Apple Patents: Let Apple Decide How You Contact Others

Apple Patents: Am I going to send a text message? Is it better to email? Should I just call the person? If you struggle with the decision of how to get in touch with another party, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) may be able to save you once and for all.

In a recently granted patent, Apple now has a communications system in place that will automatically select the best method of touching base with a contact.

A Leading Company Cheaper Than 90% Of Blue Chips... And It Recently Bounced 12%While this technology has been patented by the Cupertino based company, who knows if it will ever make its way into an Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone in the future. However, with all these features, including a system that could give people the help they need to better communicate, don’t be surprised if it does.

Here is the title of the patent: Method and system for facilitating contacting people using electronic devices

For a better idea of what you can expect from this technology, read the abstract below:

“Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using improved approaches to contact users that can be contacted in a variety of different ways are disclosed. According to one aspect, one user is able to be automatically informed of an appropriate (e.g., preferred) way to contact another user. Once informed of the appropriate way, another user can be contacted (automatically or on user request) using the appropriate way.”

As you can see, you don’t have to do anything. Instead, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) hopes that the technology, along with minimal user input, will help you decide an “appropriate way to contact another user.” Best yet, you don’t have to do anything once you decide on the best way of contact. Instead, you can rely on the system to do so automatically.

While some may feel that this is giving Apple too much control, others are sure to fall in love with the intuitive system and all the features it provides.

Of course, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) cannot read your mind. That being said, the patent hopes to solve the problem of missing another party when another mode of communication would have helped avoid this.

Here is an example, as given in the patent:

“If a contractor has a disproportionate number of failed connection attempts with respect to the contactee, the Tier group assigned to the contactor can be lowered, in general or with respect to a particular location.”

For example, if the contractor has been unable to connect with another party via a phone call the system would automatically suggest a text message or email message.

While some Apple patents are far fetched, this one appears to be one that could make its way to the iPhone in the near future.

The patent was first filed for on September 19, 2008. The inventor is listed as Thomas Ethan Lowry.

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