Apple Patent Depicts Advances in Handling Incoming Calls
Calls can be put on hold, as well as the ability to save voice mails in a text format.
A new Apple patent that was recently approved will provide enhanced methods to handling incoming calls by either putting them on hold or saving voice mails as an SMS.
Approved by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the patent is entitled "Dynamic Context-Based Auto-Response Generation," which aims to provide consumers with options when they're on a call or just generally unavailable.
The system can be completely automated. If the user can't answer the call, the caller receives a pre-recorded message based on the caller ID and other aspects. The caller would then be asked to leave a voice mail. That scenario would be triggered if, for example, the phone detects a user driving or if they're occupied, to which it'll then automatically forward an incoming call to voice mail.
Another scenario enables users to manually determine how to handle the call; one can choose to answer it, send it to voice mail or place it on hold. The latter option allows users to set the hold time and transmit that information to their callers, who will then decide if they wish to remain on hold or switch to voice mail.
Messages that are left in a user's voice mail can be converted to text, allowing you to read them when you're occupied with another call. While it's too early to tell due to the amount of patents that don't come into fruition, Apple may integrate the feature into the inevitable iPhone 6 (or/and iPhone 5S).

Sorry, I have an Android (Droid Bionic) running ICS. Not seen anything with the phone that can detect what I am doing, or send a personalized voicemail message based on who is calling.
As for Google Voice, nothing listed on it's features say anything about different voicemail messages depending on who is calling.
So, you are saying that a person or company that invents something shouldn't be allowed to patent t he idea? Get rid of patents and you stifle innovation just as much as granting patents for broad, vague ideas.
The thing is, developing a technology that can recognize who is calling, say for example a spouse, and gives them a different voicemail message than say your boss, well, that is not a broad or vague technology. That is actually a very good idea. Not to mention something that can detect what you are doing and base how it handles calls based on that action automatically.
Call behavior based on presence information is a major design intent included in modern telecom protocols. Jesus, the scenario listed by Apple is actually in the SIP spec itself.
As usual, pay your fee and you'll get your patent, regardless of how inane it is... it can always be sorted out through litigation.
It does not recognize who is calling, it checks the caller ID.
Not the same thing.
I have an old Samsung Flip Phone that I can program to do different things depending on who calls. Incl. sending to voice mail.
This is nothing but a variation on a programmable answering machine; been round for years and crap like this should simply not be patentable in the first place.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=fahrbot.apps.rootcallblocker.pro&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImZhaHJib3QuYXBwcy5yb290Y2FsbGJsb2NrZXIucHJvIl0.
I beg to differ... I've hated apple since they sued Microsoft because they claimed to have 'invented' GUI with mouse. Which they didn't, Xerox did. This would have been in the late 80's. The only machine of theirs that I ever liked at ALL was the apple II line. It was ahead of it's time for a short period in the late 70's. That was the 'other Steve's' invention (Wozniak).
Someone should check if there's an Apple mole in the USPTO. That patents like this pass trough is not normal.
Zak is an expert in Apple, so he might as well write on it. I jsut wish he would write on other topics as well, since most of his news are not related too hardware a lot.