Method and apparatus for managing calls for call-related calendar entries stored on a device

• US 8,880,048 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2009
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: McCorkendale, Bruce, Cooley, Shaun
• Primary Examiner(s): Karikari, Kwasi
• Application Number:
  US12/414,226
• Time in Patent Office: 2,045 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/556.2, 455/456.1, 455/416, 455/518, 455/519
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services

Abstract

Method and apparatus managing calls for call-related calendar entries stored on a device is described. In some examples, calendar entries stored in the device are parsed to detect call-related calendar entries. A telephone number associated with each of the call-related calendar entries is extracted. An invocator is provided in the device that is configured to cause the device to dial the telephone number associated with a first call-related calendar entry of the call-related calendar entries that is within a temporal threshold of a current time maintained by the device.

Claims

1. A method of managing a call from a device, comprising:

parsing calendar entries stored in the device to detect call-related calendar entries;

extracting detecting a plurality of telephone numbers associated with a first call-related calendar entry of the call-related calendar entries that is within a temporal threshold of a current time maintained by the device; and

providing an invocator in the device configured to identify a locale from which a call will be made, select at least one extracted a telephone number to dial from the plurality of telephone numbers based on the locale from which the call will be made, and cause the device to dial the selected at least one extracted telephone number associated with the first call-related calendar entry, wherein the selection is performed based on the locale from which a call will be made, and wherein the plurality of telephone numbers are associated with at least two countries.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing comprises:

including the invocator in a reminder visually displayed by the device for the first call-related calendar entry.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the invocator comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) element that, when activated, causes the device to dial the at least one extracted selected telephone number associated with the first call-related calendar entry.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

extracting at least one additional number associated with each of the call-related calendar entries;

wherein the invocator is configured to cause the device to enter the at least one additional number after the at least one extracted selected telephone number has been dialed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the temporal threshold of the current time is either a threshold before the current time or a threshold after the current time.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the locale comprises information regarding nation, region, or locality.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection is performed by comparing the locale from which the call will be made with characteristics of the at least one extracted telephone number each telephone number of the detected plurality of telephone numbers.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the extracting a detecting the plurality of telephone numbers is performed by the applying at least one of a template and a rule to the call-related calendar entry at least one of a template and a rule.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory configured to store a calendar database having calendar entries;

a telephone module configured to make calls over a network; and

a processor, coupled to the memory and the telephone module, configured to;

parse the calendar entries in the calendar database to detect call-related calendar entries;

extract detect a plurality of telephone numbers associated with each of the call-related calendar entries; and

generate an invocator configured to identify a locale from which a call will be made, select at least one extracted telephone number to dial from the plurality of telephone numbers based on the local from which the call will be made, and cause the telephone module to dial the selected at least one extracted telephone number associated with the first call-related calendar entry of the call-related calendar entries that is within a temporal threshold of a current time maintained by the device, wherein the selection is performed based on the locale from which a call will be made, and wherein the plurality of telephone numbers are associated with at least two countries.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to include the invocator in a reminder to be visually displayed for the first call-related calendar entry.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the invocator comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) element that, when activated, causes the telephone module to dial the at least one extracted selected telephone number associated with the first call-related calendar entry.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a display;

wherein the processor is configured to cause the invocator to be shown on the display.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to:

extract at least one additional number associated with each of the call-related calendar entries;

wherein the invocator is configured to cause the telephone module to enter the at least one additional number after the at least one extracted selected telephone number has been dialed.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the telephone module comprises a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) client executed by the processor.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the telephone module is configured to make the calls wirelessly over a wireless network.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method of managing a call from a device, comprising:

parsing calendar entries stored in the device to detect call-related calendar entries;

extracting detecting a plurality of telephone numbers associated with each of the call-related calendar entries; and

providing an invocator in the device configured to identify a locale from which a call will be made, select at least one extracted a telephone number to dial from the plurality of telephone numbers based on the locale from which the call will be made, and cause the device to dial the selected at least one extracted telephone number associated with a first call-related calendar entry of the call-related calendar entries that is within a temporal threshold of a current time maintained by the device, wherein the selection is performed based on the locale from which a call will be made, and wherein the plurality of telephone numbers are associated with at least two countries.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the step of providing comprises:

including the invocator in a reminder visually displayed by the device for the first call-related calendar entry.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the invocator comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) element that, when activated, causes the device to dial the at least one extracted selected telephone number associated with the first call-related calendar entry.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising:

extracting at least one additional number associated with each of the call-related calendar entries;

wherein the invocator is configured to cause the device to enter the at least one additional number after the at least one extracted selected telephone number has been dialed.