Call intercept methods, such as for customer self-support on a mobile device
AssigneeSNAPin Software Inc.
InventorsBrian Roundtree, Kevin Allan, Linda Beinikis, Keldon Rush
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for intercepting calls from a remote or mobile device for customer self-support detects when users or subscribers dial one or more predetermined numbers. If the number corresponds to one of the predetermined numbers (such as a customer support number), the phone may intercept the call and display a list of potential solutions to the subscriber's problems. Various other features and embodiments art disclosed.
Claims27
In a wireless telecommunications network, a method for providing assistance at a mobile phone, the method comprising:
- receiving at the mobile phone a user-input phone number indicating a request for instructions or information from a customer support agent at a call center coupled to the wireless telecommunications network;
- before or after placing a call to the wireless telecommunications network based on the phone number, determining that the phone number matches a particular phone number stored in the mobile phone;
- launching an application locally stored on the mobile phone, wherein the locally stored application provides a displayable list of local customer support functions upon detecting that the entered phone number matches the particular stored phone number;
- receiving a user-input selection of one of the local customer support functions on the displayed list;
- and
- providing at least one displayable screen of information in response to the received user-input selection.
A computer-readable medium whose contents cause at least one telecommunication mobile device to perform a method for intercepting a call in order to perform a local action at the mobile device, the method comprising:
- at the mobile device, detecting initiation of a phone call placed to a destination number;
- at the mobile device, determining that the destination number for the phone call matches a particular number stored within the mobile device, and wherein the determining includes determining that the particular number matches a phone number for a support call-center;
- at the mobile device, intercepting the phone call within the mobile device and re-routing control of the phone call to the mobile device before the phone call is completed;
- and
- at the mobile device, performing a local action at the mobile device based upon the re-routed phone call.
An apparatus for intercepting calls in order to perform a local action on a mobile device, the apparatus comprising:
- means for detecting initiation of a phone call placed to a destination number;
- means for determining that the destination number for the phone call matches a particular number stored within the mobile device, and wherein the determining includes determining that the particular number matches a phone number for a support call-center;
- means for intercepting the phone call within the mobile device and re-routing control of the phone call to the mobile device before the phone call is completed;
- and
- means for performing a local action at the mobile device based upon the re-routed phone call.
A method for intercepting calls on a mobile device, the method comprising:
- detecting an entered phone number and request for a phone call using the entered phone number at the mobile device;
- determining that the entered phone number matches a particular phone number stored in the mobile device;
- and wherein the determining includes determining that the particular number matches a phone number for a support call-center;
- and
- launching an application to locally provide customer support functions upon detecting that the entered phone number matches the particular stored phone number;
- wherein the detecting, the determining, and the launching are performed within the mobile device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.