiple devices using the telephone communication channel is automatically routed to a voicemail channel and a missed call dialog is displayed.

12. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the defined triggering event is a data processing device entering a proximity of a location associated with the second presence profile.

13. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the defined triggering event is a specific time of day.

14. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the defined triggering event is a stored calendar event.

15. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the defined triggering event is a specific time on a specific day of a week.