Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
379207030 | Time (e.g., time of day, expiration of time period, time zone, date) | 14 |
20080267381 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TELEPHONE OPERATION IN QUIET MODE - A method and system for automatically changing the operation of signaling features in a telephone are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, a method is disclosed to provide automatic reduction in the sound volume associated with the signaling features of a telephone system, during a selected portion of a day. A user is provided with a programmable menu in communication with one or more devices associated with a telephone system. From the menu provided, the user may enter a the beginning and ending time for the “quiet mode” operation of the telephone system. In addition, the user may select the signaling features to be quieted, as well as the sound volume associated with quiet mode operation for a given signaling feature. | 10-30-2008 |
20080292083 | Call Interceptor - An apparatus for selectively allowing calls to a device, especially a facsimile machine, that may receive calls on a signal line. The apparatus detects an incoming call on the signal line and allows the incoming call to reach the device if received during an enabled time period but prevents the incoming call from reaching the device if received outside the enabled time period. The apparatus may be configured to prevent a first incoming call, detected outside said enabled period, from reaching said device and subsequently to initiate said enabled time period. | 11-27-2008 |
20080292084 | APPARATUS FOR CHANGING THE BEHAVIOR OF AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A novel apparatus and method for changing the behavior of an electronic device is provided. In an embodiment, an electronic device includes the functionality of a cellular phone, a voice mail system and a calendar application. The device is configured to use the calendar application to determine whether to direct a phone call to the user or whether to instantly direct the call to voice mail. | 11-27-2008 |
20090196410 | METHOD AND SYSTEM OF CALL TREATMENT BASED ON A CALLED PARTY CALENDAR - A method and system for coupling, e.g., via the Internet or via other data channel, calendar and scheduling information or data from a calendar and scheduling software application to a functional node of a telecommunications system such as a service platform, an application server or service control point. Alternatively, the present invention is a node coupled to a telecommunication system, the node adapted to accept calendaring and scheduling information or data from a calendar and scheduling software application, and, based on such data, control the treatment of calls made to a subscriber. In this manner, the subscriber can specify the treatment of calls placed to the subscriber based on the subscriber's calendar or scheduling software application. | 08-06-2009 |
20090207989 | Methods, Systems, and Products for Timed Ring Suppression - Systems and methods for timed ring suppression are disclosed. After a communications device receives an incoming call and the ringer is activated to produce an initial audible alert, the ringer of the communications device may be silenced for subsequent audible alerts until the calling party hangs up or until the call is further processed. | 08-20-2009 |
20090274287 | System and method for blocking mobile phone calls and messages - The mobile phone blocking system and method includes a worldwide prayer time database accessible to mobile phone service provider equipment. Electronic circuitry may be included for comparing local time of the mobile phone to a devotional prayer time in the worldwide prayer time database, wherein a comparison between the mobile phone local time and the devotional prayer time is made. Electronic circuitry is provided for interrupting mobile telephone service to the mobile phone based on a comparison result. If the mobile phone has an incoming call when the mobile telephone service is interrupted by the mobile telephone service interrupt electronic circuitry, the mobile phone is kept in a non-audible, non vibratory, non-visually distracting, standby mode and the incoming call is diverted to an electronic mail box accessible to the user, thus allowing the user of the mobile phone to continue devotional activities without being interrupted by the incoming call. | 11-05-2009 |
20090316874 | ANSWERING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF A COMMUNICATION DEVICE - A communication device having an answering system sets task names, task schedule times of one or more tasks, predetermined ring settings when an incoming call is received during one of the task schedule times, and setting predetermined recorded message. The answering system is configured for determining if the incoming call is received during one of the task schedule times, ringing using the predetermined ring setting if the incoming call is received during one of the task schedule times, replying to the incoming call with the predetermined recorded message if the incoming call is received during one of the task schedule times and if the incoming call has not been answered. | 12-24-2009 |
20100091969 | Systems and Methods to Disable a Call Block - A computer implemented method includes outputting a dial tone from a call block system. The dial tone indicates to a calling party that a call block feature is enabled for a party. The computer implemented method includes storing messages for the party when the call block feature is enabled. | 04-15-2010 |
20100254525 | Apparatus and Methods for Protection From Inappropriate Phone-Dialing - What is addressed is the problem of dialing telephone numbers stored in the memory of a telephonic device at inopportune and/or inappropriate times for the contacts in question. A telephonic device's database may incorporate means for flagging selected contacts or contact phone numbers for calling-confirmation step(s) to prompt the user to ensure that an outgoing call is appropriate. Alternatively, a contact's local time and/or local time zone may be displayed when browsing a contacts list and/or upon call-initiation to the contact. The proposed solutions encompass communication devices that use buttons, switches, dials, wheels, joysticks, track sticks, trackballs, keypads, keyboards, touchpads, touch screens, voice-recognition commands, biometric-authentication devices, other input technology, or any combination thereof, and wired and wireless communication device accessories. Additionally, the proposed solutions can incorporate various contact-location technologies in order to facilitate automated determination of the current local time and/or time zone and/or vacation status for a contact. | 10-07-2010 |
20100260329 | METHOD FOR PROCESSING INCOMING CALL - A method for processing an incoming call using a communication device includes following steps. A phone number of the incoming call is detected. The phone number of the incoming call is logged. A ring duration of the incoming call is computed. The ring duration of the incoming call is compared with a predetermined time interval. If the ring duration of the incoming call is shorter than the predetermined time interval, related features are invoked thereby the incoming call is not returned. | 10-14-2010 |
20110150202 | AUTOMATIC DISCONNECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD OF A COMMUNICATION DEVICE - A system and a method for automatic disconnection of a phone call of a communication device include setting a critical time of the phone call, resetting a timer of the communication device when the communication device starts a phone call, and obtaining a local voice and a remote voice of the phone call. The system and method further include starting timing when determining both of the local voice and remote voice are inactive, and controlling the communication device to perform an auto disconnection of the phone call when the duration of inactivity exceeds the predetermined critical time. | 06-23-2011 |
20120020469 | Adaptive Mute Status Reminder - Systems and methods for providing mute status reminders are presented. The system and method includes monitoring a mute status duration upon activation of a mute status at a communication device, outputting a periodic mute reminder having an output period responsive to activation of the mute status, and adjusting the output period responsive to the mute status duration. | 01-26-2012 |
20120257738 | CONTROL OF EXECUTION TIME OF TIME-DEPENDENT SERVICES BY DEFINING DIFFERENT TIME ZONES FOR THE SUBSCRIBER'S LOCATION, THE EXECUTION SERVER, AND THE SERVICE SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION - There are services that can be invoked by the subscribers, or triggered by a network entity, and wherein this invocation or trigger may depend on date or time of the day, namely, time-dependent services. Regarding the execution of these time-dependent services, there might be two problems with the determination of the execution time. The first problem is caused by the nature of so called “Data Layered Architectures” where the service execution servers, referred to as “Front-Ends” and the database servers storing the subscriber data, referred to as “Common Directory” are geographically spread over different time zones. As a consequence, the “Front-End” executes the service according to its own time zone rather than at the time zone where the subscriber is currently located or at home. The second problem is cause by the subscriber when he is roaming in an area located in a different time zone than his home time zone. For example a Subscriber has configured a Call Forwarding Unconditional Service with a time range everyday so that all calls received in that period of time are diverted to a voice mailbox, e.g. from 19:00 to 07:00 all received calls are forwarded to the voice mailbox. Let's imagine that the Subscriber moves to a visited network some time zones away from his/her original one, for example the period of time 19:00 to 07:00 in the original time zone corresponds to 14:00 to 02:00 in the new time zone. It means that the Subscriber stops receiving call at 14:00, so an important call might be diverted to voice mailbox. But also the Subscriber begins receiving calls at 02:00, when s/he is still sleeping. So the experience is a bit annoying. The problem is solved in that a Front-Ends server executing the Service might recalculate the service (execution) time with the applicable time zone. The applicable time zone is selected from the time zone where the Subscriber is located, SLTZ, the time zone of the Server executing the service, FETZ, or the time zone of the stored service date and time, SSTZ or SDTZ. | 10-11-2012 |
20120300917 | SELECTING HOLD MUSIC CORRESPONDING TO AN EXPECTED WAITING TIME - In one embodiment of the invention, a method for selecting hold music corresponding to an expected waiting time comprises establishing a communications link with a caller; marking a first event by placing the caller on hold; determining a waiting time between the first event and a second event; selecting a media file having a parameter corresponding to the determined waiting time; playing the media file over the established communications link to the caller; and re-determining a waiting time remaining until the second event, selecting a different media file having a parameter corresponding to the re-determined waiting time, and playing the different media file over the established communications link to the caller. | 11-29-2012 |