Patent Application
20070099638
Wireless communication devices, such as telephones, cell phones, portable computers via VoIP (voice over Internet protocol), pagers, etc., are becoming increasingly popular as a means to stay connected with business, family, and friends. However, unless a user of such devices is willing to carry multiple or duplicate devices (e.g., resembling the “utility belt” look), the same device is generally used for a variety of purposes (e.g., business and personal). Thus, a user of the device generally tends to screen calls during particular times (e.g., screen business-related calls on the weekend, screen personal calls during business meetings, etc.) which is oftentimes difficult and/or troublesome. Further, identifying costs associated with use of the device for particular purposes (e.g., business-related costs for reimbursement) is difficult and time-consuming.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
The preferred embodiments of the present invention and the advantages thereof are best understood by referring to
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Profile manager 26 is used to configure various types of settings for each telephone number 30 assigned to wireless communication device 12. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in
Thus, in some embodiments of the present invention, profile manager 26 is used to configure particular profile settings for each telephone number 30 assigned to communication device 12. For example, in some embodiments of the present invention, profile manager 26 is used to configure an active/standby setting 42 for each telephone number 30. Thus, in this example, a user may desire to be notified of incoming telephone calls for business telephone numbers 32 during normal business hours and have incoming calls received outside of normal business hours to be automatically directed to voice-mail. Thus, embodiments of the present invention enable active/standby settings 42 to be configured for business telephone numbers 32 such that during active mode, (e.g., during normal business hours), the user of device 12 is notified of an incoming telephone call on business telephone numbers 32 (e.g., by ring, display on interface 28 or otherwise).
In some embodiments of the present invention, call manager 24 is configured to automatically apply and/or otherwise use profile data 40 to respond to recognized incoming calls and/or callers. For example, in response to automatically identifying a source and/or originator of an incoming call (e.g., via caller identification (callerid) methods or otherwise), call manager 24 automatically applies and/or responds to the recognized incoming call based on profile data 40 (e.g., always ring and/or notify the user of the incoming call, never send to voice-mail, only direct to voice-mail, etc.).
Call manager 24 is used to manage outgoing and incoming telephone calls of wireless communication device 12. For example, in some embodiments of the present invention, call manager 24 comprises logic for distinguishing and/or otherwise identifying incoming and outgoing telephone calls with particular telephone numbers 30 assigned to wireless communication device 12. In some embodiments of the present invention, call manager 24 formats and/or otherwise encodes outgoing telephone calls using a protocol that uniquely identifies a particular telephone number 30 assigned to wireless communication device 12 used to make or initiate the call. In some embodiments of the present invention, identifier 38 (e.g., an ESN or other identifying information uniquely associated with a particular telephone number 30) is encoded and/or otherwise contained within one or more wireless communication data packets transmitted by wireless communication device 12 as part of an outgoing telephone call by wireless communication device 12. The identification information identifying the outgoing telephone call as being associated with a particular telephone number 30 is preferably located in the header of such wireless communication data packets. However, it should be understood that the identification information may be otherwise formatted and/or otherwise encoded in the outbound telephone call communication packets. Further, it should be understood that other types of identification information may be used to uniquely identify a particular outgoing telephone call with a particular telephone number 30 assigned to wireless communication device 12.
In some embodiments of the present invention, call manager 24 is used to distinguish and/or otherwise identify incoming calls to wireless communication device 12 with a particular telephone number 30 assigned to wireless communication device 12. For example, in some embodiments of the present invention, call manager 24 is configured to parse wireless communication data packets received by wireless communication device 12 to identify and/or otherwise determine identification information in the wireless communication data packets indicating and/or otherwise associating the incoming call with a particular telephone number 30. As discussed above, the information contained in the wireless communication data packets may comprise a particular identifier 38 (e.g., an ESN or other type of unique identifier) or other type of identification information associating the incoming call with a particular telephone number 30 assigned to wireless communication device 12.
In the embodiment illustrated in
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Thus, in operation, wireless communication device 12 initiates an outgoing call using one of telephone numbers 30 assigned to wireless communication device 12. In some embodiments of the present invention, call manager 24 is configured to display or otherwise indicate to a user of device 12 available phone numbers 30 assigned to wireless communication device 12 for initiating an outgoing call. For example, in some embodiments of the present invention, call manager 24 is configured to display a listing on interface 28 of business telephone numbers 32 and personal telephone numbers 34 assigned to wireless communication device 12 for selection of one thereof by the user for initiating an outgoing telephone call. However, it should be understood that in other embodiments of the present invention, communication device 12 may be configured to operate in a particular mode (e.g., under a business number 32 mode) such that while in the particular mode, all outgoing calls are made using the particular mode number (e.g., the business number 32). In such an embodiment, a button, display icon, switch, or other device may be used to switch from one mode to another (e.g., switch from operating under the business number 32 mode to the personal number 34 mode by depressing a button or icon).
In response to receiving a selection of one of telephone numbers 30, and a telephone number of a recipient of the outgoing telephone call, call manager 24 initiates the outgoing telephone call and formats at least one wireless communication data packet with identifier 38 and/or other information identifying and/or otherwise indicating the selected telephone number 30 for the outgoing call (thereby enabling service provider 14 to identify the selected telephone number 30, providing caller identification (caller ID) information associated with the outgoing telephone call, etc.). Service provider 14 receives the outgoing call from wireless communication device 12 and parses at least one received wireless communication data packet associated with the telephone call or service request to identify and/or otherwise determine the selected telephone number 30 for the outgoing telephone call. In response to determining and/or otherwise identifying the selected telephone number 30 for the outgoing telephone call by wireless communication device 12, call manager 50 accesses relational mapping data 60 to correlate identifier 62 and telephone number 64 with a particular account using account data 68. Billing manager 52 is used to perform any billing services and account management associated with the telephone call.
In some embodiments of the present invention, in response to service provider 14 receiving a telephone service request directed toward wireless communication device 12 (e.g., another service and/or device attempting to place a telephone call to wireless communication device 12), call manager 50 determines and/or otherwise identifies the particular telephone number of wireless communication device 12 to receive the incoming telephone call using relational mapping data 60. For example, in some embodiments of the present invention, call manager 50 identifies the telephone number for which the call is directed for wireless communication device 12 and accesses relational mapping data 60 to identify an identifier 62 corresponding to the telephone call for wireless communication device 12. Call manager 50 formats and/or otherwise encodes at least one wireless communication data packet destined for the wireless communication device 12 with identifier 62 information indicating the telephone number 30 of device 12 for receiving the incoming call.
In response to receiving an indication of an incoming call at wireless communication device 12, call manager 24 parses at least one wireless communication data packet associated with the incoming telephone call to determine and/or otherwise identify a particular telephone number 30 corresponding to the incoming telephone call. For example, in some embodiments of the present invention, call manager 24 correlates the parsed identification information with identifiers 38 to identify a particular telephone number 30 receiving the incoming call.
In some embodiments of the present invention, call manager 24 indicates to a user of device 12 the particular telephone number 30 receiving the incoming telephone call. For example, in some embodiments of the present invention, call manager 24 is configured to display the particular telephone number 30 on interface 28 to provide a user of device 12 with an indication of the incoming telephone call and the particular telephone number 30 associated therewith. The user of device 12 may choose to connect and/or receive the telephone call, allow the telephone call to roll to voice-mail and/or otherwise perform a desired action for the incoming telephone call (or if the user has already connected to a call on the particular number 30, the incoming call may automatically be directed to voice-mail or a busy signal returned). In some embodiments of the present invention, profile data 40 associated with the particular telephone number 30 receiving the incoming call is used to respond to the incoming call. For example, ring setting 46 may be used to initiate a particular audible alert of the incoming call, active/standby setting 42 may be used to respond to the incoming call (e.g., no connect, voice-mail response, etc.), or otherwise. In other embodiments of the present invention ring setting 46 may also be used to activate a particular color of light source disposed on device 12 for particular numbers (e.g., illuminating a red light source for business number 32 calls and a green light source for personal number 34 calls, thereby also alleviating a need to display the particular number 30 of the incoming call).
In some embodiments of the present invention, wireless communication device 12 is configured to concurrently receive and/or otherwise be connected to at least two different telephone calls on at least two different telephone numbers 30. For example, in some embodiments of the present invention, while connected to a particular telephone call for a particular telephone number 30 (e.g., one of business telephone numbers 32), wireless communication device 12 is configured to also receive an incoming telephone call for another telephone number 30 (e.g., one of personal telephone numbers 34). As described above, call manager 24 parses at least one wireless communication data packet associated with the incoming call and, preferably, displays and/or otherwise indicates to a user of device 12 the particular telephone number 30 of the incoming call (e.g., by displaying the particular telephone number 30 associated with the incoming call on interface 28). The user of device 12 may handle the incoming telephone call as desired (e.g., placing the first call on hold while connecting to the second call, allowing the second call to roll to voice-mail, or otherwise) and/or profile data 40 may be otherwise used to respond to the incoming call.
Call management performed by call manager 24 of communication device 12 is preferably performed on communication device 12. However, it should be understood that all or a portion of such call management may be performed by service provider 14 (e.g., by call manager 50). For example, in some embodiments of the present invention, profile data 40 and/or other call management information may be stored by service provider 14 and applied in response to calls directed to communication device 12 (e.g., incoming calls during particular hours for a particular number 32 or 34 automatically directed to voice-mail, application of active/standby settings 42, etc.).
In yet other embodiments of the present invention, the operating mode of communication device 12 is controlled by service provider 14 (e.g., whether operating under a business number 32 mode or a personal number 34 mode). For example, a business may issue communication device to a user 12 for business purposes but allow the user to use the communication device 12 for personal use during particular times or hours (e.g., during weekends). In this example, call manager 50 of service provider 14 automatically controls the number 32 or 34 mode of operation of the particular communication device 12 for the designated hours (e.g., operating under a business number 32 mode during weekdays and only forwarding business calls to communication device 12 during weekdays while automatically directing calls for personal number(s) 34 to voice-mail or another number during weekdays). Thus, call manager 50 may be configured to control various operational aspects and/or modes of communication device 12 based on profile data 40, each number assigned to the communication device 12, or other criteria.
At block 308, call manager 24 receives an indication of another incoming telephone call to wireless communication device 12. At block 310, call manager parses at least one wireless communication data packet associated with the incoming telephone call of block 308 to identify a telephone number 30 of wireless communication device 12 for receiving the incoming call. At decisional block 312, a determination is made whether the incoming call of block 308 is for the same telephone number 30 as the telephone call of block 304. If the incoming call of block 308 is for the same telephone number 30 as the existing connection to the telephone call received at block 300, the method proceeds to block 314, where the user may perform a desired action for the incoming telephone call (e.g., initiate call waiting, voice-mail or other options). If it is determined at decisional block 312 that the incoming call of block 308 is for a different telephone number 30, the method proceeds to block 316, where call manager 24 identifies and/or otherwise indicates the particular telephone number 30 that is receiving the incoming call (e.g., displaying the particular telephone number 30 on interface 28 or otherwise). The user of device 12 may perform a desired option for the incoming call such as, but not limited to, connecting to the incoming call, allowing the incoming call to roll to voice-mail, or otherwise. Further, it should be understood that profile data 40 may indicate a particular response for the incoming call (e.g., active/standby settings 42).
Thus, embodiments of the present invention enable use of different telephone numbers on a single wireless communication device, thereby enabling a user of the wireless communication device 12 to easily distinguish between and/or use different telephone numbers 30 assigned to device 12 for different purposes (e.g., business or personal). Embodiments of the present invention also enable enhanced billing services associated with wireless communication device 12. For example, by using different telephone numbers 30 for different purposes (e.g., business or personal), billing information associated with wireless communication device 12 processed by service provider 14 may be categorized and/or otherwise formatted based on each telephone number 30 assigned to wireless communication device 12, thereby enabling a user of device 12 to identify costs and/or other information associated with each telephone number 30. It should be understood that in the described methods, certain functionality may be omitted, accomplished in a sequence different from that in the depicted methods, or performed simultaneously or in combination. Also, it should be understood that the depicted methods may be altered to encompass any of the other features or aspects of the invention as described elsewhere in the specification.
