Methods and apparatus for line selection in a communication device
Embodiments of an apparatus and methods for selecting a communication line from two or more lines on a communication device are described herein. The communication device comprises a display module, an input module, a line selection module, and a communication module for making a call over a network to a target recipient. In at least one broad aspect, priority rankings are determined based on a number of factors and selection of a communication line accessible at the communication device on which an outgoing call may be placed is made based on the priority rankings. A list of communication lines ordered by priority rankings may also be displayed.
1. A method of placing a call on a communication line selected from at least two communication lines associated with a mobile device on which outgoing calls are placed using the mobile device, the method comprising:
monitoring for initiation of a call to a target recipient;
upon detecting the initiation of the call to the target recipient, determining a priority ranking for each of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device;
determining a selected communication line of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device based on the priority rankings; and
placing the call to the target recipient on the determined communication line of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device;
wherein determining the priority ranking for each of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device comprises, for each of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device,
considering each of at least two factors associated with the communication line and a pre-defined weighting score for each factor,
wherein each of the at least two factors associated with the communication line comprise a factor selected from a group of determined factors consisting of: whether the communication line was last used for calling the target recipient, whether the communication line is associated with the target recipient as identified in an address book, whether the communication line is determined to be a most frequently used communication line on the device, whether the communication line is associated with a message address of one or more messages received at the device, whether the communication line is associated with a time of day, whether the communication line is associated with an appointment record, and whether the communication line is a default communication line,
tracking a tally for the communication line based on the pre-defined weighting scores of each of the at least two factors to be used to compute a total score for each communication line, and
computing the total score for the communication line wherein the total score is the priority ranking.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected communication line determined based on the priority rankings is the communication line of the at least two communications lines associated with the mobile device with the highest priority ranking.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pre-defined weighting scores are defined in accordance with a weighting scheme that depends on a context of the call to the target recipient.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying a listing that identifies each of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device, ordered by priority rankings; and
identifying a selected communication line from the listing,
wherein the determined selected communication line of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device based on the priority rankings is the identified selected communication line from the listing.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two communications lines associated with the mobile device has a call number associated therewith.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pre-defined weighting scores of each of the at least two factors are updated periodically.
7. A mobile device, wherein the mobile device provides access to at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device on which outgoing calls are placed, the mobile device comprising:
an input module programmed to monitor for initiation of a call to a target recipient;
a line selection module programmed to determine a priority ranking for each of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device, and to determine a selected communication line of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device based on the priority rankings; and
a communication module programmed to place the call to the target recipient on the determined communication line of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device;
wherein determining the priority ranking for each of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device comprises, for each of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device,
considering each of at least two factors associated with the communication line and a pre-defined weighting score for each factor,
wherein each of the at least two factors associated with the communication line comprise a factor selected from a group of determined factors consisting of: whether the communication line was last used for calling the target recipient, whether the communication line is associated with the target recipient as identified in an address book, whether the communication line is determined to be a most frequently used communication line on the device, whether the communication line is associated with a message address of one or more messages received at the device, whether the communication line is associated with a time of day, whether the communication line is associated with an appointment record, and whether the communication line is a default communication line,
tracking a tally for the communication line based on the pre-defined weighting scores of each of the at least two factors to be used to compute a total score for each communication line, and
computing the total score for the communication line wherein the total score is the priority ranking.
8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the selected communication line determined based on the priority rankings is the communication line of the at least two communications lines associated with the mobile device with the highest priority ranking.
9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the pre-defined weighting scores are defined in accordance with a weighting scheme that depends on a context of the call to the target recipient.
10. The device of claim 7 , further comprising at least one module programmed to:
display a listing that identifies each of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device, ordered by priority rankings; and
identify a selected communication line from the listing;
wherein the determined selected communication line of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device based on the priority rankings is the identified selected communication line from the listing.
11. The device of claim 7 , wherein each of the at least two communications lines associated with the mobile device has a call number associated therewith.
12. The device of claim 7 , wherein the line selection module is further programmed to:
periodically update the pre-defined weighting scores of each of the at least two factors.
13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium upon which instructions are stored for performing, on a mobile device, a method of placing a call on a communication line selected from at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device on which outgoing calls are placed using the mobile device, the method comprising:
monitoring for initiation of a call to a target recipient;
upon detecting the initiation of the call to the target recipient, determining a priority ranking for each of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device;
determining a selected communication line of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device based on the priority rankings; and
placing the call to the target recipient on the determined communication line of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device;
wherein determining the priority ranking for each of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device comprises, for each of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device,
considering each of at least two factors associated with the communication line and a pre-defined weighting score for each factor,
wherein each of the at least two factors associated with the communication line comprise a factor selected from a group of determined factors consisting of: whether the communication line was last used for calling the target recipient, whether the communication line is associated with the target recipient as identified in an address book, whether the communication line is determined to be a most frequently used communication line on the device, whether the communication line is associated with a message address of one or more messages received at the device, whether the communication line is associated with a time of day, whether the communication line is associated with an appointment record, and whether the communication line is a default communication line,
tracking a tally for the communication line based on the pre-defined weighting scores of each of the at least two factors to be used to compute a total score for each communication line, and
computing the total score for the communication line wherein the total score is the priority ranking.
14. The medium of claim 13 , wherein the selected communication line determined based on the priority rankings is the communication line of the at least two communications lines associated with the mobile device with the highest priority ranking.
15. The medium of claim 13 , wherein the pre-defined weighting scores are defined in accordance with a weighting scheme that depends on a context of the call to the target recipient.
16. The medium of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:
displaying a listing that identifies each of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device, ordered by priority rankings; and
identifying a selected communication line from the listing;
wherein the determined selected communication line of the at least two communication lines associated with the mobile device based on the priority rankings is the identified selected communication line from the listing.
17. The medium of claim 13 , wherein each of the at least two communications lines associated with the mobile device has a call number associated therewith.