PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-8363818-B2
Application Number: US-47497909-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: On-hold call monitoring systems and methods

Abstract:
Systems and methods are provided for monitoring telephone calls that are placed on hold. The telephone calls may be between user electronic devices and call centers, such as customer service departments. In some embodiments, the electronic device can monitor an on-hold telephone call using a background process, which may free up a user interface of the electronic device for one or more non-phone-related tasks. The electronic device can monitor the telephone call for an indicator that a live operator is or will soon be present on the telephone call. Responsive to detecting the indicator, the electronic device can alert the user and allow the user to take control of the telephone call. In some embodiments, the electronic device can obtain information about the call center, such as expected on-hold wait-times, to determine whether an on-hold call should be monitored.

Claims:
1. A user electronic device for monitoring on-hold calls with a call center, comprising:
 communications circuitry that receives telephone data from a telephone call with the call center; 
 a speech processor that detects hold status information from the telephone data when the telephone call is placed on hold, wherein the hold status information comprises at least one keyword indicating at least one of a place in a hold queue and an estimated amount of time until a live operator is expected; and 
 control circuitry that:
 determines, from the hold status information, whether an estimated wait-time is below a predetermined threshold; and 
 provides an alert responsive to the determining. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The user electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the alert is at least one of a visual alert, an audio alert, and a haptic alert. 
     
     
       3. The user electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry:
 receives a user request to have the user electronic device take control of the telephone call; and 
 directs the speech processor to start detecting for the hold status information in response to receiving the user request. 
 
     
     
       4. The user electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry:
 decides on whether to monitor the telephone call based on at least one of user preferences, the identity of the call center, and an expected wait-time; and 
 directs the speech processor to start detecting for the hold status information based on the deciding. 
 
     
     
       5. The user electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry:
 provides the hold status information to the user while the user is placed on hold. 
 
     
     
       6. A method of monitoring a telephone call using a user electronic device, the method comprising:
 monitoring, with the user electronic device, the telephone call using a background process while the telephone call is placed on hold process; 
 enabling, with the user electronic device, a second process to occur concurrently with the background process; 
 detecting, with the user electronic device, an indicator signaling the presence of a live operator on the telephone call; 
 determining, with the user electronic device, a status of the user electronic device; 
 selecting, with the user electronic device, an alert mode based on the status; and 
 in response to the detecting, prompting, with the user electronic device, the user to take control of the telephone call, wherein the prompting is based on the selected alert mode; 
 receiving, with the user electronic device, a user input responsive to the prompting; and 
 giving, with the user electronic device, control of the telephone call to the user. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the enabling the second process comprises:
 running, with the user electronic device, a non-phone-related task on the user electronic device. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the giving control of the telephone call comprises:
 suspending, with the user electronic device, the non-phone-related task. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the giving control of the telephone call further comprises:
 determining, with the user electronic device, that the non-phone-related task uses audio resources, wherein the suspending is performed responsive to the determining. 
 
     
     
       10. A method of detecting the presence of a live operator on a telephone call, the method comprising:
 monitoring, with a user electronic device, incoming telephone data from the telephone call for hold status information using a first set of keywords; 
 determining, with the user electronic device, whether the hold status information is detectable from the incoming telephone data based on the monitoring; and 
 processing, with the user electronic device, the incoming telephone data using an expanded set of keywords when the hold status information is not detectable based on the determining, wherein the expanded set of keywords comprises indicators indicating the live operator is present on the telephone call. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first set of keywords comprises indicators indicating at least one of a place in a hold queue and an estimated amount of time until a live operator is expected. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first set of keywords comprises at least one phrase including a number followed by a unit of time. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 in response to determining that the hold status information is detectable based on the monitoring, determining, with the user electronic device, whether the hold status information indicates an estimated wait-time; 
 continuing the monitoring, with the user electronic device, of the incoming telephone data for more hold status information when the estimated wait-time is above a predetermined threshold; and 
 alerting, with the user electronic device, the user when the estimated wait-time is below the predetermined threshold. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 detecting, with the user electronic device, a presence of at least one of the keywords from the expanded set of keywords responsive to the processing; and 
 alerting, with the user electronic device, the user responsive to the detecting. 
 
     
     
       15. A system for handling telephone calls, the system comprising:
 a database for storing call center information about a plurality of call centers; and 
 a user telephone device that:
 receives a user indication to make a telephone call to one of the call centers; 
 obtains the call center information for the one of the call centers from the database; and 
 enables on-hold monitoring based on the obtained call center information for the one of the call centers. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the call center information for the one of the call centers comprises at least one of an average on-hold wait-time for the one of the call centers, an expected on-hold wait-time for at least one department in the one of the call centers, information about quality of service provided by the one of the call centers, whether the one of the call centers includes an automated telephone system, and a review by at least one previous caller for the one of the call centers. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the database is located on the user telephone device. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the system further comprises a server remote from the user telephone device, and wherein the database is located on the server. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the user telephone device is further configured to transmit statistical information about the telephone call to the server; and 
 the server is configured to update the call center information in the database for the one of the call centers based on the statistical information. 
 
     
     
       20. A server comprising a call center database, wherein the server:
 receives statistical information from a plurality of user telephone devices about a plurality of telephone calls, wherein the telephone calls are associated with a plurality of call centers; 
 processes the statistical information to generate call center information, wherein the call center information comprises at least one average on-hold wait-time for each of the call centers; 
 stores the call center information in the call center database; 
 receives a request from one of the user telephone devices to transmit the call center information for one of the call centers to the one of the user telephone devices; and 
 transmits the call center information for the one of the call centers to the one of the user telephone devices. 
 
     
     
       21. The server of  claim 20 , wherein the statistical information comprises:
 an amount of time that each of the telephone calls was placed on hold. 
 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the status of the user electronic device is idle; and 
 the selected alert mode comprises at least one of an audio mode, a haptic mode, and a visual mode. 
 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the status of the user electronic device is active; and 
 the selected alert mode comprises at least one of a haptic mode and a visual mode. 
 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 no user input is received in response to the prompting; and 
 the method further comprises:
 in response to no user input being received, re-selecting, with the user electronic device, an alternative alert mode; and 
 in response to the re-selecting, re-prompting, with the user electronic device, the user to take control of the telephone call based on the alternative alert mode. 
 
 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the status of the user electronic device is based on the second process. 
     
     
       26. A method of monitoring a telephone call using a user electronic device, the method comprising:
 monitoring, with the user electronic device, the telephone call using a background process while the telephone call is placed on hold; 
 enabling, with the user electronic device, a second process to occur concurrently with the background process; 
 detecting, with the user electronic device, an indicator signaling the presence of a live operator on the telephone call; 
 determining, with the user electronic device, the second process occurring concurrently with the background process; 
 selecting, with the user electronic device, an alert mode based on the second process occurring concurrently with the background process; and 
 in response to the detecting, prompting, with the user electronic device, the user to take control of the telephone call, wherein the prompting is based on the selected alert mode. 
 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 26 , wherein:
 the second process occurring concurrently is a music application; and 
 the alert mode selected is an audio mode. 
 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 26 , wherein:
 the second process occurring concurrently is a game application; and 
 the alert mode selected is at least one of an audio mode and a haptic mode. 
 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 26 , wherein:
 no user input is received in response to the prompting; and 
 the method further comprises selecting, with the user electronic device, an alternative alert mode.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This is directed to systems and methods for monitoring on-hold telephone calls. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Today, many businesses provide customer service departments and other call centers so that their customers can speak with them via a telephone call. These call centers allow customers to discuss any of a variety of goods or services provided by the business. However, because numerous customers often contact a call center at approximately the same time, callers are commonly placed on hold for substantial periods of time before a live operator is available to speak with them. This can be extremely frustrating and inconvenient for the callers. 
     Moreover, users often contact call centers from their personal electronic devices, such as from a cellular telephone. Modern cellular telephones, such as the iphone™ provided by Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., are becoming more and more advanced and provide features other than telephone capabilities. For example, many modern cellular telephones allow users to play games, watch videos, or listen to music. These additional features may be inhibited or become difficult to use when the user is on a telephone call that has been placed on hold. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Accordingly, systems and methods are provided for monitoring on-hold calls and alerting users when they have been or will soon be taken off hold. 
     In some embodiments, a user electronic device can communicate with a call center via a suitable telephone network, and can receive telephone data (e.g., voice data or on-hold music) from the call center. When the electronic device is placed on hold, the electronic device can monitor the telephone data for an indicator signaling that a live operator is or will soon be present. In some embodiments, the electronic device can monitor the telephone data using a background process. This way, the electronic device can take control of the telephone call, which gives the user the opportunity to use the electronic device&#39;s user interface (e.g., audio output, display, input device, any related circuitry, or any combination thereof) for non-phone-related tasks, such as playing music, games, or videos. 
     In some embodiments, the electronic device may monitor the telephone data using a speech processor that can detect for keywords indicating that a live operator is or will soon be present on the telephone call. For example, the keywords can include words or phrases that indicate hold status information. This hold status information may be automatically generated by the call center&#39;s automated telephone system when the user is placed on hold, and can include information informing the caller of an estimated amount of time until a live operator is expected on the call or of the user&#39;s place in a hold queue. By detecting hold status information, the electronic device can determine when the user is still on hold, but will soon be taken off hold. 
     In some embodiments, the electronic device can monitor the telephone data for indicators that signal that the live operator is actually present on the telephone call, and therefore that the user is no longer on hold. For example, the indicators can include keywords, such as typical greetings (e.g., “Hello, my name is . . . ”) or other words or phrases typically spoken by call center operators. In some embodiments, the electronic device can use these keywords upon determining that hold status information is unavailable from the call center or is otherwise undetectable. The indicators can also include other non-verbal sounds or non-audible indicators signaling that the user is being connected to a live operator, such as a ringing sound. 
     Responsive to detecting an indicator that a live operator is or will soon be present, the electronic device can provide an alert to the user. The alert can be, for example, an audio alert, a haptic alert, or a visual prompt. In response to receiving a user response to the prompt or alert, the electronic device can give control of the telephone call back to the user. The user can therefore switch back from the non-phone-related task to the telephone call immediately before or after the live operator is determined to be present on the telephone call. 
     In some embodiments, the electronic device can obtain information about the call center from a database. The database can be stored locally on the electronic device or at a remote server. The call center information can include, for example, average on-hold wait-times for the call, which may be compiled and processed based on telephone calls from numerous user electronic devices. The electronic device can obtain and use the call center information in a variety ways, such as to determine whether to automatically begin monitoring an on-hold telephone call without express user request. After the telephone call, information about the telephone call can be used to update the call center information in the database. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other aspects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a communications system configured in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a user electronic device configured in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIGS. 3 and 4  are a flowchart of an illustrative process for monitoring an on-hold telephone call with a call center in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an illustrative display screen for prompting a user to enable on-hold monitoring in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIGS. 6  is an illustrative display screen for prompting a user to disable on-hold monitoring in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart of an illustrative process for enabling on-hold monitoring in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a flowchart of an illustrative process for monitoring a telephone line using speech processing in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIGS. 9 and 10  are illustrative display screens for providing hold status information to a user while a telephone call is placed on hold; 
         FIG. 11  is a flowchart of an illustrative process for handling non-phone-related applications when a live operator is or will soon be present on a telephone call; 
         FIG. 12  is a flowchart of an illustrative process for alerting a user of the presence of a live operator in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIGS. 13A-13D  are a sequence of display screens illustrating an operating scenario in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIGS. 14A-14H  are a sequence of display screens illustrating another operating scenario in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Systems and methods are provided for monitoring on-hold telephone calls. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view of illustrative communications system  100 . System  100  can include call center  102 , server  104 , and user electronic device  110 . In some embodiments, system  100  can include multiple call centers  102 , multiple servers  104 , multiple user electronic devices  110 , or a combination thereof. To prevent overcomplicating the drawing, only one of each are depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
     Call center  102  can include any establishment capable of receiving telephone calls. In some embodiments, call center  102  may be operated by a commercial enterprise that typically receives many calls each day and often places users on hold until a live operator becomes available. For example, call center  102  can include the customer service department of a service-providing company or the technical support department of an electronics-providing company. In some embodiments, call center  102  can include an automatic telephone system that plays audio to callers&#39; telephones while call center  102  keeps them on hold. For example, the audio can include on-hold music, advertisements, hold status information, or any combination thereof. The hold status information played for each caller can indicate, for example, what place in line that caller is in or the estimated number of minutes until a live operator can be expected. 
     In some embodiments, call center  102  can handle a received telephone call using an automated telephone system (e.g., with an audio menu), one or more live operators (e.g., employees of a commercial establishment), or a combination thereof. For example, the automated telephone system can direct a caller to a particular department (e.g., customer service, billing department, or technical support), which may then allow live operators within that department to receive the appropriate calls. Call center  102  may place a caller on-hold at any juncture in the telephone call, such as prior to using the automated telephone system, prior to directing a caller to a particular department, prior to speaking with the live operator of a particular department, during a conversation with the live operator, or any combination thereof. 
     Server  104  may include any of a variety of suitable types of servers that can store and provide data to user electronic device  110  (e.g., file server, database server, web server, or media server). Server  104  can include call center database  106  for storing information about various call centers, including but not limited to call center  102 . For each call center, the information can include the average amount of time a caller is placed on hold (e.g., for different departments or for different times of day), whether there is an automated telephone system, and, if so, the type of automated telephone system, information on the live operators (e.g., reviews from past callers of competence or pleasantness), and any other statistical data (or otherwise) information about the call center. For simplicity, the amount of time a caller is placed on hold may sometimes be referred to herein as the “wait-time.” 
     Server  104  can receive call center information (or data that server  104  processes to generate call center information) from call center  102 , user electronic device  110 , or both. For example, information about the automated telephone system may be distributed by call center  102 , while data on the average hold time may be gathered and processed from user electronic devices  110 . Server  104  can receive requests to download call center information from user electronic device  110  (or any other device). Responsive thereto, server  104  can locate the requested information from call center database  106  and provide the information to user electronic device  110 . 
     Call center  102  and server  104  can communicate with user electronic device  110 , or with one another, through communications network  108 . Communications network  108  can include one or more suitable wired or wireless links or networks, or combinations thereof, by which data can be exchanged between call center  102 , server  104 , and/or user electronic device  110 . In particular, to enable a telephone call to be connected between call center  102  and user electronic device  110 , communications network  108  can include any telephonic network, such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN), a mobile network (e.g., using a GSM or CDMA protocol), the Internet (e.g., for voice over IP (VOIP) protocols), or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, server  104  may also communicate with call center  102  and/or electronic device  110  using a telephone connection, or in other embodiments may use another suitable link and/or protocol. 
     Communications network  108  can include any type of link and support any suitable protocol. For example, communications network  108  can include satellite links, fiber-optic links, cable links, Internet links, or any other suitable wired or wireless links. These links may enable data transmission using any suitable communications protocol supported by the medium of communications network  108 . Such communications protocols may include, for example, Wi-Fi (e.g., a 802.11 protocol), Ethernet, Bluetooth™, radio frequency systems (e.g., 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.6 GHz communication systems), infrared, TCP/IP (e.g., the protocols used in each of the TCP/IP layers), HTTP, BitTorrent, FTP, RTP, RTSP, SSH, any other communications protocol, or any combination thereof. 
     User electronic device  110  may include any suitable electronic device that can communicate with call center  102  and, optionally, with server  104 . User electronic device  110  may communicate with server  104  through the same or a different network than with call center  102 . For example, user electronic device  110  may be configured to communicate with call center  102  through a mobile network and/or PSTN and with server  104  over the Internet. User electronic device  110  can include a portable media player with telephonic capabilities, a cellular telephone (e.g., an iPhone™), a pocket-sized personal computer, a personal digital assistance (PDA), a desktop computer, a laptop computer, and any other device capable of communicating telephonically via wires or wirelessly (with or without the aid of a wireless enabling accessory device). 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a schematic view of illustrative user electronic device  200  is shown. Electronic device  200  can be a device that is the same or similar to user electronic device  110  ( FIG. 1 ), or can be a device that is not operative to communicate with a server such as server  104 . In the latter case, call center database  106  may be implemented locally in user electronic device  200  (e.g., in storage  206 ). Electronic device  200  can include control circuitry  202 , memory  204 , storage  206 , communications circuitry  208 , speech processor  210 , user interface  212 , and bus  214 . Electronic device  200  can include other components not shown in  FIG. 2 , such as a power supply for providing power to the components of electronic device  200 . Also, while only one of each component is illustrated, electronic device  200  can include more than one of some or all of the components. 
     Control circuitry  202  can control the general operation and various functions of device  200 . For example, control circuitry  202  can determine how to handle telephone calls with call centers (e.g., call center  102  of  FIG. 1 ) when a telephone call has been placed on hold. As described in detail below, control circuitry  202  can control whether to monitor an on-hold call so that the user is free to perform non-phone-related tasks (e.g., listen to music, view videos, play games, or run other applications on electronic device  200 ). For example, control circuitry  202  can start an additional background process for monitoring an on-hold call and for alerting the user when to return to the call, thereby freeing user interface  212  and the foreground process for the non-phone-related tasks. This feature of monitoring on-hold telephone calls may sometimes be referred to as “on-hold monitoring,” and may be advantageous particularly for electronic devices that have multiple functionalities (e.g., telephone, music player, gaming machine, organizer, calculator, etc.). 
     Control circuitry  202  can include any components, circuitry, or logic operative to drive the functionality of electronic device  200 . For example, control circuitry  202  can include one or more processors acting under the control of an application. 
     In some embodiments, the application can be stored in memory  204  or storage  206 . Memory  204  can include cache memory, Flash memory, read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), or any other suitable type of memory. In some embodiments, memory  204  can include memory dedicated specifically to storing firmware for control circuitry  202 . For example, memory  204  can store firmware for device applications (e.g., operating system, user interface functions, and other processor functions). In some embodiments, memory  204  can include the main memory for an application executed by control circuitry  202 . 
     Storage  206  can be any suitable type of storage medium offering permanent or semi-permanent memory. For example, storage  206  can include one or more storage mediums, including for example, a hard drive, Flash, or other EPROM or EEPROM. Storage  206  (or memory  204 ) can be used by electronic device  200  to store call center information, such as any of the information described above in connection with call center database  106 . The call center information can include, for example, any statistical or non-statistical data about call centers that were previously called using electronic device  200  or any other device (from other users) or any data downloaded from server  104  ( FIG. 1 ). Storage  206  or memory  204  can also store any other suitable information, such as speech processing information for speech processor  210  (e.g., keywords or speech models), preference information (e.g., music playback preferences), lifestyle information, exercise information (e.g., obtained from an exercise monitoring system), transaction information (e.g., credit card information), subscription information (e.g., for podcasts or television shows), and other telephone information (e.g., an address book, call log). 
     Bus  214  may provide a data transfer path for transferring data to, from, or between control circuitry  202 , memory  204 , storage  206 , communications circuitry  208 , and some or all of the other components of electronic device  200 . 
     Communications circuitry  208  can enable electronic device  200  to communicate with other devices, such as with a call center (e.g., call center  102  of  FIG. 1 ), other telephone-ready devices, or a server (e.g., server  104  of  FIG. 1 ). For example, communications circuitry  208  can include telephone-enabling circuitry, such as the software and/or hardware necessary to enable a PSTN, mobile, or VOIP connection (e.g., antennas and modems). In some embodiments, communications circuitry  208  can include Wi-Fi enabling circuitry that may permit wireless communication according to one of the 802.11 standards or a private network. Other wired or wireless protocol standards, such as Bluetooth™, can be used in addition or instead. 
     Speech processor  210  can include any hardware or software, or a combination thereof, for analyzing and interpreting voice data. For example, speech processor  210  can be a software module implemented as computer-readable instructions recorded on a computer-readable medium (e.g., memory  204 , storage  206 , or another storage unit). In these embodiments, speech processor  210  may be executed by a processor included in control circuitry  202 . That is, control circuitry  202  can execute a software-implementation of speech processor  210  in a speech recognition process as either a task or sub-task. In other embodiments, speech processor  210  may be a hardware implementation that is controlled by control circuitry  202 . 
     Speech processor  210  can interpret voice data using any suitable technique, such as detecting whether specific words or phrases are present in the voice data. This technique may be referred to as “keyword spotting” and the specific words and/or phrases that speech processor  210  searches for may be referred to as “keywords.” Speech processor  210  may be used to analyze voice data of telephone data received from a telephone call with a call center (e.g., call center  102  of  FIG. 1 ) or from any telephone-ready device. 
     User interface  212  can allow a user to interact with electronic device  200 . In some embodiments, user interface  212  can include an audio output, such as any type of speaker (e.g., computer speakers or headphones). The audio output can be used, for example, to provide telephone data, music, or any other audio to the user. In some embodiments, user interface  212  can include a display, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a touchscreen display (e.g., multi-touch panel), or any other type of display for presenting visual media or text (e.g., games or graphics such as album cover art) to the user. In some embodiments, user interface  212  can provide haptic outputs (e.g., vibrational outputs). User interface  212  can include an input device, which can take on any of a variety of forms, such as one or more of a button, keypad (e.g., computer keyboard), dial, click wheel, touch screen, or accelerometer. 
     User interface  212  may enable a user to have control over a telephone call. As used herein, the “control” of a telephone call may refer to whoever or whatever has the ability to determine what interaction to have with the other party on the telephone call (e.g., whether to disconnect the telephone call, etc.). For example, a user may have control over the telephone call when the user can speak with the other party using a microphone of user interface  212  and can hang up the telephone call via a button of user interface  212 . 
     Electronic device  200  can be configured to perform on-hold monitoring when a telephone call is placed on hold by the other party (e.g., call center  102  of  FIG. 1 ). While the user performs other non-phone-related activities, electronic device  200  can run a background process that may take the control of the telephone call from the user and may monitor incoming telephone data from the on-hold call. Electronic device  200  can monitor the telephone data for indicators (e.g., keywords) that may indicate that the live operator is or will soon be present. Responsive to detecting an indicator, electronic device  200  can provide a visual, haptic, and/or audio alert to the user signaling that it is time to regain control of the telephone call. This way, while the user is placed on hold, the user can give all or nearly all of his or her attention to performing other activities and does not have to worry about the status of the on-hold call (whether using the telephone or not). 
     More detailed descriptions of various techniques that electronic device  200  can use to provide on-hold monitoring will be described in detail in connection with  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  7 ,  8 ,  11 , and  12 . 
       FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  7 ,  8 ,  11 , and  12  are flowcharts of illustrative processes that can be executed by an electronic device (e.g., user electronic device  200 ). It should be understood that these processes are merely illustrative. Any steps in these processes may be modified, removed, or combined, and any steps may be added, without departing from the scope of the disclosure. 
     Referring first to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a flowchart of illustrative process  300  is shown for monitoring an on-hold call with a call center. Process  300  can begin at step  302  in  FIG. 3 . At step  304 , the electronic device can receive a user indication to make a telephone call. For example, the electronic device may allow the user to enter the telephone number of a call recipient. Then, at step  306 , the electronic device can determine whether the telephone call is directed to a call center. In some embodiments, this determination can involve identifying whether the telephone number is a toll free number, such as a 1-800, 1-888, 1-877, or 1-866 number, determining whether the telephone number matches a number or business in a call center database (e.g., call center database  106  of  FIG. 1  or a locally-stored call center database), or both. 
     If, at step  306 , the electronic device determines that the call recipient is not a call center, process  300  can end at step  310  without enabling on-hold monitoring. At this point, the user may have control of the telephone call and can, in some embodiments, manually initiate on-hold monitoring. Thus, at step  308 , the electronic device can determine whether on-hold monitoring has been initiated manually by the user. The user may manually initiate on-hold monitoring when, for example, the call recipient places the user on hold during the telephone call, or if the telephone call was made to a call center not recognized by the electronic device or call center database. If on-hold monitoring is manually initiated, process  300  may continue to step  316 , described below. Otherwise, process  300  may end at step  310 . 
     Returning to step  306 , if the electronic device determines that the call recipient is a call center, process  300  can move to step  312 . At step  312 , the electronic device can obtain call center information about the recipient call center or a particular department of the call center. The electronic device can obtain this information from a call center database, which can be stored locally on the user device or from a server (e.g., server  104  of  FIG. 1 ). The call center information can include on-hold data, such as whether the call center or department typically places users on hold or the average wait-time for the recipient (e.g., overall, for that time of day, for that season, etc.). The call center information can include any other suitable statistical or non-statistical data described above in connection with call center database  106  of  FIG. 1 . 
     Process  300  can continue to step  314 , and the electronic device can determine whether to enable on-hold monitoring. This determination can be based on any of a variety of factors, including but not limited to the call center information (e.g., on-hold data), any user preferences, or based on whether the user has manually requested on-hold monitoring. For example, in some embodiments, to make this determination, the electronic device can provide a prompt to the user requesting a decision about whether to enable on-hold monitoring. 
       FIG. 5  shows an illustrative display screen of one such prompt. Prompt  500  can inform the user that a substantial wait-time is expected for this call center (e.g., 15 minutes in this example), and may allow the user to enable or not enable on-hold monitoring using selectable icons  502  and  504 , respectively. Display screen  500  may be displayed, for example, as a full screen display or overlay on a touchscreen. The user can select one of icons  502  and  504  by touching the appropriate part of the touchscreen. It should be understood that prompting a user is just one way that the electronic device can make the determination at step  314  ( FIG. 3 ). Other ways that the electronic device can determine whether to enable on-hold monitoring will be described below in connection with  FIG. 7 . 
     Responsive to the user selecting “no” icon  504  of  FIG. 5 , or using any other suitable approach, the electronic device may not enable on-hold monitoring and can instead allow the user to maintain control of the telephone call. In particular, returning to  FIG. 3 , process  300  can move from step  314  to step  315  and end. Otherwise, responsive to receiving a user selection of “yes” icon  502  ( FIG. 5 ), or using any other suitable approach, on-hold monitoring may be enabled for the telephone call. That is, at step  316  of  FIG. 3 , the electronic device can free up the user interface (e.g., display, audio output, and user input) so that the user can perform non-phone-related tasks, such as play games, movies, or music. The electronic device can, for example, start a new thread or process so that the electronic device (instead of the user) may take control of the telephone call. On-hold monitoring and any non-phone-related task can therefore occur concurrently. 
     Using the new thread or process, the electronic device can monitor the telephone line at step  318 . For example, the electronic device can monitor incoming telephone data using a speech processor (e.g., speech processor  210  of  FIG. 2 ) to detect any indicators that a live operator is or will soon be present. The indicators may be keywords, such as phrases typically spoken by live operators when greeting a caller (e.g., “Hello, my name is . . . ”). The indicators (e.g., keywords) may include hold status information indicating the caller&#39;s place in a hold queue or the estimated minutes until a live operator can be expected (e.g., that the user is in the first or second place in the queue or that the wait will be less than two minutes). Monitoring an on-hold call using speech processing will be described in greater detail below in connection with  FIG. 8 . 
     In some embodiments, the electronic device can monitor the incoming telephone data at step  318  for non-speech or non-audible data that may indicate that a live operator is or will soon be present on the telephone call. For example, the call center&#39;s automatic telephone system may provide hold status information for the purpose of enabling on-hold monitoring, and not so that a user waiting on hold may be informed of the on-hold status. 
     Process  300  may continue to step  320 . At step  320 , the electronic device may determine whether the incoming telephone data corresponds to an indicator that a live operator is or will soon be present. If it does not, the electronic device can ignore the telephone data and can continue monitoring the telephone line at step  318 . This way, the electronic device can ignore any telephone data that is not of interest, such as on-hold music or advertisements. If, at step  320 , the electronic device instead determines that an indicator of a live operator is detected, process  300  can move to step  322 . 
     At step  322 , the electronic device can alert the user that the live operator is or will soon be present on the telephone line based on the detection at step  320 . The electronic device can use any suitable type of alert, including any combination of visual, audio, and haptic alerts. 
       FIG. 6  shows an illustrative visual alert that can be provided by the electronic. The electronic device can display prompt  600  as a full screen display or an overlay on a touch screen, for example, to alert the user that a live operator will soon be present on the telephone line. Prompt  600  can include slider  602  for receiving a user input, or any other type of virtual input mechanism, such as “yes” and “no” button. Other ways for the electronic device to alert the user of the presence or imminent presence of a live operator will be described below in connection with  FIG. 12 . 
     Returning to process  300 , which continues from step  322  in  FIG. 3  to step  402  in  FIG. 4 , the electronic device can determine whether a user response to the visual, audio, and/or haptic alert has been received. The user response may indicate that the user wants to regain control of the telephone call. The response may be, for example, receipt of the user moving slider  602  on prompt  600  ( FIG. 6 ), the user press of a physical or virtual button, or any other suitable user input. If, at step  402 , the electronic device determines that a user response to the alert has been received, the electronic device can give control of the telephone call back to the user at step  404 . For example, the telephone call, which may have been monitored in a background process, may become the foreground process, and the electronic device may allow the user to control the telephone call via the electronic device&#39;s user interface. In some embodiments, step  404  can involve suspending a non-phone-related task that the user was employing while the telephone call was being handled by the background process. Process  300  can then continue to step  414 , described below, at any suitable time (e.g., immediately after giving control to the user or after the telephone call is ended). 
     Returning to step  402 , if the electronic device instead determines that a user response has not been received, process  300  can move to step  406 . At step  406 , the electronic device can play a message to the live operator informing the live operator that the user will return momentarily and asking that the live operator wait for the user&#39;s return. The electronic device may play the message responsive to detecting that the live operator is actually present (as opposed to being expected soon). In some embodiments, step  406  can involve placing the live operator on hold and/or muting the device&#39;s microphone so that the live operator only hears this message (and not any noise that may be picked up by the electronic device). 
     The message played at step  406  can be a pre-recorded message (e.g., one made by the user or by the device itself), a synthesized message, or can be generated using any other suitable approach. In some embodiments, a pre-recorded message can be used to make the live operator believe that the user is actually on the telephone call. In these embodiments, the electronic device or message can use any suitable approach for simulating a live situation, such as making an excuse for why the user needs a moment away from the telephone, and including any background noise with the message (e.g., a baby crying or crashing sounds) to back up the user&#39;s excuse. This way, if the live operator believes the user is actually present, the live operator may be less likely to disconnect the telephone call. 
     Process  300  can continue to step  408 , and the electronic device can determine whether a user response from the alert has been received within a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 10, 15, 20, or 30 seconds) after, for example, the user was first alerted at step  322  ( FIG. 3 ) or after playing the message at step  406 . If so, the electronic device can give control of the telephone call to the user at step  404 . Otherwise, at step  410 , the electronic device can play a pre-recorded or synthesized message saying goodbye to the live operator. The goodbye message can include any apologies and/or excuses to simulate an actual scenario. The electronic device may then disconnect the telephone call at step  412 . 
     Continuing to step  414 , the electronic device can save any statistical information or non-statistical information about the telephone call. The electronic device can save the information in a local storage (e.g., memory  204  or storage  206  ( FIG. 2 )) or at a remote server (e.g., in call center database  106  ( FIG. 1 )). This way, the call center information for the call center and/or department can be updated with current information about that call center. The electronic device can save any suitable information about the telephone call, such as data on how long the user was put on hold, the time of the call, how well the on-hold monitoring was able to detect the presence of a live operator, the keyword used to identify the presence of the live operator, or a combination thereof. The electronic device can collect this information automatically from monitoring the telephone call (e.g., at step  318  in  FIG. 3 ), from express user input, or both. For example, the electronic device can provide a survey to the user at the end of the telephone call to collect data, such as information about how satisfied the user was with the service received by the call center or with the service of the on-hold monitoring feature. Any of this information (or other information) can be collected to increase the effectiveness of the on-holding monitoring process the next time it is invoked. Process  300  may then end at step  416 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 7 , a flowchart of illustrative process  700  is shown for determining whether to enable on-hold monitoring. Process  700  can be a more detailed view of step  314  of process  300  ( FIG. 3 ). Process  700  can begin at step  702  in which a telephone call to a call center will be or has been made by the user. At step  704 , the electronic device can determine the user&#39;s preferences with respect to on-hold monitoring. In some embodiments, the user preferences may have been previously entered by the user or may be automatically determined based on monitoring the user&#39;s activity. The user preferences can indicate whether the user prefers to have on-hold monitoring enabled automatically when a call is placed on hold. 
     Then, at step  706 , the electronic device can determine, based on the user preferences, whether to automatically enable on-hold monitoring. If so, process  700  can continue to step  708  and the electronic device can determine whether a short wait-time on hold can be expected for this call center. For example, the electronic device can determine whether the average hold time for the call center is below a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 1, 2, or 5 minutes). However, it should be understood that a “wait-time” (as defined above) can be measured using any suitable unit, and does not necessarily refer to a standard time unit (e.g., minutes). For example, the electronic device can make the determination at step  708  based on the number in line that a caller is typically placed in a hold queue. The electronic device may obtain the information to make this determination using call center information stored locally or from a server, such as server  104  of  FIG. 1 . 
     If a short wait-time is not expected, the electronic device can automatically enable on-hold monitoring at step  722  and process  700  can end at step  714 . If a short wait-time can be expected, it may not make sense for on-hold monitoring to be enabled regardless of the user&#39;s preference to automatically enable on-hold monitoring. In this case, the electronic device can prompt the user not to enable on-hold monitoring. If the user responds to the prompt confirming or agreeing to the prompt, process  700  can end at step  714  without enabling on-hold monitoring. Otherwise, the electronic device may enable on-hold monitoring at step  722 . 
     Returning to step  706 , if the electronic device determines that the user does not prefer to have on-hold monitoring automatically enabled, process  700  can move to step  716 . At step  716 , the electronic device can determine whether a long on-hold wait-time can be expected for this call center. For example, the electronic device can determine whether the average hold time for the call center is above a predetermined threshold (e.g., 5, 10, or 15 minutes), or whether callers are typically placed at least at a predetermined position in the hold queue. The electronic device can make this determination based on call center information stored locally or from a server, such as server  104  of  FIG. 1 . If a long wait-time may be expected, the electronic device can prompt the user to enable on-hold monitoring at step  718 . The prompt may be the same as or similar to prompt  500  of  FIG. 5 . If a user response is received in agreement with the prompt, on-hold monitoring may be enabled at step  722 . Otherwise, process  700  can end at step  714  without enabling on-hold monitoring. 
     Looking again to step  716 , if a long wait-time on hold may not be expected, the electronic device may not enable on-hold monitoring and can instead allow the user to maintain control of the telephone call. At this point, on-hold monitoring may not be enabled unless expressly requested by the user (e.g., by pressing a physical or a virtually displayed button on the electronic device). If, at step  724 , the electronic device determines that on-hold monitoring has been manually enabled, the electronic device can enable on-hold monitoring at step  722 . Otherwise, process  700  can end at step  714  without enabling on-hold monitoring. 
       FIG. 8  shows a flowchart of illustrative process  800  for monitoring an on-hold telephone call with a call center using speech processing. Process  800  may be a more detailed view of step  318  of process  300  ( FIG. 3 ). Process  800  can begin at step  802  in which on-hold monitoring has been enabled. Then, at step  804 , the electronic device can monitor incoming telephone data for hold status information. The hold status information can include an indication of the wait-time that the user can expect to be placed on hold, such as what place in line the user is in or an expected number of minutes on hold. 
     The electronic device can monitor the telephone data for this information using keyword spotting. For example, the electronic device can attempt to detect a number followed by a unit of time (e.g., “5 minutes”) or a number followed by keywords indicating a place in line (e.g., “third in line”). Thus, the electronic device can perform speech processing on the telephone data, and may initially use a specific set of keywords as indicators to obtain hold status information. In these or other embodiments, the electronic device may attempt to detect non-audio indicators of hold status information from the telephone data. 
     Then, at step  806 , the electronic device can determine whether hold status information is available. For example, the electronic device may determine whether the specific keywords have been detected within a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 1, 2, 5 minutes). If not, the call center may not provide this information or may not present the hold status information in a format recognizable by the electronic device. If so, the electronic device can provide the user with this hold status information at step  807 . For example, the electronic device can display the hold status information at a corner of the display. This way, the user can be informed at any or all times of his or her status on the telephone call. 
     For example,  FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate some ways in which the electronic device may provide updated status information to the user on his or her on-hold wait times.  FIGS. 9 and 10  show illustrative display screens  900  and  1000 , either of which may be displayed by the electronic device while on-hold monitoring is enabled. Display screens  900  and  1000  can include status areas  902  and  1002  (respectively) and main areas  908  and  1008  (respectively). The respective main areas may be used to display phone-related or non-phone related displays, such as a virtual telephone keypad, video, game, or home screen. The respective status areas may be used to provide information on the status of the user device or any other suitable information, such as the time, date, battery usage, carrier/wireless status, whether an alarm has been set, etc. 
     Status areas  902  and  1002  can also be used to display the hold status information obtained at step  806  ( FIG. 8 ). More particularly, status area  902  of  FIG. 9  may include hold status area  906  for displaying the user&#39;s place in line in the hold queue, while status area  1002  may include hold status area  1006  for displaying the estimated number of minutes until a live operator is expected. Hold status areas  906  and  1006  can include icons  906  and  1006 , respectively, to indicate whether the number provided indicates a place in line or an estimated amount of time. Thus, in the examples of  FIG. 9 and 10 , display screen  900  may be displayed when the user is third in line in the hold queue, and display screen  1000  may be displayed when the user has approximately eight minutes to wait until the live operator is present. 
     In some embodiments, status areas  906  and  1006  of  FIGS. 9 and 10 , respectively, may be color-coded. The status areas may change to different colors depending on whether the user still has a long time to wait. The electronic device can use any other technique for visually distinguishing between different states (e.g., different textures or patterns, etc.), and not just different colors. In some embodiments, the electronic device may provide some indication (e.g., blinking indicator) when the number in the status area changes (e.g., from eight minutes to seven minutes, etc.). 
     Returning to  FIG. 8 , at step  808 , the electronic device may use the hold status information (e.g., the user&#39;s place in line or estimated number of minutes remaining) to determine whether the live operator will soon be present on the telephone line. In some embodiments, the electronic device can determine whether the expected wait-time is below a predetermined number of minutes or positions in line. If the electronic device determines that the live operator is expected soon using this metric, the electronic device can begin the process for giving control of the telephone call to the user (e.g., alerting the user, etc.) at step  810 . This way, the user may regain control of the telephone call in advance of the live operator connecting the call, yet the user may not have to wait a substantial amount of time for the live operator. Moreover, the live operator may be kept unaware of the on-hold monitoring and may not be given an opportunity to hang up the call.  FIG. 11  shows one way in which the electronic device can start to give control of the telephone call back to the user. 
     If, at step  808 , the hold status information does not indicate that a live operator will be present soon, the electronic device can continue monitoring the telephone data at step  804  for the next time that hold status information is provided. 
     Returning to step  806 , if the electronic device is not able to detect hold status information, the electronic device may instead detect for the actual presence of the live operator on the telephone call. In particular, process  800  can move to step  814 , and the electronic device can monitor the incoming telephone data using an expanded set of keywords. The expanded set of keywords can include keywords that may indicate that a live operator is actually present on the other end of the telephone call. For example, the keywords can include any or all of the expected initial greetings that the live operator may use (e.g., “Hi, my name is . . . ,” “how may I help you today . . . ,” etc.) and any or all of the expected “re-greetings.” “Re-greetings” can include any words or phrases that the live operator may say if nobody responds to the initial greeting, such as “Hello?” or “are you there?”. 
     Accordingly, even if the electronic device is unable to detect indicators that a live operator will soon be present (and relies instead on detecting the actual presence of the live operator), the on-hold monitoring feature may not require the live operator to do or say anything that the live operator would not normally do or say. This way, the live operator may not be tempted to disconnect the telephone call, and may still be kept unaware of the on-hold monitoring feature. This could remain true even if there is a slight delay between the time the live operator connects the telephone call and the time the user disables on-hold monitoring. 
     Returning to step  814 , the electronic device may monitor the telephone data for a ringing sound, which can indicate that the telephone call is being connected to the live operator. At this point, the electronic device can continue monitoring the telephone data for a greeting or re-greeting to confirm that a live operator is present. Alternatively, the electronic device can treat the ringing in the same or a similar way as if one of the keywords in the expanded set were detected. Also, the expanded set of keywords may or may not include keywords signaling hold status information, and thus the electronic device may or may not continue processing the telephone data for hold status information. 
     Thus, at step  814 , the number of keywords that the user device attempts to detect may increase compared to the number attempted at step  804 . By not employing keyword spotting with the expanded set of keywords until the spotting of the initial smaller set of keywords is unsuccessful, the user electronic device can minimize the processing power used by the on-hold monitoring feature. This can be beneficial if the user is also using the electronic device for non-phone-related tasks, for example. 
     Continuing to step  816 , the electronic device can continue to monitor the telephone data for the larger set of keywords until the presence of a live operator is detected. Process  800  may then continue to step  818  at which time the electronic device may start the process of returning control of the telephone call to the user. Step  818  may or may not be the same as step  810 , described above. For example, in some embodiments, the electronic device may provide different types of alerts or may display different information in a visual alert at step  818  than at step  810 . Process  800  may then end at step  812 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 11 , a flowchart of illustrative process  1100  for handling non-phone-related applications when a live operator is or will soon be present on a telephone call. Some steps of process  1100  may be a more detailed view of step  810  and/or step  818  of  FIG. 8 . Process  1100  may begin at step  1102 , where the electronic device may have determined that a live operator is or will soon be present on a telephone call. At step  1104 , the electronic device can suspend applications that use audio input or audio output. These applications can include, for example, any non-phone-related applications that the user may be using while waiting for the live operator to return to the telephone call (e.g., games, videos, music, etc.). In some embodiments, the electronic device may also suspend other applications that do not use an audio input or output (e.g., applications that only use the display). 
     Then, at step  1106 , the electronic device may provide the user with the option of returning to the telephone call. The electronic device may, for example, may provide any suitable type of alert, such as a visual, audio, or haptic alert. If, at step  1108 , the electronic device determines that the user does not want to return to the telephone call, the electronic device may resume the suspended applications at step  1110 . The electronic device may determine that the user does not want to return to the telephone call if, for example, the user does not respond to the alert within a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 10, 15, 30 seconds) or if the user expressly chooses not to return to the telephone call (e.g., by selecting a “no” button). Process  1100  may continue to step  1111  and end. 
     If, at step  1108 , the electronic device instead determines that the user wants to return to the telephone call, process  1100  can continue to step  1112 . At step  1112 , the electronic device can give control of the telephone call to the user. At this point, the user interface may be used to allow the user to control the flow of the telephone call. 
     Continuing to step  1114 , the electronic device can determine whether the telephone call has been disconnected. If so, the electronic device can provide the user with the option of resuming the suspended applications at step  1116 . If the user selects not to resume the applications, process  1100  may end at step  1111  (and in some embodiments may also terminate the suspended applications). If the user selects instead to resume the suspended applications, the electronic device can do so at step  1110  and process  1100  can end at step  1111 . In other embodiments, the electronic device may automatically resume the suspended applications once the telephone call is disconnected, or the electronic device may not prompt the user to resume the suspended applications (and instead wait for the user to request that the applications be resumed). 
     Referring now to  FIG. 12 , a flowchart of illustrative process  1200  for alerting the user of the presence of a live operator. Process  1200  may be a more detailed view of step  322  of process  300  ( FIG. 3 ). Process  1200  can begin at step  1202 , where the electronic device has determined that a live operator is or will soon be present on the other end of the telephone line. At step  1204 , the status of the electronic device can be determined. The electronic device can determine whether it is “idle” or “active” based on when the last time a user input was received or the last time a non-on-hold process output was provided, for example (e.g., if the user is watching a movie). The electronic device can also determine whether an application is being actively used (e.g., a game) and which parts of the user interface are utilized by the application (e.g., display, user input, audio output, or a combination thereof). 
     Then, at step  1206 , the electronic device can select an alert mode based on user device status. The different modes can include an audio mode (e.g., ring or alarm sounds), a visual mode (e.g., a display prompt), a haptic mode (e.g., a vibrational response), or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the electronic device can select the alert mode based on whether the electronic device is active or idle. For example, the electronic device may select a less aggressive alert mode (e.g., haptic mode) if the device is active rather than idle, as less is probably needed to get the user&#39;s attention. In other embodiments, the electronic device can select the alert mode based on the non-hold-mode application being used by the user. For example, if a music application is being used, the electronic device may select an audio alert mode, as this may be most effective way to get the user&#39;s attention. On the other hand, if the user is actively playing a game using the display, the electronic device may not select a visual alert mode, as this may interrupt the game in the event that the user does not wish to return to the telephone call. 
     After selecting an alert mode, the electronic device may alert the user of the live operator&#39;s presence using the selected alert mode at step  1208 . Then, at step  1210 , the electronic device may determine whether a user response to the alert has been received (e.g., within a predetermined amount of time). If so, the electronic device may have successfully alerted the user of the presence of a live operator, and process  1200  can end at step  1212 . 
     Otherwise, process  1200  can continue to step  1214 . At step  1214 , the electronic device can determine whether to continue alerting the user of the presence of the live operator. The electronic device may make this determination based on the number of times that the electronic device has already alerted the user, user preferences, or the amount of time that has passed since first alerting the user. If the electronic device determines that no further alerts should be provided, process  1200  may end at step  1216 . Otherwise, the electronic device can select a more aggressive alert mode at step  1218  (if available). This way, the electronic device may have more success obtaining the user&#39;s attention. For example, if the electronic device previously used a haptic alert mode, the electronic device may switch to an audio and haptic alert mode. Process  1200  may then return to step  1208 , and the electronic device can alert the user using the more aggressive alert mode. 
       FIGS. 13A-13D  and  14 A- 14 H show two sequences of illustrative display screens. These sequences show various display screens that an electronic device can provide to illustrate various on-hold monitoring features described above. It should be understood that these display screens are merely illustrative, and that different sequences may be provided depending on user input, user preference settings, and the particular implementation of on-hold monitoring. 
     Looking first to  FIGS. 13A-13D , a first sequence of display screens are shown that illustrate a possible operating scenario. In particular,  FIGS. 13A-13D  illustrate the display screens that an electronic device may provide when the device cannot identify a call center (e.g., the call center does not have an entry in the call center database or the call center does not have a toll free number). 
     The electronic device may provide display screen  1300  of  FIG. 13A  while the user is on the telephone call. Display screen  1300  can include a number of different options (e.g., options to hang up, place the other part on hold, etc.), including option  1302  to enable on-hold monitoring. Responsive to a user selecting on-hold monitoring option  1302 , the electronic device may attempt to locate an entry in the call center database for the other party. Since the electronic device cannot do so in this example, the electronic device may provide display screen  1310  of  FIG. 13B . 
     Display screen  1310  of  FIG. 13B  informs the user that the electronic device cannot provide an estimated on-hold wait time, and prompts the user to either engage or not engage on-hold monitoring anyway. Responsive to a user selection to engage on-hold monitoring, the electronic device can enable on-hold monitoring and provide display screen  1320  of  FIG. 13C  as a confirmation to the user. The electronic device may continue to display this screen until, for example, the user selects to perform a non-phone-related task (e.g., go to the “home screen,” or play movies, games, or music), the user disengages on-hold monitoring (e.g., by double-tapping on the on-hold monitoring area of display screen  1320 ), or until the electronic device determines that the live operator is or will soon be present. 
     In response to determining that a live operator is present on the telephone call, the electronic device may provide display screen  1330  of  FIG. 13D . This may function as an alert to the user, and gives the user an option to return to and take control of the telephone call. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 14A-14H , another illustrative sequence of display screens are shown. This sequence illustrates the display screens that an electronic device might provide when the electronic device is able to locate a call center in the call center database. First, the electronic device may start the process of engaging on-hold monitoring in any of a variety of ways, such as manually from selecting option  1402  from display screen  1400  or automatically based on user preferences. While the electronic device accesses the call center database, the electronic device can provide display screen  1410  of  FIG. 14B  informing the user of this task. 
     Responsive to determining the estimated on-hold wait time associated with the call center, the electronic device may provide display screen  1420  of  FIG. 14C  informing the user of this estimated time. If the estimated time is below a predetermined threshold (e.g., five minutes), the electronic device may provide display screen  1430  of  FIG. 14D  so that the user can decide whether to engage on-hold monitoring even though there will probably be a short wait time. If the estimated time is not below the predetermined threshold, or if the user selects to engage on-hold monitoring from display screen  1430 , the electronic device can enable on-hold monitoring and provide display screen  1440  of  FIG. 14E  as a confirmation to the user. 
     If the user chooses to perform a non-phone-related task while on-hold monitoring is engaged, the electronic device may first provide display screen  1450  of  FIG. 14F . Display screen  1450  can include home screen  1454  and hold status area  1452 . Hold status area  1452  can keep the user updated with the estimated wait time for the telephone call while the user performs any non-phone-related tasks. 
     Responsive to determining that the live operator is or will soon be present on the telephone call, the electronic device can provide either display screen  1460  of  FIG. 14G  or display screen  1470  of  FIG. 14H . In particular, the electronic device may provide display screen  1460  when the live operator is expected soon (e.g., in less than two minutes), while the electronic device may provide display screen  1470  when the live operator has already returned to the call and has been put on hold. 
     The described embodiments of the disclosure are presented for the purpose of illustration and not of limitation. For example, while various embodiments have been described in terms of using on-hold monitoring for telephone calls made by the user, the on-hold monitoring feature may be used for any other telephone calls, such as telephone calls received by the user or telephone calls connected with non-call centers. Also, while various embodiments have been described in terms of using on-hold monitoring for telephone calls with customer service departments or other business departments, the on-hold monitoring feature can be employed for telephone calls connected with any call recipient (e.g., personal calls). The invention is limited only by the claims that follow.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20090529
Publication Date: 20130129
Grant Date: 20130129
Priority Date: 20090529
Inventors: GUPTA KSHITIJ
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H04M1/247", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/724", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/247", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/82", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/2478", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M2203/2027", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M2201/40", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M3/4286", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M2203/352", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/724", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/72513", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/2478", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/82", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M3/4286", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/72513", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M2203/352", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M2203/2027", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M2201/40", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 43220233