Apparatus, system and method of call notifications to active communication devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9247068-B2
Application number	US-201213534190-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2012
Priority date	Jun 27, 2012
Publication date	Jan 26, 2016
Grant date	Jan 26, 2016

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method for call notifications to active communication devices are provided. At an apparatus comprising a processor and a communication interface, a call for a first device is received via the communication interface. When is determined that a second device is active, a notification of the call is transmitted to the second device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile device comprising:
a processor; a communication interface; and one or more of: an input device; a motion sensor; at least one human-machine interface, the processor configured to:
receive, using the communication interface, a call at the mobile device, the mobile device being the mobile device the call is destined for;
monitor one or more of: the input device to determine when active typing data is received; the motion sensor to determine when motion sensor data is received; and the at least one human-machine interface to determine when human-machine interface data is received;
when one or more of active typing data, motion sensor data, and human-machine interface data is received in a given time period after the call is received, determine that the mobile device is active;
when one or more of active typing data, motion sensor data, and human-machine interface data is not received in the given time period after the call is received:
determine that the mobile device is inactive:
transmit, using the communication interface, a query to the second device;
receive, using the communication interface, a response from the second device indicating that the second device is one or more of: active; and capable of processing the call;
process the response to determine that the second device is one or more of: active; and capable of processing the call; and,
when the second device is one or more of: active; and capable of processing the call, transfer, using the communication interface, the call to the second device.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the second device is active by receiving an indication of activity from the second device.

3. The mobile device of claim 2 , wherein the indication of activity comprises one or more of respective active typing data respective motion sensor data, and respective human-machine interface data.

4. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the query comprises a request for capabilities of the second device.

5. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to: determine that the second device is both active and capable of handling the call; and, transfer the call to the second device when the second device is both active and capable of handling the call.

6. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
place the call on hold; and
transmit a notification to a calling device, the notification indicative of one or more of instructions for waiting and a wait period for answering the call.

7. A method comprising:
at a mobile device comprising; a processor; a communication interface; and one or more of: an input device; a motion sensor; at least one human-machine interface, receiving a call for the mobile device via the communication interface, the mobile device being the mobile device the call is destined for;
monitoring, at the processor, one or more of: the input device to determine when active typing data is received; the motion sensor to determine when motion sensor data is received; and the at least one human-machine interface to determine when human-machine interface data is received;
when one or more of active typing data, motion sensor data, and human-machine interface data is received in a given time period after the call is received, determining, at the processor, that the mobile device is active;
when one or more of active typing data, motion sensor data, and human-machine interface data is not received in the given time period after the call is received:
determining, at the processor, that the mobile device is inactive:
transmitting, using the communication interface, a query to the second device;
receiving, using the communication interface, a response from the second device indicating that the second device is one or more of active and capable of processing the call;
processing, at the processor, the response to determine that the second device is one or more of active and capable of processing the call; and,
when the second device is one or more of: active; and capable of processing the call, transferring, using the communication interface, the call to the second device.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising determining that the second device is active by receiving an indication of activity from one or more of the second device and a server configured to communicate with the first device and the second device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the indication of activity comprises one or more of: respective active typing data, respective motion sensor data, and respective human-machine interface data.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the query comprises a request for capabilities of the second device.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising: determining that the second device is both active and capable of handling the call; and, transferring the call to the second device when the second device is both active and capable of handling the call.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
placing the call on hold; and
transmitting a notification to a calling device, the notification indicative of one or more of instructions for waiting and a wait period for answering the call.

13. A non-transitory computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method comprising:
at a mobile device comprising; a processor; a communication interface; and one or more of: an input device; a motion sensor; at least one human-machine interface, receiving a call for the mobile device via the communication interface, the mobile device being the mobile device the call is destined for;
monitoring, at the processor, one or more of: the input device to determine when active typing data is received; the motion sensor to determine when motion sensor data is received; and the at least one human-machine interface to determine when human-machine interface data is received;
when one or more of active typing data, motion sensor data, and human-machine interface data is received in a given time period after the call is received, determining, at the processor, that the mobile device is active;
when one or more of active typing data, motion sensor data, and human-machine interface data is not received in the given time period after the call is received:
determining, at the processor, that the mobile device is inactive:
transmitting, using the communication interface, a query to the second device;
receiving, using the communication interface, a response from the second device indicating that the second device is one or more of active and capable of processing the call;
processing, at the processor, the response to determine that the second device is one or more of active and capable of processing the call; and,
when the second device is one or more of: active; and capable of processing the call, transferring, using the communication interface, the call to the second device.

Assignees

• Lazaridis Mihal
• Oliver Brian Alexander
• Bocking Andrew Douglas
• Blackberry Ltd

Inventors

• Lazaridis Mihal
• Oliver Brian Alexander
• Bocking Andrew Douglas

Classifications

• H04M3/58

  Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party (substation line holding circuits H04M1/80) · CPC title

• H04M3/42263 Primary

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

• H04M3/4288

  Notifying a called subscriber of an incoming call during an ongoing call, e.g. Call Waiting · CPC title

• H04M3/543 Primary

  Call deflection · CPC title

• H04M3/54

  Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber {(based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308)} · CPC title