Handset application interruption avoidance
View Patent ↗A wireless handset for avoiding application interruption is disclosed that comprises a processor, a first component, and a second component. The first component, when executed by the processor, supports an application interruption avoidance feature that promotes preventing an incoming voice call from interrupting an application and forwarding the voice call to a voice mail server. Optionally, the first component also supports alerting a user without interrupting the in-progress application with one of a voice mail notification and an incoming call notification. The second component, when executed by the processor, is configured to receive control inputs to activate the application interruption avoidance feature and to deactivate the application interruption avoidance feature to allow a new voice call to come to the handset. The second component is also configured to select incoming call indicators and to activate/deactivate an incoming call alert to allow/prevent display of the incoming call indicators on the handset.
1. A method for avoiding handset application interruption, comprising:
activating an application interruption avoidance service feature on a handset to prevent a voice call from interrupting an application;
starting the application on the handset;
receiving a message indicating that an incoming call is being forwarded by a coupled network element to voice mail, wherein the message is received from the coupled network element, and wherein the coupled network element is a mobile switching center (MSC); and
presenting at least one indicator associated with the incoming call being forwarded to voice mail on the handset.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising enabling and disabling presenting the incoming call indicators on the handset.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising retrieving the incoming call from a voice mail server after the application terminates, wherein the application is one of an online game, an offline game, a scheduler, a contacts list, an address book, a data downloading, and a web page browsing.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the message from the coupled wireless network element comprises receiving a called party number in the message.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein activating the application interruption avoidance service feature on the handset comprises sending one of a second data call and a second voice call to the coupled wireless network element, wherein the wireless network element is configured to route the call to the voice mail server using an unconditional call forwarding service when the application interruption avoidance service is activated.
6. The method of claim 5 , further including deactivating the application interruption avoidance service feature to allow a new voice call to come in, wherein deactivating the application interruption avoidance service feature comprises using one of the second data call and the second voice call to the coupled network element to deactivate the unconditional call forwarding to the voice mail server.