Transparent fax call processing in a mobile device
Methods and apparatus are described for transparently processing a fax transmission by a fax software program in a mobile device. In one embodiment, the fax software program identifies an incoming call at the mobile device. Upon the identification, the program prevents a display screen of the mobile device from outputting an incoming call ringing alert. The program answers the incoming call and analyzes the call to detect whether the answered call is a voice call. Upon detecting that the answered incoming call is a voice call, the program outputs the incoming call ringing alert via the display screen. Otherwise, if the answered incoming call is a fax transmission, the program merges the call with a fax server, such that the fax server receives the fax transmission. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
1. A method performed by a processor executing a fax software program in a mobile device comprising:
identifying, by the fax software program, an incoming call at the mobile device;
upon identifying the incoming call, preventing, by the program, a display screen of the mobile device from outputting an incoming call ringing alert;
answering, by the program, the identified incoming call;
analyzing, by the program, the answered incoming call to detect whether the answered incoming call is a voice call; and
upon detecting that the answered incoming call is the voice call, outputting, by the program, the incoming call ringing alert via the display screen.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein outputting the alert comprises activating a display screen that displays a graphical user interface (GUI) of an incoming call ringing screen.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the incoming call ringing screen provides the user with 1) a first option to pick up the answered incoming call, and 2) a second option to conference the answered incoming call with a voicemail service.
4. The method of claim 2 further comprising entering a transparent mode based on a user-configurable setting, that prevents the incoming call ringing alert from being outputted, until the answered incoming call is detected as being the voice call.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device includes a speaker, wherein outputting the alert comprises playing back, through the speaker, a ring tone that provides the user an indication that the answered incoming call has not been picked up by the user.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising placing the answered identified incoming call on hold, while the incoming call is analyzed and while the alert is outputted.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the incoming call is from an originating device, wherein placing the answered identified incoming call on hold comprises transmitting a ringing tone to the originating device, while the alert is outputted.
8. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored therein instructions to be executed by a mobile device, the instructions when executed by the mobile device cause the mobile device to
identify an incoming call at the mobile device;
answer, without immediate user input, the incoming call to receive a downlink communications signal;
analyze the received downlink communications signal to detect whether the signal indicates that the incoming call is a fax transmission; and
upon detecting that the answered incoming call is a fax transmission, place an outgoing call to a fax server.
9. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the memory stores additional instructions that when executed by the mobile device cause the mobile device to prevent a display screen of the mobile device from showing an incoming call ringing screen, upon identifying the incoming call.
10. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the display screen is further prevented from showing the incoming call ringing screen while the mobile device answers the identified incoming call, analyzes the received downlink communications signal, and places the outgoing call to the fax server.
11. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the memory stores additional instructions that when executed by the mobile device cause the mobile device to
conference the incoming call with the outgoing call to the fax server such that the fax transmission is received by the fax server;
receive a notification from the fax server that indicates a fax message of the fax transmission is available to be viewed; and
display a fax message received notification screen on the display screen of the mobile device.
12. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 ,
wherein the memory further stores a fax list having a set of stored telephone numbers that indicate which fax transmissions are to be sent to the fax server,
wherein the memory stores additional instructions that when executed by the mobile device cause the mobile device to compare an originating telephone number to the set of stored telephone numbers, to determine whether the originating telephone number matches a particular telephone number in the fax list, and
wherein, upon determining a match, the mobile device places the outgoing call to the fax server.
13. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the memory stores additional instructions that when executed by the mobile device cause the mobile device to place the answered incoming call on hold by muting a microphone of the mobile device that is configured to capture ambient sound at the mobile device.
14. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions that analyze the received downlink communications signal and place the outgoing call are executed while the answered call is placed on hold.
15. A mobile device comprising
a processor; and
memory having stored therein instructions that when executed by the processor cause the mobile device to
identify an incoming call being received by the mobile device;
without alerting a user of the mobile device that an incoming call has been identified, answer the incoming call;
analyze the answered incoming call to determine whether the incoming call is a fax transmission or a voice call
upon a determination that the answered incoming call is a voice call, output an incoming call ringing alert; and
upon a determination that the answered incoming call is a fax transmission, 1) placing an outgoing call to a fax server, and 2) conferencing the answered incoming call with the outgoing call to the fax server.
16. The mobile device of claim 15 further comprising a speaker, a display screen, and a vibration motor, wherein the instructions to output the alert cause the mobile device to
display, on the display screen, a graphical user interface (GUI) that notifies the user of the incoming call;
playback, through the speaker, a ring tone that provides the user an indication that the answered voice call is to be picked up by the user; or
activate the vibration motor to cause the mobile device to vibrate.
17. The mobile device of claim 16 , wherein the display screen is a touch-sensitive display screen, wherein the GUI includes 1) a first selectable option to pick up the answered voice call, and 2) a second selectable option to conference the answered voice call with a voicemail service.
18. The mobile device of claim 17 , wherein the voicemail service is either a voicemail application stored in memory and executed by the mobile device, or a voicemail server accessible over the Internet.
19. The mobile device of claim 15 further comprising a microphone for capturing ambient sound of the mobile device, wherein the memory stores additional instructions that when executed by the mobile device cause the mobile device to place the answered incoming call on hold by muting the microphone.
20. The mobile device of claim 19 , wherein the instructions that analyze the answered incoming call and output an alert to inform the user are executed while the answered call is placed on hold.