Answering a call with client through a host

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10887400-B2
Application number	US-201715628475-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2017
Priority date	May 30, 2014
Publication date	Jan 5, 2021
Grant date	Jan 5, 2021

Abstract

A client device may be used to initiate or answer calls using a host device connected to a network. For example, when a phone operating as a host device receives an incoming call from a network, the phone may communicate the presence of the incoming call to one or more client devices such as laptop, desktop, tablet, or wearable devices that are associated with the host device. When an answer call selection is made at a client, a call answered communication may be sent from the client device to the host device. The host device may then communicate with the network to connect the call to the host, and when the call is connected, the host may hand-off the call to the client that sent the call answered communication.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of using a wearable device associated with a user account to initiate a call via a mobile device, the method comprising:
establishing, by the wearable device, a communication connection with the mobile device, the communication connection configured to share data with the mobile device, the mobile device configured to act as host for the call and to relay an audio signal associated with the call to the wearable device, via a call connection, after the call is answered by a recipient of the call, wherein the mobile device is associated with the user account that is associated with the wearable device;
receiving a recipient number for the recipient of the call;
transmitting, by the wearable device, the recipient number to the mobile device via the communication connection; and
at least in response to receiving, via the communication connection, information that identifies that the recipient answered the call:
establishing the call connection for the call with the mobile device, the call connection configured to share the audio signal between the wearable device and the mobile device; and
receiving, via relay through the call connection with the mobile device, the audio signal associated with the call.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a request to initiate the call is transmitted through the communication connection.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the communication connection or the call connection comprise a Bluetooth connection.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device comprises a cellular interface.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wearable device is configured without a cellular interface.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the recipient number is received via a touch screen of the wearable device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the wearable device, a selection of the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication connection comprises a first connection.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the call connection comprises a second connection that is different from the first connection.

10. A wearable device associated with a user account that is configured to initiate a call via a mobile device, the wearable device comprising:
a wireless interface;
a display; and
at least one processor coupled to the wireless interface and the display, the at least one processor configured to:
establish, via the wireless interface, a communication connection with the mobile device, the mobile device configured to act as host for the call and to relay an audio signal associated with the call to the wearable device, via a call connection, after the call is answered by a recipient of the call, wherein the mobile device is associated with the user account that is associated with the wearable device;
receive a recipient number for the recipient of the call;
transmit, via the communication connection, the recipient number to the mobile device; and
at least in response to receiving, via the communication connection, information that identifies that the recipient answered the call:
establish the call connection for the call with the mobile device, the call connection configured to share the audio signal between the wearable device and the mobile device; and
receive, via relay through the call connection with the mobile device, the audio signal associated with the call.

11. The wearable device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
provide, on the display, a call end interface;
receive an input to end the call at the call end interface; and
close the call connection in response to the input to end the call.

12. The wearable device of claim 11 , wherein the call is configured to continue at the mobile device after the call connection with the wearable device is closed.

13. The wearable device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to present call details on the display.

14. The wearable device of claim 13 , wherein the call details comprise caller ID information.

15. The wearable device of claim 10 , wherein the communication connection is configured to share data with the mobile device.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a wearable device associated with a user account and configured to initiate a call via a mobile device, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
establishing a communication connection with the mobile device, the mobile device configured to act as host for the call and to relay an audio signal associated with the call to the wearable device, via a call connection, after the call is answered by a recipient of the call, wherein the mobile device is associated with the user account that is associated with the wearable device;
receiving a recipient number for the recipient of the call;
transmitting, via the communication connection, the recipient number to the mobile device; and
at least in response to receiving, via the communication connection, information that identifies that the recipient answered the call:
establishing the call connection for the call with the mobile device, the call connection configured to share the audio signal between the wearable device and the mobile device; and
receiving, via relay through the call connection with the mobile device, the audio signal associated with the call.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving a call end instruction, from the mobile device, over the communication connection; and
closing the call connection in response to the call end instruction.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the call connection comprises a peer-to-peer connection.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the communication connection comprises a short-range wireless connection.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the communication connection is configured to share data with the mobile device.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Rauenbuehler Keith W
• Bernardo Jason Adam
• Fraioli Nicholas M
• Chandok Gurtej Singh
• Garrido Christopher M
• Jansen Thomas

Classifications

• H04M1/006 Primary

  Call diverting means · CPC title

• H04M1/724

  User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones · CPC title

• H04M1/72412

  using two-way short-range wireless interfaces · CPC title

• H04M3/42263

  where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism · CPC title

• H04L67/10

  in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) · CPC title