Intelligent handling of message refusal
View Patent ↗An apparatus for intelligently responding when a user refuses an incoming message at a telecommunications terminal is disclosed. In the illustrative embodiments, the apparatus comprises a processor that prompts the user to optionally specify (i) one or more acceptable alternative message delivery mechanisms (e.g., email, text chat, etc.), and/or (ii) one or more alternative devices (e.g., pager, PDA, etc.) when a user refuses an incoming message. For example, a user in a noisy environment who refuses a voice telephone call might specify the following as alternative delivery mechanisms and devices: short message service (SMS) on the user's pager, text chat on the same device as the first message, and email on the user's personal digital assistant (PDA).
1. An apparatus comprising:
a receiver for receiving a first signal associated with a first message sent via a first message type addressed to a telecommunications terminal; and
a processor for prompting the sender of said first signal to send a second message via a second message type when said first signal is refused at said telecommunications terminal;
wherein said processor automatically selects said second message type from a plurality of message types based on an ambient environmental property at said telecommunications terminal.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus is a private branch exchange.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus is a central office switch.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said telecommunications terminal comprises said apparatus.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the selection of said second message type is also based on a physiological property of the user of said telecommunications terminal.
6. An apparatus comprising:
a receiver for receiving a first signal associated with a first message sent via a first message type addressed to a first telecommunications terminal; and
a processor for prompting the sender of said first signal to send a second message to a second telecommunications terminal when said first signal is refused at said first telecommunications terminal;
wherein said processor automatically selects said second telecommunications terminal from a plurality of telecommunications terminals based on an ambient environmental property at said first telecommunications terminal.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the selection of said second telecommunications terminal is also based on a physiological property of the user of said first telecommunications terminal.
8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said apparatus is a private branch exchange.
9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said apparatus is a central office switch.
10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said telecommunications terminal comprises said apparatus.