Method and Apparatus for Automatically Selecting an Outbound-Call Modality
A portable electronic device has a plurality of different outbound-call modalities. By one approach this device includes a control circuit configured to automatically select use of a particular one of the outbound-call modalities when initiating a particular call to a particular party. This automatic selection can be based, in whole or in part, upon locally-stored information and/or remotely-accessed information. By one approach the locally-stored information comprises information regarding first evaluation criteria by which relative appropriateness of using a given one of the outbound-call modalities is determined. By one approach the remotely-accessed information comprises information regarding second evaluation criteria by which relative appropriateness of using a given one of the outbound-call modalities is determined.
1 . An apparatus having a plurality of differing outbound-call modalities, the apparatus comprising:
a control circuit configured to automatically select use of a particular one of the outbound-call modalities when initiating a particular call to a particular party as a function, at least in part, of:
locally-stored information regarding first evaluation criteria by which relative appropriateness of using a given one of the outbound-call modalities is determined; and
remotely-accessed information regarding second evaluation criteria by which relative appropriateness of using a given one of the outbound-call modalities is determined.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the locally-stored information includes at least one of:
information regarding presently available outbound-call modalities;
information from a contacts list as pertains to the particular party;
information regarding at least one contact-specific call-modality preference;
information regarding at least one user-specified call-modality preference;
information regarding a call modality last used by the particular party when calling the apparatus;
information regarding available call quality for at least some of the outbound-call modalities.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the locally-stored information includes at least three of:
information regarding presently available outbound-call modalities;
information from a contacts list as pertains to the particular party;
information regarding at least one contact-specific call-modality preference;
information regarding at least one user-specified call-modality preference;
information regarding a call modality last used by the particular party when calling the apparatus;
information regarding available call quality for at least some of the outbound-call modalities.
4 . The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the locally-stored information includes each of:
information regarding presently available outbound-call modalities;
information from a contacts list as pertains to the particular party;
information regarding at least one contact-specific call-modality preference;
information regarding at least one user-specified call-modality preference;
information regarding a call modality last used by the particular party when calling the apparatus;
information regarding available call quality for at least some of the outbound-call modalities.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the remotely-accessed information includes at least one of:
information regarding calendar entries for the particular party;
information regarding at least one of date and time as pertains to the particular party;
information regarding call modalities that are commonly-registered with the particular party;
information regarding present locomotion of the particular party;
information regarding a present location of the particular party.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the remotely-accessed information includes at least three of:
information regarding calendar entries for the particular party;
information regarding at least one of date and time as pertains to the particular party;
information regarding call modalities that are commonly-registered with the particular party;
information regarding present locomotion of the particular party;
information regarding a present location of the particular party.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the remotely-accessed information includes each of:
information regarding calendar entries for the particular party;
information regarding at least one of date and time as pertains to the particular party;
information regarding call modalities that are commonly-registered with the particular party;
information regarding present locomotion of the particular party;
information regarding a present location of the particular party.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
abort use of the automatically selected outbound-call modality to initiate the particular call to the particular party in response to a detected user input.
9 . A method having a plurality of differing outbound-call modalities, the method comprising:
by a control circuit having selective use of a plurality of differing outbound-call modalities:
automatically selecting use of a particular one of the outbound-call modalities when initiating a particular call to a particular party as a function, at least in part, of:
locally-stored information regarding first evaluation criteria by which relative appropriateness of using a given one of the outbound-call modalities is determined; and
remotely-accessed information regarding second evaluation criteria by which relative appropriateness of using a given one of the outbound-call modalities is determined.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the locally-stored information includes at least one of:
information regarding presently available outbound-call modalities;
information from a contacts list as pertains to the particular party;
information regarding at least one contact-specific call-modality preference;
information regarding at least one user-specified call-modality preference;
information regarding a call modality last used by the particular party when calling the method;
information regarding available call quality for at least some of the outbound-call modalities.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the locally-stored information includes at least three of:
information regarding presently available outbound-call modalities;
information from a contacts list as pertains to the particular party;
information regarding at least one contact-specific call-modality preference;
information regarding at least one user-specified call-modality preference;
information regarding a call modality last used by the particular party when calling the method;
information regarding available call quality for at least some of the outbound-call modalities.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the locally-stored information includes each of:
information regarding presently available outbound-call modalities;
information from a contacts list as pertains to the particular party;
information regarding at least one contact-specific call-modality preference;
information regarding at least one user-specified call-modality preference;
information regarding a call modality last used by the particular party when calling the method;
information regarding available call quality for at least some of the outbound-call modalities.
13 . The method of claim 10 wherein the remotely-accessed information includes at least one of:
information regarding calendar entries for the particular party;
information regarding at least one of date and time as pertains to the particular party;
information regarding call modalities that are commonly-registered with the particular party;
information regarding present locomotion of the particular party;
information regarding a present location of the particular party.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the remotely-accessed information includes at least three of:
information regarding calendar entries for the particular party;
information regarding at least one of date and time as pertains to the particular party;
information regarding call modalities that are commonly-registered with the particular party;
information regarding present locomotion of the particular party;
information regarding a present location of the particular party.
15 . The method of claim 9 further comprising:
aborting use of the automatically selected outbound-call modality to initiate the particular call to the particular party in response to a detected user input.