Granted Patent B2

US 8,805,328 · App. 11/863,174 · Granted Aug 12, 2014

Abstract

Claims (71)

1. A method for filtering incoming calls by a mobile communication device, the method being performed by one or more processors of the mobile communication device and comprising:

receiving a user input:

in response to receiving the user input, placing the mobile communications device in a priority mode for a period of time, wherein the priority mode is associated with a priority setting;

during the period of time:

receiving an incoming call from a caller;

determining a call priority of the incoming call based on an identity of the caller;

determining a threshold priority for a current time period based on the priority setting;

determining whether the threshold priority for the current time period exceeds the call priority of the incoming call by comparing the threshold priority and the call priority; and

responsive to determining that the threshold priority exceeds the call priority of the incoming call, blocking the incoming call; and

after the period of time has elapsed, terminating the priority mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

responsive to determining that the threshold priority does not exceed the call priority of the incoming call, alerting a user of the mobile communication device of the incoming call.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile communication device is a mobile phone.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the call priority of the incoming call comprises:

identifying a telephone number of the incoming call;

determining a priority level of the telephone number; and

determining the priority level of the telephone number as the call priority of the incoming call.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying a suggested priority of the incoming call, the suggested priority being set by the caller,

wherein determining the call priority of the incoming call comprises:

identifying a telephone number of the incoming call,

determining an allowable range of call priorities of the telephone number, and

determining the call priority of the incoming call based on the allowable range and the suggested priority.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the call priority of the incoming call further comprises:

responsive to the suggested priority being within the allowable range, determining the suggested priority as the call priority.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the call priority of the incoming call further comprises:

responsive to the suggested priority exceeding a maximum allowable priority level of the allowable range, determining the maximum allowable priority level as the call priority.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the call priority of the incoming call further comprises:

responsive to a minimum allowable priority level of the allowable range exceeding the suggested priority, determining the minimum allowable priority level as the call priority.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein blocking the incoming call comprises:

determining time periods during which the incoming call would not be blocked based on the priority schedule;

generating a message identifying the time periods; and

sending the message to the caller.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the priority schedule is imported from an external source.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium with stored instructions, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a user input;

in response to receiving the user input, activating a priority mode for a period of time, wherein the priority mode is associated with a priority setting;

during the period of time:

receiving an incoming call from a caller;

determining a call priority of the incoming call based on an identity of the caller;

determining a threshold priority for a current time period based on the priority setting;

determining whether the threshold priority for the current time period exceeds the call priority of the incoming call by comparing the threshold priority and the call priority; and

responsive to determining that the threshold priority exceeds the call priority of the incoming call, blocking the incoming call; and

after the period of time has elapsed, terminating the priority mode.

12. A mobile computing device comprising:

a radio unit configured to communicate with a network;

a memory resource configured to store instructions; and

a processing unit coupled to the radio unit and the memory resource, the processing unit configured to execute the instructions, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processing unit to:

receive a user input;

in response to receiving the user input, place the mobile computing device in a priority mode for a period of time, wherein the priority mode is associated with a priority setting;

during the period of time:

receive an incoming call from a caller;

determine a call priority of the incoming call based on an identity of the caller;

determine a threshold priority for a current time period based on the priority setting;

determining whether the threshold priority for the current time period exceeds the call priority of the incoming call by comparing the threshold priority and the call priority; and

responsive to determining that the threshold priority exceeds the call priority of the incoming call, block the incoming call; and

after the period of time has elapsed, terminate the priority mode.

13. The mobile computing device of claim 12 , wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processing unit to alert a user of the incoming call in response to determining that the threshold priority does not exceed the call priority.

14. The mobile computing device of claim 12 , wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processing unit to identify a suggested priority of the incoming call, the suggested priority being set by the caller.

15. The mobile computing device of claim 14 , wherein determining the call priority of the incoming call comprises:

identifying a telephone number of the incoming call;

determining an allowable range of the telephone number;

determining the call priority of the incoming call based on the allowable range of call priorities and the suggested priority; and

responsive to the suggested priority being within the allowable range, determining the suggested priority as the call priority.

16. A method for filtering incoming calls by a mobile communication device, the method being performed by one or more processors of the mobile communication device and comprising:

receiving an incoming call from a caller;

identifying a suggested priority of the incoming call, the suggested priority being set by the caller;

determining a call priority of the incoming call based on an identity of the caller, wherein determining the call priority of the incoming call comprises: (i) identifying a telephone number of the incoming call, (ii) determining an allowable range of call priorities of the telephone number, and (iii) in response to the suggested priority being within the allowable range of call priorities, determining the suggested priority as the call priority;

determining a threshold priority for a current time period based on the priority schedule;

determining whether the threshold priority for the current time period exceeds the call priority of the incoming call by comparing the threshold priority and the call priority; and

responsive to determining that the threshold priority exceeds the call priority of the incoming call, blocking the incoming call.

Assignments (9)