# US 7,609,659 B2 · Systems and methods for facilitating communication over a plurality of communication mediums

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- Number: US 7,609,659 B2
- Document ID: US7609659B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/913,879
- Filed: 2004-08-06
- Published: 2006-02-09
- Granted: 2009-10-27
- Earliest claimed: 2004-08-06
- Assignees: Research In Motion Limited
- Inventors: Ahmed E. Hassan; Denny K. Chiu; J. F. (Sean) Wilson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7609659B2

## CPC

- H04L 51/58: Message adaptation for wireless communication
- H04W 76/15: Setup of multiple wireless link connections
- H04W 4/18: Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
- H04W 88/06: adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

A processor-implemented method facilitates communication over a plurality of communication mediums by identifying interlocutors in a first communication and searching contact data to determine whether the interlocutors identified have an associated communication capability over a second communication medium. A second communication between the interlocutors determined to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium may be established.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A processor-implemented method for facilitating communication over a plurality of communication mediums for a plurality of interlocutors, wherein the plurality of interlocutors communicate in a first communication over a first communication medium, comprising:
receiving an indication at a mobile device to facilitate a second communication over a second communication medium for the first communication over the first communication medium;
identifying, at the mobile device, interlocutors in the first communication over the first communicating medium in response to the indication;
accessing contact data on the mobile device that includes communication contact data corresponding to the plurality of communication mediums and the plurality of interlocutors;
determining, based on the contact data on the mobile device, whether the interlocutors identified have an associated communication capability over the second communication medium;
establishing at the mobile device the second communication between the interlocutors determined to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium; and
sending a communication exclusion notification from the mobile device during the first communication to an interlocutor at a second mobile device determined not to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium, the communication exclusion notification including communication contact data for the second communication medium that enables the interlocutor determined not to have the associated communication capability to establish a communication with the mobile device over the second communication medium.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication medium is an e-mail medium, and wherein identifying the interlocutors in the first communication over the first communicating medium comprises identifying addressed e-mail addresses.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein determining, based on the contact data, whether the interlocutors identified have an associated communication capability over the second communication medium comprises:
searching communication contact data associated with each of the addressed e-mail addresses; and
determining if the contact data associated with each of the addressed e-mail addresses includes communication contact data for the second communication medium.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the second communication medium comprises a telecommunication medium, and the communication contact data comprises a telephone number.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the communication exclusion notification comprises the telephone number.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the communication exclusion notification comprises communication contact data for the communication medium.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein sending a communication exclusion notification to an interlocutor determined not to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium comprises sending the communication exclusion notification to the interlocutor over the first communication medium.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication to facilitate a second communication over a second communication medium for a first communication over a first communication medium comprises receiving a second communication medium selection from one of the interlocutors.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the first communication medium comprises an e-mail medium;
the second communication medium comprises a telephonic medium;
the communication contact data associated with the first communication medium comprises an e-mail address; and
the communication contact data associated with the second communication medium comprises a telephone number.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the telephone number corresponds to a conference call number, and wherein establishing the second communication between the interlocutors determined to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium comprises automatically placing a call to the conference call number for each of the interlocutors determined to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising sending a communication exclusion notification over the first communication medium to an interlocutor determined not to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium, the communication exclusion notification including the conference call number.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the telephone number corresponds to a interlocutor phone number, and wherein establishing the second communication between the interlocutors determined to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium comprises automatically placing a call to the interlocutor phone number for each of the interlocutors determined to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the first communication medium comprises a telephonic medium;
the second communication medium comprises an e-mail medium;
the communication contact data associated with the first communication medium comprises telephone numbers; and
the communication contact data associated with the second communication medium comprises e-mail addresses.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication medium comprises a data communication network, and the second communication medium comprises a voice communication network.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second communication mediums comprise data communication networks, and wherein the communication contact data associated with the first communication medium comprises an e-mail address and the communication contact data associated with the second communication medium comprises an PIN associated with a mobile communication device.

### Claim 16

A system for facilitating communication over a plurality of communication mediums for a plurality of interlocutors, comprising:
means for receiving at a mobile device an indication to facilitate a second communication over a second communication medium for the first communication over the first communication medium;
means for identifying, at the mobile device, interlocutors in the first communication over the first communicating medium in response to the indication;
means for accessing contact data on the mobile device that includes communication contact data corresponding to the plurality of communication mediums and the plurality of interlocutors;
means for determining, based on the contact data on the mobile device, whether the interlocutors identified have an associated communication capability over the second communication medium;
means for establishing at the mobile device the second communication between the interlocutors determined to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium; and
means for sending a communication exclusion notification from the mobile device during the first communication to an interlocutor at a second mobile device determined not to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium, the communication exclusion notification including communication contact data for the second communication medium that enables the interlocutor determined not to have the associated communication capability to establish a communication with the mobile device over the second communication medium.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the first communication medium comprises a data communication medium, and the second communication medium comprises a voice communication medium.

### Claim 18

A system for switching communication mediums for a plurality of interlocutors in a communication exchange, comprising:
a mobile communication device comprising a processing subsystem, a memory subsystem, a display subsystem, a communication subsystem, and an input/output subsystem, the processing subsystem coupled to the memory subsystem, display subsystem, input/output subsystem and communication subsystem, and operable to store and retrieve data in the memory subsystem, to execute instructions stored in the memory subsystem, receive input data from the input/output subsystem, and to cause the communication subsystem to transmit and receive communication data over a plurality of communication mediums; and
mobile device program code comprising program instructions executable by the processing subsystem and stored in the memory subsystem and upon execution cause the mobile device to be operable to:
receive an indication to switch a first communication over a first communication medium from the first communication medium to a second communication medium;
identify interlocutors in the first communication over the first communicating medium in response to the indication;
access contact data comprising communication contact data corresponding to a plurality of communication mediums and a plurality of interlocutors to determine whether the interlocutors identified have an associated communication capability over the second communication medium; and
establish the second communication between the interlocutors determined to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium;
wherein the mobile device program code comprises further instructions that upon execution causes the mobile device to be operable to issue a communication exclusion notification from the mobile device during the first communication to an interlocutor at a second mobile device determined not to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium, the communication exclusion notification including communication contact data for the second communication medium that enables the interlocutor determined not to have the associated communication capability to establish a communication with the mobile device over the second communication medium.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the first communication medium is an e-mail medium, and wherein the communication exclusion notification comprises an e-mail message.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the second communication medium comprises a telephonic medium and the second communication comprises a conference call.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The system of claim 20, wherein the communication exclusion notification comprises a telephone number for the conference call.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein the first communication medium is an e-mail medium, and wherein the communication exclusion notification comprises an e-mail message.

### Claim 23 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein:
the first communication medium comprises an e-mail medium;
the second communication medium comprises a telephonic medium;
the communication contact data associated with the first communication medium comprises an e-mail address; and
the communication contact data associated with the second communication medium comprises a telephone number.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, wherein the telephone number corresponds to a conference call number, and wherein the program code comprise further instructions that upon execution causes the mobile device to establish the second communication between the interlocutors determined to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium comprises program code that upon execution causes the mobile device to automatically place a call to the conference call number for each of the interlocutors determined to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The system of claim 24, wherein the program code comprises further instructions that upon execution cause the mobile device to send a communication exclusion e-mail notification over the first communication medium to an interlocutor determined not to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium, the communication exclusion e-mail notification including the conference call number.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, wherein the telephone number corresponds to a conference call number, and wherein the program code comprise further instructions that upon execution causes the mobile device to establish the second communication between the interlocutors determined to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium comprises program code that upon execution causes the mobile device to automatically place a call to the interlocutor phone number for each of the interlocutors determined to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium.

### Claim 27 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the contact data comprises an address book data store stored in the memory subsystem.

### Claim 28 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the first communication medium comprises a data communication network, and the second communication medium comprises a voice communication network.

### Claim 29

A system for facilitating communication over communication mediums for a plurality of interlocutors in a communication exchange, comprising:
a communication monitor comprising a processing subsystem, a memory subsystem, a display subsystem, a communication subsystem, the processing subsystem coupled to the memory subsystem and communication subsystem, and operable to store and retrieve data in the memory subsystem, to execute instructions stored in the memory subsystem, and to cause the communication subsystem to monitor communications over a over a plurality of communication mediums; and
communication monitor program code comprising program instructions executable by the processing subsystem and stored in the memory subsystem and upon execution cause the communication monitor to be operable to:
receive an indication to facilitate a second communication over a second communication medium for a first communication over a first communication medium;
identify interlocutors in the first communication over the first communicating medium in response to the indication;
access contact data comprising communication contact data corresponding to a plurality of communication mediums and a plurality of interlocutors to determine whether the interlocutors identified have an associated communication capability over the second communication medium;
establish the second communication between the interlocutors determined to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium; and
issue a communication exclusion notification from the mobile device during the first communication to an interlocutor at a second mobile device determined not to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium the communication exclusion notification including communication contact data for the second communication medium that enables the interlocutor determined not to have the associated communication capability to establish a communication with the mobile device over the second communication medium.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The system of claim 29, wherein the first communication medium is an e-mail medium, and wherein the communication exclusion notification comprises an e-mail message.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The system of claim 30, wherein the communication monitor is operable to monitor communications over a plurality of mobile communication devices.

### Claim 32 (depends on 29)

The system of claim 29, wherein the second communication medium comprises a telephonic medium and the second communication comprises a conference call.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The system of claim 32, wherein the program code comprises further instructions that upon execution cause the communication monitor to issue a communication exclusion notification to an interlocutor determined not to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The system of claim 33, wherein the first communication medium is an e-mail medium, and wherein the communication exclusion notification comprises an e-mail message.

### Claim 35 (depends on 34)

The system of claim 34, wherein the communication exclusion notification includes a telephone number for accessing the conference call.

### Claim 36 (depends on 29)

The system of claim 29, wherein the first communication medium comprises a data communication network, and the second communication medium comprises a voice communication network.

### Claim 37 (depends on 29)

The system of claim 29, wherein the communication monitor program code comprises further instructions that upon execution cause the communication monitor to store the contact data comprising communication contact data corresponding to a plurality of communication mediums and a plurality of interlocutors.

### Claim 38

A processor-implemented method for facilitating communication via a plurality of communication modes for a plurality of communication users, comprising:
receiving an indication at a mobile device to accommodate a first communication over a first communication mode by a second communication over a second communication mode;
identifying, at the mobile device, communication users in the first communication over the first communication mode in response to the indication;
accessing contact data on the mobile device comprising communication contact data corresponding to a plurality of communication modes and a plurality of communication users to determine whether the communication users identified have an associated communication capability over the second communication mode; and
establishing at the mobile device the second communication between the communication users determined to have the associated communication capability over the second communication mode; and
sending a communication mode notification from the mobile device during the first communication to a communication user at a second mobile device determined not to have the associated communication capability over the second communication mode, the communication mode notification including communication contact data for the second communication mode that enables the interlocutor determined not to have the associated communication capability to establish a communication with the mobile device over the second communication mode.

### Claim 39 (depends on 38)

The method of claim 38, wherein the first communication mode comprises an e-mail communication, and wherein identifying the communication users in the first communication comprises identifying addressed e-mail addresses.

### Claim 40 (depends on 39)

The method of claim 39, wherein the second communication mode comprises a telecommunication communication, and the communication contact data comprises a telephone number.

### Claim 41 (depends on 39)

The method of claim 39, wherein receiving an indication to accommodate a first communication over a first communication mode by a second communication over a second communication mode comprises receiving a second communication mode selection from one of the communication users.

### Claim 42 (depends on 38)

The method of claim 38, wherein the first communication mode comprises a data communication mode, and the second communication mode comprises a voice communication mode.

### Claim 43 (depends on 38)

The method of claim 38, wherein the first and second communication modes comprise data communication modes.

### Claim 44

A system for facilitating communication via a plurality of communication modes for a plurality of communication users, comprising:
means for receiving an indication at a mobile device to accommodate a first communication over a first communication mode by a second communication over a second communication mode;
means for identifying, at the mobile device, communication users in the first communication over the first communication mode in response to the indication;
means for accessing contact data on the mobile device comprising communication contact data corresponding to a plurality of communication modes and a plurality of communication users to determine whether the communication users identified have an associated communication capability over the second communication mode; and
means for establishing an the mobile device the second communication between the communication users determined to have the associated communication capability over the second communication mode; and
means for sending a communication mode notification from the mobile device during the first communication to a communication user at a second mobile device determined not to have the associated communication capability over the second communication mode, the communication mode notification including communication contact data for the second communication mode that enables the interlocutor determined not to have the associated communication capability to establish a communication with the mobile device over the second communication mode.

### Claim 45

A processor-implemented method for facilitating communication over a plurality of communication mediums for a plurality of interlocutors, comprising:
receiving at a mobile device an indication to facilitate a second communication over a second communication medium corresponding to a first communication over a first communication medium;
identifying, at the mobile device, interlocutors in the first communication over the first communicating medium in response to the indication;
determining at the mobile device for each interlocutor whether each interlocutor has a communication capability over the second communication medium;
sending a communication exclusion notification over the first communication medium from the mobile device during the first communication to each interlocutor at a second mobile device determined not to have the associated communication capability over the second communication medium, the communication exclusion notification including communication contact data for the second communication medium that enables the interlocutor determined not to have the associated communication capability to establish a communication with the mobile device over the second communication medium; and
sending from the mobile device a communication invitation notification over the first communication medium to each interlocutor identified in the first communication medium.

### Claim 46 (depends on 45)

The method of claim 45, wherein the communication invitation comprises contact data for the second communication.

### Claim 47 (depends on 46)

The method of claim 46, wherein the first communication medium is an e-mail communication, and the second communication medium is a telephone communication.

### Claim 48 (depends on 47)

The method of claim 47, wherein the contact data of the communication invitation comprises a conference call telephone number.

### Claim 49 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the first communication is a telephonic communication and the second communication is an e-mail communication.

### Claim 50 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the first communication is an e-mail communication and the second communication is a telephonic communication.