U.S. patent application number 14/608273 was filed with the patent office on 2016-08-04 for method and system for providing informative incoming call alerts.
The applicant listed for this patent is VONAGE NETWORK LLC. Invention is credited to May Ben Arie, Natan Shaltiel.
Application Number | 20160227386 14/608273 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 56411320 |
Filed Date | 2016-08-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160227386 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shaltiel; Natan ; et
al. |
August 4, 2016 |
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING INFORMATIVE INCOMING CALL
ALERTS
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing informative incoming call
alerts are provided herein. The method includes receiving an
incoming call from a second device; transmitting, to the second
device, a first message regarding the incoming call; receiving,
from the second device, a second message responsive to the first
message regarding the incoming call; receiving a selection of one
of a plurality of options based on the received second message; and
processing the selected option.
Inventors: |
Shaltiel; Natan; (Tel-Aviv,
IL) ; Ben Arie; May; (Raanana, IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
VONAGE NETWORK LLC |
Holmdel |
NJ |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
56411320 |
Appl. No.: |
14/608273 |
Filed: |
January 29, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M 2203/2038 20130101;
H04W 4/16 20130101; H04M 1/2535 20130101; H04M 7/1295 20130101;
H04M 3/42059 20130101; H04L 65/1066 20130101; H04M 1/72519
20130101; H04M 1/72552 20130101; H04M 2203/2033 20130101; H04M
3/4365 20130101; H04L 65/1096 20130101; H04M 1/57 20130101; H04W
4/12 20130101; H04M 1/72583 20130101; H04M 3/4288 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04W 4/12 20060101
H04W004/12; H04M 7/12 20060101 H04M007/12; H04L 29/06 20060101
H04L029/06; H04W 4/16 20060101 H04W004/16; H04M 1/725 20060101
H04M001/725 |
Claims
1. A computer-implemented method for providing informative incoming
call alerts, comprising: receiving an incoming call from a second
device; transmitting, to the second device, a first message
regarding the incoming call; receiving, from the second device, a
second message responsive to the first message regarding the
incoming call; receiving a selection of one of a plurality of
options based on the received second message; processing the
selected option; receiving a selection of an option to request an
automatic call back to the second device after a telecommunication
session with a first device has ended; transmitting a message
directed to the second device indicating that the incoming call
will be returned upon completion of the telecommunication session
with the first device; terminating the telecommunication session
with the first device; and receiving a call request to establish a
telecommunication session with the second device.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the incoming call is received
from the second device during a telecommunication session
established with the first device.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the telecommunication session is
a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telecommunication
session.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is a request
regarding the urgency of the incoming call, and the second message
is a reply regarding the urgency of the incoming call.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is an
interactive voice response (IVR) message.
6. (canceled)
7. (canceled)
8. (canceled)
9. The method of claim 1, wherein one option of the plurality of
options comprises sending the incoming caller one of an
auto-generated Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message comprising
pre-defined text or a short message service (SMS) or multimedia
messaging service (MMS) message comprising user specified text.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second message regarding the
incoming call is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second message regarding the
incoming call is based on a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) tone
response.
12. A system for providing informative incoming call alerts,
comprising: a) at least one processor; b) at least one input
device; and c) at least one storage device storing
processor-executable instructions which, when executed by the at
least one processor, perform a method including: receiving an
incoming call from a second device; transmitting, to the second
device, a first message regarding the incoming call; receiving,
from the second device, a second message responsive to the first
message regarding the incoming call; receiving a selection of one
of a plurality of options based on the received second message; and
processing the selected option; receiving a selection of an option
to request an automatic call back to the second device after a
telecommunication session with a first device has ended;
transmitting a message directed to the second device indicating
that the incoming call will be returned upon completion of the
telecommunication session with the first device; terminating the
telecommunication session with the first device; and receiving a
call request to establish a telecommunication session with the
second device.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the incoming call is received
from the second device during a telecommunication session
established with the first device.
14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first message is a request
regarding the urgency of the incoming call, and the second message
is a reply regarding the urgency of the incoming call.
15. The system of claim 12, wherein the first message is an
interactive voice response (IVR) message.
16. (canceled)
17. The system of claim 12, wherein the second message regarding
the incoming call is based on a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF)
tone response.
18. A computer-implemented method for displaying incoming messages
received during a telecommunication session, comprising:
intercepting an incoming message; extracting a message identifier
from the incoming message; and displaying the incoming message when
it is determined that the message identifier from the incoming
message is associated with a caller identifier of a user taking
part in the telecommunication session.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the incoming message is one of
a short message service (SMS), multimedia messaging service (MMS)
messages, or email message.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the message identifier is
compared to contact information extracted from an address book.
21. The method of claim 18, wherein the incoming message is
displayed in a user interface of a telecommunication application
that is processing the telecommunication session, and wherein the
telecommunication application is a Voice over Internet Protocol
(VoIP) telecommunication application.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field
[0002] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to
methods and systems for providing informative incoming call
alerts.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Call waiting is a telephony feature offered by many
telephony service providers. Typically, when a first user is on a
call with a second user, and a third party calls the first user;
the first user sees a caller identifier of the third party and is
provided with a number of options. Based on the caller identifier,
the first user may for example, accept the call and end the current
call or put the current call on hold, or the first user may opt to
ignore the call from the third party. However, the first user may
be ignoring an urgent incoming call from the third party, or may
end an important call with the second user only to learn that the
incoming call from the third party is not important. It would be
helpful for the first user to have additional information about the
incoming call in order to make a decision regarding what course of
action to take.
[0005] Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a method and
system for interactive call waiting.
SUMMARY
[0006] A method and system for providing informative incoming call
alerts are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for
providing informative incoming call alerts may include receiving an
incoming call from a second device; transmitting, to the second
device, a first message regarding the incoming call; receiving,
from the second device, a second message responsive to the first
message regarding the incoming call; receiving a selection of one
of a plurality of options based on the received second message; and
processing the selected option.
[0007] In some embodiments, a system for providing informative
incoming call alerts may include a call waiting module configured
to: receive an incoming call from a second device; transmit, to the
second device, a first message regarding the incoming call;
receive, from the second device, a second message responsive to the
first message regarding the incoming call; receive a selection of
one of a plurality of options based on the received second message;
and process the selected option.
[0008] A method and system for displaying incoming messages
received during a telecommunication session are provided herein. In
some embodiments, a method for displaying incoming messages
received during a telecommunication session may include
intercepting an incoming message; extracting a caller identifier
from the incoming message; and displaying the incoming message when
it is determined that the caller identifier from the incoming
message matches a caller identifier of a user taking part in the
telecommunication session.
[0009] Other and further embodiments of the present invention are
described below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] So that the manner in which the above recited features of
the present invention can be understood in detail, a more
particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above,
may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are
illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however,
that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of
this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of
its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective
embodiments.
[0011] FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of a telecommunication
network, according to one or more embodiments of the invention;
[0012] FIGS. 2A-2D illustrate graphical user interfaces for
providing informative incoming call alerts, according to one or
more embodiments of the invention;
[0013] FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram of a system for providing
informative incoming call alerts, according to one or more
embodiments of the invention;
[0014] FIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram of a method for providing
informative incoming call alerts, according to one or more
embodiments of the invention;
[0015] FIG. 5 depicts a flow diagram of a method for automatic
callbacks, according to one or more embodiments of the
invention;
[0016] FIG. 6 depicts a flow diagram of a method for displaying
incoming messages from people with whom a user is speaking,
according to one or more embodiments of the present invention;
and
[0017] FIG. 7 depicts a computer system that can be utilized in
various embodiments of the present invention to implement the
computer and/or the display, according to one or more embodiments
of the invention.
[0018] To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals
have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements
that are common to the figures. The figures are not drawn to scale
and may be simplified for clarity. It is contemplated that elements
and features of one embodiment may be beneficially incorporated in
other embodiments without further recitation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a
method and apparatus for providing informative incoming call
alerts. In some embodiments, when a third party caller calls a user
who is currently in a telecommunication session, the user is
notified, for example with an audible tone, and given options with
respect to handling the incoming call. In addition to typical call
waiting options, such as accept or reject the call, the user is
provided an option to send a message to the third party caller. In
some embodiments, the option to send the message is a one-touch
option that sends a message to the third party asking if the call
is urgent. The one-touch option generates the message, such that no
typing of the message is required on the part of the user. In some
embodiments, the incoming call from the third party caller is
intercepted by a service provider system before the call reaches
the user. The service provider system sends a message to the third
party caller asking if the call is urgent and upon receipt forwards
the information to the user.
[0020] The user in turn receives a response. The third party user
is provided a one-touch option, for example "Urgent" or "Not
Urgent" to indicate whether the message is urgent or not. If the
third party user uses the one-touch option, a message is
auto-generated indicated the third party's response. In some
embodiments, the third party user may also be provided an option to
enter a message with additional details, e.g., a short message
service (SMS) or multimedia messaging service (MMS) message. If the
third party caller responded with the auto-generated message, the
message is displayed to the user. If the response is received from
the service provider system that intercepted the incoming caller,
the message received from the service provider system is displayed
to the user. However, if the message received from the third party
caller is an SMS or MMS message, the message is received by a
messaging application. In such case, the message is intercepted and
it is determined if the incoming message is from the third party
(as other incoming messages may be received during the call). If
the caller ID of the message matches the caller ID of the third
party, the message is displayed for example, in a pop-up window. If
an incoming message is received that has a caller ID that does not
match the caller ID of the third party, the message is released
back to the messaging application.
[0021] Once the message is displayed, the user may select an option
to accept the call or call the third party back after the current
call is complete. If the user selects the option to call the third
party back after the current call is complete, a message is
auto-generated indicating that the call will be returned. The
message is sent to a service provider and forwarded to the third
party. Callback information is also stored on the service provider
server, such that upon call termination, the service provider
automatically initiates a call with the user. If the user accepts
the call initiated by the service provider, the service provider
then connects the call to the third party.
[0022] In some embodiments, when a user is on the call with another
party, incoming messages (e.g., SMS or MMS messages) may be
received on the device of the user. Most messages are not relevant
to the user during the call and need not interrupt the user.
However, some messages may be from a person with whom the caller is
speaking and are meant to be viewed during the call. As such, in
the current embodiment, the caller ID of the sender of the message
is extracted from the incoming message. If the caller ID matches a
person with whom the user is speaking, the message is displayed for
example, in a pop-up window on the user's display. If the caller ID
does not match that of someone with whom the user is speaking, the
message is released and processed normally through a messaging
application on the user's device. In some embodiments, the service
provider system intercepts the incoming message. If the message is
determined to be from a person with whom the user is speaking, the
service provider system may send the message as a data message
in-band, which is displayed to the user.
[0023] Although the present disclosure describes embodiments where
an incoming call is from a third party caller while a call is
in-progress, those skilled in the art will understand that
embodiments of the present invention may include intercepting all
incoming calls, calls from specific callers, and the like, and
requesting information regarding the urgency of the call regardless
of whether a user has another call in-progress.
[0024] Some portions of the detailed description which follow are
presented in terms of operations on binary digital signals stored
within a memory of a specific apparatus or special purpose
computing device or platform. In the context of this particular
specification, the term specific apparatus or the like includes a
general purpose computer once it is programmed to perform
particular functions pursuant to instructions from program
software. In this context, operations or processing involve
physical manipulation of physical quantities. Typically, although
not necessarily, such quantities may take the form of electrical or
magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined,
compared or otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient at
times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to such
signals as bits, data, values, elements, symbols, characters,
terms, numbers, numerals or the like. It should be understood,
however, that all of these or similar terms are to be associated
with appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient
labels. Unless specifically stated otherwise, as apparent from the
following discussion, it is appreciated that throughout this
specification discussions utilizing terms such as "processing,"
"computing," "calculating," "determining" or the like refer to
actions or processes of a specific apparatus, such as a special
purpose computer or a similar special purpose electronic computing
device. In the context of this specification, therefore, a special
purpose computer or a similar special purpose electronic computing
device is capable of manipulating or transforming signals,
typically represented as physical electronic or magnetic quantities
within memories, registers, or other information storage devices,
transmission devices, or display devices of the special purpose
computer or similar special purpose electronic computing
device.
[0025] Some exemplary embodiments described below are with respect
to a mobile Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) telecommunication
app. However, one skilled in the art will readily recognize from
the following description that any native application may be used
in embodiments consistent with the present invention without
departing from the principles of the disclosure described
herein.
[0026] In the following description, the terms VOIP system, VOIP
telephony system, IP system and IP telephony system are all
intended to refer to a system that connects callers and that
delivers data, text and video communications using Internet
protocol data communications. Those of ordinary skill in the art
will recognize that embodiments of the present invention are not
limited to use with IP telephony systems and may also be used in
other systems.
[0027] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a communications environment 100
is provided to facilitate IP enhanced communications. An IP
telephony system 120 enables connection of telephone calls between
its own customers and other parties via data communications that
pass over a data network 110. The data network 110 is commonly the
Internet, although the IP telephony system 120 may also make use of
private data networks. The IP telephony system 120 is connected to
the Internet 110. In addition, the IP telephony system 120 is
connected to a publicly switched telephone network (PSTN) 130 via a
gateway 122. The PSTN 130 may also be directly coupled to the
Internet 110 through one of its own internal gateways (not shown).
Thus, communications may pass back and forth between the IP
telephony system 120 and the PSTN 130 through the Internet 110 via
a gateway maintained within the PSTN 130.
[0028] The gateway 122 allows users and devices that are connected
to the PSTN 130 to connect with users and devices that are
reachable through the IP telephony system 120, and vice versa. In
some instances, the gateway 122 would be a part of the IP telephony
system 120. In other instances, the gateway 122 could be maintained
by a third party.
[0029] Customers of the IP telephony system 120 can place and
receive telephone calls using an IP telephone 108 that is connected
to the Internet 110. Such an IP telephone 108 could be connected to
an Internet service provider via a wired connection or via a
wireless router. In some instances, the IP telephone 108 could
utilize a packet-switched network of a cellular telephone system to
access the Internet 110.
[0030] Alternatively, a customer could utilize an analog telephone
102 which is connected to the Internet 110 via a telephone adapter
104. The telephone adapter 104 converts analog signals from the
telephone 102 into data signals that pass over the Internet 110,
and vice versa. Analog telephone devices include but are not
limited to standard telephones and document imaging devices such as
facsimile machines. A configuration using a telephone adapter 104
is common where the analog telephone 102 is located in a residence
or business. Other configurations are also possible where multiple
analog telephones share access through the same IP adaptor. In
those situations, all analog telephones could share the same
telephone number, or multiple communication lines (e.g., additional
telephone numbers) may provisioned by the IP telephony system
120.
[0031] In addition, a customer could utilize a soft-phone client
running on a computer 106 or a television 109 to place and receive
IP based telephone calls, and to access other IP telephony systems
(not shown). The computer 106 may be a personal computer (PC), a
tablet device, a gaming system, and the like. In some instances,
the soft-phone client could be assigned its own telephone number.
In other instances, the soft-phone client could be associated with
a telephone number that is also assigned to an IP telephone 108, or
to a telephone adaptor 104 that is connected to one or more analog
telephones 102.
[0032] Users of the IP telephony system 120 are able to access the
service from virtually any location where they can connect to the
Internet 110. Thus, a customer could register with an IP telephony
system provider in the U.S., and that customer could then use an IP
telephone 108 located in a country outside the U.S. to access the
services. Likewise, the customer could also utilize a computer
outside the U.S. that is running a soft-phone client to access the
IP telephony system 120.
[0033] A third party using an analog telephone 132 which is
connected to the PSTN 130 may call a customer of the IP telephony
system 120. In this instance, the call is initially connected from
the analog telephone 132 to the PSTN 130, and then from the PSTN
130, through the gateway 122 to the IP telephony system 120. The IP
telephony system 120 then routes the call to the customer's IP
telephony device. A third party using a cellular telephone 134
could also place a call to an IP telephony system customer, and the
connection would be established in a similar manner, although the
first link would involve communications between the cellular
telephone 134 and a cellular telephone network. For purposes of
this explanation, the cellular telephone network is considered part
of the PSTN 130.
[0034] In the following description, references will be made to an
"IP telephony device." This term is used to refer to any type of
device which is capable of interacting with an IP telephony system
to complete an audio or video telephone call or to send and receive
text messages, and other forms of communications. An IP telephony
device could be an IP telephone, a computer running IP telephony
software, a telephone adapter which is itself connected to a normal
analog telephone, or some other type of device capable of
communicating via data packets. An IP telephony device could also
be a cellular telephone or a portable computing device that runs a
software application that enables the device to act as an IP
telephone. Thus, a single device might be capable of operating as
both a cellular telephone that can facilitate voice based session
calls, and an IP telephone that can facilitate data based session
calls.
[0035] The following description will also refer to a mobile
telephony device. The term "mobile telephony device" is intended to
encompass multiple different types of devices. In some instances, a
mobile telephony device could be a cellular telephone. In other
instances, a mobile telephony device may be a mobile computing
device, such as the APPLE IPHONE, that includes both cellular
telephone capabilities and a wireless data transceiver that can
establish a wireless data connection to a data network. Such a
mobile computing device could run appropriate application software
to conduct VoIP telephone calls via a wireless data connection.
Thus, a mobile computing device, such as an APPLE IPHONE, a RIM
BLACKBERRY or a comparable device running GOOGLE ANDROID operating
system could be a mobile telephony device.
[0036] In still other instances, a mobile telephony device may be a
device that is not traditionally used as a telephony device, but
which includes a wireless data transceiver that can establish a
wireless data connection to a data network. Examples of such
devices include the APPLE IPOD TOUCH and the IPAD. Such a device
may act as a mobile telephony device once it is configured with
appropriate application software.
[0037] FIG. 1 illustrates that a mobile computing device with
cellular capabilities 136.sub.A (e.g., a smartphone) is capable of
establishing a first wireless data connection A with a first
wireless access point 140, such as a wireless local area network
(WLAN) based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11 and 802.13 standards router. The first
wireless access point 140 is coupled to the Internet 110. Thus, the
mobile computing device 136.sub.A can establish a VOIP telephone
call with the IP telephony system 120 via a path through the
Internet 110 and the first wireless access point 140.
[0038] FIG. 1 also illustrates that the mobile computing device
136.sub.A can establish a second wireless data connection B with a
second wireless access point 142 that is also coupled to the
Internet 110. Further, the mobile computing device 136.sub.A can
establish either a third wireless data connection C via a
packet-switch network provided by a cellular service provider 130
using its cellular telephone capabilities, or establish a voice
based session telephone call via a circuit-switched network
provided by a cellular service provider 130. The mobile computing
device 136.sub.A could also establish a VoIP telephone call with
the IP telephony system 120 via the second wireless connection B or
the third wireless connection C.
[0039] Although not illustrated in FIG. 1, the mobile computing
device 136.sub.A may be capable of establishing a wireless data
connection to a data network, such as the Internet 110, via
alternate means. For example, the mobile computing device 136.sub.A
might link to some other type of wireless interface using an
alternate communication protocol, such as the wireless local area
network (WLAN) based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11 and 802.13 standards.
[0040] Similarly, mobile computing device with cellular
capabilities 136.sub.B may also be coupled to internet 110 and/or
cellular service provider 130. In some embodiments, mobile
computing device 136.sub.B may be connected to internet 110 via a
wireless local area network (WLAN) based on the Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11 and 802.13
standards connection, and the like, and can also establish a VOIP
telephone call with the IP telephony system 120 similar to mobile
computing device 136.sub.A. In embodiments of the present
invention, communications environment 100 may be used to establish
voice based or data based telecommunications sessions between
mobile computing device 136.sub.A and mobile computing device
136.sub.B, depending on various criteria associated with each of
the mobile computing devices, as will be described below in more
detail.
[0041] In the embodiments described above, a device may act as a
mobile telephony device once it is configured with appropriate
application software that may be downloaded from an app
distribution platform 144. For example, mobile computing device
136.sub.A may download a VOIP mobile app from app distribution
platform 144 and install the VOIP mobile app locally making the app
a native application running on mobile computing device
136.sub.A.
[0042] FIGS. 2A-2D illustrate graphical user interfaces for
providing informative incoming call alerts, according to one or
more embodiments. In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 2A-2D,
user devices 202, 204 (such as, for example, mobile computing
devices 136.sub.A, 136.sub.B) may exchange messages via mobile
applications installed on each device to assist the user of user
device 202 in deciding whether to accept an incoming call from a
third party of user device 204.
[0043] FIG. 2A depicts user device 202 during a telecommunication
session using a mobile application. In some embodiments, the mobile
application may be a standalone over-the-top (OTT) application
installed on device 202, or a feature/module of an OTT
telecommunication app that supports call-waiting (e.g., a VoIP
mobile telecommunication app). The device 202 includes a display
206. In the present example, the user of device 202, Alice, is on a
call with Bob. The display 206 of the device 202 indicates the
caller ID 208 of the person with whom the user is speaking, in the
present example, Bob. The display 206 also indicates by message
210, that a call is incoming on device 202. In some embodiments, an
audible message or tone may be played to alert the user of device
202 of the incoming call in addition to the message 210 displayed
on the display 206. In the present example, the message 210
indicates there is an "Incoming Call From Eve". Options 212 are
provided, allowing a user to put the current call on hold and
answer the incoming call, end the current call and answer the
incoming call, text a message to the incoming caller, or decline
the incoming call. In some embodiments of the present invention, an
option 214 is provided that sends a message to the incoming caller
asking if the call is urgent. In addition, an option 216 is
provided that requests an automatic call back to the incoming
caller when the current call is complete. In the present example,
Alice is speaking with Bob on device 202 when a call comes in from
Eve. Alice selects option 214 with a single tap on option 214,
which sends a message to user device 204 asking if the incoming
call is urgent. The message is transmitted by the mobile
application via a network to a service provider's server, which in
turn, forwards the message to the user device 204.
[0044] It is generally understood in the art that forwarding a
message, for example, may include generating and sending a new
message based on the received message and not literally forwarding
the exact message received. In some embodiments, the message may
use a proprietary messaging protocol, such as a Session Initiation
Protocol (SIP) message, or use a standard protocol, such as an
Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) message. The
details and functionality of SIP can be found in the Internet
Engineering Task Force (IETF) Request for Comments (RFC) Paper No.
3261 entitled, "SIP: Session Initiation Protocol," that is herein
incorporated in its entirety by reference. In some embodiments, the
message may be an SMS or MMS message. In some embodiments, a
dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) tone (e.g., such as a DTMF-A,
DTMF-B, DTMF-C, DTMF-D tone) may be generated and sent to the
service provider's server. The service provider's server detects
the DTMF tone and processes an action associated with the DTMF tone
accordingly.
[0045] FIG. 2B depicts user device 204 after receiving the message
from user device 202. The display 205 of user device 204 shows the
caller ID 208. Also displayed is a question 218 to the third party
questioning whether the call is urgent. The user of device 204 may
choose from responses 220. In some embodiments, the user of device
204 may also be provided an option 221 to enter a message, such as
an SMS or MMS message. In the present example, Eve, responds "No",
indicating that the call is not urgent. As described above, the
message is transmitted by the mobile application via a network to a
service provider's server, which in turn, forwards the message to
the user device 202.
[0046] FIG. 2C depicts user device 202 after receiving the message
sent from user device 204. The message is parsed by the mobile
application and upon determining that the message indicates that
the call is not urgent, a message 222 is displayed on device 202.
The message 222 in the present example indicates that Eve responded
that the call is not urgent. With the information, the user of
device 202, in the present example, Alice can make an educated
decision and select option 216, "Call Back on Hangup". The message
is sent to the service provider's server. The service provider's
server maintains a database of on-going calls that are monitored,
such that upon completion, an automatic call back to the third
party caller is triggered. The service provider's server also
forwards the message that the user will call back on hangup to the
user device 204.
[0047] FIG. 2D depicts user device 204 after receiving the message
from user device 202. The message 224 is displayed indicating that
the user will return their call upon completion of their current
call. When the user of device 202 completes the call, the service
provider's server automatically initiates a call with device 202.
The call is initiated in order to connect device 202 with the third
party caller of device 204. The call will ring on device 202 with
the caller ID of the third party caller. If the user of device 202
answers the call, a dial tone sounds as if the user is calling the
third party caller. The third party's device 204 will ring with the
caller ID of the user of device 202. When the third party answers,
the call is connected.
[0048] FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram of a system 300 for providing
informative incoming call alerts, according to one or more
embodiments. The system 300 includes at least one telecommunication
service provider server 308 that can provide telecommunication
services to a plurality of end-user devices (e.g., such as User A
device 202, User B device 204, and User C device 306) via one or
more networks 310. Devices 202, 204, and 306 may include a computer
with IP software 106, IP telephone 108, and/or mobile computing
device with cellular capabilities 136A, 136B, and the like, as
shown in FIG. 1. The telecommunication service provider server 308
may include IP telephone system 120 or PSTN/cellular provider
130.
[0049] Each user device (e.g., User A device 202, User B device
204, and User C device 306) comprises a Central Processing Unit
(CPU) 312, support circuits 314, a display 206, and a memory 316.
The CPU 312 may comprise one or more commercially available
microprocessors or microcontrollers that facilitate data processing
and storage. The various support circuits 314 facilitate the
operation of the CPU 312 and include one or more clock circuits,
power supplies, cache, input/output circuits, and the like. The
memory 316 comprises at least one of Read Only Memory (ROM), Random
Access Memory (RAM), disk drive storage, optical storage, removable
storage and/or the like. In some embodiments, the memory 316
comprises an operating system 318, a mobile application 320, and a
transmission module 326. The mobile application 320 may include a
call waiting module 322 and a message intercept module 324. In some
embodiments, the mobile application 320 may be an OTT
telecommunication application as described above.
[0050] The operating system (OS) 318 generally manages various
computer resources (e.g., network resources, file processors,
and/or the like). The operating system 318 is configured to execute
operations on one or more hardware and/or software modules, such as
Network Interface Cards (NICs), hard disks, virtualization layers,
firewalls and/or the like. Examples of the operating system 318 may
include, but are not limited to, LINUX, MAC OSX, BSD, UNIX,
MICROSOFT WINDOWS, IOS, ANDROID and the like.
[0051] The telecommunication service provider server 308 may
include a Central Processing Unit (CPU) 330, support circuits 332,
and memory 334. The CPU 330 may comprise one or more commercially
available microprocessors or microcontrollers that facilitate data
processing and storage. The various support circuits 332 facilitate
the operation of the CPU 330 and include one or more clock
circuits, power supplies, cache, input/output circuits, and the
like. The memory 334 comprises at least one of Read Only Memory
(ROM), Random Access Memory (RAM), disk drive storage, optical
storage, removable storage and/or the like. The memory 334 includes
an operating system 336, a communications system 338, and a
messaging system 344. The messaging system 344 may be any system
that facilitates the sending and receiving of SMS and MMS messages,
OTT messaging app messages, and the like. The communications system
338 may include a callback module 340 and a callback database
342.
[0052] The operating system 336 generally manages various computer
resources (e.g., network resources, file processors, and/or the
like). The operating system 336 is configured to execute operations
on one or more hardware and/or software modules, such as Network
Interface Cards (NICs), hard disks, virtualization layers,
firewalls and/or the like. Examples of the operating system 336 may
include, but are not limited to, LINUX, MAC OSX, BSD, UNIX,
MICROSOFT WINDOWS, IOS, ANDROID and the like.
[0053] The network 310 comprises one or more communication systems
that connect computers by wire, cable, fiber optic and/or wireless
link facilitated by various types of well-known network elements,
such as hubs, switches, routers, and the like. The network 310 may
include an Internet Protocol (IP) network 110, a public switched
telephone network (PSTN) 130, or other mobile communication
networks, and may employ various well-known protocols to
communicate information amongst the network resources.
[0054] A user of user A device 202 may be on a call with a user of
user C device 306. When a third party, for example, a user of user
B device 204 calls user A device 202, the call waiting module 322
displays call waiting options on display 206 for the incoming call.
The call waiting options include, but are not limited to, an option
to ask the third party caller whether the incoming call is urgent,
and an option to return the third party's call upon completion of
the current call. If the call waiting module 322 receives user
input to ask if the call is urgent, the call waiting module 322
generates a message to the third party. The transmission module 326
sends the message to the service provider server 308. The message
may be, for example, SIP NOTIFY message that contains the content
of the message, for example, "Urgent?". In some embodiments, the
content of the message to be displayed may be customized by the
user through the settings of the mobile application 320. The
messaging system 244 forwards the message to user B device 204. The
mobile application 320 on user B device 204 displays the message on
display 206 of user B device 204 with options of for example, "Yes"
and "No" (e.g., 220 in FIG. 2B). In some embodiments, if the third
party caller is off-net, meaning the third party caller (i.e., user
B device 204) is not a VoIP device, the service provider server 308
may use interactive voice response (IVR) to interact with the third
party user, for example, stating "The other party is asking if your
call is urgent. If it is urgent press 1, if it is not urgent press
2". The service provider server 308 intercepts the DTMF response
from the third party caller and sends back the correct data message
to the user A device 202.
[0055] Upon selection of an option, a message is generated and sent
to the service provider server 308, which forwards it to user A
device 202 using messaging system 344. Upon receipt of the message,
the call waiting module 322 displays a message on display 206
indicating the response received from user B device 204, for
example, "Not Urgent". If the message is received from the service
provider server 308 in response to a DTMF response from an off-net
third party, the message is displayed on display 206. In some
embodiments, the mobile application 320 on user B device 204
displays an option to enter a text message to be forwarded to user
A device 202 via messaging system 344. The text message is
intercepted on user A device, if the intercepted message includes a
caller ID that matches the caller ID of the user of user B device
204, the message may be displayed in a pop-up window generated by
mobile application 320.
[0056] Based on the received message, the user of user A device 202
may select an option to call the third party caller back after the
current call is complete. Upon selection of the call back option,
the call waiting module 322 generates a message indicating that the
call will be returned upon completion of the current call. The
transmission module 326 sends the message via the network 310 to
service provider server 308, which forwards the message for display
to user B device 204. In some embodiments, the callback information
is stored in callback database 342. Information may include an
identifier of the current call that is to be monitored for
completion, information regarding user A device 202 as well as the
third party caller's device information. The callback module 340
monitors the current call between user A device 202 and user C
device 306. When the call between user A device 202 and user C
device 306 ends, the callback module 340 initiates a call to user A
device 202. A SIP INVITE message is sent to user A device 202 with
the caller ID of user B device 204. When the user of user A device
202 answers, the user receives a dial tone as if the user has
placed the call to user B device 204. A SIP INVITE message is sent
to user B device 204 with the caller ID of user A device 202. If
the user of user B device 204 answers, the call is connected. In
some embodiments, after the current call is complete, user A device
202 automatically initiates a call to user B device 204.
[0057] Although the embodiments describe the call waiting module
322 using SIP messages to communication messages between callers,
other message types may be used, for example SMS or MMS. In some
embodiments, a DTMF tone (e.g., such as a DTMF-A, DTMF-B, DTMF-C,
DTMF-D tone) may be generated and sent to the service provider's
server. The service provider's server detects the DTMF tone and
processes the action accordingly as described above.
[0058] In another embodiment, when user A device 202 is on a call
with user C device 306, incoming messages, such as SMS or MMS
messages may be received during the call. Incoming messages are
typically displayed by a messaging application on user A device
202. However, the user of user C device 306 may send the user of
user A device 202 a photo, a hyperlink, a video, or the like that
s/he is discussing on the call. In some embodiments, the message
intercept module 324 intercepts all incoming messages. The message
intercept module 324 parses the message in order to identify the
caller ID associated with an incoming message. If the caller ID
matches the caller ID of a user with whom the user of user A device
202 is speaking, the message intercept module 324 displays the
incoming message in the mobile application 320. In some
embodiments, the incoming message may be displayed in a pop-up
window generated by the mobile application 320. If the caller ID
does not match the caller ID of a user with whom the user of user A
device 202 is speaking, the message is released and processed by a
messaging application on user A device 202.
[0059] FIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram of a method 400 for providing
informative incoming call alerts, according to one or more
embodiments of the invention. Prior to invoking method 400 a
telecommunication session is established with a first user device.
The telecommunication session may be a Voice over Internet Protocol
(VoIP) call. The telecommunication session may be between a first
VoIP device user and a second VoIP device user over an IP network,
which may be referred to as an "on-net" call. When either call leg
is not a VoIP device user, the call may be referred to as an
"off-net" call. The method 400 begins at step 402 and proceeds to
step 404.
[0060] At step 404, an incoming call is received from a second
mobile device. When the incoming call is received, call-waiting
options are displayed to the user. The call-waiting options
include, but are not limited to an option to request information
regarding whether the incoming call is urgent, and an option to
automatically callback the incoming caller upon completion of the
currently established telecommunication session. In some
embodiments, the incoming call is intercepted at a service provider
server. The service provider server determines whether the incoming
caller is on-net or off-net.
[0061] At step 406, a selection of one of the call-waiting options
is received. In some embodiments, the user may simply tap on the
option without requiring any typing on the part of the user,
thereby causing the least disruption of the user's attention to the
current call. In some embodiments, the content of the message to be
displayed may be customized by the user through the settings of the
mobile application 320. For example, a doctor may pre-set a message
to read, "911?" In other embodiments, the user may select an option
to send a more detailed message to the incoming caller device, by
selecting for example, a "Message" button. Before taking any action
regarding accepting or ignoring the incoming call, the user may
select the option to ask if the incoming call is urgent.
[0062] At step 408, a message is automatically generated and
transmitted asking if the incoming call is urgent. If the call is
an on-net call, the message may be a SIP NOTIFY message that
contains the text of the message. The message is transmitted to a
service provider server, which forwards the message to the second
mobile device. If the call is an off-net call, the message may be a
SMS message. In the event that the user chose to send a more
detailed message to the incoming caller, the message may be a SMS
message or a SIP NOTIFY message that contains the text of the
message. In embodiments where the service provider server
intercepted the incoming call, if the call is on-net, the service
provider server may send a data message to the third-party caller
asking if the call is urgent. If the call is off-net, the service
provider may send an SMS message to the third party caller.
Alternatively, the service provider server may use interactive
voice response (IVR) to interact with the third party user, for
example, with a message stating, "The other party is asking if your
call is urgent. If it is urgent press 1, if it is not urgent press
2". The service provider server intercepts the DTMF response from
the third party and sends back the correct data message to the user
indicating whether the incoming call is urgent.
[0063] At step 410, a reply to the message in received. In some
embodiments, an audible tone is sounded to indicate that the
message is received. If the call is an on-net call, the message may
be a SIP message that is received in the mobile application. The
message is parsed to identify whether the reply indicates that the
incoming call is urgent. The response is displayed on the user
device, for example, "Call urgent" or "Call not urgent". If the
call is an off-net call, the incoming messages are monitored and if
the message is determined to be from the third party caller, the
message is displayed in for example, a pop-up window generated by
the mobile application. The user may use this information to
determine how to proceed.
[0064] At step 412, a user input is received indicating whether the
user would like to accept the incoming call. If the user wishes to
accept the incoming call, then at step 414, the incoming call is
connected. The currently established call with the first mobile
device may be place on hold or ended. The incoming call with the
second mobile device proceeds to completion at which time the
method 400 proceeds to step 426 and ends.
[0065] However, if at step 412, the user input indicates the user
would not like to accept the incoming call, then at step 416, it is
determined whether the user has requested an automatic call back to
the second user device upon completion of the current call. If the
user does not wish to request an automatic callback, the method 400
proceeds to step 418, where the current call is completed and the
method 400 proceeds to step 426 and ends.
[0066] However, if at step 416, the user requests an automatic
callback to the user of the second mobile device, then at step 420,
a message is generated and transmitted to the service provider
server indicating a request to setup an automatic callback. The
service provider server forwards the message to the second mobile
device for display thereby informing the second mobile device user
that the call will be returned upon completion of the current call,
as described in further detail with respect to FIG. 5 below.
[0067] At step 422, the current call is completed. In some
embodiments, when the current call is complete, the user device
initiates a call to the third party caller. In some embodiments,
where the callback to the third party is initiated by a service
provider, at step 424, an incoming call is received indicating the
user of the second mobile device as the caller identifier. Upon
accepting the call, a call is established with the second mobile
device. The method 400 ends at step 426.
[0068] FIG. 5 depicts a flow diagram of method 500 for automatic
callbacks, according to one or more embodiments of the invention.
The method 500 is performed by a service provider server. The
method 500 starts at step 502 and proceeds to step 504.
[0069] At step 504, a request is received from a first mobile
device for an automatic callback to a second mobile device. The
callback request is a call-waiting option provided to a user when
an incoming call is received from a third party while the user is
engaged in a telecommunication session with another caller.
[0070] At step 506, a message is generated and transmitted to the
second mobile device indicating that the call will be returned upon
completion of the current call. The message may be a SIP NOTIFY
message. If the call is an off-net call, the message may be an SMS
message as described above.
[0071] At step 508, the request is stored in a callback database.
Information needed for the callback is stored including, but not
limited to the device information from where the request was
received (i.e., the first mobile device) and the device information
of the second mobile device.
[0072] At step 510, the current call in which the user is engaged
is monitored. The server monitors the current call to determine
when the call has ended. At step 512, it is determined whether the
current call has ended. If the call has not ended, the method
proceeds to step 510 and iterates until at step 512 it is
determined that the current call has ended at which time the method
500 proceeds to step 514.
[0073] At step 514, the server initiates a call to the first mobile
device. The call may be a SIP INVITE message or a PUSH notification
using the caller ID of the second user device. When the user of the
first mobile device answers, s/he receives a dial tone generated,
for example, with interactive voice response (IVR). At step 516, it
is determined whether the call was accepted. If the call was not
accepted, the method 500 proceeds to step 520 and ends. However, if
at step 516 the call is accepted on the second user device, then at
step 518, the call is established with the second user device. The
method 500 ends at step 520.
[0074] FIG. 6 depicts a flow diagram of a method 600 for displaying
incoming messages from people with whom a user is speaking,
according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.
Prior to invoking the method 600, a call is established with a
first mobile device. The method 600 starts at step 602 and proceeds
to step 604.
[0075] At step 604, a message application is monitored for incoming
messages. The message application may be part of an over-the-top
telecommunication or a native messaging application. The message
may be a SMS or MMS message, an email message, or any type of
message. For example, the message may be a link to a website, a
phone number, an address, a contact, an image, or the like.
Listener programs, such as, SMS Listener for ANDROID, may be
utilized to monitor incoming messages.
[0076] At step 606, an incoming message is intercepted. The message
may include a message identifier as well as the content of the
incoming message. The identifier is extracted from the incoming
message.
[0077] At step 608, it is determined whether the incoming message
is from a person with whom the user is speaking (i.e., a callee).
The message identifier is compared to the user identifier of the
person (or persons) with whom the user is speaking. The message
identifier may also be compared to contact information (e.g., phone
number, email address, home address) extracted from an address book
on the user device. If the message identifier does not correspond
to the caller identifier of a callee, then at step 612, the message
is released back to the messaging application of the mobile device.
However, if the message identifier corresponds to an identifier of
a callee, then at step 610, the message is displayed in the mobile
application of the user device. The user may then interact with the
displayed message by, for example, clicking on a link, expanding an
image, copying content, and the like. The message is also
accessible via the messaging application, thereby providing access
to the user at a later time. Additionally, the user may send a
message back to the callee by selecting, for example, a button
within the mobile application that opens a message option modally
on the mobile application and enables sending content via SMS, MMS,
or other data protocol, as described above. The method 600 ends at
step 614.
[0078] FIG. 7 depicts a computer system 700 that can be utilized in
various embodiments of the present invention to implement the
computer and/or the display, according to one or more
embodiments.
[0079] Various embodiments of method and apparatus for organizing,
displaying and accessing contacts in a contact list, as described
herein, may be executed on one or more computer systems, which may
interact with various other devices. One such computer system is
computer system 700 illustrated by FIG. 7, which may in various
embodiments implement any of the elements or functionality
illustrated in FIGS. 1-6. In various embodiments, computer system
700 may be configured to implement methods described above. The
computer system 700 may be used to implement any other system,
device, element, functionality or method of the above-described
embodiments. In the illustrated embodiments, computer system 700
may be configured to implement the method 400 as
processor-executable executable program instructions 722 (e.g.,
program instructions executable by processor(s) 710) in various
embodiments.
[0080] In the illustrated embodiment, computer system 700 includes
one or more processors 710a-710n coupled to a system memory 720 via
an input/output (I/O) interface 730. Computer system 700 further
includes a network interface 740 coupled to I/O interface 730, and
one or more input/output devices 750, such as cursor control device
760, keyboard 770, and display(s) 780. In various embodiments, any
of the components may be utilized by the system to receive user
input described above. In various embodiments, a user interface may
be generated and displayed on display 780. In some cases, it is
contemplated that embodiments may be implemented using a single
instance of computer system 700, while in other embodiments
multiple such systems, or multiple nodes making up computer system
700, may be configured to host different portions or instances of
various embodiments. For example, in one embodiment some elements
may be implemented via one or more nodes of computer system 700
that are distinct from those nodes implementing other elements. In
another example, multiple nodes may implement computer system 700
in a distributed manner.
[0081] In different embodiments, computer system 700 may be any of
various types of devices, including, but not limited to, a personal
computer system, desktop computer, laptop, notebook, or netbook
computer, mainframe computer system, handheld computer,
workstation, network computer, a camera, a set top box, a mobile
device, a consumer device, video game console, handheld video game
device, application server, storage device, a peripheral device
such as a switch, modem, router, or in general any type of
computing or electronic device.
[0082] In various embodiments, computer system 700 may be a
uniprocessor system including one processor 710, or a
multiprocessor system including several processors 710 (e.g., two,
four, eight, or another suitable number). Processors 710 may be any
suitable processor capable of executing instructions. For example,
in various embodiments processors 710 may be general-purpose or
embedded processors implementing any of a variety of instruction
set architectures (ISAs). In multiprocessor systems, each of
processors 710 may commonly, but not necessarily, implement the
same ISA.
[0083] System memory 720 may be configured to store program
instructions 722 and/or data 732 accessible by processor 710. In
various embodiments, system memory 720 may be implemented using any
suitable memory technology, such as static random access memory
(SRAM), synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM), nonvolatile/Flash-type
memory, or any other type of memory. In the illustrated embodiment,
program instructions and data implementing any of the elements of
the embodiments described above may be stored within system memory
720. In other embodiments, program instructions and/or data may be
received, sent or stored upon different types of
computer-accessible media or on similar media separate from system
memory 720 or computer system 700.
[0084] In one embodiment, I/O interface 730 may be configured to
coordinate I/O traffic between processor 710, system memory 720,
and any peripheral devices in the device, including network
interface 740 or other peripheral interfaces, such as input/output
devices 750. In some embodiments, I/O interface 730 may perform any
necessary protocol, timing or other data transformations to convert
data signals from one component (e.g., system memory 720) into a
format suitable for use by another component (e.g., processor 710).
In some embodiments, I/O interface 730 may include support for
devices attached through various types of peripheral buses, such as
a variant of the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus
standard or the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard, for example.
In some embodiments, the function of I/O interface 730 may be split
into two or more separate components, such as a north bridge and a
south bridge, for example. Also, in some embodiments some or all of
the functionality of I/O interface 730, such as an interface to
system memory 720, may be incorporated directly into processor
710.
[0085] Network interface 740 may be configured to allow data to be
exchanged between computer system 700 and other devices attached to
a network (e.g., network 790), such as one or more external systems
or between nodes of computer system 700. In various embodiments,
network 790 may include one or more networks including but not
limited to Local Area Networks (LANs) (e.g., an Ethernet or
corporate network), Wide Area Networks (WANs) (e.g., the Internet),
wireless data networks, some other electronic data network, or some
combination thereof. In various embodiments, network interface 740
may support communication via wired or wireless general data
networks, such as any suitable type of Ethernet network, for
example; via telecommunications/telephony networks such as analog
voice networks or digital fiber communications networks; via
storage area networks such as Fiber Channel SANs, or via any other
suitable type of network and/or protocol.
[0086] Input/output devices 750 may, in some embodiments, include
one or more display terminals, keyboards, keypads, touchpads,
scanning devices, voice or optical recognition devices, or any
other devices suitable for entering or accessing data by one or
more computer systems 700. Multiple input/output devices 750 may be
present in computer system 700 or may be distributed on various
nodes of computer system 700. In some embodiments, similar
input/output devices may be separate from computer system 700 and
may interact with one or more nodes of computer system 700 through
a wired or wireless connection, such as over network interface
740.
[0087] In some embodiments, the illustrated computer system may
implement any of the operations and methods described above, such
as the operations described with respect to FIG. 3 and the methods
illustrated by the flowchart of FIGS. 4, 5, and 6. In other
embodiments, different elements and data may be included.
[0088] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that computer
system 700 is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit the
scope of embodiments. In particular, the computer system and
devices may include any combination of hardware or software that
can perform the indicated functions of various embodiments,
including computers, network devices, Internet appliances, PDAs,
wireless phones, pagers, and the like. Computer system 700 may also
be connected to other devices that are not illustrated, or instead
may operate as a stand-alone system. In addition, the functionality
provided by the illustrated components may in some embodiments be
combined in fewer components or distributed in additional
components. Similarly, in some embodiments, the functionality of
some of the illustrated components may not be provided and/or other
additional functionality may be available.
[0089] Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that, while
various items are illustrated as being stored in memory or on
storage while being used, these items or portions of them may be
transferred between memory and other storage devices for purposes
of memory management and data integrity. Alternatively, in other
embodiments some or all of the software components may execute in
memory on another device and communicate with the illustrated
computer system via inter-computer communication. Some or all of
the system components or data structures may also be stored (e.g.,
as instructions or structured data) on a computer-accessible medium
or a portable article to be read by an appropriate drive, various
examples of which are described above. In some embodiments,
instructions stored on a computer-accessible medium separate from
computer system 700 may be transmitted to computer system 700 via
transmission media or signals such as electrical, electromagnetic,
or digital signals, conveyed via a communication medium such as a
network and/or a wireless link. Various embodiments may further
include receiving, sending or storing instructions and/or data
implemented in accordance with the foregoing description upon a
computer-accessible medium or via a communication medium. In
general, a computer-accessible medium may include a storage medium
or memory medium such as magnetic or optical media, e.g., disk or
DVD/CD-ROM, volatile or non-volatile media such as RAM (e.g.,
SDRAM, DDR, RDRAM, SRAM, and the like), ROM, and the like.
[0090] The methods described herein may be implemented in software,
hardware, or a combination thereof, in different embodiments. In
addition, the order of methods may be changed, and various elements
may be added, reordered, combined, omitted or otherwise modified.
All examples described herein are presented in a non-limiting
manner. Various modifications and changes may be made as would be
obvious to a person skilled in the art having benefit of this
disclosure. Realizations in accordance with embodiments have been
described in the context of particular embodiments. These
embodiments are meant to be illustrative and not limiting. Many
variations, modifications, additions, and improvements are
possible. Accordingly, plural instances may be provided for
components described herein as a single instance. Boundaries
between various components, operations and data stores are somewhat
arbitrary, and particular operations are illustrated in the context
of specific illustrative configurations. Other allocations of
functionality are envisioned and may fall within the scope of
claims that follow. Finally, structures and functionality presented
as discrete components in the example configurations may be
implemented as a combined structure or component. These and other
variations, modifications, additions, and improvements may fall
within the scope of embodiments as defined in the claims that
follow.
[0091] While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the
present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention
may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and
the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.
* * * * *