WO2011021077A1 - Système et procédé permettant des réponses de signal d'appel en attente - Google Patents

Système et procédé permettant des réponses de signal d'appel en attente Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2011021077A1
WO2011021077A1 PCT/IB2009/055163 IB2009055163W WO2011021077A1 WO 2011021077 A1 WO2011021077 A1 WO 2011021077A1 IB 2009055163 W IB2009055163 W IB 2009055163W WO 2011021077 A1 WO2011021077 A1 WO 2011021077A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
response
communications device
call
responses
incoming
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2009/055163
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Didi Avraham Mecilati
Shalom Messilaty
Original Assignee
Star Center Ltd.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Star Center Ltd. filed Critical Star Center Ltd.
Publication of WO2011021077A1 publication Critical patent/WO2011021077A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/428—Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
    • H04M3/4285—Notifying, informing or entertaining a held party while on hold, e.g. Music On Hold
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M2203/00—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M2203/20—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges related to features of supplementary services
    • H04M2203/2011—Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M2203/00—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M2203/65—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges related to applications where calls are combined with other types of communication
    • H04M2203/651—Text message transmission triggered by call
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M2207/00—Type of exchange or network, i.e. telephonic medium, in which the telephonic communication takes place
    • H04M2207/18—Type of exchange or network, i.e. telephonic medium, in which the telephonic communication takes place wireless networks
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/50—Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers ; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
    • H04M3/53—Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages, i.e. mailbox systems
    • H04M3/533—Voice mail systems
    • H04M3/53308—Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M7/00—Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
    • H04M7/0024—Services and arrangements where telephone services are combined with data services
    • H04M7/0042—Services and arrangements where telephone services are combined with data services where the data service is a text-based messaging service
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M7/00—Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
    • H04M7/0024—Services and arrangements where telephone services are combined with data services
    • H04M7/0054—Services and arrangements where telephone services are combined with data services where the data service is an electronic mail service

Definitions

  • the invention relates to call waiting generally and to managing pre-prepared responses to call waiting signals in particular.
  • Call waiting is known in the art. It is not uncommon for an incoming telephone call to come in while a telephone user is already engaged in a telephone conversation with someone else. In such cases, a call waiting signal alerts the telephone user that someone else is trying to call. The caller of the incoming call is also typically alerted to the situation by a change in the ringtone.
  • Telephone users typically respond in one of three ways to a call waiting signal. They either put the original call on hold in order to speak with the incoming caller before returning to the original call; disconnect the original call in order to speak with the incoming caller; or ignore the incoming call. Later, the telephone user may or may not attempt to call back one or both of the call partners, depending on, among other considerations, the original response.
  • Each typical response has possible drawbacks.
  • the partner to the original call may understandably be annoyed if the call is put on hold or disconnected.
  • the incoming caller may be annoyed if the incoming call is ignored.
  • the telephone user may therefore be inconvenienced by the incoming call no matter what the response may be; at least one if not both call partners will likely be annoyed.
  • the situation may get worse if the telephone user promises to call back one or both partners and then fails to do so for whatever reason.
  • many telephone users elect to turn off call waiting functionality, such that incoming callers receive a busy signal when the telephone user is already engaged in a call with someone else.
  • a prepared response communication system including a receiver to receive response codes from at least a first communications device, and a call response module to respond in accordance with the response codes to an attempt by a second communications device to call the first communications device.
  • the call response module includes a response code interpreter to interpret the response codes received from the first communications device while the second communications device attempts to call the first communications device, and a responder to at least send a pre-prepared response on behalf of the first communications device to the second communications device as per interpretation by the interpreter.
  • the call response module also includes a database of pre-prepared responses associated with the response codes.
  • the pre- prepared responses are at least one of pre-recorded audio messages and actions.
  • the call response module is configured to process the response codes in response to a call waiting situation, where such situation occurs when the first communications device is already engaged with in a call with a third communications device when called by the second communications device.
  • the actions are at least one of answer, hang up, call back, send an SMS, send an email, and set a reminder.
  • the call response module is implemented as part of a communications switch.
  • the call response module is implemented as a server in communication with at least one of the first communications device and a communications switch.
  • the response codes are received via a voice connection.
  • the response codes are received via a data connection between the first communications device and the call waiting response module.
  • a method to be implemented on a computing device for sending prepared responses to an incoming caller including receiving a response code from a first communications device, where the first communications device is being called by a second communications device, interpreting the response code as a desired response, and responding to the second communications device in accordance with the desired response.
  • the interpreting includes looking up the response code in a database of pre-prepared the desired responses, where at least one of the desired responses is associated with a user of the first communications device.
  • the responding includes at least sending a pre-recorded audio response to the second communications device on behalf of a user of the first communications device.
  • the responding includes at least performing a pre-selected action on behalf of a user of the first communications device.
  • the preselected action is at least one of hanging up, answering, sending an electronic message, and calling back the second communications device.
  • the calling back includes at least one of calling back the second communications device according to pre-determined timing schedule, and calling back the second communications device upon completion of a current call with another communications device.
  • the computing device is integrated within a communications switch.
  • the computing device is response server implemented independently of a communications switch.
  • the receiving is via at least one of a data connection and a voice connection.
  • a communications device including an incoming call interceptor to intercept incoming calls from at least a second device, and an incoming call response application to enable a user of the communications device to respond in a pre-determined manner to the second device.
  • the incoming call response application includes a response code receiver to receive the response codes input by the user, a response interpreter to interpret the response codes as desired responses by the user to the incoming calls, and a responder to forward the desired responses as necessary to at least the second communications device.
  • the device also includes a responses database to associate the response codes to the desired responses.
  • the interceptor includes means to intercept the incoming phone call prior to their processing by a phone application.
  • the desired responses are at least one of a pre-recorded message and an action.
  • the responder includes means to answer the incoming call and at least initiate play of the pre-recorded message as indicated by the desired responses.
  • the responder includes means to launch a built-in phone application to call back the second communications device according to a schedule indicated by the desired responses.
  • the schedule is at least one of a set time of day, a number of hours/minutes in the future, and upon completion of an ongoing call with another communications device.
  • the interceptor is configurable to intercept incoming "call waiting" calls, where the communications device is already engaged in a call with another communications device.
  • a method implementable on a communications device for providing prepared responses to incoming telephone calls including intercepting an incoming call from a second communications device, receiving a user-input response code, and responding to the incoming call with a prepared response associated with the response code.
  • the method also includes interpreting the response code as a desired response by looking it up in a pre- prepared response database.
  • the desired response is at least one of a pre-recorded message and an action.
  • the responding includes answering the incoming call and initiating the play of the pre-recorded message.
  • the responding includes calling back the second communications device in accordance with timing indicated by the action.
  • claim 33 and where the timing may be upon conclusion of a current call with another communications device.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a novel call waiting signal response system constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the call waiting response module of Fig. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary prepared list of responses stored in the database of Fig. 2;
  • FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a novel call waiting response process for the system of
  • FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a novel communications device constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a novel call waiting signal response system 100, constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • Communications devices 110 may be any communications devices suitable for conducting a telephone conversation via a communications network such as mobile telephone network 200.
  • the users (not shown) of devices HOA and HOB may be actively engaged in a telephone conversation as depicted by broad double sided arrow 120. It will be appreciated that arrow 120 may indicate a logical connection between devices 11OA and HOB. The actual telephonic connection between devices HOA and HOB may actually be routed through mobile network switch 210.
  • Mobile network switch 210 may comprise the functionality of any suitable mobile network switch such as are known in the art. However, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, mobile network switch 210 may also comprise call waiting response module 220 to manage call waiting signal responses for subscribers of mobile network 200.
  • Mobile network switch 210 may forward the call to device I IOA with a call waiting.
  • a call waiting signal on device HOA may result in a call waiting signal on device HOA.
  • the user of device 11OA may input a simple response code to send a pre-prepared response to device HOC via call waiting response module 220.
  • the user may input "*2", where the asterisk may indicate that it is a call waiting response code, and the "2" may indicate that the second stored response should be sent to device HOC.
  • the use of an asterisk to indicate call waiting responses may be exemplary; the invention may include any other symbol that devices 110 may use to differentiate between call waiting responses and other functions for devices 110.
  • Module 220 may comprise a call waiting response interpreter 230, a prepared call waiting responses database 240 and a call waiting responder 250.
  • Database 240 may store pre-prepared responses on behalf of subscribers of mobile network 200 such as, for example, the user of device 11OA.
  • the pre-prepared responses may be audio responses previously recorded by the subscribers themselves.
  • the subscribers may select from a list of standard responses offered by the operator of mobile network 200.
  • the responses may also include actions, as will be described hereinbelow.
  • Fig. 3 illustrates an exemplary prepared response list 400 stored in database 240 on behalf of a subscriber such as the user of device HOA.
  • Such a list 300 may typically comprise a response code 310, a response type 320 and a response 330.
  • Response code 310 may correspond to a code that the user of device 11OA may enter in response to a call waiting signal. It will be appreciated that response codes 310 as listed may be exemplary; other codes may be included in the invention. Furthermore, response codes 310 may typically be preceded by another symbol to indicate that they are response codes. For example, the user of device HOA may first enter an asterisk to indicate a call waiting response, and then the actual response code. It will be appreciated that the contents of response list may be exemplary; in practice, different codes, types and responses may be implemented.
  • Fig. 4 illustrates a novel call waiting response process 400 by which mobile network switch 210 with module 220 installed may enable the user of device HOA to send a pre-prepared response to the user of device HOC without significantly impacting on the quality of the ongoing conversation with the user of device
  • broad dotted arrows 220 may indicate an attempt to call device
  • Dotted arrows 225 A may indicate a response from device 11 OA routed through switch 210.
  • Call waiting response module 220 may receive (step 410) the response from device
  • Call waiting response interpreter 230 may interpret (step 420) the response. If the response may be to answer the call (step 430), the process may end (step 435); no further processing may be necessary by module 220 and normal processing by switch 210 may continue. It will be appreciated that the implementation of this feature may be contingent on the functionality of a given switch 210. Accordingly, in some cases, it may be preferable to establish that the user wishes to answer the call at an earlier stage before invoking module
  • interpreter 230 may lookup (step 440) the received response in prepared call waiting responses database 240. For example, if the received response corresponded with a response code 310 of "2", then the associated response 330 may be an audio recording of the user of device HOA saying: "Sorry, I'm on another call right now; I'll call back later.” It will be appreciated that the received response may not correspond with any of the response codes 310 associated with the owner of device HOA. For example, the user may have made a mistake when inputting the code. To allow for such cases, a default response may be previously designated on a system or user level.
  • Call waiting responder 250 may send (step 450) the associated response 330 to device HOC. It will be appreciated that responder 250 may use pre-existing functionality of switch 210 to send the audio response to device HOC. It will be appreciated that when response type 320 may be "action”, it may not be relevant to send anything to device HOB. For example, if response 330 may be "Ignore call - hang up" responder 250 there may not be anything to send to device HOC.
  • response type 320 may not indicate (step 460) an action, then processing by module 220 may end (step 465). Otherwise responder 460 may process (step 468) the indicated action.
  • some responses may consist of actions or combinations of recordings and actions.
  • response type 320 corresponding to a "1" for response code 310 may indicate both a recording and an action.
  • responder 250 may send an audio recording of: "Sorry, I can't answer right now because I'm on another call. I will call back as soon as I finish the call" as described hereinabove for step 450.”
  • Responder 250 may wait (step 470) for the current call with device 11OB end. Once the call has ended, responder may use the built-in functionality of switch 210 to perform (step 480) the required action, i.e. to initiate a call from device 11OA to device 11OC.
  • step 468 may be configured differently. For example, if response 330 may be "forward caller to voice mail", there may be no need for step 470, as there may be no need to wait for the current call to end.
  • call waiting response module 220 as an integrated module within mobile network switch 210 may be exemplary.
  • the functionality of module 220 may also be implemented externally to switch 210; for example, as a response server that may be invoked by switch 210 whenever a call waiting situation may be detected.
  • Such a response server may also be configured to communicate with devices 110 over a data connection instead of the voice connection that switches 210 may normally use when completing connections between devices 110.
  • device HOA may be configured so that when an incoming call may be detected from, for example, device HOC, a data connection may be opened to a call waiting response server analogous to module 220.
  • Device I IOA may then send its user's response codes to the server via the data connection.
  • the server may then process the codes in generally the same manner as module 220. If an audio response may be required, the server may be configured to send the relevant recording to switch 210 for forwarding to device 11OC as in the previous embodiments.
  • the phone app of devices 110 may be modified to enable users to send response codes to switch 210.
  • Such modification may enable the user of device 11OA to send switch 210 a response code prior to answering an incoming call from device HOC.
  • the response code may be transmitted via a control channel between device 11OA and switch 210, thus enabling the user of device 11OA to respond to the incoming call without effecting a voice connection; therefore maintaining an existing call (if relevant) with device 11OB as in Fig. 1.
  • the phone app may be configured to actually effect a voice connection with switch 210 (but not onward to device HOC) and to send the response code as an analog signal to be decoded by module 220.
  • the break may be of such short duration that it may not significantly impact on the conversation between the users of devices 11 OA and HOB. In fact, it may be expected that the user of device HOB may not even realize that device HOB had been put on hold.
  • module 220 may be implemented as an executable application on a device 110.
  • Fig. 5 illustrates a novel pre-prepared response enabled communications device 500 constructed and operative in accordance with an alternate preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • device 500 may comprise a phone app to control and manage telephone calls between device 500 and other communications devices.
  • Device 500 may also comprise an incoming call interceptor 510, an incoming call response application 520, and a responses database 540.
  • Device 500 may have an API that may be used to intercept an incoming phone call before it may be fully processed by phone app 560.
  • Interceptor 510 may use such an API to intercept incoming calls so that the user of device 500 may send a pre-prepared response to the incoming call.
  • Interceptor 510 may invoke incoming call response application 520 whenever an incoming call may be detected.
  • Application 520 may comprise response code receiver 525, response interpreter 530 and responder 550.
  • Receiver 525 may be a routine which may trap user keystrokes for forwarding for processing by response interpreter 530.
  • Receiver 525 may continue running until a valid response code is received or the incoming call is answered/rejected/withdrawn by the caller. If the incoming call may be ended, control may be returned to phone app 560.
  • Response interpreter 530 may use responses database 540 to interpret the response codes in a manner analogous to that of interpreter 330 using database 340 as described in process 400.
  • Responder 550 may function in a manner similar to that of responder 330.
  • phone app 560 and or other inbuilt functionality of device 500 instead of using the inbuilt functionality of switch 210 to send responses to the calling device, it may use phone app 560 and or other inbuilt functionality of device 500 to do so.
  • device 500 may be necessary for device 500 to maintain two simultaneous voice connections - one with the incoming call device, and one with a device to which it is already connected for a conversation. It will be appreciated that older devices 500 and/or networks 200 may not support such functionality.
  • device 500 may be configured to send non voice responses such as email and/or SMS to the calling device.
  • device 500 may effect a data connection with a VOIP gateway to immediately call back the incoming caller with the recorded response.
  • the invention may be of use to communications network subscribers even when they are not already engaged in a telephone conversation.
  • the invention may be applied to any incoming call situation, even if it is not a call waiting situation.
  • the user of a device 110 may send a response code in response to any incoming call, whether device 110 is already engaged in a telephone conversation or not.
  • network 200 as a mobile network is exemplary.
  • the invention may be implemented on any telephonic network.
  • Embodiments of the invention may include apparatus for performing the operations herein.
  • This apparatus may be specially constructed for the desired purposes, or it may comprise a general-purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer.
  • a computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as, but not limited to, any type of disk, including floppy disks, optical disks, magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), compact disc read-only memories (CD-ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), electrically programmable read-only memories (EPROMs), electrically erasable and programmable read only memories (EEPROMs), magnetic or optical cards, Flash memory, or any other type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions and capable of being coupled to a computer system bus.
  • ROMs read-only memories
  • CD-ROMs compact disc read-only memories
  • RAMs random access memories
  • EPROMs electrically programmable read-only memories
  • EEPROMs electrically erasable and programm

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention se rapporte à un système de communication de réponse préparée qui comprend un récepteur pour recevoir des codes de réponse d'au moins un premier dispositif de communication, et un module de réponse d'appel pour répondre selon les codes de réponse à une tentative d’appel du premier dispositif de communication effectuée par un second dispositif de communication. Un dispositif de communication comprend un intercepteur d'appel entrant pour intercepter des appels entrants provenant d'au moins un second dispositif, et une application de réponse d'appel entrant pour permettre à un utilisateur du dispositif de communication de répondre de manière prédéterminée au second dispositif.
PCT/IB2009/055163 2009-08-16 2009-11-19 Système et procédé permettant des réponses de signal d'appel en attente WO2011021077A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IL200422 2009-08-16
IL200422A IL200422A0 (en) 2009-08-16 2009-08-16 Call waiting management system

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2011021077A1 true WO2011021077A1 (fr) 2011-02-24

Family

ID=42263884

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IB2009/055163 WO2011021077A1 (fr) 2009-08-16 2009-11-19 Système et procédé permettant des réponses de signal d'appel en attente

Country Status (2)

Country Link
IL (1) IL200422A0 (fr)
WO (1) WO2011021077A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2887626A4 (fr) * 2012-08-17 2016-06-15 Kikuo Takeda Système de communication

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5742674A (en) * 1995-12-22 1998-04-21 At&T Corp. Automatic call-back system and method using data indicating best time to call
US6064317A (en) * 1994-12-27 2000-05-16 Casio Computer Co., Ltd. Data communication system and data communication terminal applied thereto
US7336779B2 (en) * 2002-03-15 2008-02-26 Avaya Technology Corp. Topical dynamic chat

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6064317A (en) * 1994-12-27 2000-05-16 Casio Computer Co., Ltd. Data communication system and data communication terminal applied thereto
US5742674A (en) * 1995-12-22 1998-04-21 At&T Corp. Automatic call-back system and method using data indicating best time to call
US7336779B2 (en) * 2002-03-15 2008-02-26 Avaya Technology Corp. Topical dynamic chat

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2887626A4 (fr) * 2012-08-17 2016-06-15 Kikuo Takeda Système de communication
US9858599B2 (en) 2012-08-17 2018-01-02 Kikuo Takeda Communication system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IL200422A0 (en) 2010-04-29

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US9967381B1 (en) Virtual telephony assistant
US8416767B2 (en) Communication mode swapping for telecommunications devices
US9986079B1 (en) Virtual telephony assistant
KR101269950B1 (ko) 사전 프로그래밍된 가입자 응답
US8014500B2 (en) Methods and systems for screening incoming calls
US20060264205A1 (en) Systems and methods for call screening on a mobile telecommunications device
US20090221274A1 (en) System, method and device for enabling alternative call handling routines for incoming calls
CN101001276A (zh) 智能电话终端及为其提供免打扰服务的方法
US9854088B2 (en) Method to tag a phone call to communicate purpose of the call
CN102917105A (zh) 呼叫信息处理方法和终端设备
US20030198322A1 (en) Ring that matters
CN103124402A (zh) 漏话提示系统及方法
US9113336B2 (en) Software application for intercepting phone call and text messages from specific contacts
US7313228B1 (en) Dynamic call processing control
US20100124317A1 (en) System and method for call waiting signal responses
WO2011021077A1 (fr) Système et procédé permettant des réponses de signal d'appel en attente
US20080273673A1 (en) Handling of telephone calls
KR20080056663A (ko) 통신 장치에 의해 맞춤형 호출자 옵션을 제공하기 위한방법 및 시스템
US20070238473A1 (en) Transferring information from a mobile cellular telephone
JP2003087395A5 (fr)
EP2216973B1 (fr) Procédé de résponse silencieux d'un appel utilisant différentes langues
CN101562650A (zh) 语音管理系统及方法
KR100641147B1 (ko) 이동통신단말기의 통화중 서비스 방법
US20090203362A1 (en) Cellphone extensions
US7778628B2 (en) Mobile communication terminal and call connection method using the same

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 09848434

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

32PN Ep: public notification in the ep bulletin as address of the adressee cannot be established

Free format text: NOTING OF LOSS OF RIGHTS PURSUANT TO RULE 112(1)EPC

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 09848434

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1