Method of and apparatus for communicating user related information using a wireless information device
View Patent ↗A mobile telephone which can supply or post ‘pre-answer’ information which the device owner considers of relevance to a potential call recipient. This information enables a potential call recipient to be given useful information about a potential call before actually answering that call. The information is dynamic, unlike Caller ID information. Examples include: information about the subject of an intended voice call, a mood, a current activity, part or whole of a schedule of meetings or events, information about the urgency of an intended voice call, personal information, expected call duration, commercial inducements to a consumer to answer a call (special offers, loyalty points etc.), location information.
1. A method comprising:
receiving a predetermined indicator on a called party's communication device, said indicator being transmitted from a calling party's communication device as part of a call between said calling party's communication device and said called party's communication device,
overriding a non-interrupt setting on said called party's communication device in response to receiving said predetermined indicator, wherein
said predetermined indicator causes an alert to be issued on said called party's communication device announcing the receipt of said predetermined indicator.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said predetermined indicator comprises an emergency flag that announces on said called party's communication device the existence of an emergency.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said predetermined indicator comprises an urgent flag that announces on said called party's communication device the existence of an urgent matter requiring prompt attention.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said non-interrupt setting comprises a call-diversion setting.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising, upon issuance of said alert, presenting the called party with an option to receive said call despite the call-diversion setting on said called party's communication device.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said non-interrupt setting comprises a call-blocking setting.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising, upon issuance of said alert, presenting the called party with an option to receive said call despite the call-blocking setting on said called party's communication device.
8. A system comprising:
a transmitter transmitting a predetermined indicator to a called party's communication device from a calling party's communication device as part of a call between said calling party's communication device and said called party's communication device, said predetermined indicator overriding a non-interrupt setting on said called party's communication device and causing an alert to be issued on said called party's communication device announcing the receipt of said predetermined indicator.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein said predetermined indicator comprises an emergency flag that announces on said called party's communication device the existence of an emergency.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein said predetermined indicator comprises an urgent flag that announces on said called party's communication device the existence of an urgent matter requiring prompt attention.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein said non-interrupt setting comprises a call-diversion setting.
12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
means for presenting the called party with an option to receive said call despite the call-diversion setting on said called party's communication device, upon issuance of said alert.
13. The system of claim 8 , wherein said non-interrupt setting comprises a call-blocking setting.
14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:
means for presenting the called party with an option to receive said call despite the call-blocking setting on said called party's communication device, upon issuance of said alert.
15. A computer readable medium storing instructions, said instructions being such that when processed by a processor configure said processor to:
receive a predetermined indicator on a called party's communication device, said indicator being transmitted from a calling party's communication device as part of a call between said calling party's communication device and said called party's communication device, and
override a non-interrupt setting on said called party's communication device in response to receiving said predetermined indicator, wherein
said predetermined indicator causes an alert to be issued on said called party's communication device announcing the receipt of said predetermined indicator.
16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein said predetermined indicator comprises an emergency flag that announces on said called party's communication device the existence of an emergency.
17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein said predetermined indicator comprises an urgent flag that announces on said called party's communication device the existence of an urgent matter requiring prompt attention.
18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein said non-interrupt setting comprises a call-diversion setting.
19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising instructions that presents the called party with an option to receive said call despite the call-diversion setting on said called party's communication device, upon issuance of said alert.
20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein said non-interrupt setting comprises a call-blocking setting.
21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 , further comprising instructions that presents the called party with an option to receive said call despite the call-blocking setting on said called party's communication device, upon issuance of said alert.
22. A communication device configured to:
participate in a call with a calling party's communication device,
receive a predetermined indicator being transmitted from said calling party's communication device as part of said call between said calling party's communication device and said communication device, and
override a non-interrupt setting on said communication device in response to receiving said predetermined indicator, wherein
said predetermined indicator causes an alert to be issued on said communication device announcing the receipt of said predetermined indicator.
23. A communication device configured to:
participate in a call with a called party's communication device, and
send a predetermined indicator to said called party's communication device as part of a call between said communication device and said called party's communication device, wherein said predetermined indicator:
overrides a non-interrupt setting on said called party's communication device, and
causes an alert to be issued on said called party's communication device announcing the receipt of said predetermined indicator.
24. A method of communicating user related information between a calling wireless information device and a receiving wireless information device, said wireless information devices being adapted to establish a voice call therebetween, said receiving wireless information device having user related information and communicating said user related information to said calling wireless information device used by said caller, wherein
said user related information is entered by said call recipient or is information of which said receiving device is aware;
said user related information being indicative of the call recipient's availability, said information further being indicative of the call recipient's desire not to be disturbed, said method further comprising the step of:
allowing said calling wireless information device to establish a call with said receiving wireless information device by overriding the user related information.