User-selectable status indication for cellular communications devices

1. A system for providing a status of a user to incoming callers, the system comprising:

a cellular communications device for providing at least one user-selected status, said communications device including a plurality of distinct status;

a server for receiving the user-selected status from the cellular communications device prior to receiving incoming calls, wherein incoming calls are directed to the server if the user-selected status indicates the user is unavailable, the server providing a message to incoming callers in accordance with the user-selected status;

means for receiving an entry from the user indicative of a status duration;

means for updating a countdown timer in correspondence with the status duration; and

means for providing an indication to the incoming callers in accordance with at least one of the status duration and the countdown timer.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a cellular network in communication with the server and the cellular communications device.

3. A system as defined in claim 2 , further comprising:

a base station in communication with the cellular network and the cellular communications device.

4. A system as defined in claim 3 , further comprising:

a wireless link communication with the base station and the cellular communications device.

5. A system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of cellular communications devices in communication with the server.

6. A system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the server is a voicemail server.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user-selected status includes an entry from the user indicative of a status duration.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the communications device or the server updates a countdown timer in correspondence with the status duration and provides an indication to incoming callers in accordance with at least one of the status duration and the countdown timer.

9. A system for providing a status of a user to incoming callers, the system comprising:

means for providing a plurality of distinct status of a user on a cellular device;

means for receiving a user-selected status from a user of the cellular communications device prior to receiving the incoming calls;

means for transmitting the user-selected status of the user to a server prior to receiving the incoming calls, wherein when the incoming calls are received, further comprising:

means for directing incoming calls for the user to the server if the pre-selected status indicates the user is not available;

means for providing a message to the incoming callers in accordance with the user-selected status of the user;

means for receiving an entry from the user indicative of a status duration;

means for updating a countdown timer in correspondence with the status duration: and

means for providing an indication to the incoming callers in accordance with at least one of the status duration and the countdown timer.

10. A system as defined in claim 9 , wherein the plurality of distinct status comprises Available, In a Meeting, In the Car, On a Plane, In Class, Out of Cellular Service Area, and Back in a certain number of Minutes.

11. A system as defined in claim 9 , further comprising means for receiving an entry from the user indicative of a status duration.

12. A system as defined in claim 9 wherein the means for providing the plurality of statuses comprises a means for displaying a menu interface on the cellular communications device.

13. A system as defined in claim 9 , further comprising means for automatically disabling a ringer for status other than the Available status.

14. A system as defined in claim 9 wherein the server comprises a voicemail server.

15. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for providing a user-selectable status indication to incoming callers, the method steps comprising:

providing a plurality of status selectable by a user on a cellular communications device;

receiving a user-selected status from a user of the cellular communications device prior to receiving the incoming calls;

transmitting the user-selected status to a server prior to receiving the incoming calls, wherein when the incoming calls are received and the user-selected status indicates the user is not available, further comprising:

directing the incoming calls for the user to the server; and

informing the incoming callers in accordance with the user's status selection;

the method steps further comprising:

receiving an entry from the user indicative of a status duration;

updating a countdown timer in correspondence with the status duration; and

providing an indication to the incoming caller in accordance with at least one of the status duration and the countdown timer.

16. A program storage device as defined in claim 15 wherein the plurality of status comprises Available, In a Meeting, In the Car, On a Plane, is In Class, Out of Cellular Service Area, and Back in a certain number of Minutes.

17. A program storage device as defined in claim 15 , the method steps further comprising receiving an entry from the user indicative of a status duration.

18. A program storage device as defined in claim 15 wherein the method step of providing the plurality of status comprises the method step of displaying a menu interface on a display of the cellular communications device.

19. A program storage device as defined in claim 15 , the method steps further comprising automatically disabling a ringer for a status other than the Available status.

20. A program storage device as defined in claim 15 wherein the server comprises a voicemail server.

21. A method for providing a user-selectable status indication to incoming callers, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of user-selectable statuses on a cellular communications device;

receiving a user-selected status selection from a user of the cellular communications device prior to receiving the incoming calls;

transmitting the user's status selection to a server prior to receiving the incoming calls, wherein when the incoming calls are received and the user-selected status indicates the user is not available, further comprising:

directing the incoming calls for the user to the server; and

providing an indication to the incoming callers in accordance with the user's status selection; the method further comprising the steps of:

receiving an entry from the user indicative of a status duration;

updating a countdown timer in correspondence with the status duration; and

providing an indication to the incoming callers in accordance with at least one of the status duration and the countdown timer.

22. A method as defined in claim 21 wherein the plurality of user-selectable statuses comprises Available, In a Meeting, In the Car, On a Plane, In Class, Out of Cellular Service Area, and Back in a certain number of Minutes.

23. A method as defined in claim 21 , further comprising receiving an entry from the user indicative of a status duration.

24. A method as defined in claim 21 wherein the step of providing the plurality of statuses comprises displaying a menu interface on the display of the cellular communications device.

25. A method as defined in claim 21 , further comprising automatically disabling a ringer for a user-selected status other than the Available status.

26. A method as defined in claim 21 wherein the server comprises a voicemail server.

27. A system for providing a status of a user to incoming callers, the system comprising:

means for providing a plurality of distinct status of a user on a cellular device;

means for receiving a status from a user of the cellular communications device;

means for transmitting the status of the user to a server;

means for directing an incoming call for the user to the server if the status indicates the user is not available;

means for providing an indication to the incoming caller of the status of the user;

means for receiving an entry from the user indicative of a status duration;

means for updating a countdown timer in correspondence with the status duration; and

means for providing an indication to the incoming caller in accordance with at least one of the status duration and the countdown timer.

28. A system as defined in claim 27 , wherein the means for providing the plurality of statuses comprises a means for displaying a menu interface on the cellular communications device.

29. A system as defined in claim 27 , further comprising means for automatically disabling a ringer for status other than the Available status.

30. A system as defined in claim 27 , wherein the server comprises a voicemail server.